Family Fun and Savory Delights at the Luxurious Hyatt Regency Irvine

December 13, 2024

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It’s always exciting to discover a new hotel destination, especially when it is full of pleasant surprises, and is an easy drive from Los Angeles. Such is the case with the Hyatt Regency Irvine, a newly-remodeled luxury hotel, with great location, modern rooms, a gourmet restaurant, an incredible pool area, and much, much more.

My getaway to the Hyatt Regency Irvine (www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/en-US/snari-hyatt-regency-irvine) began when the family and I checked into a luxurious and fun, Bunk Bed Suite on the 14th floor, overlooking the expansive hotel property and the Irvine skyline.

Perfect for families, the approximately 850-square-foot suite featured a bedroom for the kids with a bunk bed, including a queen mattress and a full mattress. The room also offered a sleeper sofa, large TV, mini-fridge, bathroom, and views of the pool. Needless to say the kids loved this room. It was there own little hideaway.

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The front room of the suite boasted a big king bed for the grown-ups, a comfortable seating area, large TV, fridge, coffee maker, another full bathroom, and a huge balcony with dining table and seating overlooking the city. Needless to say we adults loved this area, especially when the kids were in their room playing.

Beyond the suite, we found happiness at the pool area, where a giant LED TV screen, two twisting water slides, a Jacuzzi, an outdoor pool bar with a full menu; and cabanas surround an oasis in the sun. This was our favorite spot to relax, play and watch a colorful loop of landscape videos on the mammoth TV screen. We also liked that the pool area has a gentle, beach-like slope to enter, making it perfect for toddlers and their parents.

During our stay, we rented a poolside cabana for the day that came with a fridge, TV, couches, and lots of shade and privacy. The cabana was so comfy we had lunch inside it. We went to the hotel’s Market cafe and brought back delicious spicy Korean BBQ beef tacos, with cabbage slaw, sesame seed, cilantro, and salsa; and a chicken pesto panini with sun-dried tomato, pesto mayo and provolone cheese. The kids had chicken tenders and hamburger sliders.

After lunch we took a short drive to Irvine’s Great Park (www.cityofirvine.org/great-park), a massive, 1,300-acre park, with a big, orange, hot air balloon hovering 400 ft above the city, and a bunch of cool free things to do. Located on the former site of the El Toro Marine Base, the Great Park is said to be the first great metropolitan park of the 21st Century and measures nearly twice the size of New York’s Central Park.

The park has play areas for kids with lots of things to climb and hide around, as well as sports fields, walking paths, art galleries, an air museum, a visitor’s center, and a unique Farm + Food Lab that features a hands-on outdoor agricultural classroom. The park also features an old-fashioned horse Carousel and the aforementioned balloon that are both ready to ride each weekend.

Back at the Hyatt Hotel, we prepared for a magical dinner at Warehouse 72 (www.irvine.warehouse72.com), the hotel’s signature dining spot.

Created by Orange County-based restaurateur Doug Pak, the restaurant is a feast for the eyes and palate. Upon entering, diners are treated to high-definition, moving pictures covering entire walls. Video scenes range from serene boats in harbors to sunsets over the ocean, to Roman statues and swirling color. The images are breathtaking, but the food is even better.

Led by Executive Chef Jaime Salazar, and operated by industry veteran Brendan McManus, the restaurant encourages guests to savor the “essence of Orange County through a food and cocktail menu that harmonizes innovation with traditional favorites.”

Our meal at Warehouse 72 began with a fresh salad with red and golden beets, whipped goat cheese, arugula, walnuts, balsamic reduction; and charred spanish octopus, with crispy marble potatoes, chorizo and salsa verde.

For the main course we devoured pork belly kimchi fried rice, with crispy pork belly, fried rice, kimchi, gochujang and green onions. This was the best kimchi rice I’ve ever had. With the rice we split a large, delicious rib eye steak, with tiny potatoes. The kids enjoyed chicken nuggets, fries and mac and cheese. For dessert, we split frozen s’mores, with graham cracker crust, chocolate ice cream and marshmallow that was torched tableside; and Butterscotch Budino, butterscotch custard, caramel, dark chocolate pearls and crème chantilly.

After dinner, the kids built a fort in their bunk bed room and we adults relaxed on the balcony of our 14th floor suite, admiring the beautiful lights of Irvine.

The next morning we had breakfast at the Market Cafe and then I toured the property. Coming off a $55 million property-wide transformation, Hyatt Regency Irvine is the largest full-service and ultra-refined hospitality experience in the Irvine area. The hotel’s 516 newly renovated rooms and suites feature thoughtfully modern interior design, crafted furnishings and hardware, unique artwork and light fixtures, and curated layouts to fit various lifestyles.

Besides the pool and Market Cafe, the hotel boasts a state-of-the-art, 24-hour fitness center; 56,000 sq-ft of conference rooms and event spaces; and great location. The hotel is just two miles from John Wayne Airport and a short drive from major attractions like Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, South Coast Plaza, and Southern California beaches.