Lodge evaluation: A keep at Dream Hollywood by Hyatt

Los Angeles has a dizzying array of lodging choices, from funds motels to ultraluxury motels. The sprawling metropolis of greater than 500 sq. miles might be overwhelming for a first-time customer like myself to pick the proper location, noting the beachfront neighborhoods can simply be an hour’s drive from downtown, due to LA’s notoriously unhealthy visitors.

As a World of Hyatt loyalist, eager to earn one other Model Explorer Award, I narrowed my search to lesser-known Hyatt properties near the town’s prime vacationer sights and settled on the Dream model, smack bang in the midst of Hollywood.

Regardless of colleagues residing within the metropolis expressing issues that, whereas central, the property wasn’t in probably the most fascinating location on account of security issues at evening, I wished to see if a Hyatt group property may ship a strong visitor expertise within the metropolis’s coronary heart.

Here is what it is like staying at Dream Hollywood, a World of Hyatt property.

Associated: The 27 finest motels in Los Angeles on your subsequent go to

What’s Dream Hollywood?

Opened in 2017, Dream Hollywood presents 178 visitor rooms and suites on the nook of Selma Avenue and N. Cahuenga Boulevard within the Hollywood Hills. The model is understood for its upscale facilities and a give attention to nightlife with in-house cocktail bars and rooftop lounges.

The Los Angeles location is one among simply six Dream properties worldwide, with two in New York and one every in Nashville, Miami Seaside and Doha. Future areas are deliberate in Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas and extra.

Associated: What it is like staying at Dream Nashville, Music Metropolis’s downtown way of life lodge

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A part of World of Hyatt’s “Boundless Assortment,” the Dream model is to not be confused with the Goals model, an all-inclusive World of Hyatt model with quite a few properties throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and southern Europe.

Suites begin at $516 per evening for a 430-square-foot King Suite Platinum, a comparatively good worth for a dear metropolis like Los Angeles. Word these charges embrace a pesky $42 per evening necessary “vacation spot charge,” which incorporates minimal advantages like two bottled waters, Champagne on check-in, electrical charging stations, premium Wi-Fi and health and pool deck entry.

As a Class 6 property, you possibly can ebook this lodge from 21,000 World of Hyatt factors per evening on an off-peak date as much as 29,000 factors per evening on a peak date. Do not forget that World of Hyatt redemptions are not charged a vacation spot charge.

When reserving Dream Hollywood, you will need to use one of many bank cards that earn probably the most factors for Hyatt stays and one which probably presents computerized World of Hyatt elite standing for value-added advantages. These embrace:

• World of Hyatt Credit score Card: Earn 4 factors per greenback spent at Hyatt motels and resorts; computerized Discoverist standing; and 5 elite evening credit per yr towards a better tier.
• World of Hyatt Enterprise Credit score Card: Earn 4 factors per greenback spent at Hyatt motels and resorts; computerized Discoverist standing; and 5 elite evening credit per yr towards a better tier.

A TPG colleague with top-tier Globalist standing kindly gifted me a Visitor of Honor award, which allowed me to use Globalist advantages to at least one upcoming Hyatt keep. Utilizing this at a premium property for an extended keep is advantageous to maximise the advantages.

Whereas receiving the award was easy (I wanted to supply my colleague with my World of Hyatt quantity, and I quickly obtained an e-mail stating the award was in my account prepared to make use of), making use of it to an present reserving wasn’t. I needed to name Hyatt to have them manually add the Visitor of Honor award to the reserving, which was time-consuming, although I perceive if you’re making a brand new reserving and have this award in your account, you possibly can select so as to add it on-line through the reserving course of.

Thankfully, the method was smoother on the property, and the advantages have been tangible. The pleasant check-in agent suggested me he may see the Visitor of Honor award on my reserving and would waive the vacation spot charge, a Globalist profit on money stays. He additionally suggested me breakfast could be complimentary on the rooftop and to say to the restaurant employees that I had a Globalist profit to make use of. He additionally proactively provided me a 2 p.m. checkout on my ultimate day, which was invaluable earlier than a night flight house.

I did not routinely obtain a room improve at check-in. After I requested if there have been higher rooms nonetheless on the market that evening, I used to be instructed there was just one single room out there at this almost 200-room lodge, so I did not push my luck, provided that there could have been reliable Globalist members arriving to improve as an alternative.

In hindsight, I ought to have saved the Visitor of Honor award for a keep the place loads of superior rooms and suites have been out there to improve to. Nonetheless, the free breakfast and waived vacation spot charge saved me $100 per evening and made me “Dream” about my path to incomes Globalist standing.

Rooms at Dream Hollywood

I obtained the identical King Bronze Balcony room I had booked, a compact however well-appointed and light-filled 300-square-foot area on the third flooring.

Having lately toured the spectacular new Park Hyatt London and being stunned to see hardwood flooring within the bedrooms at such a premium property, I a lot most well-liked the mushy carpet beneath the queen-size mattress at Dream Hollywood.

A correct desk and leather-padded chair supplied a helpful, comfy area to work beneath the large flat-screen tv.

Realizing I needed to fly again to my house in dreary, grey London instantly after this keep, I appreciated how a lot pure gentle this room was bathed in.

Whether or not friends have been trying to get into the spirit earlier than hitting the city or persevering with the festivities after close by venues closed, the in-room minibar mirrored the property’s celebration vibe. Half-size bottles of Patron tequila, Hennessy cognac and Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne have been all out there for an additional cost. Nonetheless, the essential amenity of a espresso machine was nowhere to be seen.

The balcony, with its cafe-style wood desk and chairs, was a fantastic place to take in the SoCal sunshine; nonetheless, the lower-floor stage I used to be on did not present a lot of a view past neighboring rooftops.

The toilet additionally loved loads of pure gentle due to the full-length window on one bathe wall. Nonetheless, with the curtain on the skin, two friends sharing a room will not be comfy with how simply somebody may peek into the lavatory from the bed room.

The spacious walk-in bathe featured sparkly silver tiles for a contact of Hollywood glamor and the Karl Lagerfeld toiletries additionally added some luxurious.

I used to be stunned {that a} property of this dimension provided solely two eating venues. Considered one of them was the upmarket TAO Asian Bistro subsequent door, whose menu was past my funds.

That left the rooftop Spotlight Room Grill, a small however nice outside area with views of the Hollywood signal on a transparent day.

Breakfast is served day by day on this area, and the omelet along with your alternative of three fillings ($24) paired with a well-crafted espresso-style espresso ($5) proved a wholesome method to begin the day.

My second breakfast of a ham, cheese and egg muffin with breakfast potatoes ($18) did not scream premium, being extra fancy McDonald’s than Michelin-starred.

I additionally tried out the room service menu, which could possibly be simply ordered by cellphone within the room. My order was delivered in a paper bag with a receipt stapled to it, which felt a little bit low-rent and made me surprise why I did not simply order by an exterior meals supply service with a a lot wider vary of cuisines as an alternative.

The style of my crispy hen sandwich ($28) was there, and the meals had been very lately cooked earlier than being whizzed right down to my room, however the shiny plastic cutlery and sauces in tubs made it one of many extra underwhelming room service meals I’ve had.

Dinner at Spotlight Grill again on the rooftop was a extra refined affair. It began with tuna poke wonton tacos with spicy mayo ($19) and a Peaches and Spice cocktail ($23), a punchy mixture of Avion Silver tequila, mezcal, Cointreau, peach, membership soda and habanero.

My entree of grilled branzino with panzanella salad and tomato French dressing ($34) was probably the greatest fish dishes I’ve eaten lately. It was completely grilled whereas being moist, recent and flavorful, and I might return to Spotlight Grill for this dish alone.

• The rooftop pool is an informal, relaxed and social area to work in your tan; although on weekends, you will must be up early to safe a solar mattress.
• Open 24/7, the lodge’s health club is well-equipped to remain in form throughout your keep.
• The rooftop additionally has a cocktail membership named The Lounge at Spotlight Room that’s solely open Friday and Saturday nights for a number of hours at a time, with desk bookings required.
• Hollywood’s well-known Stroll of Fame is a straightforward five-minute stroll from the lodge. Nonetheless, the celebrities stretch for 15 blocks, so discovering your favourite celeb would possibly take a while.
• Valet parking is out there instantly in entrance of the lodge for $60 per evening.

Insider ideas for staying at Dream Hollywood lodge

• The property appears fashionable with party-ready weekenders, so anticipate chaos and noise if checking in on a Thursday or Friday afternoon, with friends balancing circumstances of booze on their baggage.
• Request a excessive flooring (5 or above) when you’re hoping to get pleasure from a view out of your room, and bear in mind some rooms face the well-known Hollywood signal.
• A terrific, quiet and peaceable coworking area is out there close to the health middle, which is good if you’d like a break from working in your room.
• The world surrounding the lodge felt protected and quiet within the evenings, with loads of safety and valet parking employees outdoors the lodge.

Accessibility

Dream Hollywood has extensive, flat paths from the entry by reception to the elevators. Visitor flooring hallways are equally accessible.

Although the rooftop pool has steps right down to the Spotlight Grill restaurant, a considerate ramp assists friends with mobility points.

The lodge additionally presents a number of tiers of mobility-accessible visitor rooms and suites with roll-in showers.