I visited Hyatt Newport Beach to meet friends who ...

I visited Hyatt Newport Beach to meet friends who were staying at the hotel overnight. The entry and grounds seemed nice and elegant as I drove in, and it had the feel of an upscale and vacation type of resort. While inside the grounds of the property, I could easily forget I was in California and may have been easily persuaded that I was at a Hawaiian resort. There appeared to be alot of activities for kids including a giant chess board,and the pool itself had a waterside. I met my friends at the pool and there were quite a few families who all seemed to be enjoying themselves. There was a cook station set up near the pool with burgers, hot dogs, and beer; however since I arrived later in the afternoon it was shutting down and the pool food and bar service had also closed. I hiked back up 2 small sets of stairs back to the lobby bar and ordered my friend a virgin lava flow. It was nothing spectacular, just an ordinary pool drink. Upon closer inspection of the grounds, the appearance of the buildings and rooms did appear a bit dated. I did not stay overnight so I cannot speak to the interiors, but the glam and resort type of feel was lost a bit after I noticed the age of the property. A BIG 0lus was that valet was only $6 for an hour with validation from the lobby bar. In all, a so so property... but it looked great for families with younger children.