Oops...just remembered that Regent will be putting us up in a hotel so won't need Hyatt free nights for CANADA.

Marcie,

I thought the "free" hotel offer didn't apply unless you booked after October 1st or paid the new rate which is $1300 higher than when we booked CANADA.

Yikes, you're right Dave !! Thanks for jogging my memory!

Aloha

Marcie, and any one else for that matter. We will be staying at the Embassy Suites @ $148.00 including tax and breakfast :) . I believe it is very close to the pier. We used up our free Hyatt stays in NYC.You say why NYC ?
That is because on the advice of "Count Florida"(see his post in the Canada roll call) we plan to go to NYC and then take the train to Montreal. Since we have not really seen that part of our country thought it would be a wonderful experience.
Oh, when I ordered the Hyatt card I only received the 2 free nights but no upgrades. Not complaining but how do you get the upgrades ?

John

Marcie - the Hyatt in Montreal isn't that good - most of my friends really much prefer the W there.

John - Getting the Hyatt credit card will get you 2 free nights in a regular room & Platinum status if you didn't have any status with Hyatt previously. If you were already Platinum with Hyatt (which many people are since early in 2010 they were running a promotion for "instant" Platinum status), you get 2 free nights in a regular room + 2 suite upgrade electronic certificates (can only be used on revenue stays). If you were Diamond (top published tier with Hyatt), you get 2 free nights in a suite. Hyatt treats their Diamonds very well (I've been a Hyatt Diamond for 7-8 years).

Which Hyatt are you booked into in NYC? The Grand Hyatt is perfectly servicable but is a huge convention oriented hotel - many of the "regular" rooms are small and dark - the property is slated for a major renovation so we'll see what its like when they are done. The new Andaz 5th Avenue a few blocks away is a much better choice for Midtown. If you don't mind the Downtown/Wall Street location, the Andaz Wall Street gets pretty good reviews (I haven't been there personally though).

Peter, I visited their website and thought the same thing about the Montreal Hyatt (Regency). Are there 2 Hyatts in the city? As an aside, Gary Leff just visited the one you mentioned, Andaz, and reviewed in his blog www.viewfromthewing.com not long ago. I've stayed at the Grand Hyatt in NYC booked on Priceline before as well at a great rate. I may Priceline a Montreal hotel as well, as I'm seeing on bidding for travel that people in August were getting 4* rooms at $80-90. Of course, one could end up with the Hyatt, but at a much better price.

Peteropny, WOW that's a mouth full :) Anyway,thank you for the explanation, works for me.
Actually we did book the Andaz 5th Avenue !
Thanks for your comments, made us feel good about our choice. Now we just have decide what should do during our "one day in NYC".

Any takers on the train ride ? It's only $61.00pp

John

Thanks Peter. The Montreal Hyatt has gotten slammed by others saying it isn't up to Hyatt standards so best we save our 2 free nights for another location.

For Montreal Look into the Queen Elizabeth Hotel...It is right downtown,a block or so from the train station (for those who are taking a train from the USA) and less then 5 minutes by cab to the cruise port.
It is part of the Fairmont Hotels.
Tons of hotels,all price levels.

If you love smoked meat sandwiches you have eat one in Montral..
What is smoked meat? It is basically beef brisket that has been cured, spiced and smoked. However, the various well-known delis in Montreal will not divulge to you their distinct secret recipes..I prefer it over Pastrami and Corned Beef.
Here are a coupleof famous ones:

Schwartz's: www.schwartzsdeli.com
3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard · Montreal, Que
A Montreal Tradition Since 1928

Sandwiches:
Smoked meat $5.90
Turkey $5.90
Combination $5.90
Salami $5.50
Chicken $5.90

Some people prefer Bens, which is located at 990 de Maisonneuve and is probably the oldest smoked meat restaurant in Montreal. The original owners were the Kravitz family who emigrated from Lithuania in 1908 and brought with them this special sandwich.... I think this might now be closed(the world's loss if it is)

Our favorite city is Quebec City...a touch of Paris but closer...We try to spend 2-3 nights here each year.The cruise terminal is right in Lower Town (Basse-Ville).
Old Town (Vieux-Ville) Has fantastic dining as well.
Pat

There's only 1 Hyatt in Montreal.

For thorough (more details than you'd probably care to know) - see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyat...ts-property-index-reviews-flyertalk.html - the Hyatt Property Index & Review thread over on Flyertalk - has links to the official web page of all Hyatts as well as Reviews of most of the full service properties.

Peter, I think you deserve an award for the hardest working and most informative moderator that Flyertalk has, and Hyatt should give you lifetime free stays around the world! Thank you

Thanks Olivia!!

I wish that Hyatt would give me Courtesy Card status which is a unpublished tier above Diamond much like United's Global Services or American's Concierge Key (ala George Clooney in Up In The Air).

Peter, maybe we should start a Facebook campaign for you! :)

LOL - I've planted the idea with the head of Hyatt Gold Passport :)

Peter, I hate the idea of being on FB, but for you, I might join just to do that under some assumed name!

Courtesy Card for Peter!!!

Peter gets my vote :banana: :banana: :banana:

captjohn, were taking the train to CANADA (from Albany-Rensselaer) on Oct 11th, probably staying at the Hilton Bonaventure or the Fairmount Queen Elizabeth. Both hotels are roughly above the Central train station where the Adirondack train arrives, and both are good 4-star full service hotels in the $250-$300 per night range. It used to be that bellmen from the Queen E would meet the train by prior arrangement; don't know if that's still true. The Bonaventure, a unique place atop a low office block (occupies the 5th and 6th floors I think) is a short walk - about 1-2 blocks - through an underground shopping center from the station. Montreal can be very cold in the winter, thus a lot of shopping - very French - can be accessed without going outside to brave the weather.

We'll have friends with us who've never been to Montreal, so we're going up a day early to show them around and enjoy what is a really neat city.

For others who may be interested, my post on taking the train from New York to Montreal is at http://www.luxurycruisetalk.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005242;p=1#000000