Review: The Brand NEW Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars

Having stayed at the Hyatt Regency Churchill for our previous night in London, I was eager to try out something new for our last night in the city. And also something that would be closer to the Thames so that I can get up and do some proper urban photography. To my delight I noticed that the Hyatt Regency Blackfriars was offering award rooms for 17,000 Hyatt points per night. At 8,000 points less than the Churchill,  I jumped at the opportunity to try out a brand new property as well as save some valuable points for future stays.

The drive back from Bath to London took nearly 3 hours given traffic conditions. It didn’t leave much time for me to return the rental car that afternoon so I headed straight there and we ended up taking the Tube from Shepards Bush to St. Paul’s from where the Hyatt Regency Blackfriar’s was an 7 minute walk. As far as location goes, this hotel is the ideal place to stay for sightseeing and exploring London’s icons by foot.

We walked into an empty lobby and were greeted by the hotel manager, the concierge, and the receptionist. They fetched us a glass of cold citrus infused water, while the check in formalities were completed.

The hotel manager seemed genuinely excited to see a Hyatt Globalist checking in. He explained that the hotel had just opened a matter 4 days prior to our stay and that there were just around 50 guests at the hotel at this particular time. He explained that breakfast was included for both the rooms and would be at the hotel restaurant: the Chinese Cricket Club from 7am to 11am each day. He also mentioned that the club lounge was not yet operational so they would bring us anything we needed directly to our room.

The hotel smelled and looked brand new. The design was very much towards the modern side of things. The hotel bar was located right next to the main entrance to the hotel. The hotel has another entrance on High Street, but I found that door to be closed at times for security purposes it seems.

Right down the hall from the check in desk were the elevators on the right and staircases leading to the hotels two restaurants.

My dad’s room was upgraded to the Regency Suite King with a High Street View, while ours was an ordinary Twin Bed Room. Both rooms were located down the hall from each other on the second floor of the hotel.

Regency King Suite

The Regency King Suite felt more like a junior suite rather than a full suite at this hotel. There was no separate living area from the bedroom, but instead there was a small study area near the entrance featuring a decently sized desk and an area to lay down one’s suitcase.

Sitting on the desk was our welcome amenity which consisted of a macarron, strawberry shortcake, brownie, and a chocolate cake. I have to say they were delicious

Further along in the room was a king sized bed and a small bench at the foot of the bed. It’s a little funny because the hotel’s picture seems to indicate this sofa or bench should be by the window.

Beside the bed on both sides were not only the standard power outlets, but USB-C outlets as well, which I really appreciated. This is a great way for hotels to provide universal charging for their guests without installing an outlet which fits every kind of plug.

The room featured a larger than average restroom with a single vanity, stand-in shower, and Pharmacopia toiletries. Though unlike the Churchill, where toiletries were in individually in bottles, this property had them in reusable dispensers. And oh yeah allelujah! The shower in this room was equipped with a complete door, ensuring that no water would escape.

I should note here that the TV was ready for Chromecast and that the Wi-Fi at this hotel was super fast (again I should’ve done a speed test). Views outside the room of High Street were absolutely unimpressive to say the least. So much for being dubbed the room with the “High Street View.”

Twin Room

Moving onto the Twin Room down the hall, this room featured two twin beds, a chair, and all the usual amenties one would expect. The room was generously sized for Central London.

The bathroom was also spacious and featured a large stand-in shower and the same pharmacopia toiletries.

I must say the view from our room was a bit better than the suite if you ask me:

Overall, the rooms were very good and certainly a step above what was offered at the Churchill in design and substance. Of course this place is brand new so let’s see how long this stays the way it is.

Breakfast @ The Chinese Cricket Club

Breakfast is available from 7 am to 11 am on weekends and 6:30 am to 10:30 am on weekdays at the Chinese Cricket Club, situated on the hotel’s first floor. As a Hyatt Globalist, I had the privilege of enjoying the extensive buffet spread as well as any item from the A-La-Carte menu, all included. However, I wasn’t informed by the waiter that ordering from the menu would incur a service charge, which was subsequently added to the bill.

Since I was the first guest served that morning, the staff-to-guest ratio felt impressively high at approximately 5:1. Additionally, the restaurant boasts a pleasant ambiance, adding to the overall dining experience.

Unlike the buffet at the Churchill, this one was quite impressive with many cereals, breads, baked goods, English breakfast items, and juices.

The menu read as follows:

I ordered the “Vegan Granola Bowl” which was absolutely fabulous. Probably one of the best I’ve had anywhere though I still think my acai bowl at the St. Regis Toronto was the best.

The view from the window is also great for people watching as you have your breakfast. It should be noted that there is outdoor seating at this restaurant as well, but it was still a bit chilly to sit there on this early June morning.

Every employee I met at the restaurant was just ecstatic to serve guests. I was asked several times if I would like anything more from the menu or buffet. Almost to the point where they seemed a bit disappointed that I wasn’t ordering any coffee or other item on the menu.

Bottom Line:
Apart from the slight inconvenience of the staff failing to inform me that the service charge for menu items was not included, my experience at the Hyatt Regency Blackfriars was impeccable. The rooms were not only modern but also spacious, and the breakfast surpassed my expectations, ranking as the finest I have encountered at any Hyatt property in London. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to explore the club lounge (not open yet) or the gym during my visit, so I cannot provide any feedback on those aspects. Nevertheless, everything seems to be running smoothly at this Hyatt establishment. With its attractive location alongside the Thames and a reasonable rate of 17,000 points per night, it might just have become my preferred choice among Hyatt hotels in London. It’s funny that I say that because this was my first time in the city in over 7 years. Here’s to hoping this hotel holds up against the test of time.