Hyatt Regency Newport Beach West

We arrived at Hyatt Regency Newport Beach West around 11:10 PM on Friday, May 22, after an exhausting family trip. One front desk employee, I believe her name was Violet, was handling a line of about 12 guests. We finally checked in at 12:05 AM. The instructions for the room’s sensor based lights felt unnecessarily complicated that late. The room seemed okay at first, until we realized the AC wasn’t working. Even with the old manual thermostat set to 50°F, it never cooled, and I woke up sweating about an hour after falling asleep. I called the front desk several times and went down twice in the middle of the night. They said there was no overnight maintenance, and maybe we could move rooms, but nothing got resolved. At 2:10 AM, with my family needing sleep, we opened the balcony door for air and had to listen to constant airport noise all night. Maintenance didn’t come until 3:30 PM the next day, when they fixed the AC in the same room. We lost nearly a whole day over something as basic as air conditioning. There were other problems too. The jacuzzi had no working jets or bubbles, just hot water with little bugs in it. We called four times before extra towels arrived. On Sunday around 10:30 AM, my wife and kids wanted to play billiards, but were told it wouldn’t open until 11, so we waited nearby. At 10:45 another group was allowed to play. Staff said Jack, the Front Office Manager, had made an exception because they were checking out at 11, but they kept playing until 11:30. When I raised this with Jack, he brushed it off as no longer his issue. Either the explanation wasn’t true or the rules were being applied selectively. I brought all of this to Jack, including the AC, delays, lack of overnight maintenance, and inconsistent treatment. He said the hotel was full and busy. I understand that happens, but guests paying more than $600 shouldn’t face repeated service failures because of staffing. I asked to escalate, but was told Jack was handling management responsibilities then, and I was given another manager’s email. Our bill was $542.18 plus about $70 for self parking, well over $600. Seeing “We hope you enjoyed your stay with us!” on the final bill honestly made me laugh. We wanted to move sooner, but nothing in Irvine was available Saturday or Sunday, so we had no practical choice but to stay through the weekend. Nearby hotels were affected by the Garden Grove emergency, and that was the only reason we stayed as long as we did. We moved to another hotel Monday instead of extending here. For Hyatt, it was far below what we expected. We got broken AC, no overnight support, repeated delays, dirty facilities, broken amenities, inconsistent treatment, expensive parking, and no accountability.

I had a really enjoyable stay in March 2024. The room was spacious and modern, and the facilities were too. Being close to John Wayne airport made getting there for a flight easy, and it was also a good base for exploring Orange Country, as long as you have a car, like in most places in the States. Breakfast was the highlight. The quality was amazing, and they cooked some dishes fresh on the spot, like fried eggs and pancakes. My one complaint was the price, $32 per person, and I felt the staff expected a tip too. I understand American tipping culture, but as a hotel guest already paying that breakfast price, it felt a bit much. Even so, the stay and the services we enjoyed were excellent.

The room was a standard Hyatt one, with a surprisingly large TV that was great. The property itself was decent, but service during our four nights was poor. Front desk staff often didn’t answer calls, if anyone was there at all. Our room was made up just once without us asking. On the last night, we came back at 4:30 PM to find it untouched, and were told housekeeping wasn’t available after 4. Management was pathetically poor. They now charge $35 a night for self parking, which is a ripoff.

There wasn’t a good view from the room, and the rooms are very small. The fixtures didn’t seem securely attached. There is a small desk, a small refrigerator, and an iron. Check-in was fairly easy, but the receptionists weren’t friendly or accommodating. Water is free in the rooms only for elite members. Slippers aren’t available, not even if you ask.