Hotel Review: Hyatt Regency Seattle Downtown
Hyatt Regency is a versatile brand of Hyatt. It generally caters to business travelers and conference attendees, but it can appeal to leisure travelers, as most Hyatt Regency hotels are located in big metropolitan areas. While browsing hotels in the greater Seattle area, my focus was to find a clean and modern hotel where I could relax after a long day of sightseeing and walking around. When I compiled all the requirements, Hyatt Regency Seattle fit the picture perfectly. Plus, I haven’t tried the Regency brand, and it was a great opportunity for me to stay at one and have it count towards the 5-Brand Free Night Award. Here is what it was like to stay at Hyatt Regency Seattle Downtown:
Hyatt Regency Seattle Downtown is located at 808 Howell St, Seattle, WA 98101.
Lobby & Check-In Review
The 45-story property was home to 1,260 guest rooms, and I could understand why it is the largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest. I was pleasantly surprised by the grand scale of the property from the moment I entered the hotel.
There are lots of small and conference rooms on the second floor.
I was greeted by a huge piece of art by Cecily Brown (“Bring Me the Sunset in a Cup”) and a generous seating area along with actual orchids that brightened the lobby.
Cecily Brown is a British contemporary painter.
Considering the size of the hotel, the lobby didn’t have many seating options.
Despite bing the largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest, the lobby didn’t have many seats.
My favorite part of the lobby was potted orchids. Surprisingly, they were real orchids, and they gave the lobby an elegant and refined atmosphere.
Ambient lighting and live orchids reinvigorated the lobby.
Along with lounge sofas and chairs, there was an escalator going up to the second floor where the café was accessible in the morning for breakfast.
you can purchase breakfast sandwiches and coffee in the morning from a small market on the second floor.
If you want to enjoy fresh pasta or wood-fired pizza, check out Andare Kitchen & Bar, located on the first floor of the hotel.
Andare Kitchen and Bar got crowded every night; make a reservation if you are interested!
The check-in area was capacious and well lit from the ceiling lights that reminded me of the Hogwarts dining hall in the Harry Potter series.
The check-in area could accommodate many people at once - great for conferences.
I was assisted immediately and received an information sheet describing limited housekeeping services and hotel restaurant hours. Even though I didn’t have status with Hyatt, I gently inquired about a possible complimentary upgrade. The check-in representative could not grant me a room upgrade, but she did put me on the 44th floor with a great view of downtown Seattle. I thanked her for her help and headed up to my room.
Due to COVID-19, the hotel offered limited housekeeping service.
Bedroom Review
The room was right next to the elevator. I usually try to stay away from the elevator as much as possible because I am a light sleeper. I tried my luck this time but failed miserably and woke up a few times during the stay.
Each room had an illuminated picture of Washington ladscape.
Since I was traveling with two other people, I opted in for a double queen room, but the room didn’t feel too cramped during the stay.
The room was modern, simple, and clean, which can be surprisingly hard to achieve all at once.
The bed was comfortable, and the mattress was on the firmer side, without being harsh on my back. There was only one nightstand between the beds, and luckily it was big enough to be shared by two guests. The digital clock on the nightstand had two USB ports and two outlets for charging devices. One of my favorite elements of the nightstand was that it had motion-activated lighting towards the bottom, so it would automatically light up the floor whenever a guest would pass by. It came in really handy when I had to use the restroom at night.
Having a motion-sensitive light was a nice touch, especially when I had to use the restroom at night.
Across from the beds, an enormous, 65-inch smart TV was mounted on the wall. The back wood paneling gave warmth to the room. The smart TV was great for using Netflix and YouTube, and it worked seamlessly. It also had a casting functionality, much similar to Google Chromecast, making the experience easier than ever.
The Smart TV worked seamlessly and really gave us freedom to watch whatever we wanted.
The room featured a gigantic window, and it almost seemed as if it was a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. The view was great for enjoying downtown Seattle, though you could hardly see the piers, and it was difficult to spot more notable Seattle skyscrapers.
The floor to wall ceiling made the room feel airier, and being on one of the top floors of the hotel certainly helped.
The night view wasn’t anything special, but I still enjoyed the open view from my room. Since my room was located pretty high, it felt liberating to look outside and get “lost” in my thoughts.
At night, the view posed a different atmosphere.
I’m not going to lie, but I was slightly disappointed to find a generic coffee machine in the room. It was my first time staying at Hyatt Regency so I also didn’t know the level of amenity for the room. Perhaps my expectation was high for the coffee capital of the world.
Being in Seattle, I suddenly had a higher standard for coffee.
Below the coffee machine, a petite fridge and complimentary water bottles were sitting next to a safe. Given the size of the room, the living space was quite limited, and the room was only able to fit a small side table and a lounge chair.
The room had only one lounge chair, but you could also use the desk chair.
The remaining part of the room was occupied by a small workstation.
The work desk ended up functioning as my nightstand.
The chair was comfortable, and I especially liked that the desk lamp used a knob dial to adjust brightness. Small technological touches like that can really make big impacts on stays based on my experience.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom featured a single vanity and was spacious. As a result, there was ample room on the countertop to lay out personal toiletries.
The mirror has a touch-sensitive button that controlled its ambient lighting and brightness.
The mirror was big as well and had a touch-sensitive button integrated into it so that guests could adjust the backlighting as needed. The shower was a doorless, walk-in shower.
The water pressure was amazing, but the byproduct required me to mop up the floor after each shower.
The water pressure was spectacular, but because of the absence of the door, water splattered everywhere every time I took a shower. Since the bathroom was commodious, I think the hotel could’ve installed an actual door (or a sliding door for that matter) without compromising the space. The toiletries were by Pharmacopia, known for its cruelty-free and vegan products.
Pharmacopia products are cruelty-free and vegan.
I do not mind communal toiletries, but the conditioner bottle was jammed, and I wasn’t able to use it. Aside from the partially enclosed shower booth, the bathroom was clean and modern, perfectly acceptable for business travelers.
Gym Review
The gym was located on the 8th floor, along with the executive lounge which was closed during my stay.
The lounge was closed during my visit due to COVID-19.
Surprisingly, the hotel didn’t have a pool, but the gym was clean and was fully furnished with the latest TechnoGym equipment.
The gym featured the latest TechnoGym exercise machines and equipment.
On the left side of the gym, two rows of cardio machines were positioned without social distancing, facing the glass wall overlooking downtown Seattle.
With plenty of accessible cardio machines, you wouldn’t have to wait for your turn to walk or run.
To the right, more ellipticals and three Peloton bikes were ready for use. Behind the Peloton bikes, a water fountain and a full array of gym balls were neatly organized on the wall.
It’s always nice to see neatly organized gym equipment.
While the gym didn’t have a full squat rack, it did have a Smith machine for serious sweat seekers.
A Smith machine goes a long way especially at hotel gyms where free weights are generally limited.
Other lifting TechnoGym equipment for specific muscle groups was scattered on the gym floor.
Moving deeper into the gym, I found adjustable benches and a full dumbbell set. The area featured mirrored walls and standing bars as well as various kettlebells and other CrossFit equipment.
Various dumbbells, medicine balls, and kettlebells were available as free weights.
The gym was contemporary and great for both cardio lovers and lifters. However, due to the size of the hotel, the gym became quickly crowded during peak hours.
Summary
Hyatt Regency Downtown Seattle is the biggest hotel in the Pacific Northwest. Due to the size of the hotel, it was booming with visitors, but the service did not disappoint me. Check-in agents were helpful and friendly, and I was assisted immediately when I made a room service request. My room was compact but didn’t feel cramped, and thanks to the big window on the wall, I could enjoy a scenic view of downtown Seattle. The bathroom was more than spacious, but the shower experience fell short due to the lack of a proper shower door. The coffee machine was also generic, which didn’t match what the city is known for. The hotel also didn’t have a pool, but the gym was superb, fully furnished with the latest workout gadgets. Overall, I recommend the hotel to anyone looking for a comfortable lodging experience in downtown Seattle.
