I stayed at the new Grand Hyatt at SFO and made it from hotel to gate in 13 minutes - here's why the only on-airport hotel in San Francisco is worth the cost

Whether you arrive by car or AirTrain, your first look at the hotel will be a colorful one.

I couldn't help but smile when I saw the rainbow of stained glass near the AirTrain station. Steps from the valet was a wall-sized map made of hand-cut glass and stone mosaic, which highlighted Bay Area park space. It was developed in collaboration with the San Francisco Arts Commission, and the public art program at the Grand Hyatt at SFO features 16 works created by internationally recognized artists.

The front desk was equally unique and pulled inspiration from pilot wings. It's located on the 4th floor with windows that stretch almost from floor to ceiling to provide views of the airport's International Terminal. I appreciated how it filled the open lobby space with a significant amount of natural light.

When I arrived at nearly 4 p.m., there were plenty of staff waiting and no line at the front desk, which felt like a welcome surprise given the airport location. Check-in was quick and efficient and I was soon walking past another wall of windows behind the front desk, which stretched for the entire length of the lobby area. It made for a scenic, but still short walk to the elevators, complemented by a fireplace flanked by cushy chairs. It struck me as a popular spot for plane spotting.

As with any airport hotel, I always worry about potential noise, but thanks to thick soundproofed windows, the room was amazingly quiet.

It was clearly designed with the needs of modern-day travelers in mind, as I noticed electric outlets were plentiful and easy to access throughout the room. I counted 10 USB ports, plus a wireless charger, which made it simple for my family of four to charge all our electronics without any jockeying for power.

Room decor is similar throughout all of the property's accommodations and our room was no exception with a blue-gray color scheme. Our room felt sleek with a calming feel. This is good for any anxious travelers.

Our beds were comfortable and European-styled with soft white linens but no top sheet. The padded headboards had built-in reading lamps, and under-bed lighting illuminated automatically. This seemed clever until someone gets up in the middle of the night.

I was surprised by how spacious the spa-like bathroom was. There was plenty of vanity space for my party of four and even a deep soaking tub, more commonly associated with luxury properties ⁠— not airport hotels.

Though, with the shower, tub, sink, and toilet all in one room, it made it next to impossible for two people to use the space at the same time with any amount of privacy.

While our odd-numbered room lacked a runway view, we were still able to watch planes make their initial climb after takeoff from the comfort of our beds. Plus, with amenities like a deep-soaking tub, walk-in shower, plush towels, Nespresso Machine, electric tea kettle, and refrigerator, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.

Rooms at Grand Hyatt at SFO start at $209 for a room with a king or two queen beds, and the strong value is obvious when you experience how quickly you can roll out of bed and get to the terminal.

After checking out, it took me exactly 13 minutes to travel to Terminal 3 and clear security with TSA Precheck. When you factor in the value of your time, the starting price of $209 really is tough to beat.

The hotel also offers day-use rooms for travelers with long daytime layovers. Rates are a percentage off of the best available rate and fluctuate by day of week, but can be up to 50% off depending on the date, and provides access to amenities like the massage suite, fitness center, and room service. The day-use time allotment is six hours and can be booked between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The Grand Hyatt at SFO property boasts everything you'd expect from a Grand Hyatt like in-room dining, laundry service, Wi-Fi, and turndown service on request.

The 24-hour fitness center is spacious with two Peloton bikes and a Mirror interactive gym, along with free weights, treadmills, and a variety of other exercise equipment.

There's also a massage suite that opens early and closes late, which would be incredible during a layover or on a long travel day. Treatments are designed to help travelers relax and recharge, including massages, facials, and aromatherapy.

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you'd be hard-pressed to find a table without an airport view at Quail & Crane Restaurant. Menus are presented to diners on tablets, and options range from ramen to oven-roasted meat and fish. A sushi bar is open evenings, Monday through Friday.

Open 24/7, the Twin Crafts Market & Bar offers grab-and-go options including breakfast burritos, pastries, and pizzas, as well as packaged beer and wine. The bar is open from 10 a.m. to midnight, serving cocktails, beer, and wine, along with bites and burgers.

There is also more than 14,000 square feet of event space and meeting rooms.

Obviously, the airport. Grand Hyatt at SFO is winning fans for its convenient airport location, but thanks to the property's direct access to BART, it's easy to reach sought after locales throughout San Francisco, too.

In less than an hour, you can be shopping at Union Square, or grabbing a meal at the Ferry Building Marketplace. Popular East Bay locations like Berkeley and Oakland can also be reached using BART.

If you have a car, you can be sipping wine in Napa or Sonoma County wine country in a couple hours or less.

For families looking to make a trip to an amusement park, California's Great America is a 30-mile drive; Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is close to a 60-mile trip.

Since it's a new property, Grand Hyatt at SFO has less than 200 reviews on Trip Advisor as the time of this writing, but it's already ranked number 2 out of 73 specialty hotels in San Francisco, with a four-and-a-half-star rating.

A majority of the reviews are positive with guests raving about the convenience of the hotel's on-airport location and the quiet, comfortable rooms. The friendly staff are also noted frequently.

While most guests at Grand Hyatt at SFO are airport travelers, the property does offer a great amount of meeting space and one comment praised the hotel highly for a last-minute wedding party.

More critical reviews express disappointment that rooms are smaller than expected, which felt frustrating given the higher price tag than several other airport hotels nearby.

Who stays here: Travelers on the road for business, locals who want an easier trip in or out of the airport, and savvy tourists who put great value on their time and convenience.

We like: Vegan and Paraben-free Pharmacopia toiletries are provided in eco-friendly, refillable bottles, which was a welcome amenity in bathrooms.

We love (don't miss this feature!): Mostly the convenience to the airport, but also, the art. Take some time to wander the hotel to check it out. Stretching your legs is a good idea anyway. You're probably about to be sitting on that plane for a while.

We think you should know: If you have to work, the rooms do not have a desk, which was surprising given the number of business travelers passing through. Instead, there is a table topped with magazines and local tourist publications. It works, but it's not the norm.

We'd do this differently next time: Splurge on a Junior or Corner Suite for more room for my family. The deep-soaking tubs come with runway views, which sounds like a lovely way to start or end a travel day. Rates start at $309, so it's not a huge difference in price.

San Francisco International's only on-airport hotel, the Grand Hyatt at SFO boasts direct access to all terminals, public transportation, and the airport Rental Car Center, via the AirTrain.

Rooms are brand new, well-appointed, and come with spa-like bathrooms. Some even have runway views. Additionally, on-site amenities like various dining and drink, expansive fitness center, and even spa services make this an untraditional airport hotel that you'll actually enjoy.

But more than anything, it's incredibly easy to reach the airport. I made it from the hotel to my gate in about 15 minutes. If your time is precious, the starting price of $209 is an unbelievable value.