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Recently, I decided to check out the Hyatt Centric Las Olas, a Category 4 Hyatt in Fort Lauderdale that I had never been to before. I had a Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Certificate that was expiring in a week. Normally my go-to option to burn it would be The Confidante, a somewhat quirky beachfront Category 4 property right on Miami Beach. This time, I had to stay in Fort Lauderdale and so tried the Hyatt Centric Las Olas. I was pleasantly suprised. It’s got a marvelous location, a good restaurant and a fun rooftop outdoor space.
Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale Bottom Line Review
Bottom line: Although 10 minutes from the beach, it’s in a prime location downtown, literally steps from the Fort Lauderdale’s lovely RiverWalk. It can be a very good value for category 1-4 free night certificates and overall would be my top choice if I was staying in Fort Lauderdale and/or needed to be close to the cruiseport.
- Points Price: Category 4, 15K points per night or a Category 1-4 Certificate from the Chase Hyatt Card.
- Cash Price: It seems to vary quite a bit. For the night I stayed, the cash member price was $240, right at the Reasonable Redemption Value of 1.6 cents/per point without including the waived $20 destination fee or taxes.
- Points Value: In low season, prices can go below $100-$130/nt which makes it a poor redemption. However, it seems to top out at around $250-300 in high season, making it much more desirable, especially when redeeming Category 1-4 certificates.
- Resort Fee: They’ve recently added a $20 “destination fee,” which seems fairly absurd in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It includes bike rentals, two beach chairs and umbrellas, two welcome drinks and internet. Although not currently available, they normally have a Telsa in house with which they provide complimentary drop-offs within a two mile radius (but NOT pickups). They do not drop off to Las Olas Beach.
- Parking: $33 per night with in & out privileges. There would normally be valet service, but it isn’t being offered because of COVID.
- Turndown service: None.
- Housekeeping: Currently every three days or on request.
- Internet: Excellent, able to cast and do multiple zoom meetings throughout the hotel and in my room on the 15th floor.
- Dining
- Breakfast: Very good. There is no club lounge, so a very high quality breakfast is served at Harborwood Restaurant on the ground floor. Globalists are able to order anything from the menu, including espresso drinks and sides if you’re so moved.
- Lunch & Dinner: Harborwood Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7am-10pm. There is an outdoor “rooftop” bar on the 8th floor by the pool that wasn’t open when I was there. They also have a reservation only “speakeasy” called Room 901 in, you guessed it, Room 901. This isn’t currently available.
- Spa: None, but there is an outdoor heated pool on the 8th floor (that seemed to be in the shade most of the day).
- Fitness Room: Reasonable amount of cardio equipment (Peloton, Treadmills, Ellipticals), yoga/stretching gear and weightlifting machines. I could easily do a couple days of decent workouts.
- Hyatt Globalist Elite Benefits:
- Suite Upgrade: I was upgraded to a 15th floor corner “King Deluxe” room before arriving. This is the highest category of non-suite room and is about 50% bigger than the normal King/Queen rooms and features a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that had a lovely view of Downtown Fort Lauderdale. I didn’t ask about a suite on arrival (something I almost never have to do with Hyatt as opposed to Marriott and Hilton) and wasn’t offered one, even though some were showing on the app. The King Deluxe was quite nice, though. It had a walk-in shower and and in-room Keurig machine.
- Club Lounge: None, but they do provide 2 free drink tickets that can be used at the bar for cocktails, smoothies or espresso drinks.
- Free Breakfast: High quality and served off of the menu at Harborwood Restaurant. F&B and gratuity comped without asking.
- 4PM Late Checkout: Requested at check-in and extended to 5:00 without me having to ask.
- Free Parking: Didn’t have a car, but free parking was available in the attached garage.
- Would I stay again? Absolutely, provided that it was a good value award stay or if I was able to burn a 1-4 cert (see Greg’s list of best Category 1-4 hotels). I loved the location right by the RiverWalk and the buzz of Las Olas Blvd. The facilities are sharp. I found it to be a nice alternative to the craziness of the beach.
- Hyatt Centric Las Olas Pros:
- Great downtown location less than a block from the RiverWalk and walking distance from all of the restaurants, bars and shops on Las Olas Blvd yet still an easy 10 minute drive to the beach.
- Facilities seem new and are in very good condition.
- “Rooftop” pool and bar is a fun outdoor area to hang out in, especially at night.
- Excellent free breakfast.
- More than acceptable fitness area.
- Hyatt Centric Las Olas Cons:
- $20 “destination” fee feels ridiculous for a downtown hotel.
- Globalist recognition at check-in was marginal; had to ask about benefits and where/how to use them.
- 3 miles/10 minutes from the beach, which will be a deal-killer for some.
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We stayed there for 2 nights at the end of November. I agree that the Globalist benefits were not explained well, and that there were some weird inconsistencies. For instance, the only free drink offered was a cocktail made with Absolut Vodka, but we were told we didn’t get those because we weren’t paying the “Destination Fee”.
Then, on the final morning, the breakfast charge was added to the bill after we checked out. It took two calls to get the charge reversed, and when they finally looked at it, they said the “side of bacon isn’t covered”. Breakfast was supposed to be 2 entrees and two beverages. After some pushback, they finally paid for the side of bacon as well “because it took them so long to issue the credit on our credit card.” However, when we checked in and asked what the Globalist breakfast situation was, we were told to just go order breakfast and charge it to the room. So, no clear instructions.
Housekeeping was in full swing.
Is breakfast included for explorists?
Thanks for the review, love Fort Lauderdale but usually stay on the beach but do go to Las Olas for dinner. I’ve never thought staying in that area but looks like a nice change and good value. I stayed at The Confidante to burn my certificates last year and really liked it, the hotel is quirky but different and the area doesn’t have much of a wild party scene which was fine with me!
I’ve stayed there a couple of times. First time the housekeeper stole my ipad (was able to track it down with the police and get it back). Hotel was very apathetic about it. Second time stay was fine, had lots of minor inconveniences, such as the bike locks they provide wouldn’t work (agent didn’t know the combination). Received some extra points.
Overall I like this location and the hotel is a great value for points, but agree that staff is very aloof and they certainly don’t go out of their way to do anything special for Globalists.
I was there last couple days in December and valet parking was going full swing. Sucks they stopped. Maybe they just had it for holiday rush.
“Excellent free breakfast.” While you mentioned status once, please remember your audience are not all globalists. This happens a lot on these blogs; all the bloggers are Hyatt globalists.
Welcome Tim. I spent several nights there last week and utilized the valet parking and was offered use of the Tesla. I loved the hotel and had applied a suite upgrade certificate. Overall, I agree with your assessment of the breakfast, amenities, and condition of the hotel. As a Globalist, on an award stay, all my fees were waived.
I absolutely will return.
Sounds like you found yourself a hotel chock full of covid excuses. I’ll pass.
What was the F&B gratuity? Why was it waived?
Usually that’s how they treat the Globalist benefit when it’s at the restaurant. They comp the F&B charges and the gratuity when it’s all charged to the room.
So you just tip the servers in cash?
Thank you and welcome aboard.
You write a tip on the receipt, but often don’t actually pay it.
Hyatt actually understands what “Free” means, most of the time.
Thanks for the write-up; I plan to be staying here for a couple days in March.
Was the $20 destination fee waived as a Globalist?
I was on an award stay, so it was waived anyway, but I’m assuming it would have been as a Globalist on a paid rate as well.
Parking fee waived?
I didn’t have a car, but I assume it would have been as a Globalist.
We just stayed as a Globalist using an award, they did waive parking but we had to ask about it. The charges were automatically posted to the room.
I really wish they had a beach location in Ft Lauderdale. But that being said. I still want to get down there to stay at this hotel. I have to get my Rocco’s Tacos fix.
Agreed on both. It’s a limitation on Hyatt’s SoFla footprint that the only beachfront property is the Confidante. And Rocco’s is good stuff.
The centric South Beach is close enough to the beach also.
Confidante is a nice hotel. We have always been able to upgrade to a suite. The biggest negative with this property is the lack of restaurant options nearby. It will be nice when the Grand Hyatt Miami Beach opens later this year.
Was the resort fee waived?
Yes, it was.