Hyatt Regency Trivandrum is the newest (as of writing this) Hyatt hotel launched in India. It is managed by the Lulu Group, who also oversees the Kochi Marriott, Grand Hyatt Kochi, and Hyatt Regency Thrissur hotels. We have stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kochi, so we are aware of their excellent hospitality.
Booking
The rate for my dates was Rs 11,900, including taxes. The points rate was 5000 points as it was a category one hotel. Additionally, as it was a new hotel, we would receive 500 bonus points. So it is a good use of Hyatt points. If we must book a revenue rate, you could want to book the “Opening Offer” rate, which is slightly more expensive than the lowest available rate but includes breakfast, kids dine-free, and late checkout at 5 PM, if available. You may see how you could save on Hyatt stays where there are some ongoing offers.
From an Indian perspective, the only ways to earn Hyatt points are through point purchases or hotel stays. Fortunately, Hyatt has a frequent 25-30% discount or bonus on purchasing points. The price per point is currently Rs. 1.48 thanks to a 25% discount from Hyatt, making a single night’s stay here only Rs. 7,400. Booking with points makes more sense, as you can see.
Lobby and check-in
We were arriving by train and requested a railway station pickup and early check-in. The hotel had agreed to provide a one-time complimentary transfer (later told me it was because of my Globalist status).
The App showed we were upgraded to the Regency Suite a couple of days prior. However, since we had to check in early, the Front Office Manager explained though they wanted to give us a suite, it was not available. They graciously provided us with a king bed till the room was ready.
We were attended to immediately. The Front Office agent even exclaimed they were waiting for me! These small gestures mean a lot, and I felt very welcome. There was a variety of seating in the lobby area. During the day, the seats were nearly always occupied. All the dining options – Malabar Café, The Oriental Kitchen, All Things Baked, and the Regency lounge were on the ground level.
The lobby was beautifully decorated for the holidays, and everyone enjoyed it. Felt as if Christmas had come early!
Regency Suite
We were assigned room 624, the Regency Suite. Marketed at 650 sq.ft., the suite was stunning and spacious enough for us. The living room features a large couch, a single small couch, a 55″ wall-mounted TV, and a small circular dining table. Rooms have motorized curtains and a partial view of the pool.
There was a Nespresso coffee machine, a kettle, and the standard tea/coffee-making kit. The minibar also was skimpily stocked and felt was present for the sake of it.
There was no fruit basket or welcome gift (they were kept in the first room I checked into), but a fruit tray was kept after we returned from our outing.
The bedroom had a door that opened to a couch, a wall-mounted TV, and a king bed.
The main bathroom was off the bedroom and had double sinks, a bathtub, a toilet, and a shower area.
The toiletries were of the standard Pharmacopia ones, nothing much to get exited about. However, I noted it was 130 ml bottles than the 50 ml kept in the lead-in room.
Even the room hanger sign was a premium wooden one!
King Bed
As mentioned earlier, we were given the lead in King Bed Room until the Regency suite was ready. I felt the interiors were industrial-like but in a good way.
There was a welcome gift but no accompanying letter or note.
Hyatt Regency Trivandrum: Dining
Malabar Café (Breakfast)
Since I am a Globalist, breakfast is included in my room booking and served at the Malabar Café. As always, compared to America or Europe, the breakfast offerings are fantastic.
There were live counters for eggs, pancakes, parathas, and dosas.
There was a table counter for pastries and bread, nuts and cereal, fresh juice station. I would let the pictures do the talking.
Service was satisfactory. Our plates were regularly cleared, and we were proactively asked if we would like tea or coffee. We believed the filter coffee could have been better and served hotter given that we were in this region of India.
Malabar Café (Lunch)
One of us wanted to eat a traditional Kerala thali for lunch, but the waiter advised better to go to the buffet since the price would be the same either way and you would have more options. Lunch costs Rs 1,650 inc. taxes. We had the Hyatt Dining Club membership which entails a 50% discount on the meal cost. Further, Hyatt was running a 3X “Dine Local” promotion which gets us more rewards for dining. When using Hyatt gift cards as payment, the rewards can reach over 70%!
The lunch buffet was okay but not extraordinary. And I shall let the photos do the talking.
At this price point, I didn’t feel it was worth it in terms of variety and taste. Further, there were fewer options for vegetarians.
During breakfast, the service was excellent, but it was lacking now. Pizzas weren’t available, but the waiter had promised to check and get back to us if there were any that day. He never did. Settling the bill also took a very long time.
The Oriental Kitchen
This was the best of the bunch, and we noticed that many who weren’t hotel guests also dined here. As always, we used the 50% Hyatt Dining Club membership discount and got 3X points as a Hyatt promotion.
The ambiance was fantastic. We could even sit by the open kitchen and watch chefs do their crafts.
Before the meal, green tea and accompaniments are served, which was a nice touch. Since we had lunch sometime back, we wanted to have a light meal. So we ordered accordingly.
Regency Lounge
We were not given access to the lounge, which would have included appetisers and the typical evening cocktail happy hours. Alcohol was not served at the hotel because it did not yet have a licence to serve it. The Club room description says: “access to the Regency Lounge refreshing beverages, canapes and more” and the hotel confirmation email says “Regency Lounge access.” However, there was no lounge system in the traditional sense. When I asked the front office about it they said it is from 5-7 PM but the waiter there were clueless.
We had anyway asked for filter coffee thinking maybe the other food items would take time. However, we were given a menu to order. The coffee was presented well and was fine. I was still confused so I asked the waiter to ask about the “lounge access” to the front office about it and can charge to my room. They eventually comped it.
The space is nice to sit around, maybe do some work and relax away from the room.
Hyatt Regency Trivandrum: Facilities
Gym
The 24-hour gym is located at the pool level and is housed in a circular building. There was a wide range of modern cardio and weight equipment. The gym is a great place to exercise and has a trainer on staff.
Swimming Pool
The outdoor pool is decent in size along with a kid’s pool section. We swam late afternoon and it was nice amidst the sun set. There were enough loungers and seating around the pool to relax.
They also have a Spa (Santata Spa) but we didn’t take any treatment.
There is a business center with 3-4 meeting rooms and some computers.
Bottom line
This hotel is a great addition to the Hyatt portfolio in India. For the most part, it was a fantastic stay and good elite recognition.
The weakest area, in our opinion, was the food and beverage section. The flavor fell short of expectations. Particularly considering the price, the lunch buffet offered less variety. Maybe I’m just nitpicking and there is scope for the hotel to improve further.
Overall, we had a great stay and would return.