Who is Alpha in Sarasota?

May 16, 2006 at 10:02 AM | by dzot | 0 Comments

[Publisher's note: Longtime hotel maven dzot explains why Polynesia and Sarasota Florida are everything alike and nothing alike, all at once. Enjoy.]

A few years back, the Hyatt Sarasota was the king of the hotel jungle in Sarasota, FL. Forego the Hyatt, and your only decent spots in town were Hilton Garden Inns and Courtyard Marriotts and the like. The Hyatt was the Alpha Male, and if you could snag yourself a water view room, you had a beautiful view of sunset over Sarasota Bay from your balcony.

Then, just like on the African veldt, a wandering rogue appeared in the distance. The threat was obvious; his reputation preceded him. He was bigger, stronger and better looking. The proud Hyatt put up a game fight, but resistance was futile. Just like that, Ritz-Carlton became the new Alpha.

That kind of stuff is going to happen -- the circle of life, natural selection, and so forth. But get this: the Ritz-Carlton not only took over as the top spot in town from the Hyatt, but positioned itself directly between the Hyatt and Sarasota Bay such that the striking view of sunset over the bay is now reserved for guests of the Ritz. Those delightful water view rooms in the Hyatt now have a beautiful view of...The Ritz-Carlton.

More on the Hyatt after the jump.

Damn, that's brutal. It's as if Kerkorian bought out Steve Wynn, but kept him on as concierge. Simply one of the most profound bitch-slappings in hotel history.

So where does that leave the Hyatt? Well, it's a mixed bag.

The Hyatt is still a Hyatt, which is to say you can pretty much count on a reasonable level of service and better-than-average surroundings.

The pool is terrific, with palm trees and waterfalls and a nice little bar. If you didn't know better you might think you were in Polynesia, if Polynesia was made of cement and surrounded by high-rise condos full of retirees.

There is free on-site parking, although I would worry about availability when the hotel was packed.

Most impressively, there was a dumbfounding array of bathroom amenities, including toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream and razor, and his and hers deodorants. A far cry from the standard shampoo/conditioner/hand lotion economy trio that aren't even worth slipping into your kit before you leave.

As a T-Mobile hotspot, the wireless connectivity is solid. It's also $9.99/day and charged directly through T-Mobile to your credit card, not your hotel folio. Solid, yes, but expensive and inconvenient. (Why is it the budget hotels provide free wireless but the upscale properties can't? There oughta be a law.)

And there were outright snafus. The shower wouldn't drain (quickly repaired). And upon our return from an afternoon at the pool we found a housekeeper in our room, just chillin' and watching the soaps (she sheepishly exited when we asked "Are you almost finished?").

Would you do better at the Ritz-Carlton? Sure. Count on it. We love Ritz-Carltons. But the Hyatt provided something Ritz-Carlton couldn't give us: a discounted rate of just over $100/night. For that, we'll settle for the Beta Male.

Related Stories:
· Hyatt Sarasota Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Ritz Sarasota Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]

View of the Ritz...from the Hyatt.

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