Sometimes there are more important aspects to a room than its size: sometimes a proactive upgrade turns into a downgrade, even if the category of the new room is higher.
I spent a couple nights this week at the Hyatt Regency Churchill in London, a great property in the heart of London. I took part in the Frequent Traveler Awards Loyalty Summit yesterday and have enjoyed this hotel immensely (previously I’ve only stayed at the Andaz in London in terms of Hyatt properties).
Anyway, when I checked in late a couple nights ago my Globalist number was missing from the reservation. Due to the late hour, there were no upgrades available. Instead, I was placed in a standard queen-sized room on the sixth floor.
The room was very small, but I liked it a lot: it was comfortable and the bathroom had recently been remodeled. The bathroom included a Toto toilet seat with bidet and warmer plus a spacious walk-in shower with rainhead on top.
At the Regency Club the next morning, the agent told me that if I was willing to move she would upgrade me to a larger room with a view. Not thinking twice, I accepted the offer and gathered my belongings from the other room. The new room was on the eighth floor and indeed more spacious. I had a king bed instead of queen and a view of Portman Square Park below.
But then I stepped into the bathroom. No Toto toilet. A much smaller shower/tub combo that lacked a rainhead shower. That’s a downgrade in my book.
CONCLUSION
The agent said that the bathrooms up to floor six have been remodeled, but floors 7 to 9 remain a future project. Keep that in mind when you stay here. Frankly, I’ll take a smaller room for a nicer bathroom. How about you?
So you prefer a fancy toilet and shower head to more space and better views??? I guess we all have our things. Though from your pictures the smaller room does look nice, I value a soft comfy chair so I like that about the smaller room. Still would rather take the bigger one with the view.
Honestly, the heated toilet seat always wins over any other amenity.
I think part of it is personal preference. I like a really strong spray from the shower and in my limited experience many times the rainfall shower is not nearly strong enough. And unless the shower had a low shelf in the back corner or a small stool, I prefer the tub shower as there’s nowhere to prop my leg up to shave it otherwise.
funny we just returned from the Churchill as well and yes you stayed in one of the older rooms. We were given a choice of smaller refreshed room or large non refreshed, we chose the newer room and was very happy. while I disagree with you at times I will agree on your statement that maybe a smaller nicer room with a great bathroom works. It’s true. The only issue wit these new rooms is the shower. Like many US hotels that are eliminating bathtubs opting for the new look showers are having a real issue with water. The room we had the pan was not quite set properly for the water to flow to the drain and not splash outward. I know a number of Marriotts I have stayed have this issue, since then they have added a wing door.
One of the most appealing parts of this property besides it’s management is the lounge on the 8th floor. There are TWO lounges one for families and one for adults ( over 18) and believe me it’s a welcome feature. One can even order eggs cooked to order in the morning.
Lovely hotel but my opinion might be coloured by having had good upgrade success, onetime using the Diamond suite deal , but another two just random ( the downside was they faced the back/brick wall).
I like the location a lot. Toto is always most welcome ( in Kansas or any place).
OMAAT has a good review of The Churchill.
https://onemileatatime.com/hyatt-regency-london-the-churchill-review/
My full review will be published next week.
@ Matthew — We’ll have to invite you for a visit after our renovation. I am in charge of the bathrooms and Toto toilets are a must for me! Didn’t you use them in your house? I may need to hit yo up for the best place to order them.
I guess it depends on how much time you spend in the room itself versus how much time you spend in the bathroom.
After the Miraval “flush” last weekend I am still spending far too much time in the bathroom…
I’d rather have a larger room and better view, especially when staying in a city where bad views can be VERY bad. I don’t care about fancy toilets or rain head showers. I like the water to hit me in the face (or back of the head), not sprinkle down from above.
I prefer the non-rain showers, and in general, dislike intensely the hand-held shower heads that always seem to rotate and spray the side wall instead of facing fully forward. However, the Toto toilets are the best! Even the non-heated, non-spraying versions we can get in the States are a big winner with my husband, who insisted on them in our remodel for their “power,” which takes care of everything they are offered. I found them from multiple online and in=person locations in the USA. Living in California, we have very strict per-gallon flush limits, and many toilets are simply not up to the task. Toto is.
Jennifer I agree completely with your Toto toilet admiration, and your hatred of hand held shower heads. That’s all you seem to get in Europe. They are ridiculous.
As one of the few weirdos who strongly dislikes the trend towards shower only in hotel bathrooms (sorry, Kyle), I would have welcomed the upgrade to the room with a tub. I guess in general, though, fancy bathrooms just don’t do anything for me. I’d rather have the space and the view.
How many people did you have sex with?