Back in June Hyatt offered a really great status match opportunity (its way beyond dead now). If you registered for the promo and in eight weeks stayed 12 nights not only would you get their top tier status (Diamond) through 2016 but you’d also get four upgrade certificates.

For me this promo was available at the perfect time. I had already qualified for top tier with Hilton and Starwood and I enjoy those brands, but I was looking to diversify a bit and try out other hotel chains and see what they had to offer. But, being spoiled if you can call it that these days, I was used to free Wi-Fi, free breakfast and on occasion great upgrades based on my status. So starting at the bottom with zero status was not happening.

The other reason I was looking to change allegiances, was for a whole new crop of hotels to go on vacation at. By no means have I exhausted all the “luxe” hotels at Hilton or Starwood, but Hyatt has some amazing properties around the world and someday I’ll have enough points to visit. Also I find having multiple options when traveling gives me better flexibility to pick the right hotel for my needs and that’s always a plus.

My first stay of the status match was at the Hyatt Place Fort Myers At The Forum it was also my first ever stay at a Hyatt Place too. I was looking forward to a place that was different then what I was used to.

I was immediately surprised by the lobby. It had a lot of seating didn’t have a dedicated reception/check in area like most hotels. Sure it had a check in area called The Gallery but the check in area was also the bar, snack shop and spot to order food 24/7. Interesting concept. As a side note since this visit in early June, I’ve visited six other HP’s and they’re all the same. Some have larger lobbies with more seating some have less. But they are all same.  It’s comforting in the blandest form.

As you can see from the pictures, it’s got a warm but starkish feel. The hotel also offers free breakfast and Wi-Fi for all guests. Breakfast is not bad usually French Toast or pancakes, open face spinach and egg white bagel sandwich and a bacon egg muffin thing. If they have the French Toast with Bananas Foster desert sauce/syrup I get it every time. It’s delicious!! Otherwise I grab cereal and yogurt. The spread is actually not bad, way better than a Hampton Inn and they do a nice job on presentation. Those food shows I watch keep reminding me we eat with our eyes first. And they seem to try hard to make it look and taste good too.

On to the room. It was big enough and had those brown tones again. I’m sensing a pattern here. All rooms come with a sitting area that doubles as a hide-a-bed, an ottoman on wheels, a coffee bar area and work desk. There’s a floor to ceiling divider between the sitting area and bedroom but it’s not fully private just a separator of sorts. The TV is set up so it can swivel between the spaces. It’s a nice touch.

Like a lot of other hotels in this category, all the rooms are the same save a king or two queens. No suites here. To me it fits into the hip or wanna be hip aLoft/Element category. No upgrades just rooms that advertise what you’re going to get and deliver it too.

Overall, I like the hotel it’s got a good concept, staff seem to be friendly and they typically offer a product that’s fairly priced. It’s not flashy or over the top hipster, but for this 40+ year old it works out just fine.