Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Airport hotels, as a rule, are not sexy. They are utilitarian. In too many cases, they are loud, worn, and co-located near a mediocre selection of chain restaurants. I’m rarely excited to book one. But they all too often make up a significant percentage of my hotel nights for work.
A recent 5:15 am flight (yes, the airplanes really do run at that hour) out of Orlando International Airport. I found myself seeking the easiest alternative to minimize disruption to my personal routine. A familiar terminal-located property, the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, fit the bill perfectly.
Check In at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Check in was efficient with two agents working the front desk and a dedicated Diamond/Platinum check-in. As both were occupied with other guests, I chose to use the bank of self check-in machines. The first machine I selected did not advance past the first screen. It threw itself into a reboot cycle shortly thereafter. The second machine worked quickly however and I was on my way to my room quickly.
My Room at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
The Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport is designed in an atrium style. There are landscaping elements and fountains running down the long corridors. The fountains seem loud in the hallway but they serve a useful purpose as a noise buffer. As a result, hallway noise is minimized within the rooms. This is an important highlight for an airport hotel with heavy corridor traffic. But slamming doors can easily make for a restless pre-flight night.
I was assigned Room 6117 which was located near a corner section of the corridor adjacent to the fitness center.
Rooms are spacious and relatively minimalist. My room had minor wear and tear as one would expect from the room turnover in an airport property. It was well-designed nonetheless. Lighting was typical of many hotel rooms. It was limited to bedside lamps, a desk light, and a floor lamp in the corner. The rooms include ceiling fans. Those are a welcome addition to keep air circulating preventing stale humid air.
The desk included a dedicated plug outlet with three electrical and two USB plugs. There were not plugs located by the bedside however. This necessitated plugging my phone in across the room at the desk. This always makes me a bit anxious as I use my phone as an alarm.
The bed and room temperature were comfortable and allowed for a restful night.
The bathroom was large and could easily be shared. It included a large tub with a separate stall shower and both inside and outside sink/vanity combo areas. The shower boasted excellent water pressure and temperature control, important for a late night or early morning shower!
Fitness Center at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
The property includes a nice fitness center from Hyatt’s Stay Fit brand. Equipment includes three elliptical trainers, three treadmills, three stationary bicycles, and a full circuit of LifeFitness weight machines were available. All equipment appeared to be well maintained and allowed me to get a quick evening workout in.
Dining Options at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
The co-location of the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport allows for easy access to the terminal and all landside restaurants. Great food can be found, however, on the hotel property. Two restaurant choices are available. The first is Hemispheres, a top-floor steak/seafood establishment (and also the location for the morning breakfast buffet). The other is McCoys, a lobby level restaurant with a sushi bar and separate lobby lounge. McCoys offers also a wide range of chef’s variations on comfort food in addition to sushi.
I was intrigued by the Travelers Trio. That allows the choice of three small plates of tapas/appetizer type selections for $17. I also considered the Create Your Own Main Dish. That is another “choose your own” option with a protein, a sauce, and two sides for $12-$28. But I ultimately opted to sit at the sushi bar instead. I sampled the Kaisou Salad, Tuna Nanban Tempura, and California Roll accompanied by a Markham Napa Valley Chardonnay.
Service was quick and courteous and I enjoyed watching the sushi chefs at work. Many of the McCoy’s items (including sushi) are also available via room service. The drinks list is also impressive for an airport hotel. They have 15+ cocktail creations and 25 wines by the glass. They also have eight beer selections on tap (and almost none are standard domestics) and 26 more available by bottle.
Checkout at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Checkout was painless. I was pleased that a bill was waiting for me under the door at 4 am when I awoke. It was accompanied by my free breakfast voucher (a perk as a Hyatt Diamond) and a copy of the Wall Street Journal. My departure was too early to take advantage of the buffet. But I have visited it in the past and it’s well-stocked for a hotel buffet. It also includes several healthy options.
Summary of My Stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
My goal when checking into a hotel is to carry over as much of my home evening routine as I can. I was able to do that here with no issues. I woke up well-rested, despite the early hour. My devices were fully charged too! I was ready to tackle the two flights ahead of me.
My favorite thing about the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport is proximity. The elevator to the airport terminal deposits you literally steps away from security at one concourse. It is a short three to four minute walk to the other. This property has a lot going for it. It will continue to have my business whenever I have late flights into or early flights out of Orlando International Airport.
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