Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta all-inclusive highlights and tips.
The Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta: love this place. Especially with kids. We recently got back from six nights at this resort, and it was the most relaxing vacation we’ve had in a long time. If you’re planning a trip there (or are thinking about going), here are a few highlights and tips that might be helpful.
1. The beach is the perfect size.
Private and small enough to feel almost cozy, but large enough so it never feels crowded, this beach is great.
2. The price is right.
Right now, this place is on sale. If you book a room now, you can lock in savings of 50-60%.
If you are paying with Hyatt points, the cost is 20,000 points per night (for two people). Additional guests staying in the same room cost an extra 10,000 points per night. Because this includes all food and drinks, it means that if you’ve got the points, you can enjoy a truly free vacation. Our strategy was to combine a few nights on points with a few paid nights. You can read this post for more details on rates and booking tips.
3. The resort is still “new.”
We got upgraded to the Presidential Suite for the last few nights of our stay. The reason? Mostly because we asked nicely. Also, the resort wasn’t full and we are Diamond members, so they had some flexibility.
The suite was two stories and featured its own private pool. Very nice.
The downside of the “new” vibe is that the resort is definitely still working out some kinks. Service at the sit-down restaurants was excruciatingly slow. Also, the food was not fantastic. It was fine…but nothing was delicious.
Tip: avoid room service. The food is much worse than in the restaurants, and takes much longer than you will want to wait.
4. There are a few “secret” spots here.
Most people hang out on the beach, in the pool, or at the bars around the beach and the pool. This means that there are lots of overlooked spaces. Our favorites were the Sunset Bar with its wraparound sofas…
the hanging chairs on the upper level (so fun)…
and the cafe (always open, perfect for sneaking cookies).
5. Unexpected treats and surprises happen every day.
While these are small things, they are fun. Keep an eye out for carts serving fresh mangos served up on sticks and dipped in spice and salt, random Tequila tastings, pool contests, and more.
We had a really good time.
The Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta was a fun, easy, relaxing vacation with kids. Because we used points and miles to pay for a lot of the stay, the cost was minimal. If you are looking for fun in the sun, this is a solid option. My kids absolutely loved it, and Josh and I had fun as well.
Have you been here? Would you go? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Glad to see you return Pixie!
Ziva sounds like a deal right now.
A couple questions –
How did you get to the hotel from the airport?
How much did it cost?
Did you tip at the hotel?
Great info as always,
Peter
Peter – Thanks! We took a taxi to and from the resort. Cost was about $20 each way. We did tip while we were at the resort, but this was personal preference and not expected by staff.
This post is confusing, especially given your previous post.
1) How much was the resort for a family of four for your stay? (Ex: “We spent $1200 in cash and 120,000 points for our 5 night stay.”)
2) Did you use cash and points or points (40K per night) plus a couple of paid nights?
3) Family of four flying cost what? Sometimes airfares are prohibitive.
Michael – Sounds like maybe I need to write a post about nitty-gritty details? The post above is just some thoughts and highlights – not meant to be comprehensive. I’ll consider another post with more information. We stayed here while I was on a blogging break, so I didn’t take detailed notes, but can dig through receipts to figure it out. Thanks for the comment.
I’d also like to know the tipping process, the round-trip airport transfers (if any) and whether the place was full of kids and what activities, if any, were available for them.
Michael – See above response (to Peter) for some of these answers. Short answer to kid question was that the resort didn’t feel overrun by kids but that there were kids there, as this is a family-friendly resort. Not tons of activities specifically for kids, but there is a kids club – although my kids are too old for it, so I didn’t check it out. I’ll try to write a follow-up post and include more details.
Yum, those mangoes look amazing!!! Stupid question, but are they included or are they a separate charge? Here in NYC, they go for a few bucks in the summer!
Ang – They are included! Yum indeed 🙂
Presidential suite! Private pool!?! Looks spectacular.
wow, the Presidential Suite… sweet!!!
I’m curious if this is a couples friendly place or if it’s primarily geared towards families? Definitely a consideration for me when choosing a vacation spot.
BTW, just for fun, I went to their website to checkout some dates.
The first set of dates I entered in early December for a week came back at over $500. No sale price, a little much for me. The second set of dates I entered in August came back at 55% off, $260! Much better, there must be certain dates that are on sale right now.
Rebecca – Yes, I think that the sale lasts for a few months into the year, and then prices go back to normal. Keep in mind that all food/drinks are included!
Rebecca – This resort is definitely not all about the kids. There is an adults-only pool, plus lots of space to relax and not be near others, so (in my opinion) it’s really good for both families and couples.