The Hyatt Regency Rochester:

Where 5 Star Luxury, Stellar Service, and down Home Friendliness Meet.

Entering the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Rochester felt as if we had walked into a place where every detail had been carefully thought through and executed. Cool marble covered the floors and warm wood-lined the walls, giving the expansive lobby an air of homeyness as well as spaciousness. Columns and modern sculptures teased the eye into further exploration. Groupings of comfortable chairs and sofas beckoned the body to stay a while. We were already impressed, and hadn’t seen our room yet.

The 25-floor Hyatt Regency Rochester is the tallest hotel in the Finger Lakes and the seventh tallest building in the city, but that’s not what sets it apart. During our visit to Rochester, Simon, Otto and I had the privilege of discovering what goes on inside that makes this luxury hotel exceptional. Yes, the room, the food and views were outstanding. But what won us over from the start was the welcoming atmosphere and staff that made us feel as though our comfort and satisfaction truly mattered.

The Hotel

Located in downtown Rochester, and connected via covered walkway to the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, The Hyatt Regency Rochester is convenient to the city’s outstanding attractions, restaurants, craft beer, entertainment, shopping and more. The Hyatt is also an ideal jumping-off point for visits to other areas in Upstate New York and the Finger Lakes. There you can enjoy skiing, golf and sampling the products created at area wineries, breweries and distilleries.

The hotel’s 343 rooms afford stunning views of the Genesee River, and the downtown Rochester area. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and a pleasant refuge for harried business travelers or tired tourists.

The Hyatt Regency Rochester has over 20,100 square feet of flexible event space for conferences, meetings, weddings, and special celebrations. The hotel also offers the services of on-staff wedding and event planning specialists, so you don’t have to navigate the sometimes treacherous waters of coordinating an important gathering by yourself.

The Hyatt Regency Rochester recently celebrated its 25^th anniversary. During the past quarter century, the hotel underwent two major renovations, the most recent of which was completed in 2017. The $18 million transformation included relocating elevators and moving staircases. Four rooms were knocked out, and completely gutted to be replace with a congenial bar and patio with a fire pit – the Center City Terrace and Lounge. What makes this even more impressive is that the hotel remained open during the entire process.

Our Room

When we opened the door to our room, we found ourselves in a spacious area decorated in soft neutral colors. Coupled with a generous amount of natural light streaming in through a large window, the decor gave the room an air of brightness and warmth.

Our room was located on one of the upper floors, which afforded us a view of downtown Rochester in the foreground and Lake Ontario off in the distance. 

The furniture in the sitting area was kind to our tired bones after a day of exploring Rochester’s bounty of attractions and activities. And the complimentary coffee and tea in the room helped sooth our overloaded brains.

Because Otto was eying the sofa longingly, we placed pillows and other items on the furniture to prevent him from sneaking a forbidden overnight snooze while we were asleep.

The bed with its pillow-top mattress, down blanket, and poofy pillows went a long way to preparing us for another day of exploring Rochester. In fact, my biggest challenge in that room was dragging myself out of bed. To me, it would have made the perfect spot for a couple of days of recharging my battery by being blissfully lazy.

A night table sported a clock/radio with an iPod docking station. This plus reliable complimentary wifi, convenient electrical outlets and USB ports, as well as a large desk with plenty of real estate, made getting our work done and keeping our electronics charged easy.

Dynamic Dining

Although the Hyatt Regency Rochester includes Morton’s Steakhouse and Starbuck’s storefronts, the hotel’s Street Craft Kitchen and Bar offers American cuisine providing tempting choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails. Where ever possible, the restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients.

We sampled the restaurant’s offerings at a special dinner for the group of travel bloggers with whom we were touring Rochester. Here’s a small example of the kind of delectable fare you’ll find at the Hyatt:

• We began with skewers of compressed watermelon with feta and basil. This was a killer combination like a summer day on a stick. The cheese was at the top, and the watermelon at the bottom. Sandwiched between them was the basil, binding the sweetness and saltiness for a perfect balance of flavors.
• Next came a salad of shredded greens, chopped egg, small olives and chickpeas. The dish was garnished with tiny crunchy balls very much like croutons. Only these didn’t threaten to jump off your plate when you stabbed them with your fork. The combination was dress with a spicy vinaigrette that brought together the textures and flavors of the salad without overpowering them.

• For the main course we were served steak en papillate with potatoes and a morel mushroom reduction. The meat was lean, juicy and tender. We rarely eat beef, but when we do, it had better be good. This steak was beyond good. It was exquisite. The morel reduction had such an intoxicating aroma, I inhaled it for a long beat before pouring it on my steak. The spice and flavor it added made my taste buds launch into a happy dance.
• For dessert we had Bosc pears with berry compote and lemon cream. If this color and flavor combo hadn’t been so light and tempting, I would have given it a pass out of a sense of moderation, but the bright flavors brought our spectacular meal to a sweet conclusion.

Each course, except for dessert, was paired with a specially selected wine. I’m no expert, to say the least, but the pairings enhanced the flavors, as well as our enjoyment of the food. Not to be left out, our dessert was accompanied by a local cider that was juicy and refreshing.

Final Thoughts

Throughout our decades of travel, we have encountered a wide variety of hotels, AirBnBs, Hostales, and other accommodations. Most of the hotels were sufficient, but ordinary: clean, comfortable, reliable wifi, decent water pressure in the shower. But a handful of hotels stand out in one important area. The service and staff were remarkable. The Hyatt Regency Rochester is among the few that we won’t forget for all the right reasons.

From top-tier managers to the servers who brought our food, everyone was friendly, helpful and up-beat. We have learned that no matter the number of amenities, elegantly decorated lobbies or poofy pillows, what sets any hotel apart is the attitude and demeanor of its staff; and most importantly, how they make you feel. Without a doubt, The Hyatt Regency Rochester was a definite “feel-good” place for us.

A stay at the Hyatt Regency Rochester is like a vacation all by itself. But you don’t want to miss the treasure trove of experiences Rochester and the surrounding areas have to offer. We took advantage of the latter, and found the Hyatt Regency Rochester the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate.

If You Go

Hyatt Regency Rochester
125 East Main Street
Rochester, New York, United States, 14604

Phone: +1 585 546 1234

Email: roche-front.office.static@hyatt.com

https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/new-york/hyatt-regency-rochester/roche

The Hyatt Regency Rochester is fully accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Features and Amenities

• Direct connection to the Rochester Riverside Convention Center
• Complimentary airport, bus, and train station pickup available daily, 6am-11pm
• Complimentary transportation available daily within a three-mile radius of hotel (based upon availability), 6am-11pm
• Complimentary wifi in all rooms and public areas
• Cable/Satellite Tv
• Complimentary in-room coffee or tea
• Room service
• Safe
• Baggage storage
• Concierge service
• Business center
• Security
• Complimentary coffee in lobby
• On-site parking available
• Early check-in and late check-out available
• Full-service restaurant
• Bar and outdoor deck
• Breakfast available daily
• Entrances to Morton’s Steakhouse and Starbuck’s from hotel
• 24-hour gym with the latest training equipment
• Indoor heated pool and outdoor sundeck
• Conference facilities
• Special events space and planning staff
• Catering

Our visit to Rochester was generously hosted by Visit Rochester and the Hyatt Regency Rochester. However, all opinions, as always, are entirely my own.