Hyatt Pinon Pointe

[scottw]

We were recently confirmed for an exchange into Hyatt Pinon Pointe in Sedona. Does anyone have experience with this property and the area?

 

[nightnurse613]

You might want to search the US WESTERN forum. Type in Hyatt Sedona. If you type in Sedona you'll get all kinds of ideas; places to eat, things to do. The Hyatt is smack in the center of Sedona nestled on a hill. The upper floors generally have the best views. As I recall there is an excellent Bakery right on site-although it was a little snooty for my husband. It's a fine TS and I'm sure you'll find the usual Hyatt amenities.

 

[barndweller]

We stayed there in a 2 bedroom. The units are okay. Decor is lovely but the walls are paper thin and the kitchen is almost an afterthought. Being located on a hill, there are stairs to everything. The pool and work-out room have the only spectacular view. What the resort has going for it is a great location in the "downtown" area. Google Sedona for all the great sight-seeing. There are lots of restaurants. The Grand Canyon is do-able as a very long day-trip.

Sedona is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. You will probably spend very little time in your room. The Hyatt is a great choice as a base to be out and about all day and have a comfortable bedroom at night.

 

[robertr55]

We've been to Sedona several times, and expect to go back on a regular basis (every 2-3 years). We toured the Hyatt site, but haven't stayed there. It has all of the appearance of being a typically wonderful Hyatt experience, although barndweller's mention of "paper thin walls" makes me wonder a bit...seems like Hyatt should know better!

The location is very good...right above a roundabout called "the Y" where the short road connecting Hwy 179 to 89a ends. You're a short walk (or very short drive) from the "main downtown Sedona drag" - a fairly short piece of 89a where most of the shops and restaurants are located (exit Hyatt and go left).

Straight across "the Y", go down the hill into Oak Creek Canyon and walk through the shops of Tlaquepaque (too expensive for us, but fun to visit, and a beautiful location by the stream/river). It's also fun (for me) to try and get my kids to say the word several times very fast

There are too many restaurants to visit in a week...we looked them up on yelp.com for other people's opinions. And bring your cameras - you can't really drive in any direction from Sedona without seeing incredible red rock views. Also bring sunscreen and drink lots of water if you're headed there in the summer.

 

[ScoopKona]

We were recently confirmed for an exchange into Hyatt Pinon Pointe in Sedona. Does anyone have experience with this property and the area?

I was there two months ago for a weekend getaway and stayed in a studio with an awesome view of a communications tower.

The property does not have any BBQs (and studios have no kitchen facilities). So we did our cooking on a "Famous Boxer" grill, and went to a park to mesquite-roast some chicken on their public BBQ.

There's a bakery on property that sells baguettes on the honor system. I liked the bread. Their sandwiches, however, were ridiculously expensive. Next door, there is a wine shop that does tastings for $12 (IIRC). That was fun, too.

Mainly, we walked around town and people watched, browsed art galleries, and occasionally ventured into the new-age crystal shops that seem to be mandated every 50 feet. We also drove to the various parks and hiked. Hiking was the best part of the weekend. Climbing any small hill results in amazing views, and peace and quiet.

There is a microbrewery in town called Oak Creek, which is worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing.


Prose:

* You're in the center of town. Everything is within walking distance.
* If you're on the second floor, toward the front of the property, you'll get a great view.
* Despite the "center of town" location, the property sits atop a small knoll, and is very peaceful.
* Sedona is beautiful. There are parks aplenty, all of which are worth hiking.

Khans:

* Our room had drywall cracks (which were unsightly, but not worth complaining about.)
* Our refrigerator did not work. We had to lean a bag against the door to get it to close. Even then, it barely chilled beer to an acceptable temperature. Maintenance said they would "fix it later." I assume that meant "after you leave."
* Our toilet was one of those "low-flow" jobs that requires 10 flushes for anything more substantial than a piece of Kleenex. Twice we had to call for a plunger. Maintenance wouldn't even leave the plunger with us. How embarrassing!
* Most of the stores in the center of town are tourist traps -- think Gatlinburg or Duval Street, Key West. (Cheap souvenirs, overpriced art, candy and junk food.)
* Restaurants in the center of town are VERY tourist-oriented -- the menus did not at all impress us. (Think Applebee's food with prime steak house prices. Or fast food joints.) We cooked all our meals with food bought at the local grocery. No real complaints, there, though. We both love to cook.

 

[blanchre]

From an owner

My husband and I bought in Hyatt, Sedona (2 br) 2 years ago and will visit again for Thanksgiving this year. Though I have only stayed once -- I think my experience was a bit more favorable than others in this reply. We were in a 2 bedroom unit facing snoopy rock. The views were glorious right from our balcony. We had a 2 br so plenty of room and I found the kitchen to be quite nice and not terribly different from other Hyatt places we have visited (Tahoe and Beach House). Also, we were fortunate to not have noisy neighbors and walking up the stairs to the unit was not at all an issue for us (we were there to hike anyway). The pool was very nice but my one caution is that other than the pool -- there is not a lot to do on site.

As another poster points out -- you won't be spending too much time in the unit anyway since there is so much to do in Sedona. We dined at L'Auberge restaurant nearby, a lovely upscale restaurant that was (for us) worth the extra $$. We also found a great (but yes, touristy) Mexican restaurant that we really enjoyed -- I think it was called Havalina? The shops were lovely but the hiking was the absolute best. We also took some trips away to see Indian reservations and ruins. A particularly educational trip was 2 days to see the Hopi (very sad conditions) and then Canyon de Chey in Wyoming --fascinating and beautiful country.

 

[barndweller]

I think the appeal of Hyatt Pinon Pines is soley the location. Owners probably get placed in the very few units that have a view (which is only fair.) Our view as exchangers was of a cactus studded dirt bank and a cement walkway. Since we travel using timeshares for the convenience of doing our own cooking, the Hyatt timeshares are not a favorite since the kitchens are minimal and there are no onsite barbeques. The units are nicely furnished but pretty much geared toward people used to hotel travel. That is to say the units are styled like very roomy hotel rooms rather than actual condo/apartment accomodations. The bedrooms & bathrooms are super nice but the living quarters are secondary. If you plan to do any cooking beyond perking coffee or warming something in the microwave, bring your own cookware and kitchen stuff. If someone will be using the sofabed, their feet will barely clear the fireplace! If, on the other hand, you like to stay fit on vacation, the workout room is primo with a million dollar view. And for vacationers that are lost without a computer umbilical cord, Hyatt provides a work space better than most employers right in the comfort of your unit. Since I leave workouts and computers behind when I vacation, those things don't rate any points on my personal rating scale. Give me a nicely equiped kitchen, an inroom washer & dryer and a clean, well functioning bathroom and I'm happy. I don't even care if the counters are granite!

The bakery right next door has great sandwiches but it is pretty pricey. We bought a loaf of their great frenchbread and had to rip it apart at dinner since the knives in our kitchen wouldn't cut hot butter. Thank god we brought our own corkscrew for our wine since there wasn't any in our unit. The restaurant Blanchre referred to is Havalina Cantina on the left as you head down to Oak Creek. They are famous for their Margaritas which are good but as a native to the west, my opinion of the so called Mexican food is to skip it. In fact, all the restaurants are overpriced and pretty much Applebee's caliber. It is afterall a major tourist town. For the untimate overpriced tourist meal go out to Enchantment Resort. You'll pay a fortune but at least you'll have great food and fabulous service with a view to die for.

Hiking and just standing and gawking at the scenery is what most of us Sedona fans go there for. If you enjoy historic stuff take a drive to Jerome. The Native American sites in the area are all well worth the drive, too...Montezuma's Castle especially. We signed up (through the concierge at Hyatt) for an all day tour to the Hopi reservation. Truly a fabulous experience but not appropriate for small children as they would be easily bored. It is a very long day! There are dozens of places you can drive to and take short walks for wonderful redrock Kodak moments. A favorite is on the road up to the airport. Another is at the end of the same road for a sunset view that is out of this world. Don't miss the drive through the Oak Creek Canyon toward Flagstaff and the view at the top back down to Sedona. Go to the tourist info center for maps and a parking pass for the week. If you have a National Park Pass that works, too. Since we are "seniors" we use our Golden Age Pass. Keep in mind that the State Parks (such as Slide Rock..a touristy fun spot for families) charge a seperate fee.

And do go wander around Tlaquepaque (tah-LOCK-ay-pa-kay) and get an ice cream cone. It's a shopping center styled after an investment developer's idea of a Mexican Village with art galleries and upscale shops scattered in the buildings surrounded by cobbled walkways and courtyards complete with fountains and terra cotta flower pots.

 

[Lingber]

What time of the year is best for a visit to Sedona? We are heading to Sierra Lodge on Saturday, but are already thinking about next year! :rofl:

 

[barndweller]

What time of the year is best for a visit to Sedona?

Sedona is a year around destination. Most people go in the summer which is monsoon season with moderately hot weather punctuated by frequent thunderstorms. Spring is fabulous with moderate daytime temperatures perfect for hiking and enjoying the wildflowers. December is very popular because of the holiday lights and festivities but it does snow at times in the winter.

Our favorite time of year is mid fall when it is perfect weather and the crowds are lighter. The trees are beginning to turn golden and the sunsets are breathtaking. It is the best season but don't tell anyone else, okay.

 

[robertr55]

I'd agree with barndweller- we've been there in all 4 seasons and Fall (mid-Sep thru end of Oct) is our favorite, followed by Spring with the flowers and nice temps. Summer was pretty hot for hiking, and Winter was colder than we expected, especially if you head to the Grand Canyon (but it WAS pretty cool with a dusting of snow on top!)