http://www.trivago.com/birmingham-41018/hotel/hyatt-regency-birmingham-12521 http://www.trivago.com/birmingham-41018/hotel/hyatt-regency-birmingham-12521 http://ie2.trivago.com/images/layoutimages/logos/default.png http://www.trivago.com/birmingham-41018/hotel/hyatt-regency-birmingham-12521/review-o1153144 Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:04:00 +0100
The lobby as you enter the hotel is extremely nice and the reception is warm and welcoming. The room was spacious and with a very calm atmosphere to it. The double bed was warm and soft. The bathroom was immaculate.

Breakfast was a buffet and was very nice, with attention to detail given and friendly service along the way. There is also a very nice swimming pool and spa which we spent some time in.

The only problem I would outline is a lack of parking space and no onsite parking which means a small search before one is found ( we found one not too far away).

Overall this is a good hotel which strives to give its customers a warm and friendly experience.

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The Hyatt brand started on the west coast of America in the early 1960s with a mission statement to be large, open plan and generously accommodating. New buildings were often constructed around multi-floor atriums lavishly decorated with marble, glass and fountains. They led the way in providing extras for the discerning traveller. This has been formalised in the Regency Club. Several floors are set aside for guests wishing to take advantage of additional services. These facilities include a Club Room where a complementary breakfast, canapés and drinks are served; a supply of newspapers, a quiet reading room and a separate concierge service.

THE HOTEL

The hotel prides itself on bringing that celebrated Hyatt Touch to the city. It is a modern 24 storey tower block built on Broad Street which is just outside the pedestrianised city centre. It has 319 rooms and suites. The main entrance is from Bridge Street where there is an adjacent taxi rank. This is presided over by the bell captain and his staff.

The revolving and swing doors lead into the main atrium area. This is a two storey open plan space with columns holding up the peripheral mezzanine level which is reached by a sweeping staircase. The general décor is cream and beige. Over-reaching the whole area is a glass roof giving general diffused lighting. Palms and potted plants liberally decorate the space. To the right is the reception desk and the concierge station. To the left are the toilets.

The main floor area is taken up with the Atrium Lobby a place for casual meeting and partaking of afternoon tea or coffee and the hotels restaurant; the Court Café. This is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To the rear of the atrium is Astons Bar.

The hotel has quite extensive conference facilities and function rooms (in progress while we were there were meetings hosted by MacDonalds and by an Orthopaedic and Orthodontic Society). I have attended one conference and business dinner at this hotel in the past. There is a business centre and internet room. Also available (although we did not explore them) were Club Active (a gymnasium, fitness centre and swimming pool), sauna and steam room and beauty salon.


CHECK IN

We were expected when we arrived and our internet reservation had been confirmed. Our choice of room was acknowledged and we were given a credit card style door key.

Check out was also straight forward. It was simple to monitor the state of the account via the television system. We did not have to queue at reception at any time.


OUR ROOM

Our room was on the non-smoking Regency Club floor. Access to this, the 22nd floor, was by one of four lifts the outer two giving panoramic views across the city of Birmingham. We were about two thirds of the way down the corridor. Once inside the room, the outer facing wall had been replaced by the floor to ceiling window which looked out over the Birmingham cityscape. The drapes when drawn were more than adequate to black out the light and sound proofing was very good. The interior décor was again quite dull cream and beige. There were a couple of nondescript limited edition watercolours (you know this is number 137 out 250: I bet the rest are in the other rooms!). There was nothing much else to cheer the place up. It had a distinctly tired feel and there were areas where wallpaper was just beginning to peel and there were paintwork chips.

The room was modest in size by usual Hyatt standards and was equipped with a king sized bed, seating area with desk and easy chair, television (with the usual multi-lingual channel options) and mini-bar. There was a large double wardrobe with a home safe and a good supply of coat hangers. Apart from this there was surprisingly very little drawer space. Also provided was a hair dryer and a coffee maker.

The mattress was firm (hard to my taste but Judith thought it OK). The coverings (sheet and coverlet) were warm. There was a nightly turn-down service. The room was clean and tidy when we arrived.

There was a standard en suite bathroom and toilet which had a large bath with hair washing shower above. It included a large illuminated shaving mirror. There was also an extension speaker from the television which we were unable to switch off. It was well stocked with shampoo, soap, shower gel, shower caps and sewing kit. As this was a Regency Club room we were supplied with towelling dressing gowns and slippers.

The Regency Club lounge was also on our floor. Entry was by room key (our experience mentioned later did show that this had to be actively enabled). The lounge consisted of a seating area laid out with tables and settees. A spiral staircase led up to a second level balcony. Picture windows (two storeys in height) looked out over the landscape. There was a small concierge desk not formally staffed while we were there a television and a display of newspapers. The Regency Club has its own boardroom facilities which are available to guests.

Breakfast (served from 7am to 10am) consisted of the expected cereal, citrus fruit, sliced meat and cheese, yoghurt, bread and pastries. Canapés were served in the early evening with a choice of complementary drinks. In between tea and coffee was available. The service was barely used, during our stay there were never more than two other people in the Club. The staff were courteous but in comparison with other Regency Clubs lacked sparkle and attentiveness.

RESTAURANT AND BAR

Judith and I did treat ourselves to one evening meal at the Court Café. The tables (seating four in the main) are arranged on a slightly raised area reached up a flight of four steps from the atrium. There was no need for a booking and dress code was informal. For the first part of our meal at least we were serenaded by a young lady playing a selection at a piano.

The menu consisted of a choice of seven starters and eight entrees. Judith chose a duck and pate de fois terrine followed by steak. I was entertained by roast breast of quail followed by roast saddle of venison. The wine list was modest but had a reasonable selection of European and New World examples. Including a bottle of 1996 Rioja Reserva our bill amounted to £ 98.15.

We turned our attention to Astons Bar on our first evening there when we returned from the concert at the NEC Arena. Although it was after 11pm, the bar was still busy and all the easy chairs were taken. We perched on stools at the counter. At that time they were serving residents only on a room tariff.

THE ENVIRONS

There is certainly a lot to see and do immediately around the hotel. Just across Broad Street is the Symphony Hall (home of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) to which it communicates by bridge from the sixth floor of the hotel. In the same block is the Repertory Theatre, The Birmingham International Conference Centre, the National Sea Life Centre and a number of galleries. Weaving through these buildings is the Birmingham Canal system including one of the docking areas for canal and narrow boats Gas Street Basin. There is a very pleasant canal walk that passes along the toe path. The area is rich in coffee shops, bistros and ethnic restaurants.

Within easy reach and walking distance is the central shopping area. New Street and many of the side streets have been pedestrianised and paved. In the last week, the Bullring Centre has reopened after two years of redevelopment. During our stay it was announced that one and a half million people had visited the place in its first week. I will keep my own view of the new Debenhams store (looking like a 1970s futuristic shopping visions on the inside and decorated with silver saucepan lids on the outside) to myself!

THE BOOKING

As a Gold Passport holder, I made my booking through the Hyatt.com web site. It is of interest that the individual hotels do not know what offers are being made on their behalf and Hyatt.com guarantees to undercut any other rate. We chose a Regency Club room (£175 per night) and the room charges were pre-paid by credit card at the time of booking. This was refundable up to 48 hours prior to arrival. They sent an immediate e-mail confirmation of the booking.

TRAVEL

We travelled to Birmingham from the North East by rail and arrived at Birmingham New Street Station. Although the hotel is within walking distance (about 10 minutes across the pedestrian centre), the weather was wet and we took advantage of a taxi from the station (£3.60).

The hotel is also within easy reach of Birmingham International Airport (either by train to New Street) or by taxi. The hotel operates valet parking. There is a bus stop for local services into the City and out to the suburbs outside on Broad Street.


CONCLUSIONS

I have become a dedicated Hyatt user for over seven years staying at various of their hotels in Florida, New York and Europe. I have come to know and anticipate a level of comfort and service which is uniform across the chain. I have specifically chosen Regency Club facilities whenever this is offered and have continued to amass loyalty points. I am at the Platinum Level on the Gold Passport Scheme.

I have looked at this stay in Birmingham in comparison with stays at other Hyatt hotels. I do not have experience of other hotels in the Birmingham area. However my experience of hotels in the UK in general is that they are lacking in many of these attributes and could do with a strong injection of competition from the leaders in the field. It is a great shame that Hyatt do not seem to have included the UK in its expansion plans for the foreseeable future.

On the face of it, the Hyatt Regency in Birmingham starts with an advantage over most hotels. It is perfectly sited as first class accommodation in the City. It has the functionality needed for a modern multi-purpose business, conference and discerning personal guest. It has the Hyatt name and heritage.

There were a number of minor irritations about our stay none of them particularly consequential in themselves, but irritant nevertheless. Our room key failed to open the Regency Club Lounge, despite specific mention made on registration. We had to go back to reception to have it changed. We ordered a side salad with our main course in the Court Café, which failed to materialise. Needless to say we pointed this out prior to accepting our bill. Our final invoice was incorrectly made up and our initial prepayment had not been credited. Again it took time and effort to correct this.

There were notices in the atrium apologising for any inconvenience caused during the programme of refurbishment although there was no indication where these alterations were taking place. Our room certainly would have benefited from a once-over. The public rooms were clean enough but the whole place just felt tired. The food was well cooked, nicely presented but the menu was not special. There was not that wow factor which we have personally come to associate with the Hyatt.

In all we have stayed at this particular hotel on four occasions in the last five years - twice on business; twice for pleasure including the Farewell Cher concert at the NEC!!

I have awarded this Hyatt hotel 3. From my somewhat jaundiced perspective I guess however that it would easily reach 4(+) against most other UK hotels.
For 5 in the same marque, try Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort, Orlando; Hyatt Regency, Berlin; Grand Hyatt, Manhattan.
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