Hyatt Zilara Cancun Review – Highlights

I’ve always been a bit of a Cancun hater. It’s far. There’s nothing to do aside from partying. Hawaii’s got better beaches. It’s more expensive than Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, etc., Essentially, I held a grudge against Cancun for being a gorgeous, but vapid city.

2015-12-30 17.37.28.jpg

After arriving at the beautiful Hyatt Zilara Cancun, stepping inside the airy lobby, and seeing the most gorgeous, Windex blue ocean, I finally get what Cancun is all about.

I’ve never felt more at peace on vacation than at this resort – that says a lot as I am not a particularly “peaceful” person. This is attributed to the fact that we didn’t do anything except relax in a gorgeous cabana by the pool or ocean, eat our fill of good food from multiple restaurants, and drink all you want, all for free. This property is an excellent value for your points. For those with kids, check out the Hyatt Ziva Cancun.

A detailed review with photos can be found here.

Cost:

  • 4 nights @ $0
  • 2 bottles of sparkling wine @ $187
  • Tips @ $40
  • Total out-of-pocket cost = $191
  • Value of our room (with upgrade to Ocean Front Luxury Suite King) = $2,400

Why we chose Hyatt Zilara Cancun: 

  1. Thanks to the Chase Hyatt credit card, I had two free night anywhere in the world. Now the ideal redemption is somewhere super pricey like Andaz Maui (sold-out) or Park Hyatt Vendome (not tropical). All-inclusive in Mexico was the next best thing. I used 25,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points for the other two nights.
  2. In light of the kid-friendly trips we’ve been on this year, I wanted to just chill out at an adults-only property, which tend to be smaller.
  3. I really wanted to try out this hotel given its amazing reviews and the redemption value per point over the holidays.

Highlights:

  • Our upgraded ocean front suite (all rooms here are suites with an ocean view with jacuzzi and patio). There are also swim-up suites, but you have to pay extra if using points.
  • Surprisingly tasty food for an all-inclusive resort. The best dining was Asiana for teppanyaki dinner (reservations required) and Spice buffet for breakfast and lunch. I honestly ate healthier while on vacation than at home. The buffet included different cuisines, a juice bar, fresh fruit, etc.,
  • Free pool and oceanside cabanas. Granted, you have to wake up early or stay up super late to claim them. It’s worth it because the locations are amazing and you’d have to pay hundreds at other resorts to get something similar.
  • The spa facilities. Even if you do not purchase a massage, etc., you still access the amazing facilities. Great loungers, fluffy towels, big jacuzzi, cold plunge, spacious sauna & steam room. Most resorts change a daily fee for this access. Here, it’s free.
  • Plentiful activities from sunrise yoga to pilates and volleyball (pool and ocean), there’s always something to do. Yoga in their poolside gazebos, facing the sun, was particularly amazing. There were also free shows each night. They were all set in the open atrium area so it was extremely intimate. The aerial dancers, in particular, were amazing and of Vegas quality.
  • The size of the property is perfect. It never felt crowded which is amazing given we were there over the new year. The service was also great. Yes, we did tip, but I didn’t see a difference when we didn’t have cash on us.

Lowlights:

  • Avoid the gratis wine. All of it. There were plenty of people drinking though, so it’s my palette. There weren’t too many beer options either – Dos Equs or Coors. In our room, we had mini bottles of Heineken which weren’t available elsewhere.
  • Cabana warfare. This is quite possibly the pinnacle of “First World Problems”, but I woke up to an very angry German man cursing me out for stealing his cabana. He, in fact, had stolen mine. Any guilt I had (he was older) dissipated when I saw that he had reserved one for him AND his wife. When this is the biggest problem on your vacation, then I think life is pretty damn good.

Super Helpful Resources for Planning: 

Leave a comment