5 Reasons for an Ann Arbor Staycation

Last weekend the new Hyatt Place Ann Arbor hosted our family for a Staycation. All opinions are our own.

There are plenty of reasons to take an Ann Arbor Staycation. Plus, staying in a hotel is always a treat for the kids.

5 Reasons to take an Ann Arbor Staycation

1 – Get a Break When Schedules Don’t Allow a Vacation

So many times we have been unable to take a vacation during a school break because of other commitments. From job schedules to school schedules to sports, often our vacation times do not line up. With a staycation, we can enjoy a break while still making our commitments. For example, on our Friday night staycation, my husband got held up at work. Rather than sitting home waiting for him to finish, my daughter and I were able to relax and enjoy the hotel amenities – like Harry Potter on TV.

2 – Take Time to Enjoy Local Events & Activities

Too often we get caught up in our everyday lives and miss great events or activities around town. Don’t forget to check our Events Calendar for great events during your Staycation. Or maybe it’s a good time to check out one or more of our Top Ann Arbor Museums.

3 – Enjoy Hotel Amenities

My daughter loves staying at a hotel. By far, her favorite part of a hotel is swimming in the pool. Hotels also offer free wifi, breakfasts, fitness centers, and more.

4 – Take a Break From Household Chores

Our weekends tend to be busy with daily life – grocery shopping, laundry, yard work, house cleaning. During a staycation, I don’t feel pressured to handle these activities.

5 – No Meal Preparation!

I love not having to cook on vacation! From free breakfasts at the hotel to dining out from meals, I love not having to cook or clean up after the meals.

Why to Spend your Staycation at Hyatt Place Ann Arbor

Once you’ve decided on a staycation, the next question is where to stay. They Hyatt Place Ann Arbor is a great choice.

Large Rooms

The Hyatt Place Ann Arbor offers large rooms that are perfect for families. Our room had two King Sized beds plus a sofa bed and a desk. It was quite the treat for my daughter to have a king sized bed all to herself!

I liked that the sofa was separated from the sleeping area by a small screen. It was just enough to shield my daughter from the light of my computer screen when I was typing after she went to bed. I also preferred having a sofa to work on to working on the bed or desk.

I also loved that the windows had shades instead of curtains. It gave the room a more modern look, and they were a lot easier to close. Too often we end up with light coming through the center of the curtains in the morning.

Free Breakfast & Free Wi-Fi

I always look for a hotel that has free breakfast and free Wi-Fi. Hyatt Place Ann Arbor offers both. Their breakfast buffet is a step above what we’ve had at some hotels.

I visited the Breakfast at 7a while my husband and daughter ate at 9a.

We all had plenty of fresh food options and ample seating.

The eggs were much better than I’ve had at many buffets.

The Wi-Fi at Hyatt Place Ann Arbor is FREE for unlimited devices. I definitely appreciate that they didn’t have a limit to the number of devices per room. This meant we did not have to worry about which devices we connected.

Pool & Other Amenities

The pool isn’t large, but it was perfect for her to practice her flip turns and streamlining. She also enjoyed doing some hand stands.

As a parent, I appreciated the chairs in the pool area. It was definitely one of the more comfortable chairs I’ve sat in to watch my daughter swim.

The fitness center is also very nice if you have time to squeeze in a workout. Plus, there is a great sitting area outside.

Lobby

The Hyatt Place Lobby offers great gathering areas. There are comfortable sofas throughout – accented with Michigan and Ann Arbor themed pillows.

I also loved the wall display that included local photos.

There’s a bar (which also serves kid-friendly hot chocolate and cookies). Desserts, including a lava cake, can be purchased at the market behind the reception desk and reheated at the bar.

But, my favorite area of the lobby was the library nook. There are several reading sofas tucked in among bookshelves of old books.

Location

Hyatt Place Ann Arbor is across State St from Briarwood Mall. It is convenient to get to many Ann Arbor activities. Plus, with the proximity to I-94 it is easy to explore nearby Ypsilanti attractions.

For dinner, we decided to go to dinner at Briarwood Mall. We treated ourselves to dinner at PF Changs.

Things to Improve

My only complaint with the hotel was the bathroom door. The sliding door has a translucent panel in it. It offered plenty of privacy, but let a significant amount of light into an otherwise dark room. I actually used the bathroom by cell phone flashlight when I woke up in the middle of the night to minimize the disturbance to my family.

It would be great if there was a convenient way to walk to Briarwood Mall. The nearest crosswalk is at Eisenhower and State Street and there are not great sidewalks for walking around the mall area.