Grand Hyatt Vail, Colorado
Review by UntoldMiles

Note: I was not paid nor compensated for this review. The information I share here is solely based on my personal experience. The photos below may contain both photos and videos that I took or that are owned by Hyatt and/or the property.

Location

 

The Grand Hyatt Vail is located in the heart of Vail Valley in Colorado. It’s a two hour drive west of the city of Denver. Surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains, this world-class resort sits nestled in an area that is perfect for outdoor activities, such as skiing, hiking, fishing, and biking. Guests can enjoy the stunning vistas of aspen groves and mountain peaks from their rooms, as well as take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service and ski-lifts that takes visitors to and from the slopes. With its idyllic natural setting and luxurious amenities, the Grand Hyatt Vail is the ideal vacation destination for nature enthusiasts and luxury seekers alike year-round.

We drove up from Denver during off-season, summer, and the drive was great.

About the Grand Hyatt Vail

The Grand Hyatt Vail property is a stunning ski-in and ski-out resort located in the picturesque mountains of Colorado right next to Gore Creek . With its prime location at the base of Vail Mountain, you have some of the most beautiful views in all of Vail. The property offers 285 spacious rooms and 29 suites designed with comfort and relaxation in mind. The property boasts numerous amenities, including a world-class spa, multiple dining options, a fitness center, and a heated outdoor infinity pool and hot tub. Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway or a fun-filled family vacation, the Grand Hyatt Vail has everything you need for an unforgettable stay in the mountains year-round. This property was our favorite out of the five hotels we tried out in Colorado during this trip.

Note: This review is part one of a five part series of hotel review from our recent trip to Colorado. I dragged my family of 5 (2 adults and 3 kids) across 5 hotels in a span of 6 days. Enjoy!

Arrival and Parking

The property doesn’t look stunning from the front when you pull up. That’s only because the front of the hotel has little to no signage and is used largely for parking. However, once we entered the lobby, it opened up to a grand and welcoming entrance that we come to expect from a Grand Hyatt.

The Grand Hyatt Vail only offers valet parking which costs $55/night with in and out privileges. Valet parking is free for Globalists (hotel elite status) who are staying using World of Hyatt points or using a free night award.

This property offers other transportation services as well. The shuttle services transports you to and from the hotel to Vail Village and Lionshead Village during the day. Winter hours for this shuttle service is from 8am to 10pm.

GMC is the official partner of the Grand Hyatt Vail and you can get a ride service to and from the hotel to anywhere in the Vail Village.

Hotel staff can also offer bicycle rentals and other transportation recommendations upon request. To view the official Grand Hyatt Vail transportation page, go here.

Checking-in and First Impressions

As mentioned above, pulling up to the property wasn’t “grand” as there wasn’t much welcoming us to the property and the front was filled with cars and the shuttle. However, once we stepped inside, the lobby opened up to a large seating area which has a Moet champagne vending machine, room elevators to the right and the check-in counter tucked away to the left.

At check-in, we went over our stay details, status, where we’ll be having our free Globalist breakfast due to hotel elite status, other hotel amenities, as well as a warning that there is construction/upkeep being done on the property during the off-peak seasons. Luckily, only one hot tub was out of order during our stay.

Our first impression was positive. The hotel was clean, welcoming, everything was in order, and they were prepared for our arrival. Our room was even ready for us to check in early!

Our Room - Grand Suite(Upgrade)

One of the reasons we love traveling during off-peak season is the availability of rooms! Less people at the hotel means more available rooms for us to select from. We were upgraded from a standard room to a Grand Suite (room 324) on the 3rd floor of the hotel. We didn’t have the best view on the property as our balcony overlooked the front of the property but I’ll take the upgrade. I was told during our one night here, the hotel was at 10% capacity (and they didn’t even give us the best room on site!).

The Grand Suite we had was spacious to say the least. It has two bathrooms, a bedroom with two queen beds, a private balcony, two TVs, plenty of storage, and more.

This is the guest bathroom that you can access right when you enter the room. It’s connected to the living room and has your standard bathroom amenities such as soaps and lotions.

This spacious living room has an L shaped couch which sits in front of a TV. In the living room you’ll find plenty of lighting, storage, and access to the private balcony. There is a lack of outlets for charging your electronics in the living room.

In the corner of the living room, you can find this cabinet which hides the minifridge. On top is a Keurig with everything you need to make yourself some coffee or espresso.

This is our view from the private balcony. The suite faces the front of the hotel. Although it’s close to the front, we weren’t bothered by coming and going guests or their cars.

The bedroom is accessible through the living room. Our bedroom consists of two queen beds, a large desk with storage, a TV, closet which housed a humidifier, safe, robes, and more. Plenty of lights around the room and by the bed for reading.

Connected to the bedroom is the main bathroom. This huge bathroom houses two sinks, a large walk in shower, many basic bathroom amenities such as soaps, lotions, and towels. This hotel utilizes large bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash instead of the single use containers. They do seem to be temper resistant so you should feel safe using them. Other accessories in the bathroom include a sale, makeup mirror, and blow dryer. Not pictured is a separate area for the toilet.

What It Cost Us

We only stayed here for one night using World of Hyatt points. These World of Hyatt points were earned through our World of Hyatt Card and World of Hyatt Business Card.

What we actually paid

For the one night, we paid 21,000 World of Hyatt points. 21,000 World of Hyatt points is equivalent to about $315 if you want to think about it from a cash value perspective. The great thing about using World of Hyatt points to book a room is that by using points, we do not pay any additional taxes or resort fees.

What we would have paid

If we paid the cash rate for a standard room, it would have cost us $494.25! This is due to the additional taxes and fees that get added to the room rate. Booking with points saved me almost $103 in taxes and fees.

The cash price for the Grand Suite, which we were upgraded to due to me being a Globalist, would have been $789.52 per night!

My Points Redemption Rate

The points redemption rate value when comparing the cash value of what I paid for versus the points total I redeemed comes out to 3.75 cents per point. This is a great redemption rate since you should be expecting at least 1.5 cents per point when redeeming your World of Hyatt points.

This redemption value is not taking into consideration other perks and benefits, especially if you have status. If you have Globalist status with Hyatt, you also get free parking when you book with points. This saved us an additional $55/day on valet parking.

As a Globalist, I also receive free breakfast for everyone in my room and this covers tip as well. Our free Globalist breakfast came out to about $150. Of course, if you’re not Globalist and you do not get free breakfast or parking, don’t take these numbers into consideration. More on their breakfast menu later.

Amenities and Facilities

Pool

There is one pool on site at the Grand Hyatt Vail. It sits in the back of the property and can be seen from the restaurant and lobby. This pool is heated and will still keep you nice and comfortable on a rainy day, like when we were there. There are plenty of seating options overlooking the pool or by the glass wall looking out at the forest and Gore Creek.

Hot Tubs

There are two hot tubs at this property. One is located by the main pool area and the other is set further out of the way on the other side of the property. Both the pool and hot tubs have incredible views of the surrounding areas.

Free Guest Self-Serve Laundry

Many people may not care about the ability to do laundry while traveling but it is a huge factor for us, especially when traveling with kids. Guest laundry is located between the fitness center and the pool. Whether paid or free, the access to washers and dryers means we can pack much less. What is nice about the self-serve laundry at the Grand Hyatt Vail is that it is 100% free. There are four washers and four dryers. Downside to these are that there are no timers on them to give you an ETA on when they should be ready for you to check. Some people do just leave laundry in them all day so you might run into that issue during busier times of the year.

Another nice aspect of free laundry is that the Grand Hyatt Vail also provides you with laundry detergent and dryer sheets.

Game Room

Connected to the Gore Creek Market, after you pass the check-in desk, is a large space to lounge in. Here, you’ll find a few tables to sit and eat at as well as a variety of board games for you to enjoy during your stay. Microwaves are available here too for guests to use.

Not in the picture are two foosball tables, a room with beanbags, more board games, two Xbox game consoles, and a few large TVs for your enjoyment. Only thing to note here is that the game room and board games are not maintained. Board games are missing many parts so bring your own if you’re planning to have some indoors down time.

Fitness Center

The fitness center has a wide variety of equipment for guest use. One section of the fitness center contains a set of dumbbells, a few adjustable benches, and a cable machine with adjustable weights. In the middle of the gym, you’ll find two TONAL and MIRROR machines which are “smart gyms”.

Towards the back of the fitness center, you’ll find the cardio equipment. There are treadmills, stationary bikes, and ellipticals to choose from. The view during the day is nice as this area overlooks the pool deck and forest in the distance.

Not pictured here is a water station, sanitary wipes, and towels for your use during your workout.

The Spa

The Spa at the Grand Hyatt Vail is open Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. At The Spa, you’ll find five different massage types with different types of enhancements, body scrubs, wraps, facials, nail services like manicures, pedicures, and much more. The spa also has tons of products, clothes, and other goodies that you can purchase. You can find more information about The Spa, their services, and how to book here.

Ski Valet and Rentals

During the winter season, the Grand Hyatt Vail does offer Ski Valet as well as ski and snowboard rentals. During the summer, you can find bike rentals, and more. To find more information about their Ski Valet or rentals, click here.

Ski-In/Ski-Out Chairlift 20

There is an on-site chairlift that puts you into prime Vail Mountain snowboarding and skiing. It takes you over Gore Creek and up into the beautiful mountains. It is only open during the winter season and does not offer any summer sightseeing.

TopGolf Swing Suites

There are two private suites with golf simulators which allow you to play courses from all over the world. There are many other games to choose from as well. There is a full bar and a food available for purchase. You can find this attraction to be open from 3pm to 9pm daily. To book or view more details, check out their page here. Prices during the writing of this article are:

  • Friday and Saturday: $199 for 1.5 hours

  • Sunday to Thursday: $149 for 1.5 hours

  • Each additional 30 minutes is $50

Resort Schedule

The Grand Hyatt Vail will offer you a few things at check in. In addition to your room keys, you should get a resort schedule. This may vary from week to week or month to month so your mileage may vary. These activities are free and some reservation may be required so check ahead with the front desk. The following schedule is from my stay.

Monday

  • S’mores Roast 4pm to 5pm - Pick up at the Gessner Bar and roasting at the main fire pit

Tuesday

  • Complimentary Top Golf 2pm to 3pm - Top Golf Swing Suites

  • Infused Tea and Cookies 4pm to 5pm - Gessner Bar

Wednesday

  • S’mores Roast 4pm to 5pm - Pick up at the Gessner Bar and roasting at the main fire pit

  • Champagne Sabering at 4:30pm - Taste and toast on Gessner Bar Patio

Thursday

  • Specialty Drink and Cookies 4pm to 5pm - Gessner Bar

Friday

  • Complimentary Top Golf 2pm to 3pm - Top Golf Swing Suites

  • S’mores Roast 4pm to 5pm - Pick up at the Gessner Bar and roasting at the main fire pit

  • Champagne Sabering at 4:30pm - Taste and toast on Gessner Bar Patio

Saturday

  • Morning Flow Yoga 8:30am to 9:30am - Fitness Studio on first floor across from fitness center

  • Specialty Drink and Cookies 4pm to 5pm - Gessner Bar

  • Champagne Sabering at 4:30pm - Taste and toast on Gessner Bar Patio

Sunday

  • Morning Flow Yoga 8:30am to 9:30am - Fitness Studio on first floor across from fitness center

  • Specialty Drink and Cookies 4pm to 5pm - Gessner Bar

On-Site Eats and Drinks

Gessner Restaurant - Main Dining. Offers a contemporary mountain grill that serves fresh and seasonal foods that utilize locally sources ingredients. You can find breakfast and dinner here. This is also where Globalists get their complimentary breakfast. Menu and hours may change due to the season. The menu linked below seems to be their winter menu whereas the foods in the photos below are from the menu we had during our summer stay.

Breakfast Menu and Hours: 7am to 11am

Dinner Menu and Hours: 5:30pm to 9pm

During our stay, we had a few different choices for breakfast. This menu provided a good variety from light to heartier meals and is great for both adults and kids. We were able to try one of everything on the menu and you can’t go wrong with any of these options. Below are some of our favorites.

This was one of my favorite dishes on the breakfast menu. The Red Beet Hummus Toast is both hearty from the eggs and buttered toast to flavorful and light from the beet hummus, fresh veggies, and the pickled onions. It’s a must try!

This is the Chair 20 Omelet. It’s your typical omelet except it has elk sausage inside. I usually find this type of meat a bit “gamey” but I couldn’t tell the difference here.

This is the Cold-Smoked Sustainable Salmon. It’s served with a toasted bagel, capers, red onion, tomatoes, greens, and a sauce. They gave us a healthy serving of salmon. Worth the money.

The classic option, Steel-Cut Oatmeal. A great start to the morning. Light and easy. Nothing more needs to be said.

The classic hotel breakfast. This is the Alpine Breakfast. It comes with two eggs, toast, potatoes, and sausages or bacon.

Not on the menu but the staff will grab you some extra sides, especially if it’s for the kids.

Gessner Bar & Lounge

Located right after the entrance of the hotel is the Gessner Bar & Lounge. Here you can find food, drinks, music, great views, and more. The bar is open from 11:30am to 9pm daily. You can find the bar menu here.

Gore Creek Market

The Gore Creek Market is located next to the check-in desk. It can be accessed from the front of the hotel as well. Here, you can find all sorts of cold and hot foods, drinks, and goodies. The market is open from 7am to 9pm daily.

Creekside Pool Bar

Over by the pool, you can find a pool bar that offers cocktails, small bites, and more. The hours are:

  • Monday to Sunday: 11am to 5pm

  • Thursday Happy Hour: 4pm to 6pm

In Room Dining

You can find In Room Dining options here. Breakfast is served from 7am to 11am. The All Day menu is from 11am to 9pm and the Dinner menu is available from 5:30pm to 8:45pm. There is a kids menu and drinks available for your in room dining needs.

Since this is a dog friendly hotel, you can also find a few different meal options for your pet.

Final Thoughts

The Grand Hyatt Vail in Colorado is a beautiful resort. It’s location is prime and it is very kid friendly! Being a ski-in/ski-out property allows guests unrestricted access to the mountains during the winter months. During the summer months, you can take a stroll up and down the walking path right next to the property, along the Gore Creek.

Out of the 5 hotels we stayed at during our recent 6 night trip in Colorado, the Grand Hyatt Vail is our top choice. The Grand Hyatt Vail resort has a perfect mixture of luxury and accessibility. The room are spacious, clean, and well kept. The resort offered all the services we would need during our stay. The facilities were a great addition to the guest experience here. Free laundry is a life saver, especially when traveling with kids.

If you have the funds or points for a trip to this property, I would highly recommend it. If we were headed back to Vail, this would be our number one choice for Hyatt properties.

Want to earn World of Hyatt points that can earn you free nights at hotels like this and many other World of Hyatt properties? Check out the two World of Hyatt credit cards below.

World of Hyatt Card

World of Hyatt Business Card