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After a two hour AirBerlin flight from Munich, on which I was seated in the bulkhead next to the most annoying mother-daughter who talked THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT, I landed at Thessaloniki Airport.
It was a beautiful day and after grabbing my bag, I headed to the arrivals area. I had booked a Points + Cash award at the nearby Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki, which provides a free shuttle service for guests.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki transportation
When I couldn’t spot it or find someone nearby to point me in the right direction, I called the hotel. I was informed that I was in fact waiting in the right area (across from the parking lot) and that the driver would come find me.
A couple of minutes later a man in a suit walked towards me, with a sign bearing my name. He explained that he had waited for me in the arrivals area. I hadn’t seen him there, probably because I wasn’t expecting a private car service.
I certainly wasn’t looking out for a driver holding a sign with my name on it. The car, a black Mercedes, was parked very close by and around 15 minutes later we were at the hotel.
Initial thoughts
I had heard great things about the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki, but had very low expectations for a one night stay at an airport hotel. I didn’t realize this was essentially a luxury resort that would surpass all of my expectations.
We pulled up and right away, I was impressed. From the exterior, the place looks spectacular.
The lobby had a distinct Park Hyatt vibe and it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point in the future it was rebranded as such.
I had booked this stay under my brother’s Gold Passport account, since he has Hyatt Diamond status. Usually, Guest of Honor benefits don’t extend to Points + Cash bookings but in this case I made the booking using his account and added my name to the reservation.
Check-in
The agent checking me in acknowledged my Diamond benefits and informed me that she had upgraded me to an Executive Suite for my one-night stay. I figured an Executive Suite was more of a junior suite, like the one I was upgraded to at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco a few years ago. That’s usually as good as it gets with Hyatt without a Diamond Suite Night Award Upgrade.
My room was located on the lobby level, a good five mile walk from the front desk. It took forever to get there. Seriously, they should consider installing a moving walkway. Past the lobby was the gift shop and an ATM machine. There was plenty of seating from which guests could enjoy the amazing views of the resort grounds from the large windows.
The hotel wasn’t deserted by any means, but it did appear that way from the quiet hallways. The only people I saw that first day were a group of pageant contestants walking around. If it wasn’t for the sashes they wore, I would have assumed it was an escort convention. Or an Irina Shayk look-alike-contest.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki Executive Suite
I was pretty shocked when I walked in and discovered a massive suite with a living room, dining area, two bathrooms and a huge balcony with seating for six!
The Executive Suite was absolutely stunning. With natural light spilling into the space through the massive balcony doors, it was gorgeous and tranquil. There were two couches and two additional chairs in the living room, one located in a perfect reading nook by the window.
Across from that was a desk, and behind that was the dining area with a Nespresso machine. On the dining room table was a welcome note from the manager.
On the table behind the couch was a bottle of wine, water, and a bowl of fruit. I don’t drink alcohol, but the fruit and water were appreciated. The room service prices at the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki are astronomical, so if you don’t plan on leaving the resort, I’d consider requesting food as your Diamond amenity.
In my case, I requested points as my amenity, so I got both. The only downside of the welcome gift is there is no cool place to store it – there is no fridge, other than the mini bar which doesn’t have enough space.
Master bedroom
The bedroom was separated from the living room by double doors and featured a King sized bed, a flatscreen tv, and plush furniture throughout. I always like when hotel beds have actual headboards instead of an oversized piece of fabric-covered wood mounted against the wall.
For such a large room, the closet was pretty small. But I guess when you have this much space, there are other places to store your things.
Master bathroom
Past the closet was the bathroom, which featured a large bathtub in the middle, a double sink to the left, and a large shower and the toilet to the right.
The bathroom was stocked with lots of towels and Korres bath products by the bathtub. Korres isn’t my favorite brand, but when I checked into the a few days later, I really came to appreciate any kind of amenities provided by hotels. The bathroom also had a sound system that allowed you to listen to whatever was playing on the tv.
On the opposite end of the bedroom was the door leading to the large balcony. I think this was probably the highlight of the room, as it was a great place to enjoy the lovely weather and serene atmosphere.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki free shuttle
The Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki operates a free shuttle service to the airport, city center as well as the Mediterranean Cosmos shopping mall. I was moving to The Met Hotel in the city center the following night, so I headed to the lobby to check out the schedule.
While I was reading it, the concierge, whose desk was nearby, walked over and asked if he could answer any questions. I asked for some clarification about where exactly the shuttle was going and he was very helpful.
He also told me the mall shuttle was leaving soon if I was interested in checking out “the second largest shopping mall in Greece.” He then asked if I had seen the gym yet (was that a hint?). He pointed towards the stairs and said I could find it on the lower level, straight ahead.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki gym and pool
The gym is located on the ground level and features lots of workout equipment and a gorgeous pool. There were lots of people there at the time, so I couldn’t really take a photo of the gym equipment without invading everyone’s privacy.
Breakfast at Ambrosia
Hyatt Diamond members get free breakfast at the Ambrosia Restaurant.
This was one of the most impressive breakfast buffets I’ve ever seen. Not only was the space visually stunning, but the food selection was over the top.
There was one area devoted to hot items, a station for bread, fruits, cereal/granola, a juice bar, a separate meat and cheese spread and, this being Greece, a table featuring nothing but yogurt and honey.
After having breakfast at Ambrosia, it became clear to me that grocery stores in the U.S. are screwing us over with what they label “Greek yogurt.”
Greek yogurt is not clumpy, tart, or tasteless. It’s delicious, creamy, and unlike anything you’ll find on a store shelf.
Service
The staff was friendly and helpful, though service was a little slow. At one point the waitress disappeared and I had to wait a good 15 minutes before I could order a frappe. Maybe it had to do with the early hour and the fact that there were just three tables occupied.
One thing you should look out for when dining outside are the birds. They’re all over the place and lying in wait until you leave the table so they can pounce on your leftovers.
With a frappe in hand, I took a walk around the grounds. It was dark and cloudy outside, though still warm and a bit humid. There’s a gorgeous waterfall flowing from the top of the restaurant, which provides a peaceful setting all around.
It was still fairly early in the morning, so the massive pool across from the waterfall was deserted.
The resort grounds were absolutely gorgeous, even in this grim weather. George from Travel Blogger Buzz described this place as “an oasis in the midst of chaos” and I don’t think that does it justice. It’s just an oasis, irrespective of its location.
Final thoughts
If I were to return to Thessaloniki, I would gladly stay at the Hyatt Regency just for the ambiance alone. Now that it’s dropped to a Category 2 hotel, requiring just 8,000 points per night, it’s an even better value. I was sad to leave this place and really do hope to come back some day.
The Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki is a great resort, with fantastic staff, an incredible breakfast buffet, and while I can’t vouch for all of their rooms, the Executive Suite sure was nice.
Other stories from my trip to Calais
- Air France KLM Lounge at San Francisco International Airport review
- AirBerlin Business Class A330 San Francisco to Dusseldorf review
- Hilton Munich Airport Hotel review
- The Met Hotel Thessaloniki Business Suite review
- Aegean Airlines economy class Thessaloniki to Paris review
- Hyatt Regency Paris Charles de Gaulle Hotel review
- Taking the TGV Train from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Calais
- Hotel Ibis Calais review
- My observations of the Calais Jungle refugee camp
- Banksy’s mural in the Calais Jungle
- New Kabul Restaurant, The Welcome Wagon, and a memento
Is this hotel anywhere near the beach or attractions? Thanks
It’s not, but the hotel does offer a shuttle to the city center. From there, you can get to pretty much all the sights.
Hi Ariana, We are headed there this Fall. How do you arrange for the shuttle to pick you up at the airport? Thanks for all your posts.
You just call the hotel. It’s a lovely place to stay. Enjoy!
Thank you!
Do you know if Platinums (Discoverists?) get the free breakfast when staying on points? If not, were you able to see how much the breakfast costs?
Platinums have never gotten breakfast with Hyatt and unfortunately that hasn’t changed with the new rewards program.
⭐ 1-Star Review — Extremely Disappointing Experience at Hyatt Thessaloniki
I am writing this review because my experience at Hyatt Thessaloniki was extremely disappointing and, in my opinion, completely unacceptable for a five-star hotel.
I stayed at the hotel from Friday 21-25 August through Monday, in Room 339. I am a regular guest of Hyatt hotels, and I know what level of service and hospitality should be expected from a five-star property. Unfortunately, this stay was far below those standards.
Disrespectful and Uncomfortable Treatment at Breakfast
The most unpleasant incident happened during breakfast and involved a female manager.
When we arrived, she first asked me which room we were staying in. I answered her. My wife was walking slightly ahead of me, and the manager then approached my wife and asked her again which room we were staying in, even though I had just answered the same question.
After my wife answered, the manager then returned and made a remark about my wife’s clothing.
My wife was dressed elegantly, appropriately and impeccably. She was absolutely not wearing a swimsuit or inappropriate clothing. In fact, I specifically asked a waiter working at the hotel whether her clothing violated any of the hotel’s standards, and he told me that it did not violate any dress-code requirements.
Despite this, the manager insisted on making an issue of my wife’s appearance and even brought a sign referring to appropriate clothing.
The entire situation felt unnecessary, humiliating and discriminatory. We were treated as though my wife had done something inappropriate when she had not.
I immediately asked to speak with the manager or someone responsible for the situation. I was told at reception that the manager was not available at that moment and that my complaint would be passed on when he/she returned.
It never happened.
Nobody contacted me, nobody came to speak with me, and nobody properly addressed the complaint.
Terrible Housekeeping and Room Service
The housekeeping service was equally unacceptable.
I was staying in Room 339, and for three days the room was not properly serviced. Even after I complained, nothing was done.
I repeatedly asked for something as basic as drinking water to be left in the room, yet no water was provided for three days.
On the third day, I had to find someone who could speak English properly just to try to resolve the most basic housekeeping issue.
The air conditioning in Room 339 was also barely functioning, which made the situation even more uncomfortable.
Not the Standard I Expect From Hyatt
What makes this experience particularly disappointing is that I have stayed at Hyatt properties before and expect a completely different level of professionalism.
A five-star hotel should provide:
– Professional and respectful management
– Consistent housekeeping
– Proper communication with guests
– Basic amenities such as drinking water
– Functional air conditioning
– A breakfast experience appropriate for a five-star property
– Most importantly, guests should be treated with dignity and without unnecessary judgment about their appearance
Unfortunately, Hyatt Thessaloniki failed on all of these points during my stay.
The way the breakfast incident was handled was especially disappointing. It was not simply a disagreement about a dress code — it was the manner in which my wife was singled out and questioned, followed by the complete failure of management to address my complaint afterwards.
For a five-star Hyatt property, this is simply unacceptable.
I strongly recommend that Hyatt management investigate this incident, particularly the conduct of the breakfast manager, the failure of reception to follow up on a formal complaint, and the unacceptable housekeeping service in Room 339.
This was one of the most disappointing hotel experiences I have had, and based on this stay, I would not recommend Hyatt Thessaloniki to anyone expecting genuine five-star service.
Georgi Sidirov