This week I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Orlando hotel. Read my review and find out whether it’s worth staying at this massive hotel. Learn when this is an excellent hotel for you to stay at, and when I would consider other options for the Orlando area.
First some background information about this hotel. The original one-tower hotel was build in 1986 as The Peabody Orlando. In 2010 the hotel was renovated and another tower was added. This brought the total number of rooms to 1641! In 2013 the hotel was sold to Hyatt and the hotel became the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
Almost 2,000 rooms means this hotel is massive and during working days, the hotel mainly caters for guests visiting the conference center next door. In fact, during my stay, I think 90% of the guests were there for the conference at the OCCC. Staying at the Hyatt Regency Orlando for a conference at the Orange County Convention Center next door is really convenient. There is a covered walkway from the hotel to the convention center so you only need to suffer 5 minutes without air conditioning…
Reception Area
The reception area looks pretty nice. The desks with the display behind it, reminds me of the JW Marriott in Austin, which is a compliment. Despite the fact that the front desk probably needs to manage a few hundred check-ins that same day I checked in, check-in was efficient and friendly. Next to the check-in area, you’ll find the lobby bar Rocks as well as Descend 21 – a lounge area with outdoor seating next to the pool.
Room & Lounge
The rooms at the Hyatt Regency Orlando are exactly what you would expect from a hotel this size. Don’t expect any quirky little details, or an abundance of luxury. These are generic rooms and if you would have just dropped me in this room, I probably would have guessed that I’m in a regular Marriott hotel. And there is nothing wrong with that; the room is of a sufficient size, the bed is very comfortable and everything looks clean. Since I’m Globalist with Hyatt, I do have access to the lounge and the lounge fits in perfectly with the overall impression of the hotel; nothing stands out and no surprises.
There is one annoying little detail though; in the evening there are some small snacks and drinks in the lounge. But for a glass of wine or beer, you’ll need to pay $6. Sorry, but what’s the purpose of a lounge if I still need to pay 6$ for a glass of beer? Then I might as well go to the hotel bar which probably has a much better atmosphere. I’m seeing this trend more and more with the US lounges. Considering that a lot of these lounges in US hotels are outdated and pretty sad places anyway, I would recommend just closing them all together. If a free glass of cheap Chardonnay or beer is already too much to splurge on, then why even bother…
You can get coffee in the lounge by using the coffee machine, but that machine produces coffee which I rather not like to describe. Luckily enough though, the hotel also has a Starbucks. This Starbucks is a life saver because the coffee at the conference is even worse than the coffee from the lounge. Now that’s an achievement!
Other notable mentions
There is quite a big pool next to the hotel. It’s a pity the pool is located next to a huge parking garage which gives it a unique vibe…
Besides the lounge bar, and a bar & grill next to the pool, there are 2 other restaurants at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. B-Line diner, an American style diner where also breakfast is served, and Fiorenzo. I didn’t visit these restaurants during my stay.
Conclusion
The Hyatt Regency Orlando is the perfect stay when you are visiting a conference at the OCCC. You just need to walk over using the covered walkway, and don’t need to stress about shuttle buses or parking. The hotel is exactly what you would expect, nothing more but also, very important, nothing less. Rooms are very comfortable and there is a Starbucks onsite. So I would definitely stay here again next time I’m visiting a conference at the OCCC. For a family vacation, I would probably pick another hotel in the Orlando area though. A hotel less business and more vacation vibe. Also please note that the Disney Park is half an hour away by car, so this is something to consider if you want to visit Disney during your stay in Orlando.
The Hyatt Regency Orlando could be an interesting hotel to book with Hyatt Points. Read all about Hyatt’s new points promotion and whether it makes sense buying points for a hotel reservation; ‘Buy Hyatt Points with 20% Bonus – when to buy?’
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