The Hyatt Regency at the Arch

Check out my room here! https://youtu.be/KTiuZtOcwys

Staying downtown is a one-of-a-kind experience in every city, but with its famous arch, St. Louis stands out. Naturally, there are a couple of hotels that take advantage of their views of the structure. Not the least of which is the Hyatt Regency at the Arch.

Located within walking distance, the building itself stands out.  Its regal architecture giving a graceful nod to the city’s heritage.  At night, the view from the Arch-sided rooms is stunning. But they do cost extra, so you might want to consider the splurge for a special occasion or when you have time to explore the city properly.

Aside from the grand, almost cavernous lobby, its three full-service restaurants and a Starbucks, my experience as a guest was disappointing. The front desk staff are efficient, if not slightly inexperienced. When I asked to pay in advance for Erin’s valet service (more about that in a moment), the young man behind the counter looked at me puzzled before replying that I could only do that if I was paying for an extra room.

That’s not true, and another member of the department quickly stepped in to remedy the situation, but it was still an odd response.

The valet and guest services staff were also very helpful and approachable, but housekeeping was meh. They seemed to stock towels and toiletries in my room consistently, but routinely overlooked hair and toilet paper-two things I am less willing to forgive. As a frequent traveler with a tight schedule, I want to spend my time focusing on my trip-not rationing toilet paper and pondering the origins of some random body hair stuck to the shower.

While the bed was made and fresh towels and coffee pods were left out, the room was noticeably dingey. The nightstands weren’t wiped down, the shower curtain was covered in soap and strands of hair were scattered about.  I reported this to a very nice man at the guest services desk and when I returned later, the shower curtain had been replaced, but the hair remained.

Sigh.

The coil mattress was unremarkable (for a Super 8, that is) and not at all worthy of the prestigious chain and its inflated prices.  And I noticed several general upkeep issues as well-far more than I expected for a global chain. Not all of the lights worked in my room, the water pressure for both the shower and toilet were poor-resulting in double flushes and less than satisfying showers. The rooms were not very well insulated and resulted in my hearing every guest and maintenance person that walked by.  

The HVAC system was also sub-par. The room felt clammy and uncomfortable. The only way to counter its excessive humidity was to increase the temperature, leaving me with the choice of either feeling sweaty or soggy.

Also, no self-parking was available the entire length of my stay-which was understandable for an evening or a special event, but days without access to this amenity resulted in an automatic fee hikes for valet services that really should have been comped by the hotel. In the hospitality business, if you offer it, you should be prepared to provide it.  The lower-end hotels manage to do this just fine.

My takeaway: Just stay at the Super 8 and use the savings to see the Arch up close.

Do you have a hotel you would like me to review? Send me a line at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com