Howdy, y'all, from the Hyatt Regency Houston!

Yep, I'm sittin' in the Hyatt in downtown Houston staring out the window at the east wall of the Allen Center. This is the fourth time I've been in this particular Hyatt in the last six weeks, so I think I've got the hang of the place.

For those of you who don't visit Hyatts very often (if ever), it's not a hotel I'd check in to unless I were on an expense account (which I am). Even on a corporate rate, it's about $140/night after taxes. The rack rate is a lot closer to $175/night -- and they still make you pay $15/day for your parking! The place costs a mint, but that's par for the course for downtown high-rise hotels. I've also stayed at Hyatts in Austin, Denver, Dallas, and Calgary.


The Downtown Houston Property

I spend a lot of time in hotels, since I often travel on business. The Hyatt chain isn't my favorite, mostly because I don't like the "regency" design used in this hotel and the one in Dallas. These two are a three-sided hotels each cored by a ground-to-roof atrium. I find that the atrium has a tendency toward being noisy; from my 14th-floor room I could hear the cheers in the bar last night whenever the local favorite pulled ahead in the voting. It also allows all the smoke (and it's a lot!) from the ground-floor bars to drift skyward unimpeded. This design does allow those Hyatt signature glass-walled elevators, but that little thrill tends to disappear after a couple dozen trips.

You'll find the Downtown Hyatt on Louisiana Street at Dallas, across the street from the downtown police substation and a block or two from the main library. It's almost 25 miles to Bush Intercontinental (easily a $30 shuttle ride) but about half that to Hobby Airport if you're flying Southwest. Interstates 45 and 10 meet just outside the downtown area; take the Dallas Street exit off I-45 or the Smith Street exit off I-10. There is parking immediately next door in the Regency garage, though it costs $15 per night. Some surface parking is available in the area -- you can park overnight on the street safely, if you're lucky enough to find a spot outside the police station across the street!

By the way, the two bluish glass towers a block or so away, the ones without any corners, are -- you guessed it -- the Enron Building. Something tells me the price of parking has dropped in the area of late!

The hotel and garage are connected by a skyway, of sorts: there are two sets of steps, so it's not rolling-luggage friendly. You can also access the tunnel system under downtown Houston from a stairway at one corner of the lobby; this will get you to many of the local office buildings and services without having to go out in the weather. At lunch time, there are hundreds of places on the lower levels to nosh to your heart's content.

The hotel itself is some 32 stories, with rooms on floors 5-32. The top four floors are reserved for "high rollers," though I've been upgraded to a room there once or twice (I swear I heard a grand piano in the next room one time). There are restaurants on the ground floor, meeting rooms on the second and third floors, and offices on the fourth floor. You'll find a well-equipped, though somewhat busy, workout center on the lower level and a large and well-stocked gift shop on the second floor. There's a business center on the 28th floor, but it's unstaffed and there are (when last I visited it) just a couple of tired old pentiums and a beat-up printer or two.


Service

Registration is handled pretty efficiently, though it may be because I use the special line for Hyatt Gold Passport members (their frequent guest program). Check-in and check-out are almost always quick and efficient, and the desk and concierge staff are friendly and cheerful. The restaurants and bars, though, seem to be perennially understaffed.

This particular Hyatt hasn't upgraded telephone service for high-speed internet connections, though some members of the chain have done so (Calgary had as of June 2002, for $9.95 CDN/day). For what it's worth, most Wyndham properties have already done so. You can find a public 'net terminal at the concierge desk in the lobby for checking your hotmail account, if you wish.


Rooms

The rooms are pretty standard for Hyatts, with white walls, blonde furniture, and a green carpet. You'll find all the usual amenities: TV, clock radio, coffemaker, iron and board. The furniture comprises a king-size bed, desk and chair, and an armoire-style entertainment center for the television. There's usually a dish of candy on the desk, and most rooms also have in-room fax capability (for a price, of course). In a fit of greed, Hyatt places a couple of bottles of Evian in the room, with hang tags that indicate that you're free to partake (for $3.50 per bottle).

The rooms are almost always clean, and (except for the noise coming from the atrium area) quiet. There's central air conditioning, so no groaning window units.


Eating Out and Things to Do

There are several restaurants, including a very "tony" revolving top-floor restaurant named Spindletop. I've not eaten there... I have eaten a burger or two at Whistler's Walk on the ground floor. The sports bar that used to occupy a corner of the ground floor is gone, replaced (so I've heard) by a chain coffee shop. For an after-dinner drink, you can stop at the Atrium bar. Just be prepared for a stiff charge! One of my pet peeves about big hotels is the cost of food and drink -- a burger and a beer runs you $16 (including tax and tip) in the bar; a single-malt scotch costs lots more than an hour at minimum wage. The Hyatt seems to be a little worse than other chains about gouging a captive audience, at least at this location.

Since I rarely eat in hotels, I've hit many of the restaurants in the area. There are several spots at street level where you can get lunch (try Droubi Brothers for some tasty gyros), but evening eateries are a bit more scarce. An Italian joint (New York Pizza) is right next door and a Benihana is within a block, if you like "Japanese" grills. Luther's BBQ and Massa, a seafood joint, are within a block.

If you're more adventurous, there are a slew of restaurants a mile or so away around the old Rice Hotel - I like Liberty Noodles, the Brothers Petronella, and Sambuca's; I didn't like Cabo or the Texas State Bar that much. You can hike there pretty easily or the doorman can get you a taxi. You can also find some avant-garde places, including Cuban food and a couple of hot dance clubs. For fans of beer, try Flying Saucer on Main Street -- more than a hundred varieties on tap, and the selection is always changing.

For entertainment, Bayou Place is eight blocks or so away, with movies and shopping; it's also a concert venue (I think). The chain T-Shirt shops are there (Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood). If you're dull like me, you can always go to the downtown library (though the people-watching is pretty good). You can also catch a ball game at the former Enron (now Minute Maid) field if the Astros are in town.

Shopping can be found at the Park Stores on McKinney Avenue (accessible by a long walk in the tunnels), but most shops close in the evening. Ask the concierge to arrange a shuttle or give you directions to the Houston Galleria (I-610 at Westheimer) for some truly world-class shopping.


Overall

If somebody else is paying (and you don't mind living like a spendthrift), Hyatts are pretty good for a big chain. Downtown Houston is woefully short on good hotels (there's only the Lancaster, the Four Seasons, the Doubletree Allen Center, and a Crowne Plaza, as far as I know), so if you're there on business there aren't many other choices. The Houston property's in a convenient location for businesses on the south side -- the Mickey Leland Federal Building, Exxon-Mobil, and Continental Airlines are nearby, as is the Kellogg Tower and the Allen Center.

So, if you're on your way to downtown Houston, stop by the Hyatt. Tell 'em I sent you! On second thought, don't - they may ask you to pay my bar tab!



Author's note: this was originally written November 8th, 2000 (the second day of the Presidential election), and was placed in the general Hyatt Hotel Category. I've updated it to specifically address the Hyatt Houston (Downtown) and also reflect some changes in the hotel's services and prices.


Recommended: Yes