I recently had a quick overnight at Dulles, and decided to book the Hyatt Dulles Airport.
Since it was a weekday, rates weren’t especially cheap (on weekends they’re often ~$65), and the cheapest rate I could find was $115.
For reference, this is a Category 2 Gold Passport property, making a free night 8,000 points.
Booking a paid stay was definitely the better value, especially since the night would qualify towards Hyatt’s Endless Possibilities promotion, which runs through April 30, 2014.
Anyway, I arrived at the shuttle center at Dulles Airport right as the Hyatt shuttle was pulling up, so lucked out and was quickly on my way.
The Hyatt is maybe a five minute drive from the airport, so you really can’t beat the location.
Hyatt Dulles Airport exterior
Hyatt Dulles Airport entrance
There was a nice courtyard to the right of the entrance, though it didn’t look like it was in high demand at the time. 😉
Hyatt Dulles Airport courtyard
The lobby featured a lobby bar to the right and a small reception desk inside the door and to the left.
Hyatt Dulles Airport lobby
Hyatt Dulles Airport reception desk
The associate that checked me in wasn’t very friendly, though she was efficient. She had my keys issued within 30 seconds, and asked me whether I wanted the points or food and beverage option as my Diamond amenity. She also gave me a key card envelope with the Wi-Fi code on it, and told me to charge breakfast to the room and that it would be taken off at check-out due to my Diamond status.
The elevators were to the left of the reception desk, and I took one up to the 14th floor, where my room was located.
Hyatt Dulles Airport elevators
Hyatt Dulles Airport hallway
I was assigned room 1418, an “Executive King Guestroom.” The interesting thing about this property is that it’s all suites. I thought that’s what Hyatt Place properties are for?
Hyatt Dulles Airport room
Hyatt Dulles Airport floorplan
Anyway, the room itself was nice enough and felt a lot like a Hyatt Place. At the entrance was a desk with an office chair. The desk wasn’t especially practical, since it was at least six inches “deep,” meaning you had to make the chair go as low as possible in order to actually be able to sit there comfortably.
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room entrance
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room desk
Then there was a small living area with a couch… except the TV faced the opposite direction, and couldn’t swivel far enough to face the couch without physically moving it (I don’t watch TV anyway, but just seemed like they could have thought about the design a bit more).
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room living area
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room living area
Next to the couch was a fridge.
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room fridge
Then on the other side of the room was a king size bed.
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room TV
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room bed
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room
The room overlooked the interstate and was quiet.
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room view
Next to the bed was the bathroom, which featured an “exposed” sink area, and then a toilet and shower in a separate room.
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room sink
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room toilet
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room shower
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room toiletries
Since there’s not really anything else in the immediate area, I decided to have something to eat at the Lobby Bar, which is open till midnight on weekdays.
Hyatt Dulles Airport King Room lobby bar
I pigged out and had a crab cake sandwich, which was really good. This Hyatt has posters in the elevator advertising how they are “serving food that’s good for your health, community and planet,” so I’ll blindly choose to believe that applied to my meal as well. 😉
Hyatt Dulles Airport Lobby Bar crab cake sandwich
In the morning I had breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant, Elements on Level One.
Hyatt Dulles Airport Elements on Level One Restaurant
The restaurant has both a buffet and an a la carte menu. Whenever given the option I’ll order off a menu, so I did that. The breakfast menu read as follows:
I ordered an egg white omelet, non-fat cappuccino, and smoothie.
Hyatt Dulles Airport Elements on Level smoothie and cappuccino
The egg white omelet was served with chicken sausage, hash browns, and toast. The omelet and hash browns were on the greasy side, but otherwise it was quite good. I have to say the service in the restaurant was borderline rude. I don’t know what it is about restaurants at breakfast, but I find that generally servers are either just awesome or awful, with very little middle ground.
Hyatt Dulles Airport Elements on Level One egg white omelet breakfast
The hotel also had a pool and hot tub, located on the ground floor.
Hyatt Dulles Airport pool
I would’ve probably used the hot tub, except it was overflowing, and between the amount of water I usually displace and how I have a tendency to splash around in water like a five year old, it just wouldn’t have been pretty.
Hyatt Dulles Airport hot tub
Next to the pool was the gym, which was large and featured modern equipment.
Hyatt Dulles Airport gym
Hyatt Dulles Airport gym
Hyatt Dulles Airport bottom line
The Hyatt Dulles is conveniently located for the airport and has frequent shuttle service, and the rooms are nice (enough). Not that I have very high service expectations for an airport hotel, but I found the employees to definitely be sub-par compared to most other Hyatts I’ve stayed at. Certainly not complaint worthy or anything, but I’m not dying to return, and may check out the Aloft next time… since I really have an intense love for Alofts.
I stay at the Hyatt Dulles several times per year as I have friends in the area. The room design is similar to some of the suburban Chicago properties such as Deerfield, but the execution is much better. I've stayed in rooms 1418 and 1420 most of the time.
One great thing about the property is that you can quickly take the entrance into the airport to the Exxon by the rental car facility, pick...
I stay at the Hyatt Dulles several times per year as I have friends in the area. The room design is similar to some of the suburban Chicago properties such as Deerfield, but the execution is much better. I've stayed in rooms 1418 and 1420 most of the time.
One great thing about the property is that you can quickly take the entrance into the airport to the Exxon by the rental car facility, pick up a bottle of water (charge it to get the receipt) and then take the Dulles Access Road to I-66 into DC and avoid both the tolls and the traffic on 267.
Lucky, the Egg-white omelet is becoming a signature dish of yours just like Diet Coke with Lime. I just had to look at the menu to know what you'd order, and the next line confirmed it ! ;)
@ Deo -- Hah, I have very few things in my life that are "consistent," but there are a few things I like to keep the same as I'm a creature of habit. My beverage and breakfast selections are two of those things. :)
Aloft is a cat 2 while Sheraton Herndon and West in Dulles are cat 3. Like you mention can find good rates at aloft and the Sheraton.
Stayed at the aloft and it was great, quiet area north of the airport but not much around it. Sheraton Herndon had a fantastic stay. Friendly check in and shuttle, great service and food in restaurant, it was even on restaurant.com so had a good discount. Stayed when...
Aloft is a cat 2 while Sheraton Herndon and West in Dulles are cat 3. Like you mention can find good rates at aloft and the Sheraton.
Stayed at the aloft and it was great, quiet area north of the airport but not much around it. Sheraton Herndon had a fantastic stay. Friendly check in and shuttle, great service and food in restaurant, it was even on restaurant.com so had a good discount. Stayed when we lived there and park and fly rate was around $79 so a great deal for an early flight out. Got a nice end room too, crib was requested in reservation and it was proactively in room which is a first of any hotel we've stayed in.
Interested to check out the westin as its newer.
Sorry you had bad service at breakfast but I have stayed at the Hyatt Dulles a number of times and had a great experience and service. I loved the breakfast buffet; the business center is great and I enjoyed the gym and pool. They often have great prices for park fly and stay deals. I usually get a room with an air purifier and it makes for a great night sleep.
That was a sweet toilet. Thanks for the pic.
Lucky, stayed here for the first time last month. Had a very similar experience-- except when I tried to order off the menu at breakfast, the waiter strongly suggested I just use the buffet as it'd be "the same food I'd bring you."
Ended the stay on a sour note.
Looks like you were in town for a bout of unseasonal snow!
I experienced curt front desk service at the Hilton Dulles Airport not long ago -- perhaps it's a regional culture issue?
My office is just down the street from this location. I use it often to meet with vendors as they 1) have good (as in tasty and quick) food service at breakfast/lunch. Good choice as the crab cake is my go to there! 2) the lobby is larger than your picture portrays and they often have music at happy hour--hence that great courtyard during the summer. The courtyard is a perfect place if you want...
My office is just down the street from this location. I use it often to meet with vendors as they 1) have good (as in tasty and quick) food service at breakfast/lunch. Good choice as the crab cake is my go to there! 2) the lobby is larger than your picture portrays and they often have music at happy hour--hence that great courtyard during the summer. The courtyard is a perfect place if you want someplace quiet or have a smoker in your group. Rt 267 is a toll road for local traffic and the other lane parallel is free (but direct) road from/to Dulles airport. Eventually (~3 years) you will see the new subway line reaching the airport in the middle. Yes they built a huge airport with no subway/light rail etc. It was a white elephant for many years till the internet boom of the 90's.
@Peter - You're right on both counts!
If it did not have a lounge - do you get 2500 HGP points or is it only for places with a lounge but closed? Also what is the breakfast limit for a Hyatt Dia.
@ Narayana S -- You only get the 2,500 points if the hotel has a lounge and it's closed. There wasn't a stated limit here, so as long as you're "reasonable" it's all taken off.
@Andrew B Lucky probably figures he'll see enough of you on your upcoming extravaganza trip. But I always say, one just can't spend too much time with a tax attorney. ;-)
I think that's VA-267 and VA-28, leading to the main terminal of IAD on the far left side in the picture. I-66 is not really visible from Hyatt Dulles.
Does this Hyatt have a club lounge?
@ HansGolden -- No, it doesn't.
You should've said hi when you were in town!
Thx! Wonderful review. In fact, your reviews and blog have inspired me to start one myself, albeit with a slightly different focus and from another perspective (I am living in the heart of Europe where "blogging" is not so popular as in the States). I post weekly hotel reviews as well (http://theluxurytravelexpert.com/hotel-reviews/). You seem to be traveling all the time: is this your living ?