Hyatt Regency Lake Washington Eliminating Regency Club

I have been spending some time at my favorite local Hyatt here in the Seattle area. The Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle's Southport in Renton, Washington has been my go-to for years. Despite some of the inconsistencies over the years, which I have written about before, I have enjoyed some great stays. I spent some extra time here recently for a staycation while hoping to update our review of this property. Unfortunately, I was caught off guard during my last visit when I learned that the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington is eliminating its Regency club.

What Is a Hyatt Regency Club

Regency Clubs are lounges that offer complimentary snacks and drinks (including alcohol in many locations). These lounges often have seating areas where guests can hang out or get some work done. Regency Clubs come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from modest rooms with unimpressive spreads, to massive spaces with elegant seating and plenty of food that can even replace a meal. Some locations also offer evening hors d'oeuvres. Also, at many properties, the Regency Club is where Globalist members receive their complimentary breakfast.

Regency Clubs are typically available at select Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt properties. Guests receive access by booking a club level room or by having top tier Globalist status.

Sadly, lots of properties are eliminating their Regency Clubs or have never reopened them since the pandemic.

Hyatt Regency Club at Lake Washington

While I was checking in last month at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, I was chatting with the front desk staff and mentioned I was a local and was just here last month. The staff member then pointed out I would get to enjoy the last week of the hotel's Regency Club. This caught me off guard, so took the time during my stay to learn about what was happening.

The hotel's Regency Club was closed during and after the pandemic, during which time the hotel tried a number of different ideas. I have noticed that at this property, they are not afraid to change things around with the goal of improving. I feel like something seems to change every year, whether good or bad.

At one point while the Regency Club was closed, the hotel gave guests a credit to use at The Market for food and beverages. Unfortunately, this fell short of guest expectations and was overwhelming the staff at The Market, which is the hotel's grab & go store.

Next they pivoted to my favorite version, which was a dining credit at the hotel's Waters Table Restaurant. The restaurant offers lake view dining and an excellent menu. This alternative led to long wait times at the restaurant, so I always tried to make a reservation.

Finally, the hotel reopened the Regency Club only to now close it. The lounge offers a large spacious dining area that has some great lake views and a buffet set up. While I was never impressed by any of the food at the buffet, it was a convenient casual dining option without having to worry about a reservation.

Breakfast was also a solid option, with the usual breakfast staples always available.

What's Next

The staff member I chatted with hinted at a few issues with offering the Regency Club space, including a lot of complaints received from guests. The space itself will become a meeting space.

The hotel is moving the breakfast back to the Waters Table Restaurant and the full breakfast menu will be available for the Globalist complimentary breakfast benefit. They will offer a Monday through Friday menu and also a special weekend brunch menu. I asked if they would bring back their previous weekend buffet, to which they said no. This means breakfast selection will be what many Hyatts do as outlined in the terms and conditions:

When staying at a participating hotel or resort that does not have a Club lounge (or if Club lounge is closed), Globalists will receive daily complimentary full breakfast (which includes one entrée or standard breakfast buffet, juice, and coffee, as well as tax, gratuity and service charges) for each registered guest in the room, up to a maximum of two (2) adults and two (2) children.

I had not seen this hotel sell club level rooms recently, and I wouldn't expect them to continue to offer these rates. They do have a breakfast rate that still shows available next week at a similar price over the regular rate.

Hyatt Regency Lake Washington Eliminating Regency Club: ToP Thoughts

Another Hyatt is unfortunately getting rid of their Regency Club. I liked the convenience of the club and it was spacious. It's easy not to have to worry about making a reservation for breakfast, especially if you have family. On the bright side, I found the previous Waters Table restaurant breakfast experience to have better offerings than the Regency Club, so I'm excited for breakfast to be returning to the restaurant. However, Globalists filling up the restaurant has put a strain on the staff at times in the past. I am already booking my next stay to come back and see how it works out with the transition.

Have you stayed at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington before? Come share your thoughts in our Facebook Group and let us know.