Guest Author - Julia Reed Zaic
Lady Liberty never looked as good as she did from my room at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson. She was far enough away to see her in her full glory, but close enough to be mesmerized by who she is and what she stands for. The Jersey City Hyatt offers terrific views, location and the welcomed predictability of a chain hotel for business travel.
My stay at the Jersey City Hyatt was one dictated by the need to be in two places on the same trip; Newark and Manhattan. I decided to try this hotel at a time when rooms in the city were a bit pricey. I was not disappointed. My first experience after checking in was having a drink at the bar at "Vu", the restaurant on the property. It has a spectacular "view" of the Manhattan skyline.
Although Vu had a terrific bar with great service, the restaurant’s menu did not match the quality of its actual view. I understand that hotel restaurants need to have mass appeal, however, the menu was a little too basic for my taste. That being said, it is really the only criticism I have of the hotel, and although I wouldn't call myself a foodee, good food has a special place in my heart. My heart was not warmed here for dinner, simply because I prefer a wider more adventurous menu.
You will not be disappointed with the size of the rooms. They are very nice considering the proximity to New York City where a closet can cost $300 a night during certain times of year. I did not request the view I had of the Statute of Liberty, but would recommend that you do. The gym had quality equipment and the lobby had very spacious and comfortable areas to sit when meeting other colleagues or simply enjoying the view while returning phone calls.
Again, an added plus is the view of Manhattan from across the river. The Hudson is normally a stream of activity between the Garden State and the City that Never Sleeps. That particular week, the activity included a USAirways flight crashing into the river. Fortunately, that would likely not be the sort of activity you would witness. But the boats and ferries that picked up those poor passengers will surely be streaming about no matter when you stay there.
For my stay at this property I was especially pleased with the proximity of the PATH train station to the hotel. It was just a short walk across the front of the hotel into the next building. In the dead of winter, this was much appreciated for a Floridian-turned-Californian. It made my commute into Newark and to Manhattan a matter of twenty minutes each way, and the short walk allowed me to stay relatively warm during my commute.
For simple dinners and fare off-property, there is an internal food court within steps of the hotel with shops that feature a restaurant called Markers. It has terrific food that was decently priced. It also has televisions throughout to catch up on news and sports. This is a great place if you are feeling out of touch on your travels and would like to avoid relying on your laptop for scores and news. Streaming video on your laptop is fantastic, but nothing beats a cold beer and the sound of crowds cheering in the background on a television in a quaint sports bar.
On this trip, it was a pleasure to stay on the Jersey side of the Hudson for a change. The added benefit of waking up to Lady Liberty outside my window to remind me to count the blessings of living in this country was an added plus to the service and experience in this hotel.
