Kissel Uptown Oakland, Part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt [In-Depth Review]

If I told you that we severely disliked the front desk staff of a hotel and had to change rooms because of the noise, you might think the hotel review would be overwhelmingly negative. However, my wife and I — to our surprise — had a mostly positive experience during the 2 nights we spent at the Kissel Uptown Oakland, which is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.

The hotel’s location was excellent, staff members outside the front desk were great, and our stay greatly improved after our first few hours at the hotel. After a (very) rocky start, we found this to be a good hotel and were happy with our choice for a last-minute booking using free night awards.

Let’s look at how the bad first impressions turned into a good stay in early July 2024.

Booking Kissel Uptown Oakland

The Kissel Uptown Oakland is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, meaning it participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As it’s a Category 4 property, rooms were available for 15,000 points per night during our 2-night stay. Instead, we booked using a free night award from my account and another from my wife’s account.

Room rates started at $164 (including the $15 destination fee), climbing to nearly $187 after taxes. Saving $187 by using 15,000 points provides a redemption value of 1.25 cents per Hyatt point — lower than our average value of Hyatt points of 1.5 cents per point.

Even still, we were happy to save $187 per night when we changed our plans on short notice, adding 2 nights in the Bay Area to catch the Brazil-Colombia game for Copa America after landing in San Francisco (SFO) on the way home from our trip to China.

Recommended Credit Card To Book With

Looking to get points or free night awards with World of Hyatt? The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers a Category 1-4 free night award each year you hold the card, and you can earn another Category 1-4 free night award by spending $15,000 on the card annually. You also earn points from everyday spending on the card.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 5 free nights at any Category 1 - 4 Hyatt hotel or resort after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.* These nights could be worth up to 90,000 points.

5 Free Nights

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes your Hyatt stays more rewarding and helps you get coveted World of Hyatt elite status faster. This card is a must-have for any traveler who regularly stays at Hyatt hotels, or even for anyone who’s able to take advantage of the card’s annual free night certificate.

When you factor in all the benefits the World of Hyatt card offers, it’s easy to see why it is one of the best co-branded hotel credit cards on the market.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• 2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships
• 1x point per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 5 free nights at any Category 1 - 4 Hyatt hotel or resort after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.* These nights could be worth up to 90,000 points.
• Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
• Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
• Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
• Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
• Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
• Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

World of Hyatt

Location of Kissel Uptown Oakland

The Kissel Uptown Oakland is in Oakland’s Northgate neighborhood, surrounded by shops, fitness centers, cafés, bars, and restaurants. It also was convenient for highway access with our rental car when we set off for the game on the second night of our stay.

Checking In

We arrived … and then we circled the block to come back. The Kissel Uptown Oakland didn’t have its own parking lane and had just 1 car’s worth of a loading and unloading zone for valet service. When we arrived, that spot was full, there was traffic behind us, and we had to circle the block to find a spot to pull over with our rental car.

After handing our keys to the valet driver and getting a claim ticket, we got an explanation about the text message service for requesting our car (more on that below) and headed into the spacious, 2-floor lobby, which felt bright and welcoming. That was a stark contrast to the woman at the front desk, who we immediately disliked.

She was dry, awkward, and sarcastic when greeting us. She spoke down to us in a way I wanted to chastise her for, but we decided to just let it go so we could end the check-in process sooner.

After confirming our stay details, we heard about the locations of the gym, restaurant, and our room. We also glanced around the lobby to notice the seating area in the corner and an ATM nearby.

There also was a model car near a snacks and drinks stand.

Elite Benefits

I hold Hyatt’s top status and enjoyed several elite benefits from my Globalist status. Moreover, to ensure those benefits lasted throughout our stay, I gifted a Guest of Honor award to my wife, which gave her Globalist benefits on the night booked in her name.

Thus, we enjoyed top-tier benefits during our stay, including free parking (only available on redemption stays, not paid stays), free breakfast in the morning, and waived destination fees on redemption and paid stays for Globalists (but only on award stays for non-Globalists).

Hot Tip:

Globalists also earn 1 elite night credit in their account when they gift someone a Guest of Honor award and that person uses it on an upcoming stay.

We also were given our choice of room. Though there weren’t any suites available, we could choose a standard room on a high floor or a room with a balcony on a lower floor. We chose the balcony room (though we wound up changing to the standard room; more on that in a minute).

Urban Terrace King Room

At first, we had opted for the Urban Terrace King room. These rooms were on the third floor. The only real difference in this room was its outdoor terrace.

These rooms had a glass door leading to the outdoor terrace.

We had a terrace facing the exterior, looking over nearby homes and businesses.

However, some terraces faced the interior of the property, with trees and bushes providing privacy from those on the opposite terraces and wooden fences to provide privacy between each balcony.

Each terrace had a pair of chairs with cushions, as well as a small coffee table and an orange side table that could hold a drink or hold the door open.

An hour after arriving in our room, I went to the front desk to ask about changing rooms. The people above us were creating unbearable noise — something that sounded like people constantly rearranging the furniture. I once made the mistake of complaining about guests near me in a hotel, and they decided to create more noise in response. Now, we just ask to change rooms if there’s an issue.

But the issue extended beyond the room above us, as our room was next to the High 5ive Rooftop Bar — an outdoor terrace bar that’s not technically part of the hotel — and it was occupied by a group party. Oddly, the staff door to this area was propped open, so the loud DJ music was flowing into the hallway and under the crack in our door.

This reaffirmed our decision to move, and we exchanged our third-floor balcony room for a top-floor room without a balcony — and without anyone above us.

Uptown King Room

About an hour after checking in, we moved to the top floor (seventh) from the third floor, giving up our balcony in exchange for peace and quiet. Guest floor hallways were the same across the hotel, showcasing black-and-white plants on the wallpaper and dark green carpet.

Each hallway had an ice and water machine, as well.

We stayed in room 7709 on the hotel’s top floor. This was an Uptown King room — a step up from the standard Urban King room. Doors to all rooms were a deep jungle green.

The combination of earth tones and natural light made the room feel larger than it was. The entire outside wall had windows with a loveseat in front of the window. The comfortable king-size bed in the center of the room had soft sheets and 4 pillows that provided modest support.

Both sides of the bed’s base had motion-activated nightlights.

Each side of the bed had an interesting nightstand. They were open and semicircular, with multiple outlets along the lower shelves, convenient for charging our devices. The nightstand on the left side of the bed also held a clock radio.

On the wall near the bathroom, we also had an easy-to-use digital thermostat.

Across from the bed was a small table and a folding luggage rack under a TV on the wall.

To the left of the TV, near the closet, was a small minibar on top of a wicker-front cabinet. Here, we found a Nespresso machine and pods, mugs, an ice bucket, and drinking glasses.

This is where we found refillable water bottles that we could keep.

Inside the cabinet was an empty minifridge.

Next to the bed, along the bathroom wall, was a black desk with a very firm chair. On top of the desk, we had a notepad, a lamp, and a menu for in-room dining.

Bathroom

Near the room’s entrance was a sliding door to the bathroom.

The open layout in the bathroom maximized space in what was an otherwise compact area.

The small sink avoided eating up the small counter space, which held a makeup mirror. That was in addition to a large mirror on the wall. The counter also had a tray in the corner with makeup wipes and makeup towels.

Pump bottles of lotion and soap were on the wall next to the sink, despite the fact that a bar of soap was also on the counter.

The sink sat on top of a wooden stand, and a shelf with slats at ankle level held towels, a bathmat, a spare roll of toilet paper, and a hair dryer.

The shower had gray stone tiles and no door. It had a standard showerhead, not a rainfall type.

There was a small step up into the shower, so watch your toes.

Pump bottles of Essentiel Elements shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner were mounted on the shower wall and had a nice woodsy scent.

On the other side of the bathroom was a toilet and a bar for hanging towels.

Closet

Across from the bathroom was a full-length mirror next to a freestanding wicker closet.

The closet was skinny yet deep, and we found a handful of hangers, and umbrella, and a pair of robes inside.

The closet’s top shelf had a bag with extra bedding.

A shelf at the bottom of the closet had a safe and a bag with a steamer inside.

View

Views from our room weren’t anything special. We could see nearby buildings and a parking garage.

Amenities

Outdoor Area

The hotel had an interior space on the third floor, lined with fake grass and open to the sky above.

Along with numerous wooden recliner chairs, this space also had padded, circular loungers with pop-up covers to keep the sun at bay.

There also was a small book exchange cabinet here.

Fitness Center

The third floor had a small fitness center available 24 hours a day for hotel guests. The gym had several types of cardio equipment.

It also had multifunctional weight machines, a scale, and stands for doing bodyweight exercises.

Internet

The hotel had Wi-Fi available throughout the property. Connections were reliable, and we got average download speeds of 60 Mbps.

Elevators

The hotel had a bank of 2 elevators behind the reception desk, which were accessed through a small hallway on the left of the check-in area. The waiting area had an interesting wood pattern on the walls.

Across from the elevators was also a patterned, mirrored wall with a slight funhouse effect.

On guest floors, waiting areas had carpet and wallpaper, plus dark green paint near the elevators themselves. Trash and recycling bins were nearby.

Guest floors also had leather chairs near the elevators — not that we found these necessary, as the elevators tended to arrive quickly.

Inside the elevators, the bottom half had a natural wood look. The upper half had the same wallpaper as the hallways on guest floors. Elevators held half a dozen adults comfortably.

Valet

The Kissel Uptown Oakland didn’t offer self-parking; valet was the only option. The cost was $10 per hour or $52 overnight. There was a $20 surcharge for oversized vehicles.

We appreciated that we could request our car by text messaging the number on the claim ticket with the claim number at the top of the ticket. The valet team would reply acknowledging the request, including an estimated wait time until our car was ready.

Meeting Rooms

One floor above the lobby, with an open foyer over reception, had a large outer area with seating in front of several conference rooms that could be combined for 3,150 square feet of event space.

On the third floor, several spaces — such as a bar area or outdoor terrace — could hold up to 160 guests each, depending on the setup.

Printing

Near the front door, the lobby had a wireless printer for guests to use. There was no charge for this service.

Food and Beverage

Otto’s Uptown Kitchen

Otto’s Uptown Kitchen is the main restaurant, located on the ground level on the other side of the elevators from the reception desk.

Otto’s served breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. daily, but the restaurant was open for lunch and dinner as well, closing at 10 p.m. most nights but remaining open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Each morning, we found a sign at the entrance when arriving for breakfast, telling us to go to the bar to order before taking a seat.

Each morning, the bar was staffed by 2 friendly employees. They took turns taking orders, making drinks, and bringing food from the kitchen to guest tables.

We were surprised by the numerous types of seats available within the restaurant.

For example, there were leather stools along this high-top table, with a C-shaped alcove beyond that held shorter chairs with knee-high tables.

Along the window was a U-shaped booth, but chairs nearby had black-and-white geometric patterns.

Along with the distinctive rug, several of the tables had quirky designs that matched the curious decision to set the tables for 3 people.

Otto’s Uptown Kitchen provided our complimentary breakfast each morning. Along with a full espresso bar, there were soft drinks, juices, and smoothies. Foods on offer included breakfast burritos, pastries, yogurt, oats, eggs, chicken and waffles, and more.

On the first morning, we tried the morning bowl with a few customizations to make it vegan. It was incredibly filling.

The next morning, since we typically eat a light breakfast, we got something else. I got the avocado toast, which could’ve had fewer onions but was overall good.

My wife got the overnight oats. This dish came with a lot of fruits and shredded coconut. I was jealous of her order, so we switched plates halfway through breakfast.

In-Room Dining

Room service was available during Otto’s operating hours. A QR code on the desk led to the menu, but you had to call to place an order.

Service

As mentioned, we didn’t care much for the front desk staff at this hotel. First, the woman checking us in was robotic and not what I’d consider friendly.

When I went to the front desk to inquire about a room change, the staff insisted that they would go talk to the people in the room above us, telling them to quiet down. In response, I insisted that we didn’t want to create tension and just wanted to move to another room. After all, we hadn’t used the toilet or slept in the beds yet, so the change shouldn’t have created any extra work for housekeeping. Additionally, our biggest concern was that the noise would go away temporarily, only to return when we were trying to sleep. Despite this, staff radioed to security, telling someone to go order the people in the room above us to quiet down. This person later came to tell us there was nothing out of the ordinary in that room — as if we were making it up.

All of this together didn’t create a good first impression. Moreover, housekeeping regularly took over the hallways with their carts. We found this scene multiple times during our stay, blocking us from getting to and from our room down the hallway.

We also got the impression that guests (or housekeeping) shoved these carts around quite often, because the corners of the walls and areas near the doors had multiple scuff marks.

That said, the restaurant and valet staff were absolutely fantastic. Maybe they could train the housekeeping and front desk staff to be friendlier.

Staff at breakfast hit that perfect balance of cheer without overdoing it on guests who hadn’t had their morning coffee yet. We never waited long for our food, and restaurant employees checked on us proactively to see if we needed things like hot sauce or another iced latte.

Valet staff have a rather thankless job, but these employees were positive and efficient during our stay. They replied to our text messages requesting the car in a timely manner and never left us waiting. They also kept change on hand to make tipping easy.

Final Thoughts

At checkout, I asked to review our bill before it was finalized. I was glad I did, because there were charges for parking, despite this being an included benefit for Globalists on award stays. The employee gave us a lengthy explanation of why this happens sometimes — something I wish she would’ve skipped to simply say, “Let me fix it.” I doubt I’m alone in not wanting to know the intricacies of the hotel’s computer quirks; I just wanted her to correct the bill so we could go catch a flight.

The Kissel Uptown Oakland had multiple positives. We liked everything about the breakfast experience and thought the hotel’s location was great and our room was nice. The front desk and housekeeping staff could be better, but they weren’t bad enough to rate this as a negative hotel stay. However, it was a “could be better” experience for sure.

Once the bill was corrected, we handed over our key cards, removed the valet sign from our car, and headed off to the airport with 1 last positive experience from the valet team.