Review: Grand Hyatt at SFO Corner Suite

In a nutshell: the Grand Hyatt SFO remains my favorite domestic hotel. With great airport views, excellent rooms, and an incredibly convenient location, it’s a winner on many counts. The restaurant and club lounge were closed during my stay. But I still enjoyed my Grand Hyatt SFO corner suite for one night after arriving off an international flight. 

Ever since the Grand Hyatt at SFO opened in late 2019, I have a hard time saying yes to any other SFO airport hotel. The Grand Hyatt is so convenient, and the views of the airport are second-to-none. Although I’d stayed a couple times, I hadn’t yet experienced a suite upgrade as a Globalist. But that changed during my most recent trip when I enjoyed a Grand Hyatt at SFO corner suite.

Booking the Grand Hyatt SFO

Rates at the Grand Hyatt at SFO can vary considerably. I’ve booked both cash and points rates, although I much prefer cash when rates are low. The Grand Hyatt at SFO is a Category 5 property, requiring 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night. This is no issue when rates are over $400. But the times I’ve booked rates have been less than $200 after taxes, and using points for that low value hurts.

For this trip, I booked the Grand Hyatt at SFO corner quite using a combination of cash and a suite upgrade certificate (with the help of my concierge). I could have likely saved the certificate, given that I was traveling during COVID-19. But it was nice to confirm the upgrade, and the concierge has to specifically contact the hotel to make sure they’d block a corner instead of a standard suite. I also used the $100 Hyatt gift certificate from the 40-night milestone reward, which brought the total cost down to right around $100 for the stay.

I was glad to arrive at the Grand Hyatt at SFO after a long flight back to the U.S. from Istanbul via Amsterdam in KLM business class. Immigration dumps you out in the middle of the lower international terminal, and it is an easy elevator ride and air-train ride to the hotel. Check-in was smooth, and I was assigned room 702. As you might guess, the corner suites are at the end of the hall.

Grand Hyatt at SFO Corner Suite

The Grand Hyatt at SFO corner suite is much larger than a standard room. Previously, I’d only stayed in a standard room, and while they are nice, they aren’t all that spacious. You enter into the living area of the corner suite, which has a couch, desk, and table with the coffee and tea kettle. The orientation of the corner suite at this end of the hotel offered views of the parking garage and part of International Terminal A.

The desk is a beautiful, simple wood design. My one complaint was the lack of easy power outlet. Considering the attention to detail at the Grand Hyatt in other ways, this surprised me. The desk is impossible to use for a lengthy time without the ability to charge your laptop.

Under the TV is the coffee and tea, plus bottled water. SFO has to offer reusable bottles now, so that’s why these are metal and not plastic like you’d see at pretty much any other hotel. The Nespresso coffee machine makes the best coffee of pretty much any in-room unit I’ve ever tried.

The Grand Hyatt at SFO corner suite is a true suite with a completely separate bedroom. Besides the king bed, you have a couch with the plane-spotting kit, which is one of the special features of the hotel. The binoculars come with a quick guide that details the wide-body aircraft types you can expect to see at the international terminal. Unfortunately, there has not been much action here during COVID-19. International Terminal A had just barely reopened when I flew in. Prior to that, all operations were consolidated to Terminal G, the other “arm.”

The bed features both convenient reading lights and motion-sensor floor lights that turn on when you swing your feet to the floor. There is also a clock with both USB charging ports and a wireless charging pad.

A Grand Bathroom

The bathroom of the Grand Hyatt at SFO corner suite sets it apart. You have a very large double sink and counter, a deep tub with airport views, plus the toilet and shower. You could soak the day away while watching airplanes, if that’s your thing.

I’ll admit it…the toilet startled me. I didn’t expect it to make noise and the lid to flip up when I opened the door. And rather than a simple lever you have a whole crazy array of controls.

A corner suite at the Grand Hyatt at SFO is a significant step up from a standard rooms. The standard rooms are nice, if a bit small. The corner suite offers much more space, a much larger bathroom, and better views overall. While I’ll be keeping my upgrade certificates for other trips, this was worth burning one for the experience.

Amenities During COVID-19

As you might guess, the Grand Club was closed during COVID-19. Instead, Hyatt provided a card for breakfast, or dinner, or other choices. In my opinion, this shorts their Globalist members a bit, as normally they are able to use the lounge in the evening and the morning.

Both the restaurant and Twin Crafts Bar were also closed when I was there. I’m not sure if this is still the case (it likely is, based on the overall state of California COVID-19 restrictions).

I used the card for a breakfast burrito and mocha at the Twin Crafts Market. This was a value of $18.59 after tax. They have several breakfast options plus an all day dining menu for lunch and dinner. This was the only dining option at the Grand Hyatt at SFO during my COVID-19 stay. 

I do recall being glad to be back in the U.S where you can get breakfast at 6:30 AM. I’d had to wait until 8:00 AM a couple times, which is already a gripe when traveling in Europe. The early wake up due to jet lag doesn’t help. I need to remember to pack snacks. 

Final Thoughts

If not for COVID-19, this would likely have been my favorite stay at the Grand Hyatt at SFO. The corner suite is an awesome room, offering much more space than the standard rooms at this hotel. But it was a bummer not to be able to enjoy the Grand Club (see link for photos of club). It’s excellent. Of course, there is nothing I can do about the restrictions, and I was simply happy to be traveling during the pandemic.