Review: Hyatt Regency Tashkent, Uzbekistan

The world is huge, has various sceneries. But you always stay at some chain hotels which look almost the same. Aren't you bored?

At a rack rate of $235.00 per night, I'll bet that's more than a local Uzbek laborer makes in a month. And that pizza probably cost as much as his monthly grocery bill for a family of 4.

Nice looking property though, shows that the "stan" countries are coming into the modern age. The security is a bit concerning though - the fact they need it, that is...

You also seem to go considerable lengths in your reviews to tell us how much time you spend "working." Would you please clarify what exactly that means? Blogging/writing? Something esle?

@Jim - owns pointspros a miles and points consulting site and also manages this blog.

Pizza margherita, not margarita. It's not a cocktail.

And i can't believe that somebody would pay 22$ for a simple, plain margherita.

@Lucky - Were you required to pay for the hotel bill in USD over the local currency? There's been a few articles on bloggers having to pay in USD and not being able to liquidate their remaining Uzbek currency.

@ VX_Flier -- Unfortunately had to pay in USD. 🙁

After seeing your complaint about no Uzbek food on your flight to Tashkent, the pizza Margherita is a curious choice for a meal when you were actually in Tashkent.

It makes it kind of hard to take you seriously as a travel blogger.

@Mike - For better or for worse, Lucky is a points and miles blogger. If you've spent five minutes reading his stuff, you'd come to know this. He blogs about effective ways of earning points and redeeming them for the best value.

Ergo, he's not going to review the Tashkent dirt motel that you fancy.

It was chicken and horse. Your in Central Asia. They love them some horse.

@Grant: "Ergo, he’s not going to review the Tashkent dirt motel that you fancy."

I've been reading this blog long enough to know that I'm not going to see a review of a place like that. Where your argument falls down in defending him, though, is that Lucky himself says that this is a blog about travel, not just a blog about points and miles (see the tagline if you need the proof of that).

Keeping that in mind, then, hyping up a trip to all of the Stans, and then talking only about a pizza you ate at the hotel once over the better part of a week there when you've previously complained about a lack of Uzbek food elsewhere, smacks more of "Hey, look at me!" than it does actually providing useful information about travel.

If that's what floats your boat, though, then more power to you.

Wholeheartedly agree with Grant. He went all the way to Uzbekistan, but his trip review is totally irrelevant for any of us who might actually want to visit the country (which I did btw, and highly recommend). Reviewing Uzbekistan Airways - what value has that for the average points guy? And the Hyatt Regency Tashkent? Why not talking about the impressions of the country, or Bukhara, or Samarkand? This is the worst-written and thought-after report after the Azerbaijan one...

@Airways and TRavels: "Wholeheartedly agree with Grant."

Except for the fact that your post completely disagrees with his, that is.

@Mike

I agree with Grant wholeheartedly, I've come to terms that Lucky will not stay at non-chain hotels unless he absolutely has to. This blog is all most miles and points, and that's just the way it is. I've seen many people over the years complain at how he always stay at chain hotels and not out there experience, but he has not changed and he will not change.
But I agree with your point as well, Lucky kept saying how cheap the country is but doesn't give any examples, so I still don't know wether $220/night at Hyatt is really outrageous expensive or just mildly more. I suppose I'll just have to read other blogs to find out.

@JayLTX: Again, whether he stays at chain hotels or not isn't my point - I really don't give a rat's ass where he stays, and why everyone is focusing on the hotel is beyond me.

The issue was the pizza as the only meal highlighted on a four-night trip to Uzbekistan, having already complained about a lack of Uzbek food on his flight. This has zero to do with the hotel.

I traveled across the former Soviet Union (from the Soviet Far East to Moscow) back in 1976 and had a chance to make a side trip to Tashkent, but decided not to, which I regret. Perhaps I'll take the non-stop flight from NYC someday.
Regarding Lucky's critics who complain about where he stays and what he eats, I image that with his hotel and airline points he can stay at any of these chain hotels for less then he could stay at the local non-chain hotels. What's wrong with that? I have lived 30+ years in the East Asia and have gone the native route, but today I prefer staying in nice hotels when I can do so, like Lucky, at almost no cost. It's my prerogative, and its his choice what he eats. You are not his conscience and your virtue signaling serves no purpose.