Hyatt Carmel Highlands

“Good But Not Great”

Based on all the reviews here, we arrived with low expectations, but overall were pleased with the stay. Pros -- This property is absolutely beautiful. The views are world-class, and the grounds are well tended and lovely. We had an ocean view townhouse suite, and it was quite nice. Not new... more

Based on all the reviews here, we arrived with low expectations, but overall were pleased with the stay. Pros -- This property is absolutely beautiful. The views are world-class, and the grounds are well tended and lovely. We had an ocean view townhouse suite, and it was quite nice. Not new, but overall in fine condition as far as wear and tear goes. The size was wonderful, with a bathrooom, kitchen, living area and balcony on the top entry floor, and the bedroom, large bathroom and whirlpool tub on the lower floor. The bed was very comfortable. The breakfast included with my globalist status was excellent, and fully met the terms of the globalist program. We also had dinner one night at the restaurant, and while the views were amazing, the food was just barely on par for the price and location in my opinion. Other than our check-in experience described below, we found all the staff to be friendly and helpful, particular the valets and bellmen (though perhaps they could use a few more). Cons -- Arrival and front desk service was terrible. When we arrived at the valet area, there was no one to greet us. After waiting awhile, we hauled our luggage up the long ramp (the other option is a steep flight of stairs) to the entry and front desk, and found there a very apathetic check in agent. However, while we were waiting, a valet (Juan) did come up to us, took our bags and escorted us to our suite, then parked our car. He was very friendly and helpful, and offered us the complimentary champagne that the front desk agent neglected. While the bed was comfy, the towels in the rooms were terrible, very rough and threadbare. The showers are also quite small and in need up modernizing, though they were clean and functional. The one other issue we had is that when we got into our room, there was no drain plug in the whirlpool bathtub. We called the front desk, who had a very hard time understanding what we were even talking about or why we would want a drain plug, and they were not able to provide one until the next day. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. Maybe we got lucky with a nicer room, or maybe our low expectations made it more satisfying than some of the other travelers, but we definitely will return, and have already made a booking for the same weekend next year.

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“Bad roads on this property”

We are own 3 weeks of condo time in June.We have been coming here since 2006 and enjoy our time here.However ,in the last two years we have noticed that the roads coming into the property and on the property are really deteriorating. We live in a rural area in Tennessee and the roads here at the ... more

We are own 3 weeks of condo time in June.We have been coming here since 2006 and enjoy our time here.However ,in the last two years we have noticed that the roads coming into the property and on the property are really deteriorating. We live in a rural area in Tennessee and the roads here at the Hyatt are the worst I have ever driven.They really need to be repaved not just patched.It certainly detracts from the property.

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“High Score for Privacy and View but the smoke lowers my rating for residence unit.”

This property gets a high score for privacy, quiet and the bed! Like many Hyatt properties, the bed is very comfy! However, weighing this property against other Hyatt residences in the US, what was not above average was the condition of our unit (318) and presumably the others due to aging, and ... more

This property gets a high score for privacy, quiet and the bed! Like many Hyatt properties, the bed is very comfy! However, weighing this property against other Hyatt residences in the US, what was not above average was the condition of our unit (318) and presumably the others due to aging, and the constant smell of fireplace smoke. While it was not enough for me to ask for an air purifier (though this may truly help those of us with more sensitivity to smell), the lingering smell of smoke and ash from the wood burning fireplace that had been prepped for someone's next fire (not ours) was a concern for me staying there for one week. Personally, I think this takes away from the overall experience of the enjoyment of the unit. I certainly didn't mind the fact that it was outdated and in need of some major updates. But with active fires burning (yep, even in June) in units across from us that made it impossible on a few days to open the windows to air our unit out, this would prevent me (and my hubby agrees) from returning. This is NOT a complaint. Merely an observation and something one has to consider in staying there if they are sensitive to smoke of any type. In fairness, we were not staying in the hotel part so I don't know if this makes a different. As for the layout of the one bedroom unit, I liked it. The barn doors give you the option of turning it into a more defined 1 bedroom versus leaving it an open plan. As for the view? It was stunning. Unit 318 gives you a fairly open view even with the trees and Building D in front of it. We did not use the facilities or go to the restaurant as we preferred to be completely self-sufficient. A highlight was one evening sitting on the deck drinking a wonderful red and watching the whales go by (we could see the plume of water from their blowholes). And on some evenings when I could have the window open, I could hear the crash of the surf. Which was lovely. The resort staff were wonderful and we enjoyed our privacy and their response to any needs we did have such as asking for a few amenities. All in all, it was a good stay in a resort located in a prime location (as most Hyatt residences are) but electric fireplaces would make ALL the difference for these more modern times.

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