Hyatt Regency Irvine in Orange County, California [In-Depth Review]

Have you ever found yourself saying, “Wow, this is a nice hotel?” OK, but have you said it on both arrival and departure?

That was our experience at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, which impressed us from start to finish.

The hotel reopened in late 2023 after a major renovation, but some parts of the hotel didn’t open until early 2024, and everything still felt brand-new during our 3-night stay in late April 2025. From an incredible suite to fantastic staff and a (dare I say it?) in-hotel lounge that sets the standard for others to emulate, this is a hotel I’d easily return to.

Here’s how our stay unfolded.

Booking Hyatt Regency Irvine

As the name suggests, the Hyatt Regency Irvine participates in the World of Hyatt program, meaning members can earn and redeem World of Hyatt points on stays here. Standard rooms were available from $259 per night. Options at this price included 2 queen beds or 1 king with a sofa bed.

This is a Category 3 hotel, and rooms were also available for 9,000 points per night, providing an incredible 2.88 cents per point — well above our average valuation of World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents apiece.

I have Globalist status, Hyatt’s top tier, and used a suite upgrade award on this stay. The hotel offered multiple suite types, including an extended-stay suite and a suite with bunk beds. Prices for these ranged from $406 to $682 per night.

The only suite available with points, however, was the Corner King Suite at 17,000 points per night.

Applying a suite upgrade allowed us to pay the price for a standard room (in cash or points) and then move into a suite with 2 bathrooms, a bedroom, and a foldout sofa — ideal since I was sharing the suite with my parents, and we all wanted some private space.

Using the suite upgrade (usable on stays of up to 7 nights) in advance allowed us to confirm the suite we wanted, rather than waiting for a potential upgrade at check-in. This suite with 2 bathrooms and 2 sleeping areas was also ideal, since I needed to be out of my apartment for a few days — plus my parents were in town to help with my move.

Hot Tip:

If you’re paying for a stay at a Hyatt property rather than redeeming points, using the right credit card can help you earn rewards for your spending. The World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card earn 9x points at Hyatt properties (4x points from the card and 5x points from being a program member). If you have elite status, you can earn even more points on your spending.

Location of Hyatt Regency Irvine

The Hyatt Regency Irvine sits about 10 minutes (by car) from John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California. Despite the proximity, the hotel didn’t have an airport shuttle.

The hotel’s location put it in the middle of numerous office buildings, though there were multiple restaurants, shopping centers, and bars nearby. The hotel was conveniently next to the 405 freeway and about a 20-minute drive from nearby beaches.

Alternatively, the hotel could be convenient for guests heading in the opposite direction, visiting Disneyland and California Adventure (roughly 20 minutes away) or Knott’s Berry Farm (roughly 30 minutes away).

Checking In

We saw a sign for the Hyatt Regency and turned off Jamboree Road, the main street nearby. At a traffic circle in front of us, a sign pointed straight ahead for self-parking. Though there was no arrow to the right, we figured we should go that way, toward the hotel building, for check-in.

The entrance area was spacious and well-lit, even at night. Along with a valet stand, there were heat lamps and several sofas nearby. A friendly employee approached our car, asking if we were checking in and whether we wanted valet or self-parking.

Immediately inside the sliding glass doors, we found a seating area with a unique chandelier overhead. Bookcases recessed into the wall and the fireplace in the center created a refined space that made a great first impression.

The setting was elegant, and it was very obvious that the hotel had undergone a recent renovation — reopening in October 2023 and finally completing its $55 million facelift with the opening of the pool and main restaurant in April 2024.

Looking left, we noticed several reception pods at the far end of the lobby. A friendly employee called us forward, and we liked her immediately. She was warm, courteous, and efficient.

After we gave her our IDs and a credit card for the security deposit, she quickly located our reservation and confirmed our upgrade to the corner suite. Unfortunately, it wasn’t ready yet — surprising since we’d arrived at the hotel after 4 p.m. After asking us to wait a moment, the employee disappeared into a back room to confer with her manager.

We used this brief moment to poke around the lobby, noticing the connector area with seating along the path toward the conference center and ballroom.

A few moments later, the employee returned, offering us a $40 credit at the Market to use during our stay, as an apology, and welcomed us to wait in the Regency Club lounge until housekeeping finished preparing our room. This solution was fine with us, so she quickly activated a key card we could use for the lounge and then personally escorted us there, giving a guided tour of the lobby and some information about the hotel along the way.

As we chatted, I also told her that any Corner Suite was fine with us, even if it wasn’t on a high floor (a preference listed in my World of Hyatt account), if that would speed up the process.

She went far above what was necessary, ensuring we found our way to the lounge, explaining to the desk attendant that we didn’t know our room number yet, and promising to send me a text message when the room was ready.

In total, we waited about 30 minutes before heading back to the reception desk to pick up our key cards for room 511.

Elite Benefits

My World of Hyatt Globalist status added several benefits during our stay. These included complimentary bottled water in our room daily, access to the Regency Club lounge — which provided complimentary breakfast and dinner, as well as snacks during the day — bonus points on spending at the hotel, and complimentary parking on stays using points or free night awards (but not on paid stays).

Additionally, we could’ve received a room upgrade, based on availability at check-in, but we had already confirmed a suite upgrade in advance with one of the awards in my account.

The hotel didn’t have a resort fee. If it had, that would’ve been waived as a benefit of my status.

Hot Tip:

Check out a first-time Globalist experience to see what Hyatt stays are like with benefits from the program’s top status tier.

Corner Suite

We stayed on the hotel’s fifth floor, and the hallway had dark blue carpet with rectangular patterns that were beautiful and subdued, not distracting. Walls and ceilings were plain.

The area around the doors to each room had a gray color that went well with the natural wood look of the doors. Each room had a subdued sign with its number.

A doorbell on the wall also had small, almost imperceptible lights that would turn red for “do not disturb” or green for “please service the room,” controlled by switches inside the room. The doorbell wouldn’t ring if “do not disturb” was activated — trust me, we tested it.

Our suite also had a second entrance, which looked similar but lacked a doorbell and a sign for the room number. Our keys could open this door, entering into the bedroom instead of the living room.

Bedroom

The bedroom in our suite was beautiful, featuring a soft color palette — though the blue-and-white wave patterns on the wall kept the room from feeling boring. The room looked and felt new, which made sense since the bedrooms here were renovated less than 2 years before our stay.

The room featured a comfortable king bed with 4 pillows, though these didn’t provide much support. Behind the bed, a headboard of brown leather and wood added a beautiful touch.

Each side of the bed had a foldout reading light, a lamp, and a black nightstand. There also were 3-prong, USB-A, and USB-C charging points. One nightstand had a phone, and the other had a clock radio with even more outlets.

At floor level, motion-activated lights provided just enough light to find the bathroom during the night.

Across from the bed, a TV hung above a dual-purpose leather bench. The bench provided a place to sit or place your luggage.

Drawers under the bench provided storage, though bending over to use these wasn’t very practical.

Near the window, we found a floor lamp and a dark gray armchair with an ottoman.

There was another chair next to a small trash can and recycling bin in the opposite corner. The minibar was next to these.

The minibar held a single-cup coffee maker, and we also found coffee supplies, disposable cups, and single-serving creamer here. This is also where we found our daily bottled water — free for Hyatt’s elite members but $5 for other guests.

Beneath the counter, there was a small safe and a minifridge.

On the side of this stand, there were additional 3-prong, USB-A, and USB-C outlets.

We weren’t crazy about the stitching on the lampshades in the room.

From the bedroom, it was possible to go straight into the hallway or turn right into the living room. The door to the living room couldn’t be locked, but the door to the hallway had the same features as the room’s main door, which led to the living room.

There was an open closet near the door to the hallway, set into a recessed space. There was a single shelf on the top, several hangers, an ironing board, and a bench below that could hold shoes or a small suitcase. There also was an iron on the bench.

Bathroom

Next to the closet, the bedroom had a full bathroom that had patterned marble on the floor and the walls of the shower. While compact, the bathroom maximized the layout to fit in everything possible.

Looking left from the door, there was a sink with a lot of counter space. Behind it was a backlit mirror. The counter held a pair of drinking glasses, soap, washcloths, a box of tissues, and a closeup mirror. A tray on the counter held individually wrapped amenities like a shower cap, cotton swabs, cotton balls, and a shoe mitt.

The glass-encased shower was spacious. It had an overhead and a handheld showerhead, and pressure was good.

Living Room

The main door (the one showing the room number) opened into the suite’s living room. Here, there was ample seating and a foldout bed, among other amenities.

The center of the room had an area rug and round tables. On one side of the rug, there was a sofa. Across from it, there was a TV and an entertainment center on the wall. Shelves of the entertainment center held several sculptures.

Wooden shelving separated 2 cabinets in the entertainment center’s lower portion, with one containing a minifridge.

The other had more shelves.

There was a digital thermostat on the wall, but it had issues. The living room was consistently hotter than we wanted, and we had to call maintenance to come fix it.

The sofa had a foldout bed. I’ll give a 6 out of 10 on comfort compared to other foldout beds I’ve slept on. Oddly, there were no sheets for this bed, and we had to call housekeeping. This was odd since the reservation listed 3 adults, so staff should’ve known we’d use this.

A floor lamp next to the sofa had a small table attached, and there was a built-in wireless charging point.

Next to the door to the hallway, there was a small leather bench (no storage under this one, unlike the bedroom) and a chair flanking an oval-shaped wooden table. There was an open closet nearby with a handful of hangers. We also found 2 pairs of fluffy slippers here.

The side of the bench revealed yet more outlets of multiple types.

Sliding glass doors off the living room led to a small, triangular balcony with a small table and a pair of wicker chairs.

From here, we had views over the hotel’s main entrance.

Additional Bathroom

There was a second full bathroom off the living room. It featured the same wallpaper and marble as the other bathroom.

This bathroom had the same counter, sink, and amenities. Each bathroom had a shelf under the sink, holding towels, a rubber mat for the shower, and extra toilet paper.

While the other shower had a walk-in shower with a glass door, this bathroom had a shower-tub combo with a plastic shower curtain. Both showers had pump bottles of Pharmacopia products on the wall.

Amenities

Pool

The pool was the last part of the hotel to reopen, welcoming guests in April 2024. The pool complex felt more like a resort than a hotel surrounded by banks and office buildings in a city.

There was also a hot tub. Both the hot tub and the pool had an access lift, though the pool also had a walk-in ramp for easy access.

The hotel also had a pair of waterslides that splashed into a separate pool, and there was a lifeguard here.

The pool area had ample seating, with plenty of lounge chairs flanking each side of the main pool. There were also several shade umbrellas.

Several day beds with cushions were also around the pool, and a massive outdoor screen measuring 24 feet by 17 feet at the far end of the pool deck showed varied programming, including local sports.

The pool deck had gendered bathrooms, and we found a towel machine next to these. Tapping your key card opened the door, and the machine could detect how many towels you took out. Once you returned them, the machine would erase the charge from your account. Guest who didn’t return their towels within 24 hours were charged for them.

There were drinking fountains and a pair of outdoor showers in the corner, past the pool bar.

The pool area was popular during the day, but it was mostly empty at night, creating a quiet, relaxing space in the evenings.

Various types of cabanas were available to rent around the perimeter of the pool deck, some with dining tables and others with seating around a fire pit.

Other cabanas closer to the access gate had daybeds. The price to rent a cabana varied by type and location.

Though the pool was open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. nightly, the slide (and accompanying lifeguard) were open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays).

Hot Tip:

You can book a day pass to the pool or reserve a cabana online through ResortPass, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. Hotel guests get complimentary use of the pool and can reserve cabanas at a slightly cheaper price.

Elevators

The hotel had a bank of 4 elevators behind the fireplace in the lobby. The waiting area on the ground level had marble flooring, but there was carpet on guest floors.

There were 2 types of elevators. Those on the hotel’s interior had 2 steel walls and a beige rear wall.

Elevators on the front side had a glass wall that provided views to the outside.

We found it odd that some elevators allowed us to push any button we liked while others required tapping a key card to access guest floors.

Internet

Wi-Fi was available at no charge for guests, and it was fantastic. The average speed in our room was close to 140 Mbps.

Fitness Center

The 24-hour-a-day fitness center was on the second floor. Access required tapping your key card.

The gym had a long, skinny layout. Cardio machines were along windows that overlooked the hotel’s main entrance. On the other side, free weights, benches, multifunctional machines, and mirrors lined the walls.

The back of the gym had towels, a water cooler, a scale, and a bathroom.

Working Spaces

The ground floor had a great area between the lobby and the Regency Club lounge that provided an ideal space for a small meeting. This coworking-esque area also provided a spot to get out of the room and get work done.

This long table had numerous outlets and wireless charging points, and it was surrounded by multiple plush chairs.

Nearby, a desk had a pair of computers and a printer for guest use.

Multiple private spaces with glass doors nearby offered a great spot to answer a phone call or conduct a virtual meeting without disturbing others.

Several nooks in the wall at the far end of this seating area created a semiprivate space for those who wanted to stay focused but didn’t need a private room.

Meeting and Event Spaces

The Hyatt Regency Irvine had 8 different event spaces. The main area was past the lobby, turning left toward a foyer outside several multipurpose rooms. The hotel says its Regency Ballroom is one of the largest ballrooms in the region, covering more than 14,000 square feet and holding up to 2,100 guests.

The hotel had over 56,000 square feet of meeting and event space in total, and the foyer outside several rooms had seating to relax during breaks between speakers, plus a social area further along.

There was also an outdoor space off the conference area, including wicker furniture with cushions, heat lamps, and firepits.

The hotel also had a theater, plus smaller meeting and conference rooms, including breakout rooms like the Turtle Rock rooms on the second floor.

Want to have an outdoor event? No problem. The hotel offers the Lawn, which covers 14,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.

There was additional outdoor seating nearby, leading toward the rear portion of the conference center.

Parking

The hotel offered valet parking at $47 per day and self-parking for $41 per day.

If you chose valet, it was possible to text a number on the claim ticket with the code for your car at the bottom of the ticket. The staff could respond with an estimated time for when your car would be ready at the front entrance.

Ice and Water Machines

The hallway on each floor with guest rooms had both ice and purified water machines.

ATM

There was an ATM near the elevators on the ground floor.

Pets

Guests can bring dogs to the hotel, with a maximum of 2 dogs per room with a combined maximum weight of 75 pounds — but not more than 50 pounds for any dog. Pets aren’t allowed in the pool, gym, or restaurant areas, and there’s a $100 cleaning fee on stays up to 6 nights. For stays of 7 to 30 nights, there’s an additional $100 cleaning fee for having a pet in your room.

Food and Beverages

Warehouse 72

Warehouse 72 was the hotel’s sole full-service restaurant on the ground floor near the Regency Club lounge. The restaurant was open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The restaurant had a full-service bar and unique decorations, including an entire digital wall that displayed art.

The menu at Warehouse 72 focused on seafood and grilled meats, though other dishes included salads, charcuterie, and even shrimp tacos.

Across the hallway, there was a private dining room that guests could reserve for special events or large groups.

Warehouse 72 also extended outdoors, toward the pool area, and the main hallway from the reception desk toward the pool deck passed along both parts of the restaurant.

Glass doors at the bar opened up (weather permitting) to create an indoor-outdoor bar setting, and several sofas nearby provided more seating.

Along with an enclosed patio that held tables and chairs like you’d expect at a restaurant, other seating nearby was more casual, such as wicker chairs around a firepit.

Regency Club Lounge

This may be the best in-hotel lounge I’ve ever visited. The hotel’s Regency Club was on the ground floor, found near the Warehouse 72 restaurant. Only those in Club Access rooms, suites, or with Globalist status had access to the lounge.

Tapping a key card at the entrance unlocked the door for those who had access, and the lounge was open until 9 p.m. daily. On weekdays, it opened at 6:30, while it opened at 7 a.m. on weekends.

The lounge offered breakfast until 9:30 a.m. on weekdays but served breakfast until 10 a.m. on weekends. From breakfast until dinner time, the lounge only offered light snacks and drinks. Dinner was served 5 to 8 p.m. daily, and then from 8 to 9 p.m. offered just dessert.

Staff in the lounge excelled at service, always offering a friendly smile as they welcomed us and asked for our room number at the desk just inside the entrance. Several tables with chairs were available near the front desk.

More comfortable seating was available to the left, offering sofas, armchairs, and semicircular booths with round tables. The warm color palette in the lounge made it feel very sophisticated.

The best part of the lounge was the outdoor patio, enclosed by a fence and only accessible by a glass door inside the Regency Club. Here, there were wicker chairs, cushioned sofas, and shade umbrellas. There also were tables at some seats, while others encircled a firepit. This was a great place to wrap up the evening.

Dinner options rotated daily, always including several hot plates. Dinners included prime rib, Taco Tuesday, and an Asian theme on another evening — including the stir-fried noodles and teriyaki shrimp pictured below. (My mom said this teriyaki salmon was amazing and went back for seconds.)

Dinner also offered lighter fare, such as pita bread and hummus, plus fresh and grilled vegetables.

Cold cuts were a recurring item at dinner.

Throughout the day, signs noted allergens and clearly labeled buffet foods.

During breakfast, there were hot dishes like scrambled eggs, pancakes, and sausages. There also were multiple pastries.

A bread station offered several types of bread and bagels, along with individual jars of jelly and honey. There also was a toaster here, and a fridge underneath held various types of milk.

Drinks were available in the lounge whenever it was open. That included a fridge with Coca-Cola products and bottled water, as well as hot tea and an espresso machine. There also was a machine nearby with heated almond milk — something I’d not seen before — but the only flavored syrup available for coffee was mint.

Guests who wanted alcohol could purchase a ticket from the desk and then scan the QR code on their receipt to unlock the taps for various beers and wines. A price list was available nearby.

The light snack portion of day was very … light, offering a few cookies, white chocolate-covered pretzels, and trail mix.

The Market

When the desk agent mentioned the Market at check-in, I visualized some bottled drinks and a rack of chips. I massively underestimated this impressive space. The Market was on the ground floor next to Warehouse 72, open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Guests could order lattes, sandwiches, smoothies, personal pizzas, and much more.

A full 8 refrigerators offered numerous types of drinks: beer, wine, sodas, energy drinks, and teas. There was also ice cream, cups of yogurt, and much more.

This shop also sold chips, beef jerky, candies, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, and even cotton candy.

Several sets of tables and chairs, along with seating in the working space across the hallway, provided ample seating.

Pool Bar

A window opened to create a pool bar near the restrooms, though the bar’s hours appeared inconsistent during our stay, making it difficult to understand service hours. Guests could order drinks at the window or at their seats near the pool.

Service

Service was fantastic during our stay.

We found it odd that our room wasn’t ready at 4 p.m., but the check-in staff went above expectations to create a warm welcome, escorting us to the lounge and providing the $40 credit at The Market as an apology.

Housekeeping staff were friendly and efficient throughout our stay, keeping the room tidy and stocked.

When we called about the heat in the living room, maintenance staff arrived within 5 minutes. The employee who performed the work was friendly and efficient, quickly resolving the issue before telling us to please call if the temperature didn’t improve to our satisfaction.

We also liked the valet staff, who were always friendly and efficient.

Then there were the employees in the Regency Club. They were awesome. They greeted us with warm smiles on every visit. They quickly cleared dirty dishes from guests’ tables, kept the buffet stocked, and kept the lounge clean. They cracked jokes with us when they saw us getting a second helping of certain dishes on the buffet.

When it was time to check out, we encountered the same desk agent and the same employee at the valet stand as we’d met when we checked in 3 days prior. Both of them remembered our names — to be fair, Smith is pretty common, but I’m sure they saw hundreds of people in the interim — and gave warm smiles while asking about our stay, offering assistance, and wishing us a pleasant journey.

Final Thoughts

Checkout was smooth and quick, and we drove away raving about this hotel and its staff. The designs and decorations were beautiful, the amenities were plentiful and high-quality, and the employees we met were top-notch.

I could easily recommend Hyatt Regency Irvine to anyone looking for a great stay in the area. Those with access to the lounge will get incredible value.