Historically airport hotels, especially the ones in the US, weren’t the most luxurious hotels to stay. In fact, they were quite tacky. This feeling already started when you had to take the shuttle bus to the hotel; an old beat-up van that even the rental car shuttle vans put to shame. The hotels were uniform boxes staffed by people who were overworked and didn’t even know they worked in the hospitality industry. Obviously trying to get something decent to eat in these places was the same as trying to find a KPOP star without plastic surgery.
With the rise of luxury accommodations, it was only a question of time before luxury and convenience made their way to the airports. One good example of this is the recently refurbished Sheraton hotel at Schiphol airport; just a short walk away from the terminals you’ll find the Sheraton hotel which comes with great views if you manage to get a room overlooking the runway. But there is one airport hotel which is my favorite: the Grand Hyatt at SFO.
The Grand Hyatt SFO
The Grand Hyatt opened in October 2019, just a few months before COVID, and the moment it opened I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to book a room. It didn’t disappoint and since then I often returned. Getting there is extremely easy; you just take the AirTrain and get off at the dedicated Grand Hyatt station. When entering the reception area, you already get the feeling that the design team wanted to create something special here. There are huge windows with views of the airport and surrounding hills and the marble reception desks are designed to recall vintage pilot’s wings – so I’ve been told…
The rooms look very modern and are extremely well soundproofed. There is even a set of binoculars in case you want to view the planes up close. During my last visit, I was upgraded to a suite. The suite comes with a very nice bathroom allowing you to spot planes while taking a bath!
A highlight of the hotel is the Quail & Crane restaurant which serves excellent food, and the prices won’t bankrupt you. Also, here you have great views of the international terminal with planes arriving and departing.
Important to note is the sustainability effort of the hotel. The hotel generates energy with roof-mounted photovoltaic panels, installed water-efficient systems and used regionally sourced building materials. Very good!
Conclusion
All in all, for me it’s always a pleasure returning to the Grand Hyatt at SFO. I therefore can strongly recommend it. The Grand Hyatt is a category 5 hotel . This means if you want to use points, you’ll need between 17,000 and 23,000 points for a night.
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