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For today’s Saturday Escape, we thought it would be interesting to take a slightly different approach. Rather than sharing old memories of wonderful places, we thought we would answer a question from a reader instead: “What is staying at a hotel like right now?”.

Steffen over at InsideFlyer Germany had to be in Dusseldorf for essential business recently and this is his review of what staying at the Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf is like in the middle of lockdown.

Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf Review

The Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf has been open again to non-tourist travellers since mid-January 2021 and has adapted to the current situation and the legal requirements. However, depending on the federal state, the exact services a hotel is allowed to offer its guests varies. In addition, many hotels offer their guests significantly fewer amenities than would actually be allowed within the framework of lockdown measures. This is particularly noticeable with regard to the food and drink offerings.

The Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf is one of the best hotels in the Rhine metropolis and enjoys a very good reputation. Especially among Düsseldorf residents, it is known for its Pebbles Bar and the associated after-work events in summer on the terrace directly on the Rhine. Due to its location at Düsseldorf’s Medienhafen, you can enjoy a little distance from the busy city centre, but still reach everything within a short time.

At the entrance, the hotel uses a sign to indicate that access is only permitted for hotel guests and not for external visitors who might want to visit the hotel restaurant. Corona protective measures can also be seen directly in the hotel lobby: The reception area has been provided with extensive transparent partitions made of hard plastic, not only on the reception desk between guests and employees, but also on the sides, so that appropriate protection is also provided between the guests.

The check-in was friendly and efficient. Within a few minutes, after filling in the confirmation that you are travelling for business or for other compelling reasons, you will receive the room card and some key information about the current features of the hotel.

If you have the World of Hyatt app on your smartphone, you can also have the mobile key activated so that you can open the room door with your mobile phone.

It is also positive that the hotel provides transparent information on the website about the services offered during the stay. This is not the case with many hotels, so that in advance of a stay within the last 10 months, inquiries usually had to be made by telephone or email.

Regency Suite at the Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf

With so few guests at the hotel, as a World of Hyatt Globalist member, I was upgraded to a Regency Suite. At 72 square meters, it offers a separate work and living area with a guest toilet, a bedroom with a beautiful view of the Medienhafen and a spacious bathroom with a rain shower and bathtub.

The contemporary and elegant design is pleasant, so that you feel “at home” after a short time. Large pictures on the walls with striking motifs and colours are eye-catching.

In contrast to other hotels I’ve stayed at during lockdown, the Nespresso machine at the Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf was fortunately not banned from the room. You can connect your smartphone or laptop to the sound system via Bluetooth so that you can enjoy the music of your choice with good sound in the hotel office.

Food & Beverage

Most Corona state regulations allow hotels to provide their guests with a corresponding range of food and drinks. In numerous hotels in Germany, this takes the form of a to-go breakfast bag and drinks that can be purchased at reception.

At the Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf, they take a different approach, and try to offer the few hotel guests as pleasant a stay experience as possible. Breakfast is served every morning in the Dox restaurant. While you can order fresh egg dishes such as Eggs Benedict, sweet delicacies such as pancakes and coffee specialities directly at your seat. The buffet offers a large selection of juices as well as sausage, cheese, muesli, fruit and, for example, hummus or avocado cream. All dishes are behind a plexiglass pane and are arranged individually on plates by an employee. The selection is then presented to the guests on a tray.

During the day and in the evening, guests can always use room service and order snacks or more in the room. If you don’t want to eat in your room, you can also dine in the Dox Restaurant from 6.30 p.m. Here, too, the rule applies that this is only possible for hotel guests.

Regency Club

While the Club Lounge has been closed in countless hotels around the world since spring 2020, there are only a few that offer an alternative for guests who book a club room or for status customers in the chain’s own loyalty programme. While the Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf cannot offer any service in the actual Regency Club on the 18th floor due to the applicable distance rules, an alternative was provided.

Regency Club guests and World of Hyatt Globalist members can enjoy standard club benefits in the Dox Bar on the ground floor. Although the view is not as beautiful as from the 18th floor, the situation worked very well. The Dox Bar is reserved for Regency Club guests only throughout the day. Free soft drinks, coffee and small snacks such as muesli bars and nuts are offered here from morning to evening.

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. there is also beer, wine and sparkling wine as well as various small snacks.