Background
Some of you who have been reading Miles For Family for a while know how much I love Hyatt. Hyatt has been good to me! Leana and I duked it out over Hyatt vs. IHG, and after a disappointing stay at another chain I wished I had just booked with Hyatt.
On my most recent nearly two-week trip to California and Colorado, I stayed at three different Hyatt hotels. While two of them were great, I was very disappointed with my stay at Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort.
Last year when my daughter and I visited Disneyland, we stayed at the nearby Hyatt Regency Orange County. We loved it! (See my review here). For this trip, the Hyatt House tempted me because of its new construction and closer proximity to the parks. Plus, the rooms were quite large with full kitchens.
Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort gets excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, 4.5 out of 5 stars. I booked a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed for my family of five using a Points + Cash rate of 6000 points + $75.
Before I get into the issues I had, I’ll highlight some of the positives of the hotel.
Location
Hyatt House at Anaheim resort has only been open a year. Its location at the corner of Harbor and Katella is ideal for families visiting Disneyland. It’s about a two-block walk to the main entrance of the parks on a very pedestrian-friendly street. The walk took us about 15 minutes, but that included waiting several minutes at the light at Harbor and Katella.
A Starbucks and Walgreens are adjacent to the hotel downstairs. IHOP is next door, and there are several restaurants across the street.
Just a short walk down Katella is Anaheim Garden Walk, which was a nice shopping district with several full service restaurants.
Pool and Gym
The hotel has an outdoor heated saltwater pool and hot tub. There were plenty of chairs and towels each time we went.
Since we had been walking at the parks all day, we did not use the gym. However, it looked new and nice.
Breakfast Buffet
The hotel was actually quite large, so the breakfast buffet area was the largest I have seen. There were a ton of tables:
The buffet itself had two identical sides with cereal, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, waffles, bread, etc.
The staff was good about keeping the buffet stocked and cleaning the tables so other guests could find a seat.
Checking In
Our issues started at check-in. We had taken a late afternoon flight from Dallas so that my husband could work that day. We arrived at the hotel at 8:45 p.m., but to our kids it was 10:45 p.m. and we were all tired. I left my family to sit in the lobby chairs while I checked in and got our room keys.
After I gave my name, the front desk attendant said, “So we have you in a room with two queen beds.” And then I added, “AAAAAAND a sofa bed.”
“No, your room doesn’t have a sofa bed. Just two queen beds.”
“Hmmm….I booked a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed.”
“No, it looks like you booked a handicap accessible room, and those rooms don’t have sofa beds.”
I didn’t remember booking a handicap accessible room, but the desk attendant insisted I had. Regardless, my email confirmation said the room had two queen beds and a sofa bed.
I pulled out my phone to show my email confirmation, but unfortunately I couldn’t get a signal.
The front desk attendant told me not to worry, because the room had an extra large L-shaped sofa that could be used for sleeping. She called to have someone bring up sheets for the sofa. Perfect! My 13-year-old was the one who would be on that.
Our Room
As usual, I had my family wait outside for a minute while I snapped some photos of our room before the kids cluttered it with all of their stuffed animals. When I walked in, I thought there must be a mistake.
The room I booked was supposed to be 535 square feet with a divided living room area and a full kitchen. The room I walked into was nothing like that. It looked nothing like the photo of the room I booked online.
It had two queen beds, but the extra large L-shaped sofa was not there. Instead, there was a small chaise lounge next to the window.
And, there was no full kitchen. There was a microwave and a mini-fridge.
My family came inside, and I told them not to unpack because I think we got the wrong room. Clearly, my son could not fit on this “extra large” sofa.
Sit tight, family, I’ll return to the front desk and get this straightened out.
Back to the Front Desk
I was starting to become agitated at this point. We were tired and just wanted to get some sleep.
I returned to the front desk and told the attendants (two of them now) that I must have been given the wrong room. It did not have a large L-shaped sofa.
One of the attendants started saying that yes indeed, it did have a large sofa. So I pulled out my phone and showed him my photo of it.
The workers seemed surprised by the size of it. I don’t think they realized that it wasn’t the typical cozy corner sofa.
One of the attendants said that it was indeed a sofa sleeper. I said, “Oh, my mistake, I thought you said it didn’t turn into a sofa bed. So it does?”
“No, it doesn’t, but Hyatt considers that a sofa sleeper.”
Ummmm….it’s about the size of a toddler bed! No way!
I asked for a rollaway, but was told that it was against Hyatt’s corporate policy to have rollaway beds. Say what? We have slept on rollaways at several Hyatt hotels.
I told them that neither of my sons could even fit on that chaise lounge because they were too tall. They suggested that we move the leather foot stools to the end of the sofa to accommodate their height. Well, the leather foot stools were not the same height or width as the chaise lounge, so that seemed weird and uncomfortable.
The hotel was sold out for the next four nights. One attendant told me that this same mix-up happened to another family of five earlier in the evening, but there is nothing they can do about it.
I asked to speak to a manger. There was no manager on duty. I left my name and cell phone number to be contacted by a manager in the morning.
I went back upstairs. My family and I discussed the possibility of moving to another nearby hotel. However, I wasn’t sure if I would get a refund on this reservation. Plus, my kids were just so tired and wanted to sleep.
So, we decided that my daughter would sleep on the chaise lounge (since she could barely fit). My sons refuse to share a bed, so that meant that one of them would have to sleep with me. Just what every teenage boy wants to do.
Resolving the Issue
My family was able to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. I wasn’t laughing.
What bothered me most was how the front desk seemed to place the blame on me. And nobody working seemed to be empowered to solve the situation.
I booked a handicap accessible room. Ok, that part is on me, and it wasn’t intentional. However, the description on the website of the room I booked did not match the actual room we received. And had the description and photos been accurate, my family would have comfortably fit in the room.
That night, I sent a photo and tweet to @HyattConcierge. Hyatt responded that a manager would follow-up with me in the morning. I told my husband I was starting to feel like Ann Coulter (who famously tweeted about Delta a few weeks ago).
The next morning, we ate breakfast and went to Disneyland. We returned to the hotel in the early evening after dinner. I didn’t have any messages on my cell phone or on our room phone.
I replied back to Hyatt Concierge on Twitter that night that I had not heard from a manager. Hyatt said that a manager had called my room during the day but we didn’t answer. Of course we didn’t, because we were at the park. The manager didn’t leave a message.
On our third day, a front-desk manager called my cell phone. He apologized for the mix-up and admitted that the photos and the room description on the website are inaccurate. He said he had been trying to get Hyatt to change them for the past year, unsuccessfully. The manager gave me 12,000 Hyatt points for our inconvenience, which is enough points to book another night at that hotel.
After our trip, I returned to the hotel’s website and noticed that the room description and photos had changed to reflect only two beds and no kitchen. Well, at least my complaints helped change that.
What Could Hyatt Have Done Differently? What Would You Do Differently?
The thing is, my family has always been pretty flexible about sleeping arrangements as a family of five. Most hotel rooms are made for families of four, not five.
The difference is that in the past, if we knew the room didn’t have an extra bed, we brought our own inflatable mattress. Or, we made sure that the hotel could provide a rollaway bed. I did neither of these things because I had specifically booked a room large enough for my entire family.
The hotel’s management’s reaction was “too little, too late”, in my opinion. In retrospect, I wished that Hyatt would have moved our reservation to the nearby Hyatt Place or Hyatt Regency on the first night we arrived when our room type could not be accommodated. Sure, it would have been a pain, but we all would have been comfortable.
Based on our experience, I can’t in good faith recommend this hotel. There are plenty of other good choices near Disneyland.
This ordeal was a good reminder for me to not let something like this ruin our vacation. I was very frustrated with our experience, but I wasn’t going to allow it to dictate the tone of our trip.
Readers, what would you have done in this situation? Have you ever received a room “downgrade”?
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Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Dave Sims says
I recently had the pleasure of reading your review of Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort, and I wanted to express my gratitude for the thorough and insightful information you provided.
Your detailed analysis of the hotel’s accommodations, amenities, and overall guest experience is incredibly valuable for anyone considering a stay. The inclusion of practical details, your personal experiences, and the overall ambiance create a well-rounded and informative perspective.
If you have more hotel reviews, travel tips, or family-friendly recommendations in the pipeline, I would love to stay connected.
Thank you for your dedication to providing valuable information for fellow travelers and families.
Momma To Go says
I thought this was the kind of stuff that only happened to me! Yeah, this is a tale for the ages.
Allison says
We had a similar situation at a VRBO type place about 10 years ago. I was staying with my parents and we booked the condo in Miami specifically because it was supposed to have a pull out couch. When we arrived the place was missing many basic amenities (ice trays, knives for the kitchen, cutting boards, patio furniture for more than two despite having a massive lanai, etc) and the couch was a sectional with raised cushions interspersed with wooden spacers… so that’s where I slept for a week. We also used my large suitcase as a coffee table as the condo lacked on of those too. Unfortunately we didn’t get any resolution from the owners who just said that furnishings change occasionally. We laugh about it now (especially because the 5 bedroom house we staying in the next week near WDW had mostly bedrooms with single beds which is what I ended up sleeping in and at 22 I fell out of bed for the first time in about two decades when I tried to roll over in the middle of the night!
Nancy says
@Allison That couch sounds very uncomfortable! Such a bummer. I’m glad you can laugh about it now.
Wes says
While I do sympathize with you, as a hotel employee, I think I might be able to shed a tad bit of light on some of the things that were frustrating. Rollaway beds…yes hotels do have them and provide them. However, some hotels simply cannot provide them based on fire department code. At the hotel I work at, it is a violation to take a rollaway to any room that has 2 queen beds. We can roll it up to standard rooms with one bed and suites. Not sure what the Hyatt policy is and what the codes are with the fire department near the hotel you were staying at. As for a manager at night, what time did you ask for a manager? Hotel I’m currently at never has a manager past 6pm. Maybe once a week someone stays until 9pm, but that’s about it. Previous hotels I’ve worked at generally has no manager past 5pm. While I do state these things, I must say the front desk definitely could’ve tried to do something to remedy the situation. On a points reservation at a sold out hotel, they could’ve offered to walk a guest to a more accommodating hotel and cover the first night, offer to give back some of the points (like the manager did) at the desk instead of waiting for a manager, or offer something complimentary that the hotel might usually charge for. Blame goes to the Hyatt website and the property management for not working together and putting up an updated photo of the room which misled you.
Nancy says
@Wes Thank you for the information. It’s always good to hear the perspective from someone in the hotel industry. I am glad that the room description and photos were changed online since my visit to hopefully prevent this from happening to future customers.
T says
Sorry to hear your experience. Strange. Last I booked with points a Hyatt House in Carlsbad, CA, we were placed in an ADA room as well. It was the only available type to book by point and I had even tweeted the Hyatt concierge beforehand stating that we don’t need ADA specifically and if we can get a regular room instead. However, nothing was done despite the concierge stating that he will leave a note to the hotel staff. Is Hyatt starting to mistreat its customers by shoving them in less preferred rooms when its guests book with points?
Nancy says
@T Interesting! I do think that the ADA rooms are sometimes the last rooms to get booked. Sorry you were unable to move to a regular room.
lifeofaministermom says
I’m glad that there was resolution at the end, and that hopefully another family won’t be misled. However, I would have been so frustrated!! Seems like the front desk could have done a much better job of at least being understanding even if they couldn’t fully accommodate you.
Nancy says
@lifeofaministermom I’m glad we were able to at least make some change happen for future families visiting this hotel.
karyld2016 says
My goodness, what a stressful situation! I don’t know how anyone at the hotel could look at “sofa” and claim that it’s a sleeper sofa. And I don’t buy that there was no manager on duty that night. Even if that was the case, the morning manager should have contacted you right away. i agree with you, it was “too little too late”, and they should have moved you to another property that night. Or, at a minimum, give you a rollaway.
Nancy says
@karyld2016 I also thought it was weird that there was no manager on duty on a hotel as big as that. I think they were just avoiding me, LOL!
Victoria with One Sharp mama says
Wow! What a crazy hotel stay. I’m glad that they eventually changed the site for future patrons. I don’t know how they thought anybody could sleep on that sofa. That’s ridiculous. Yikes
Nancy says
@Victoria Yeah, that sofa basically only works for ages 5 and under. So bizarre!
Stephanie says
@Nancy What a bummer, and I would have been furious. I hate that you got attitude from the front desk – that’s so disappointing. This is why I always print out my reservations with itinerary and trip insurance for every trip because when I need my phone at check-in, it NEVER works either.
By the way, I’m so glad you cancelled the Cabo portion of your trip. The cartel shootings are on the rise. With that and the bad alcohol they’re serving to tourists, Mexico is now off my list.
Nancy says
@Stephanie I may need to start printing out emails before I go. I saw on the news about that shooting at the Cabo resort. So disturbing! I’m glad we ditched that for the train. I haven’t given up on Mexico though. Just not sure when we’ll make it back.
Sami says
Oh my goodness, how frustrating was all of that? That stressed me out and I was in no way involved. Thankfully, I’ve only had one issue with and it was a small non chain motel. I’m so hesitant to travel in the future just because of issues like this.
Nancy says
@Sami I’m sorry you had an issue with a past hotel stay. Please don’t let my recent experience deter you from traveling in the future. The vast majority of my family’s hotel stays are without any issues. 🙂
Anonymous says
I’m actually surprised that as a Hyatt House brand they do not have a kitchen. I have stayed in 6 different Hyatt Houses and all have had kitchens. I thought the Hyatt House brand was supposed to be an extended stay hotel type of the Hyatt brand. I am also surprised by the website being wrong. If the rooms are like this then the Hyatt Place would have more room and the mini fridge.
Nancy says
@Anonymous I was surprised, too! I think that it’s just the handicap accessible rooms that are missing the kitchens (and sofa beds). It’s weird that at this location the accessible rooms are smaller than the standard rooms.
Susie Liberatore says
Hope that you were able to enjoy it
Nancy says
@Susie We enjoyed the pool, breakfast and location. But our room was clearly a disappointment given that we are a family of five who needs the sofa bed.
Susie Liberatore says
I am so jealous this place looks AMAZZZZINGGGG
Kacie says
A similar story happened to our family of 5 when staying at a springwood suites. We we’re assigned a handicap accessible room which meant a different layout and a massive bathroom, which we didn’t need. I wanted the standard room which had a small dividing wall and sofa sleeper there, instead of at the foot of the other beds.
Some back and forth with front desk, and they realized the problem and we’re able to reassign us. Phew.
That tiny sofa chair is unacceptable, and they should have sent a rollaway. Ridiculous!
Nancy says
@Kacie I’m glad you were able to get a different room. Normally I don’t mind being reassigned to an accessible room, as they sometimes are bigger than regular rooms. When we stayed at Aulani in Hawaii, we were assigned to an accessible room that was a major upgrade from what we booked. But if the layout changes and features aren’t the same, it sometimes won’t work.
Jennifer says
Sorry that happened to you. I would’ve been frustrated too. What’s most frustrating is that they didn’t really seem to care or make it right. I too love Hyatt but actually had a bad experience at a Hyatt Place this past weekend. So the morning we checked in, I saw a little post on FB about how hotels don’t change sheets in between guests. Gross. I even tagged Leana in it. I thought to myself Hyatt would never do that. We checked into our room and it looked clean. When it was time to put the kids to bed, my husband turned down the beds, and the pillows and beds were COVERED in hair. And I’m not talking one or two stray hairs that were maybe left by the cleaning lady or just were in the wash and ended up stuck to sheets. It was obvious the beds had been slept in. We called the front desk and the manager came up right away and changed the sheets. He admitted it was clear they had not been changed and was very apologetic. I’m still grossed out about it and am now considering packing my own sheets and comforters every time we stay in a hotel. But I will say that he tried to make it right. He offered us free snacks and cocktails and credited us 15,000 points. (Enough for a night at Coconut Point. Yay!) My kids definitely took him up on the free candy every time they went through the lobby. The rest of the staff was outstanding and friendly for our entire stay. It really helps when they seem to care. I do hope they addressed the issues with the cleaning staff though.
Nancy says
@Jennifer Sorry you experienced that. Gross! I’m glad the manager admitted the hotel’s mistake and tried to make up for it. I would take those points and run to Coconut Point! We loved that place.
Leana says
@Jennifer That’s disgusting and totally unacceptable for a Hyatt. Heck, it’s unacceptable for a Motel 6! I need to inspect hotel beds closer from now on. Between my fear of bed bugs and human hair, I may stop staying in hotels, period. 🙂
Jennifer says
I know. I’ve always suspected they probably don’t change all those pillow cases when they put four on a bed but now it’s confirmed. I actually used to travel with my own comforters when the kids were babies and crawled all over them, but it got to be a hassle so I stopped. I’m going to purchase some sheets and just have them set aside as our travel sheets.