The Grand Hyatt is a nice hotel in a good location, but it is very expensive and not necessarily worth the price.
The interior spaces are beautiful with lots of sculpture and fresh flowers. There are also a number of water features. There's even a grand piano that provides lovely music.
Be aware: Rooms in the hotel either face outwards with street views or inwards with views over the lobby/atrium. Even from high floors I don't believe there are any good views. You see other surrounding buildings. You may want to opt for the interior view.
The location is great. It's a 5-block walk to The Mall (about 5 minutes). You'll also walk right past the Ford Theater and House Where Lincoln Died on the way. When you reach The Mall you are directly at the Natural History Museum. This puts you near American History, the National Archives, etc, etc. The hotel is also connected to the Metro Center metro stop (you can get to it without going outside) - so extremely convenient.
The service peoplpe were all very nice. Valet parking was quick and easy. Minor complaint: The bellman left our luggage cart in the lobby area in the open while we waited to check-in. This made me a bit nervous as I had to constantly keep an eye on it for fear of someone snatching a smaller bag. Maybe I'm overly paranoid.
The first room they put us in was a handicap-accessible room which meant no tub. They didn't tell us this so it was a shock when we walked in. My wife likes baths so this wasn't acceptable. However, a quick phone call got us another room jiffy quick. We did have to go down and get the key and move ourselves since the bellmen were busy. (We could have waited, but didn't.) We weren't sure why this all happened, but we had checked in somewhere early (11:30am) so perhaps the rooms were still being made available.
The restaurant in the hotel is very nice (your basic high-end hotel restaurant). My wife had the breakfast buffet and said it was quite good (and she's fussy). The hotel also has a martini bar which was great! Nice atmosphere with a great drink menu and nice service.
The concierge provided very nice service on the few occaisions I used them.
A few down sides: I felt the hotel was very expensive. Maybe not for DC, but there are lots of alternatives in the area (see my wife's review of Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington). Also - get this - they charge you for the pool! The "health club" (weight room) and pool is kind of just outside the hotel in an attached office space. And if you want to make use of it it will cost you $7 per day for pool only or $14 for pool and "health club"!!! Outrageous. Especially considering what we paid for the hotel itself.
So - all in all - this is an average example of a city Hyatt, but you'll pay for it. If walking location is key this might be the place for you.
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