So, you’ve signed up for the Hyatt Visa Card and have two free nights to use….why not take a trip to the Caribbean and stay at one of Hyatt’s new all-inclusive properties. Yup, thats right accommodations, food, drinks and entertainment all for free! Better yet, use your Southwest Rapid Reward points to fly there! Also, don’t forget to check on Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee and save 20%.
We recently visited the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall in Montego Bay Jamaica. Here’s our review….
Accommodations:
The rooms are located in three main buildings. Buildings 1 and 2 are the existing buildings from when the resort was the Ritz Carlton and building 3 is built brand new. We stayed in a Ziva King room in building 1. The location close to the pools was a plus but the room was quite basic. It was clean and spacious but dated looking and the patio furniture could use a major upgrade. The bathroom was very nice with marble throughout, double sinks and separate shower, tub and toilet.
Ziva King
The rooms in building 3 were much improved. All rooms in this building are junior suites and have a modern look with brand new furniture and separate sitting area. The bathrooms have rainfall showers and there is a great lounge bed on the patio. We were there during a busy week and unable to get an upgrade but it’s always worth a try!
Ziva Jr Suite Bath
Each room has a mini bar stocked daily with soda, water, juices, beer, chips and granola bars. Note, liquor is not included in the mini bar. Housekeeping did a good job as our room was cleaned every morning and then again in the evening for turndown service. Although, no extras were provided such as towel art or bubble baths at turndown.
The main areas of the hotel have all been updated or are brand new excluding the hallways of the old buildings. The main lobby is very inviting with comfortable couches and floor to ceiling windows looking out to the pool and ocean.
Pools/Beach
The pools and surrounding areas were fabulous with a very tropical feel. There are two main pools, one with a swim up bar and the other used for games and activities. There was always music playing and drinks flowing and we really enjoyed hanging out by the pool. The pools were large so they never felt too crowded but it was hard to find a group of lounge chairs together at times. The biggest downsides were the inability to order food to the pool and the extra charge to rent cabanas.
Hyatt Ziva Pools
The ocean was a beautiful turquoise color like you see in pictures. The water was very calm at the beach with rock walls blocking the waves. The seaweed was very minimal when we were there which was a huge plus since this has been plaguing the Caribbean for quite some time now. The beach itself was pretty small but there seemed to be ample seating and lots of tiki huts for shade. It was very relaxing and quiet at the beach and a great spot for a nap. The only downside was hard rock under the sand causing some minor beach volleyball injuries.
Hyatt Ziva Beach
Food
We were very impressed with the food throughout the resort and really enjoyed the atmosphere at the restaurants. The restaurants were located throughout the resort and there was never a shortage on places to eat. There was 9 of us and we never had to wait long for a table. Overall we had great service, just a little slow at times.
Breakfast was available every morning at Choicez buffet and included a varied selection. The patio with views of the ocean made a stunning backdrop for breakfast. We also had breakfast at Calypzo by the pool and Flavorz in the Zilara lobby (adults only) and both were delicious. We didn’t have time to try Horizons on Zilara beach (adults only) for breakfast but heard it was very good. There is a coffee shop in the main lobby called Grindz which is open 24 hours, where you can grab a coffee and pastries. It’s like a free Starbucks!
Choicez breaskfast buffet
For lunch we really enjoyed Barefoot Jerkz. Its a jerk shack right on the beach where you can grab a plate and beer to go. The jerk sausage was my favorite and a must try! Choicez, Calypzo and Horizons are all open for lunch everyday. There is also a deli called Bitez that has sandwiches and snacks throughout the day.
Dinner was our favorite meal at Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall! Here’s a rundown of all the restaurants.
Horizons- Authentic Jamaican served family style. Don’t be afraid to try multiple things especially steak, lobster and goat (adults only)
Di Roza- Italian. Try the calamari, wood fire pizza and chicken alla milanese (reservation required)
Fuzion- Asian. Opt for the Wok experience where the chef cooks right in front of you (reservation required)
Brazil- Brazilian Steakhouse. Make sure to come hungry as your server will bring you 7 different types of meats that they hand carve at your table.
Urban Heatz- International Fare. My favorite restaurant as every entree we had here was delicious. Everything from pho to fish and chips to chicken cordon blue. You must try the chocolate cauldron for dessert!
Di Roza Italian
There were many bars to choose from and we enjoyed having a few drinks after dinner. Stirz, the lobby bar often had a piano player and great atmosphere. Shakerz was the bar by the stage and was a great place to grab a cocktail and watch the show. Union Jackz, the sports bar was fun at night with karaoke and games. Fez, the moroccan rooftop bar had a great vibe. The best cocktails were at Potionz in the Zilara lobby. They also had rum tastings and dance parties at night!
Lobby Bar
Room service is complimentary and we tried it for breakfast one morning. The food was pretty good and arrived right on time. It was very nice to have a relaxing breakfast in pjs.
Entertainment
Entertainment included games and events throughout the day and a show each night. A schedule of the following days events was delivered to our room each night. Activities included ping pong tournaments, dance lessons, spin classes, yoga, beach and pool volleyball and mr. bikini contest. All non-motorized water sports were also included such as paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling and hobie cats. We really enjoyed paddleboarding and snorkeling. If you go snorkeling with one of the instructors they will take you out past the rocks where there is a great reef full of fish, stingrays and turtles. Overall the entertainment was one area that we wish would have been better. They had multiple activities going on but there was no variation and it seemed to be the same things everyday. We were there six nights and five of the nightly shows were dance shows. For the 2016 year, a free round of golf is included at the White Witch Golf Course.
Pool games
Service
Overall we were happy with the service we received and all the employees were very friendly. Although, no one went out of their way to provide extraordinary service like we have received at some other all-inclusives.
Summary
We really enjoyed our stay at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall. There was some room for improvement but nothing major. Hyatt is definitely on the right track with their new all-inclusives and I would love to try out some of their other properties!
Hyatt currently has six all-inclusive properties in Jamaica and Mexico. Hyatt Ziva properties are family friendly and located in Montego Bay, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. Hyatt Zilara properties are adults only and located in Montego Bay and Cancun. All of these can be booked using Hyatt free night awards or 25,000 Hyatt Gold Passport Points per night. If you and your spouse each have 2 free nights, that’s 4 nights of all-inclusive goodness for free!