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Home » Reviews » Hotel Reviews » Review: Grand Hyatt Denver Suite and Valet Trouble
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Review: Grand Hyatt Denver Suite and Valet Trouble

Kyle Stewart Posted onMay 20, 2018September 15, 2021 7 Comments

During a stay at the Grand Hyatt Denver we got a chance to try the parlor suite and enjoy the pool. But this great property is let down by the overpriced valet that under delivers. 


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Location

Located in the heart of downtown, the property is convenient for nearby meetings in the Mile High city and close to lots of area restaurants. There is a downtown bus (16th Street Mall) that offers free rides to guests of the city along the busy entertainment district that runs through downtown. Lucy loved the bus.

16th street mall bus
16th street mall bus

Google Maps Link

1750 Welton St, Denver, CO 80202

+1 (303) 295-1234

Suite

As Globalists we were upgraded to a Parlor suite, which features pass through doors on both sides (depending on which suite they sell, they can offer the parlor to either room). The room featured a wet bar, a huge couch and chair, a guest bathroom and a massive desk where I was able to set up. I often comment about whether a desk is large enough to accommodate two laptops as I travel with my personal laptop and a business computer and this desk had that in spades.

Parlor
Parlor
Huge desk
Huge desk

My brother lives in Denver and visited. It’s so nice to have the guest bathroom so that someone (even a relative) doesn’t have to pass through your room to use the toilet. The TV in the parlor room also allowed Lucy to watch cartoons with her uncle, while my wife and I got ready to see the city.

Bedroom
Bedroom
Master bathroom
Master bathroom
Master shower
Master shower

The bathroom in the bedroom was updated, though the rest of the room was a little behind the times. The guest bathroom was not updated but was handicap accessible for the toilet. While we prefer to not have a shower over tub, some people prefer a tub, especially when traveling as a family. Between the two bathrooms, neither offered a tub.

Lounge

We were located on the Club floor and it was just three doors down but not noisy even during busy hours. I slipped in the club just once around breakfast to take photos, we had other plans for meals during our stays so we didn’t eat but it looked respectable enough. There were some hot items (not pictured) but it was mostly cereal and charcuterie.

Charcuterie and morning juices
Charcuterie and morning juices
Pastry station in the lounge
Pastry station in the lounge
City views from the lounge
City views from the lounge

The lounge had fantastic views of downtown and the mountains in the distance. Unfortunately, the seats with the Rocky Mountain view were taken upon my visit and I didn’t want to intrude on other guests by snapping a photo with them in it or asking them to move, so you’ll have to trust me when I say that it was impressive.

Rest of the lounge, mountain view behind the TV wall
Rest of the lounge, mountain view behind the TV wall

Pool/Track/Fitness Center

The pool is on the fourth floor along with the fitness center and track. The pool was heated and the room was baking in through the large windows facing the east. My wife loved it but I was sweating to the oldies in that impromptu sauna. Lucy had fun playing with her dad and uncle in the pool. It was abandoned during our visit, we were the only guests in there and as our flight was delayed. It was a great way to spend some extra time at the property and utilize our Globalist 4PM checkout.

Pool, fitness center behind
Pool, fitness center behind
Huge windows being the pool room
Huge windows being the pool room

Yes, they have a track. The track was as good of a use as any for the outdoor space just off the fitness center. I am not a runner, and when I do run, I prefer a treadmill for whatever reason as opposed to running outside. But for those who enjoy a run outdoors, this was a unique approach and interesting use of the space.

Track, tennis court, outdoor area
Track, tennis court, outdoor area
Alternate view of outdoor track space
Alternate view of outdoor track space

Valet Is Terrible

I spend a lot of time in hotels and valet is often a requirement if you’re driving a car (I always rent a car). If the price difference between parking yourself is nominal, why wouldn’t you valet? Self-parking is fine if it is relatively close by and easy to deal with, though it often is not.

I always tip valet, drop off and pick up even if it is just a few dollars. I leave more if they will leave it up front for me and I don’t have to call down. Call me a schmuck, an over-tipping American idiot, whatever you like – it’s just the way it is for me.

So with the precursor that I am used to valet and accept their high charges and the numerous tips associated with it, trust me when I say that the Grand Hyatt Denver’s valet is terrible. First, the mechanics of it are just wrong. You leave your car in front but that’s not where you pick it up. Instead, you pick it up in the garage. For $46/night plus tax and tip, I expect it on the front drive and that’s not unreasonable.

Pass through from the lobby to the valet area
Pass through from the lobby to the valet area

The valet is just past the driveway so bringing the car out would involve the driver taking three lefts and going around the block. But what is so absurd to me, is that instead of doing this… for $46/nt plus tax and tip… is that they are unwilling to take those three left turns around the building. They have a waiting area in the garage set up for guests who are waiting for their vehicle. In Miami at the Confidante, valet wasn’t in the attached building, it was down the street. The same for the Park Hyatt Washington DC. The Confidante was cheaper by $2/night (plus tax) and the Park Hyatt Washington DC was more expensive by just $4 but it is in the capital, a much larger city. If Miami and Washington DC can get valet done in an adjacent building and bring it round on much more limited driveway space than the Grand Hyatt Denver, why can’t they? Impetus.

Enter the waiting room
Enter the waiting room

I was asked how my stay was at checkout and mentioned how great the room was, how much we liked the property, how close it was to the things we wanted to see and do, but mentioned that the valet was really expensive for what amounted to self-parking (our vehicle was positioned within eyesight of the waiting area).

“Valet is run by a separate company and they would have to drive around the building to bring it onto the driveway.”

“Whether the valet is run by a separate company or not is a moot point if you’re selling it to me – it’s on my hotel bill. Other valets manage to shuttle cars from blocks away, why can’t they take three left turns?”

The front desk agent was new, so I won’t blame him directly, but the shoulder shrug I got from the manager that accompanied him was fitting. I have plenty of hotel choices in Denver and it’s disappointing that after an otherwise great stay and excellent upgrade, the lasting impression I have is that I am being ripped off by valet and no one cares.

Even Lucy looks annoyed by the valet waiting room
Even Lucy looks annoyed by the valet waiting room

I shuffled my checked luggage across the lobby to the waiting area fuming. We were on a longer trip with three people and we had a lot of gear. I reached the waiting area and the car had been pulled up from the space it was parked overnight, just a few spots from where it rested, perhaps 100 feet. The valet asked if we needed directions and how our experience was and so I told him that I was a little frustrated that they couldn’t bring it to the front of the building. He mentioned the three left turns again, this is the company line, and then made an over the shoulder comment about not satisfying our every whim. He got no tip. I get it, it’s not that much farther to walk. But at almost $50/night plus whatever tip money I hand the driver, I am surprised that they can’t make more than a 100-foot effort.

Have you stayed at this property? Have you had an annoying and expensive valet experience like this one?

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About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: sherpa@thetripsherpa.com

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7 Comments

  1. John S Reply
    May 20, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    I’ve stayed at this property last year. If I recall, they did in fact bring my car up to the front, but I could be mistaken. I don’t think I had to go through a waiting area, but it might have been through a different entrance. Whatever it was seemed fine to me. Your experience, on the other hand, does not.

    • Kyle Stewart Reply
      May 21, 2018 at 11:28 am

      It seemed like the whole “waiting room” and response to the question had been well rehearsed, so I think this method has been in place for awhile. But I would be glad to have your experience. I think it’s just frustrating that for big city pricing, they aren’t willing to deliver on big city service. As a customer, I don’t care whether you have to park the car on the room and bring it down on an elevator, but if I am paying for you to take the car from me in front of the building and deliver it back, that’s what I expect. I haven’t encountered this problem anywhere else.

  2. Patrick Reply
    May 21, 2018 at 2:27 am

    Why rent a car? I always use Uber when I’m in Denver.

    This hotel epitomizes the four star corporate vibe if Grand Hyatts. Rooms are nice but not awesome. Suites are nice but not amazing. Food and beverage are okay, not memorable.

    I’ve stayed here, the Four Seasons, the Ritz Carlton and the Hyatt Regency.

    I’m still looking for a hotel I love in Denver.

    • Kyle Stewart Reply
      May 21, 2018 at 11:31 am

      I was traveling with my daughter who rides in a car seat. Bringing our own and trying to set that up in every Uber is a nightmare, all the cars have different setups – it’s enough to ruin a vacation. They have Uber family (which comes with their own) but only in Orlando (read: Disney) has it been consistent enough to trust.

      Also, I prefer to have a vehicle because more often then not, the cost is a push but I have the freedom to go wherever, whenever sans awkward chit-chat.

      The search for a great DEN hotel goes on…

  3. Bob Crooz Reply
    May 21, 2018 at 11:35 am

    Then there’s this…

    https://www.facebook.com/F1Firearms/posts/832320616956584

    • Kyle Stewart Reply
      May 21, 2018 at 11:48 am

      While I can’t confirm or deny what I am seeing (we only have one side of the account) I would say that this is so illegal. If the cops want to have a look, they should be able to produce the warrant. In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting and a couple of others that appear to have been thwarted (Houston comes to mind), I have no problem with cops making sure everyone is safe. But they should still have a warrant to do it, those are easy enough to obtain.

  4. MeanMeosh Reply
    May 22, 2018 at 10:18 am

    I’ve stayed here a few times, though it’s been a while. My former employer’s building was connected to the hotel. I never had a car when staying so can’t comment on the valet situation, but that does sound pretty ridiculous. That’s probably worth a complaint to Hyatt corporate. The standard rooms at the GH are actually very nice. Oddly, they come with ginormous soaking tubs…

    P.S. If you (and Patrick) are still looking for a great DEN hotel, try the Brown Palace. It’s now part of the Autograph Collection, so you can earn/burn Marriott Rewards.

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