Convenience, nearly at its best…
Decades of inferiority and downright dinginess ruined the term “airport hotel”, but that’s all changing. Hyatt recently spent millions and millions of dollars renovating one of LA’s top airport hotel properties on West Century Boulevard, and for an overnight stay before an early AM flight, the Hyatt Regency LAX at Los Angeles International Airport was the perfect solution to a Los Angeles layover.
From LAX
After arriving from Las Vegas, I promptly proceeded curbside to flag down a complimentary Hyatt Regency shuttle. Getting from any LAX terminal to the Hyatt Regency is a breeze. Simply follow the signs for ground transportation, go out to the second (middle) curb and look for a bus with a Hyatt Regency, QuickPark sign. There are many designated pick up points at each terminal, which make things even easier. When in doubt, just walk left along the row, if facing away from the terminal. Within 15 minutes the doors opened to the hotel lobby.
Check In
For travel fans, the clientele is an added bonus. Flight crews, pilots and frequent flyers were scattered across the stylish lobby. Check in was swift, with both an elite World of Hyatt check in lane, and a general member lane. On the ground floor lobby guests can find an appealing bar, or an Asian x Mexican fusion restaurant “Unity la”, as well as “to go food” style cafe.
The Hyatt Regency LAX Room
After walking down the semi stylish, dark, yet mostly nondescript hallway I found my way into my standard room. Upon opening the door I was instantly impressed with bold style. A predominantly grey, white and earth toned room was accented by bold yellow chairs and finishings. The room felt far above average in airport hotel style points and was of medium, large size, with ample space for luggage.
But look – style is subjective and anyone can love or hate the scheme of the room. Things like charger ports, accessibility, wifi speed, big screen TV’s are far less abstract and this solid Hyatt Regency LAX property exceeds in this discipline at a level unmatched by many of the worlds best hotels. Two power outlets and two USB ports could be found in arms reach of the bed, and AV connections to the absolutely massive television were within easy access.
Now for the asterisk. The room looked phenomenal from a far glance, but as you peeled back the onion, you began to see cracks in the impressive exterior. I’m not usually one to comment, but floor stains, chair stains and other noticeable deficiencies were more evident than one would like, without the need of any microscopic angles. For the avoidance, of doubt, I was in room 525.
The Facilities
Unlike many “airport hotels”, emphasis on parentheses, this property offers a full sized pool, gym, spa and amenable food options. There was a definitive buzz to the lobby bar, a happy sound of clanking forks in the fusion restaurant and a prolonged series of grunts from the fitness center. Picture 50 year old pilots maxing out on the bench press. For any World Of Hyatt elites, the Hyatt Regency LAX does offer a Club Lounge, with palatable offerings.
Overall
To borrow the New York banking phrase, “you’re only as good as your last trade”, this hotel has tremendous potential. I wouldn’t have had a bad thing to say, if not for the carpet and chair stains. No one wants to replace a new bold yellow chair, but at the same time – such an obvious flaw in the integrity of a room begins to create a sizable question about other elements.
Fortunately, this was the only obvious flaw I found, other than the inadequately signed directions to the elevator. I found myself face to face with a captain of a major airline, who also could not quickly find his way to the elevator banks. It’s the little things, right?
