TheAmericanTravelProject
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I was excited when I found out that Hyatt was breaking into the all-inclusive market. I tend to like Hyatt hotels (especially when we have Diamond status), and using points for an all-inclusive vacation sounded like a bargain lover’s dream. Back in August, I spent 3 nights at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun with some friends (review can be found here). I really enjoyed that trip, and was inspired to book the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall that was to be opened in Jamaica. My husband and I were planning a trip for our 15 year wedding anniversary, so we thought it would be great to try the new Hyatt. I booked 3 nights using 75,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points (it is 25,000 points per night for 2 people).
As the November 1st grand opening date came and went without an actual hotel opening, things started looking bleak for our November vacation. We already had babysitting scheduled, and we were off from work on those dates. Changing our dates was not optional. We had plane tickets booked as well, but we were flying Southwest, which has an excellent cancellation policy. I started looking for other potential options, as our adults-only trips are really important to us.
Chaos was ensuing on various travel forums, such as Tripadvisor. As the grand opening date kept getting pushed back farther and farther, people were freaking out about ruined vacations. Hyatt had a PR nightmare on their hands, and amidst the chaos they were trying to do the right thing. Nine days before we were scheduled to go on our trip, I got an email from Hyatt saying that they were going to book us into a different hotel. They gave me the choice of Sandals properties (Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Whitehouse) and Beaches properties (Beaches Ocho Rios or Beaches Negril), but I had to decide quickly. Luckily I have a friend who knows tons about all-inclusive resorts & has been to all of these. He told us to go with Sandals Whitehouse.
A quick review of Sandals Whitehouse: It was fabulous.
We had never been on an all-inclusive vacation before, mostly because of the price tag and lack of good points-using opportunities. Plus we felt that we weren’t quite the lay-on-the-beach-all-day types. Then we had 2 kids and jobs, and three days on a sunny beach with ‘free’ drinks and food sounded heavenly.
Sandals Whitehouse was an amazing property. And Hyatt had hooked us up with a gorgeous 1 bedroom suite because I had been in touch with some of their representatives & they were really trying to rectify the hotel change situation. We had a beachfront view so close to the ocean that I felt I could jump from the balcony into the waves. The food was great, and the drinks were top shelf. The staff was friendly. It was one of the best adults-only vacations we have ever taken.
Drinking rum out of coconuts on the beach in Jamaica? Yes, please!
The Bonus: We get to go back to Jamaica again, compliments of Hyatt!
From Hyatt:
We are also giving you certificates for 3 free nights at any Hyatt Ziva and Zilara Hotels & Resorts All Inclusive Property. (1 Year Return* – January 1, 2015 – December 15, 2015)- Certificates will be generated and forwarded to you by December 31, 2014.
The only ‘downside’ is that the certificate is only good for 2 people. We don’t have the babysitting (or the hearts) to go back to Jamaica again so soon without the kids. The Zilara side is adults-only, but the hotel also has the Ziva side for families. So, I contacted Hyatt to find out what our options are:
1. Pay about $300 per night to have the kids in our room with us
2. Use 25,000 Hyatt points (12,500 per extra person, per night) to have them in the room with us
3. Use 25,000 Hyatt points to get an extra (adjoining) room for the kids. We give up our ocean view because they don’t have adjoining oceanview rooms.
We chose option 3 because it made sense for us at this point. So, we will be returning to Jamaica (also planning to spend a night at the Holiday Inn Sunspree using 35,000 IHG points for 4 people all-inclusive, knowing it won’t be nearly as nice as the Hyatt, but needing the one extra night). And my real Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Review will be coming in a few months.
The post This Was Supposed to be a Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall Hotel Review appeared first on The American Travel Project.
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