Hotel Review: Hyatt Regency Century Plaza

I recently enjoyed a short stay at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza; which is located in Century City – just beyond Beverly Hills.

The 19-storey hotel, along with the majority of Century City is actually built on a former backlot that belonged to 20th Century Fox. The studios had to sell off a large amount of land owing to a number of box-office disasters. Designed by renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki; the hotel opened in 1966 and is often referred to as being a landmark within the city. You can’t really miss it… it’s slap bang in the middle right in-front of the fountains on Avenue of the Stars.

It was my first ever stay at a Hyatt property; so I really didn’t know what to expect. But I was excited to find out.

Location

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California, USA, 90067,
Tel: +1 310 228 1234

The hotel is located along the very popular Avenue of the Stars; which is literally just off Santa Monica Boulevard and a very short stroll away from the Westfield Century City shopping area. It’s approximately 10 miles away from LAX (about 20+ minutes driving), with the glamour of Beverly Hills and the beaches of Santa Monica not too far away.

Check In

The check-in process was very simple. You can take advantage of Hyatt’s Web Check-In service on an iPhone or via the internet on the day of arrival. Obviously you can also check-in on other mobile or handheld devices, and it is worth noting that this service is only available at certain Hyatt locations.

I took advantage of this service – it was so straightforward and hassle-free that I really do not know why other brands follow suit.

All you need to do is simply visit hyattwebcheckin.com or click on the link in the e-mail and follow the instructions.
I was asked to confirm my reservation options, enter in an e-mail address or phone number so I could be notified when my room was ready, give an ETA and choose which credit card to use.

It was all over and done with in a little under a minute, and then all I had to wait is to receive a notification that my room was ready…

Shortly afterwards I received an e-mail saying that my room was ready, hurrah!
All I needed to do was pop by the reception desk upon arrival to pick up my room keys and that’s it. Simple!

When I eventually arrived at the hotel, I was amazed to find Check-In Kiosks within the lobby, just opposite the reception desk. I’ve never come across these before, but they seemed like a pretty good idea. I picked up my room key and was soon enough on my way to the 19th floor.

My Room – 1916

I was fortunate enough to be staying in a Regency Club room; which means you have access to the Regency Club and Lounge.
My particular room was on the 19th floor; which is on the Penthouse Level (PH).

My room was a “High Floor Double” with a private lanai and views over the city of Los Angeles. The room was very spacious and complete with cool tech amenities. This included an iHome stereo with iPhone/iPod docking station (I’d like one of these in my apartment please), 32″ flat screen TV and video on demand.

The views from the balcony (or lanai as they like to call it) were pretty impressive. To the left I could see LA…

To the right was the Westfield Century City shopping area – yes it really is that close. Pretty dangerous if you ask me…

19 floors below was the expansive pool area. If it were a little warmer I may have gone for a paddle!

The Regency Club & Lounge

Basically the Regency Club is the hotel’s concierge lounge; where you can enjoy a dedicated concierge service and reception desk, along with a host of additional amenities. It’s open from 06:30 – 22:00 daily, as opposed to some hotels where lounges of a similar type close as early as 19:00, or even don’t open during the weekend!

Continental breakfast is served until 09:30 on weekdays and 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
A large selection of cookies and fruit plates are available between 13:00 and 16:00.
Hors d’oeuvres, Antipasto and cocktails are offered between 17:00 and 20:00.*
Cordials and Petit Fours are available between 20:00 and 22:00.

Complimentary tea, coffee, fruit juices and soft drinks are available all the time, whilst there is a charge for beers, wines, mixed drinks and spirits. These are around $5-7 each; which isn’t too bad at all.

There’s also complimentary Wi-Fi internet access (within the lounge), workstations, and a number of magazines and newspapers to read. I was intrigued to learn that the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza is the only hotel in the city to feature a ground level private entrance for guests staying in these rooms; that’s pretty cool!

Food & Drink

Yes, there are a load of lovely restaurants and bars located within Westfield Century City (which is literally next-door), but the hotel itself has some pretty cool restaurants and bars, including a Starbucks for all you coffee lovers out there.

Breeze is the hotels’ award-winning restaurant which features a very creative menu and “farm-to-fork” Californian cuisine. There’s also a Sushi bar! Breeze is a very popular restaurant within Century City, therefore reservations are strongly recommended. Unfortunately I did not have time to experience the menu during my visit, but I’ll be back!

The recently renovated X Bar in an indoor and outdoor venue where you can enjoy a number of tempting cocktails and delicious small plates of food. The fire pits and screening wall outside are a nice touch; especially under the warm nighttime breeze.

As the name suggests, the Lobby Court and Patio is the ideal location to “watch the world go by” and enjoy a bite to eat, a drink and just to relax with friends, family or on your own. The atmosphere is cool, calm and collected. Just how I like it.

For all you coffee lovers, the on-site Starbucks is open from 05:30 – 15:00 each day, and is the perfect place to sit down with a coffee or grab something to take-out with you.

If all else fails, 24 hour room service is always available. The menu is plentiful and the pricing wasn’t too bad at all. I ordered this quite late on my final evening – and it only took about 25 minutes for my order to arrive, although I was warned they were very busy.

Activities

As I’ve mentioned a couple of times now; the hotel is just a short stroll away from all the shops, bars and restaurants within Westfield Century City, there’s even a cinema too! It was only a five-minute walk around the corner – and there were a number of well-known brand including Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Hollister and Louis Vuitton. There are also plenty of things around the hotel to keep you occupied.

Fancy a swim? The hotel features an infinity-edged swimming pool that’s surrounded with very comfortable loungers and amenities. For an additional charge, you can get a taste of the high life and enjoy a private cabana with lounge style seating, internet access, a flat screen TV, sound system and the service of a cabana attendant to cater for your every whim. It sounds amazing, and I would certainly recommend doing this if you were visiting with a large group or family.

Located next door, the private Equinox Fitness Club and Spa is the “flagship” location on the West coast of America; and features state-of-the-art fitness equipment, personal trainers, group classes and a multi-million dollar spa. Hotel guests can access the fitness club for $22 per day, spa treatments are extra.

You’ll find live entertainment within the Lobby Lounge every weekday between 19:00 and 22:00; making it the perfect location to enjoy a pre- or post-dinner drink. On Saturday evenings, the X Bar features gourmet sharing plates and signature cocktails as the resident DJ plays the latest tunes through to the small hours.

The Verdict

Overall, the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza is a really nice hotel.