Hyatt Regency Crystal City

Have I mentioned that I LOVE Hyatt hotels?  Well if I haven't mentioned it, I DO!  Some people will say there are better luxury brands out there like Fairmont and Four Seasons and more.  I KNOW!  I'm taking about the level that I can stay with for business purposes (on business budget).  It's not often that I get a Hyatt Regency level hotel night.  But given some circumstances and good pricing, I was able to get myself into the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.  I'm basically staying here the night to grab a flight home tomorrow.  The hotel is very close to DCA (Reagan Airport in Washington, DC).

As you may realize, I mainly stayed at Hilton properties all year, getting Diamond status (before I get clobbered with my decision, please be advised this Hilton Diamond pursuit was decided before I did a lot of research on loyalty travel; I now know there better programs to get top-tied elite status).  So when I get to walk into a Hyatt Regency (or Grand Hyatt, etc), I can feel the difference immediately.  It's a cut above Hilton (at least U.S. Hiltons) in my opinion.  Tonight's stay here will get me to Hyatt's mid-level elite status of Platinum.  It was a goal of mine this year so BING!  I'll have it all through 2013 and will apply for the Hyatt Credit Card from Chase next year to keep me at Platinum for life (or as long as I am a cardholder).  I would love to achieve Diamond at Hyatt, but I just don't think I can pull it off with work funds.  I will try though.  Maybe I will get lucky with some Hyatt House or Hyatt Place hotels where I end up traveling for work next year.

Anyways, back to this Hyatt.  As I mentioned, it is only AFTER this stay that I am platinum.  Right now I am just a lowly member of Gold Passport.  So I don't expect anything.  I ended up in a corner room on the 15th of 18 floors (#1562).  Check out the sight of what I walked into:

View from the Bed

The room is very large/very spacious.  I love the way the bed is set up to look right out of the windows.  I lifted the blinds a little more to get an even better view after taking the shot above.

View from the Corner

The desk is small, but manageable.  I'm also never a fan of angles TV viewing, but I'll always make an exception if the view from the bed is a window.  

Overall, I'm very pleased with this room.  It's a refreshing change from my usual Hilton stays and reminds me why I play the loyalty points game.  In the future, I see quite a few stays at higher end Hyatts.