Review: Park Hyatt New York

The Park Hyatt New York is considered Hyatt’s flagship property. How does it live up to that title?

Over the years I have stayed at the Park Hyatt New York on several occasion. Oddly, I’ve never written about it. This review will blend observations from four stays, surveying service trends, room types, and how has the hotel has aged over the last four years.

Park Hyatt New York Location

Located on 153 West 57th Street, the Park Hyatt sits adjacent to Central Park. Although I’ve yet to be given a view of Central Park from my room, the top-floor fitness center overlooks it. With traffic so bad in Manhattan, I’ll walk or take the subway to meetings versus my instinctual California practice of hopping in an Uber. Just outside the hotel is the 57th Street Subway Station with the N, Q, R, and W line.

The hotel from Central Park (glass building):

Park Hyatt New New York Pricing

This hotel is expensive…routinely over $1,000 per night. For example, you’re looking at $1295 plus tax for a standard room tonight:

Fear not, for this hotel is one of the best deals when it comes to using points. As a Category 7 hotel, the property costs 30K points per night. I’ve seen the hotel play shenanigans with award availability sometimes (show no points space when base rooms were available), but a call to Hyatt has always fixed it.

I’ve only used points or free nights here. I don’t pay $1300/night for a hotel, even in Manhattan.

Park Hyatt New York Service

I’d say service is a mixed bag here. You’re met with a big smile from the staff on the ground floor level and generally warmly welcomed to the hotel at the front desk.

But the hotel has never been proactive in removing in removing breakfast charges for Globalist Members. For my last visit, the breakfast room service charges were still present at check-out. Just like my previous visit..and the one before that. In fact, the conversation went like this:

Front Desk: Does the bill look okay?

Me: We just need to remove this breakfast room service charge.

Front Desk: Oh sure, no problem. <typing> Ok, It has been removed.

Me: Thank you.

Front Desk: I’ll email you the bill.

Only I got charged for the breakfast on my credit card and had to call the hotel’s accounting department to have it removed.

Other than that annoyance, the staff is nice. One thing I greatly appreciate is that three times the hotel has accommodated an early check-in for me. Typically I’ll fly to New York via redeye, arriving in the morning. It’s always nice to freshen up before meetings and the hotels is very accommodating in that regard.

On the flip side, 4:00 PM seems to be the hard deadline to check out, even when the hotel is not full. I had an 8:00PM flight and asked to stay till 5:00PM and was told that the extra hour would incur a half days’ room charge. Thanks but no thanks…

Common areas are beautiful:

Park Hyatt New York Guest Rooms

This property features 211 guest rooms including 93 suites. With such a great ratio of suites, my World of Hyatt Globalist status has resulted in a nice upgrade every stay.

Park Hyatt New York Junior Suite:

I’ve been assigned a junior suite twice; the same room in fact in room 808. It includes a king size bed, sitting area, desk, and large bathroom with dual sink and separate water closet, shower, and tub.

Hyatt uses La Labo amenities, which I also use at home (thanks to Hyatt).

Park Hyatt New York Suite:

Twice I have been upgraded to larger suites with spacious living rooms, separate bedrooms, and bigger bathrooms.

Here’s one:

Suites feature a guest restroom:

Here’s another suite:

Beds are amazingly comfortable at this hotel and internet fast. Bathrobes are plush, rooms are served twice per day, and room service can be ordered from a tablet on your desk.

An in-room bar offers (obscenely overpriced) snacks and drinks, including Krug Champagne.

Park Hyatt New York Dining

This hotel only has one restaurant, called The Living Room. In fact, it’s more like a lounge, with couches, small tables, and a bar. Nevertheless, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served here.

The hotel actually had a beautiful restaurant called The eBack Room that I had breakfast at in 2016, but it closed for renovations in 2017 and never re-opened.

Breakfast in the Living Room is fine. It’s expensive (think $12 for a so-so cappuccino), but service is prompt and food tasty.

But the vast majority of my meals at this hotel have been via room service. I don’t go to New York for fun. Rather, it is always to hold meetings and the last thing I want to do before or after a long day is go out to a restaurant. So I’ve had a lot of room service dinners in the Park Hyatt New York. Are they expensive? Yes, but not outrageously priced ($30-50 for a main course) and just a far better use of time than scoping out food.

How’s the room service? Not bad. For dinner I’ve tried various meat and pasta dishes and have never had a bad deal (and also never had a particularly memorable one):

Here are some pictures from room service breakfast:

Park Hyatt New York Spa

Spa Nalai has rates commensurate with what you would expect from a hotel that charges over $1,000/night.

Park Hyatt New York Pool

I’ve written a separate post about the pool and find it to be one of the hotel’s most attractive features. I swim all the time now since my 3-year-old son loves it, but generally will not swim alone. At this hotel, however, I make an exception and always make time to swim.

There’s a hot tub and steam room adjacent to the pool, but no sauna.

> Read More: Afternoon Swim at the Park Hyatt New York

Park Hyatt New York Fitness

Above the pool is a fitness center well-equipped with Techno Gym machines and free weights. It is open 24/7.

Park Hyatt New York Pet Policy

Pets, up to 50 pounds, are permitted. A pet fee of $100 per stay is added with a stay of up to six nights, while stays of seven to 30 nights include an additional $100 deep-cleaning fee. Thankfully, I have never heard any barking at this property…

CONCLUSION

As I was leaving the hotel during my last visit, Celine Dione was also leaving. It’s that sort of hotel. But you don’t have to be rich or famous to stay at this exclusive Hyatt property. Using points is a great way to score space at this opulent yet minimalist New York City hotel.

This hotel has been consistent over the years and is honestly the only hotel I seriously consider now when coming to New York…it’s worth the splurge over the other Hyatt properties in town.

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