Hotel Review: Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, Part 2. Athens & Paris For Dollars A Day

Welcome to my multi-part review of our summer vacation.  We spent 12 days abroad, predominately in Athens and Paris (and a half day in Amsterdam before heading home).    Happy to answer questions as I finish up the series.  We traveled in mid-July, so right in the middle of the Athens financial crisis.  Here’s most of what I expect to cover, including links to posts I’ve already completed:

• Planning Our Summer Vacation!
• British Airways First and Business Class Lounges at Philadelphia Airport
• US Airways Business Class from Philadelphia to Athens
• A Speed Bump Upon Arrival At Arion
• Arion Guest Room Review
• Arion & Westin Amenities
• Arion Restaurant Reviews
• A Quick Trip To The Acropolis And Parthenon
• Athens Metro System
• Temple of Poseidon at Sounio
• Swimming With The Fishes
• Restaurant Review: Garbi (Seafood)
• Restaurant Review: Kiku
• Our Two Favorite Restaurants In Greece
• Tips On Getting Around Athens Airport
• Flying From Athens To Paris
• Hyatt Regency Etoile Paris
• Eiffel Tower
• Arc de Triomphe
• Disneyland Paris
• A Study of Macaroons
• Various Restaurant Reviews
• Taking The Train From Paris To Amsterdam
• Sheraton Schiphol Airport
• US Airways Business Class from Amsterdam to Philadelphia

The rooms at Hyatt Regency Etoile are probably a bit bigger than expected for a European hotel.  They’re not huge, but they’re roomy enough.  While we didn’t get a chance to dine in the hotel restaurant we did have a drink at Bar La Vue, took a spin by the health club and spent more than our fair share of time visiting the club lounge.  I’ll start with the club lounge, since it’s what sets this property apart.

Each time we visited the club there were multiple staff members on duty.  They would greet us at the door and escort us to an assigned table.  They were happy to take custom drink orders for coffee, etc during breakfast.  My wife thoroughly enjoyed her cappuccino every morning.

The breakfast selection was more than ample for a lounge offering.  The selection of fresh juices alone numbered at least half a dozen each day.  There were plenty of baked good offerings, a hot item or two (usually American-geared items like scrambled eggs) and charcuterie.

The evening offerings were equally attractive.  There were 3 or 4 wine selections each evening, though we focused on the Roederer.  Because the lounge was attended diligently by the staff there was no problem stopping by to grab a glass of wine or a plate of pastry no matter whether it was early or late.  The food rotated during the evenings as well.

During the morning the lounge was always pretty crowded but we never had to wait for a table, even with 5 of us in our party.  The lounge was quieter in the evening, with folks stopping by to grab a glass of wine here and there.  Since the kids were pretty tired out in the evenings we ended up hanging out in the lounge a couple of nights.  If you were in a regular room this would make a great space to spread out.  This is an undeniably great benefit for Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond members.  Some will say they want to get out and enjoy all the culinary treats the city has to offer.  It’s hard to argue with that point.  Unlike a number of Manhattan hotels I’ve stayed in where the bagels are horrible, I will say that the Hyatt Regency Etoile serves quality french pastry.  It’s not an excuse to avoid exploring the city, but you won’t feel “trapped” if you get stuck grabbing a morning bite in the lounge.

The health club is located on the same floor as Bar La Vue near the top of the hotel.  It’s in a huge room that’s nowhere near filled with equipment.  Tall windows let in plenty of natural light and there’s a nice view of the city from up high.

Right down the hall is Bar La Vue which follows the curvature of the top of the hotel to give a great panoramic view of the city.  We waited until our last night to visit and I kind of wish we hadn’t.  Don’t get me wrong, the lounge was great.  I just assumed it was like every other “top of the hotel” bar I’ve ever been in, overpriced and light on service.

I’m not going to tell you it was a bargain, but the service was actually very attentive.  We were absolutely under-dressed compared to the other people there but the staff didn’t even look sideways at us.  They were attentive to the kids and there were even a few specialty drinks on the menu to go along with the, ahem, adult beverages.  It was a fun place for us to relax and unwind while the sun set on our last day in Paris.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Hyatt Regency Etoile.  We found the staff to be inviting and helpful, especially the staff in the lounge.  They were really over the top.  I’ve heard from some folks say they haven’t enjoyed this property as much as we did.  Other than seeing that it could use some TLC in a few spots, we found it to be a delightful stay, a hotel we would definitely return to.  For those looking to redeem points, this property is a category 4, which means 15,000 points a night.  When you consider that the Park Hyatt is twice the points, this property can be a real value, and still well located.  I don’t think you can go wrong choosing this hotel for an upcoming stay.

Hotel Review: Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, Part 2.  Athens & Paris For Dollars A Day was published first on Pizza In Motion.