The Grand Hyatt at SFO gets all the love for fancy accommodations and views that aviation geeks love, all on airport property. But just down the road you'll find a solid airport hotel with a free shuttle and some unique amenities … for a fraction of the price: The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport (SFO).
Sometimes a clean and comfortable place to rest before (or after) a flight is all you need, and the Hyatt Regency SFO fits the bill. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. It's located less than a 10-minute drive from the airport, with one of the most impressive complimentary shuttle services I've ever used. There's even a TopGolf suite to get a few swings in!
Best of all, this spot can be booked for a bargain compared against just how nice it is: Award nights start as low as just 9,000 World of Hyatt points!
Read on for the full review of the Hyatt Regency SFO – and why it might be my new go-to spot for an overnight near the airport.
Booking the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
We always recommend travelers take a look at Google Hotels when eyeing up hotels for a potential stay. That's the right place to start here, too.
Google Hotels gives you a calendar view of the prices, helping you find the cheapest dates if you're flexible.
Google Hotels can also tell you the cheapest way to book the Hyatt Regency San Francisco airport, which in this case might be through one of these online travel agencies like Priceline, Expedia, or Booking.com. Booking directly with the hotel is always our first choice – especially if the savings are negligible on the OTAs.
When you click the link to book with the hotel, you get taken to World of Hyatt's website. There, you can see the nightly rates for the many types of rooms at the property.
On another tab, you can look into the suites. I wound up staying in a business suite, which clocks in at $429 for a random night in April 2024. You can also bump all the way up to a Premier Suite for $727 as a World of Hyatt member.
But even for a standard room, that's a lot of money. The reason I booked the Hyatt Regency SFO to begin with is some incredibly reasonable rates booking with World of Hyatt points. It's a Category 3 hotel with Hyatt, which means a standard stay will run you 12,000 points per night. Thanks to Hyatt's peak and off-peak award pricing, you can find nights for as much as 15,000 points a night … or as low as just 9,000 points during off-peak times!
Even at 15,000 points per night, it can still be a bargain. That price point means you can book it using a Hyatt free night certificate from the World of Hyatt Credit Card or even a free night from the unique Hyatt Brand Explorer program. Otherwise, points it is.
Don't have World of Hyatt points? No worries. Hyatt is one of the best Chase transfer partners. A stash of 70,000 Chase points gets you 70,000 Hyatt points, enough for at least two free nights at this property. Just earn points from cards like the *chase sapphire preferred* or the *chase sapphire reserve* and transfer them directly (and instantly) to your Hyatt account.
For as low as 9,000 points a night, it's nearly half the price of the Grand Hyatt.
In the end, my boss with top-tier Globalist status wound up booking this property via the Hyatt Guest of Honor program, which meant I benefitted from many of the same elite perks like complimentary breakfast and an excellent upgrade. We booked my one-night, off-peak stay for just 9,000 points.
At Thrifty Traveler, we don't accept freebies. We use our own points, miles, or cash to pay for every single flight or hotel you see reviewed here – including this one.
Check-in & Airport Transportation
You check in on the ground floor of the Hyatt Regency SFO. The check-in desk is in the front doors and to the right: You can't miss it.
But to get there, you need to make your way out of the airport. Lucky you, it's not very far. And there's an easy way to get there.
The hotel runs a complimentary shared shuttle with the Marriott down the street that continuously makes the 10- to 15-minute drive between the hotel and the airport. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes: Two buses are moving at all times aside from overnight.
And you won't have to play the guessing game on the timing of the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, either. In the lobby of the hotel, there's a monitor displaying the real-time location of both shuttles.
I waited just two minutes or so outside the international terminal for the first shuttle after my arrival at San Francisco. The hotel shuttle section was well marked and easy to walk to. The big black shuttle bus is easy to identify and the driver didn't dawdle.
Get this: Even with clearing customs and immigration (thanks, Global Entry!), it took just 20 minutes from the time my international French Bee arrival pulled into the gate at San Francisco to get to the check-in desk at the Hyatt Regency.
Hyatt Regency Property (& TopGolf Suite!)
The Hyatt Regency is a huge building with rooms all built around a massive inner atrium. All of the rooms either face out toward the bay or the interstate … or face toward the atrium itself.
It's got a nice, modern look on the inside.
Below the atrium are the hotel's many ballrooms and conference centers. This is a decidedly business-y hotel, with seemingly dozens of corporate event spaces all around.
But then there's this unusual amenity: a TopGolf Swing Suite. I've never seen anything like this at a hotel – let alone an airport hotel. The Suite is rentable for $75 per hour for up to eight people at a time. You can make reservations via OpenTable.
The Swing Suite was definitely the swankiest spot on the middle mezzanine level of the atrium.
There's another rarity for an airport hotel: An outdoor pool! My late arrival and early morning departure meant it was hard to photograph, so here's a Google Maps view of the exterior to give you an idea of what to expect.
Even on a crisp fall night, there were people in the heated pool when I saw it. There's also a hot tub close by.
You'll also find a very standard hotel fitness center at the Hyatt Regency SFO, if you need to get a workout in before or after your flight.
Hyatt Regency SFO Airport Restaurants & Bars
Situated in the heart of the atrium, the 3Sixty Restaurant and Bar was one of the highlights of the Hyatt Regency SFO.
In addition to the restaurant and bar itself, there's a grab-and-go area to the right of the TV monitors you can see in this photo. This section featured small, quick meals to cook in a kitchenette, some regular snacks, and some soft drinks as well as alcoholic drinks you can take up your room or with you on the shuttle to the airport.
The bar has a sports bar feel. I had a tremendous sausage pizza and a few glasses of California wine while watching the World Series.
While I didn't take advantage of it, the restaurant itself also serves sit-down meals off the same menu. There were a few families eating at the 3Sixty Restaurant. You can find links to 3Sixty's various lunch, dinner, and dessert menu's on the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport site.
Behind the restaurant is a buffet area, which is where you'll find breakfast from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily. Top Hyatt Globalists get free breakfast, while other guests can pay extra or book a pricier room rate that includes breakfast.
My early morning departure from San Francisco meant I didn't get a chance to sample the breakfast spread.
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Room
Upon check-in, the Hyatt Regency upgraded my standard room to a Business Suite thanks to the Guest of Honor booking from a Hyatt Globalist member. That's a substantial upgrade: These rooms cost $200-plus a night more than a standard room.
The spacious room was way more than enough for a night's rest. There was a separate sitting area in addition to the bedroom.
Underneath the living room TV was a tower with about 12 plug-ins on it. I love when hotels have ample charging. It was nice to get off a long-haul international flight and immediately get all my devices juiced up again.
The bedroom also has its own TV, windows, and plenty of charging at the ready.
The kitchenette area of the suite was complete with a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and bottles of water.
My inside-facing suite had a window into the atrium. While windows into an indoor area is always a bit strange, Hyatt did a good job of putting in some trees and shrubbery – almost tricking me into thinking this was a window to the outside.
Next to the front door is a standard hotel closet with a safe, iron, and plenty of space for clothes if you're staying a while.
The bathroom was clean and totally sufficient for my stay.
Pharmacopia provided all the soaps and lotions in this Hyatt Regency.
The adjustable shower head was really nice, too.
It was not the room I booked, but the Business Suite at the Hyatt Regency was a great stay.
Is the Hyatt Regency SFO Worth It?
Yes. Especially if you can book it for just 9,000 World of Hyatt points.
For Hyatt loyalists or travelers with Chase points (that can be transferred to Hyatt), this hotel is a fantastic option at a huge bargain.
While the Grand Hyatt at SFO gets tons of accolades, I'm not sure why I'd fork over hundreds of dollars (or thousands of points) more to stay there. While this Hyatt Regency is nothing special, it has everything you want for an overnight airport hotel stay: A convenient location, comfortable accommodations, a solid restaurant, and an excellent shuttle service to get to and from the airport.
And above all, it's a great value.
Bottom Line
The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport is a solid option for travelers who need a stay before or after a flight.
The complimentary shuttle service is second to none, quickly getting you between the airport and the hotel in 15 minutes or less. The rooms and onsite dining offer exactly what you need and there's even something you may not need: a TopGolf Suite.
Plus, when bookable for as low as just 9,000 World of Hyatt points, it's a great value at half the price of the nearby Grand Hyatt.
We stayed in October as a family of 4, and we really enjoyed the stay. The buffet was excellent (especially Sunday) and was a highlight for my wife. The pool was a bit cool at night, but the kids enjoyed the hot tub.
Was a regular stop from 1986-2015 on my SF business runs every 60 days usually a Monday and a Thursday evening, location, convenience, Parking. This was before the re-do and the Conversion of the center section to the main dining option, but previously had a good Italian Dining spot right in from front along with a great Sports Bar Knuckles (also Monterey and Fisherman’s Wharf), as well as Max’s across the street. Easily a dozen nights/year, Airport Bus a dream, and with on Site Car rental pick-up allowed to save a day a week in Rental charges. Regency Club well located and very good morning and evening breakfast or appetizers and drink.