A Quick Weekend Getaway at Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos

I'm a sucker for an all-inclusive resort. Seriously, I love being able to have worry-free vacations and getaways whenever possible. The last thing I want to worry about is taking out my wallet to pay for a meal, or asking myself if I brought enough cash. There's a certain level of peace of mind that comes with booking an all-inclusive and I really enjoy them. 

My hubby and I were in dire need of a quick getaway so we booked a room at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos. I was introduced to this brand a few years ago when a friend of mine recommended the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun. After searching through reviews on TripAdvisor and looking over photos, I thought it'd be the perfect place for a quick weekend getaway. 

I'm going to be as honest as possible in this review. I've stayed at a few inclusives including Excellence Playa Mujeres,  (my absolute fave) Live Aqua Cancun, and Paradisus Los Cabos. The level of service, food quality, and amenities at these resorts are an A in my book. 

Check In

I'm not going to lie, I was extremely disappointed with the check in process of this hotel. After being dropped off by our airport transfer service, an employee greeted us and pointed to the long check in line. I couldn't help but wonder, where was my drink or cold towel? When staying at other properties in Mexico my husband and I have been offered drinks or champagne upon arrival. I did notice a station with cold water bottles nearby, but nothing was offered. 

We had an early flight in and arrived around noon. The agent processed our check in but told us we'd have to wait until 2 pm. There were easily about 100 if not more people in the lobby area which felt slightly overwhelming, and I can only assume that most of the people there were either checking out or waiting for rooms. After eating lunch we heading back to see if our room was ready and were told that it would be 3 pm instead of 2. We had to wait in a ridiculously long line each time we inquired.

During this time we saw people who arrived around the same time as us, receive their rooms early although we had to wait. The front desk staff seemed agitated every time we asked about the status. I think some of this could be avoided if the hotel initiated a buzzer system or had an app so guests can be notified when their room is ready. 

Typically, this isn't something I'd complain about but we couldn't relax until we got our room. We tried scouting the pool area for chairs, but there was literally a towel on every single chair at the pool and beach. Although there were signs stating that this wasn't allowed, we never saw this being enforced. After trying to secure chairs for about 20 minutes we got frustrated, and settled for a spot in the lobby to hang out at until our room was available. I took a nap in the lobby while waiting for our room.

Our Suite

Thankfully, our room was worth the wait. I had booked our room on Bookit.com about 1 month prior and reserved a pool view king suite.

View from Swim-up suite

We received a beautiful swim up suite in building 3 on the first floor. The view from the room was beautiful and it was wonderful to have a swim up suite right near all the action. Keep in mind that since this is a family-friendly resort there is no alcohol in the room.This didn't bother us since we aren't big drinkers but is something to note. I didn't take many pictures inside the room, since the configuration is identical to photos on TripAdvisor. The room was incredibly spacious and I can see why it's popular for groups. 

The Food

Y'all already know I'm a food snob and it takes a lot to impress me. I was very impressed with the quality of the resort's meats. The quality and seasonings of the steaks, chicken, and salmon we tried were impressive. Breakfast buffet options were plentiful, however there weren't a lot of dining options for lunch. La Hacienda (the beach restaurant) was closed during our entire visit, so the only option for lunch was Coco Loco Snack Bar or eating at the La Plaza buffet. 

Lunch from Coco Loco

The tacos at Coco Loco are AMAZING. Please believe all the reviews. I highly recommend ordering your meal from a server since the kitchen tends to get overwhelmed with orders. At one point my beach server said the wait was over an hour, but he got us our food sooner. Also be sure to order the fish tacos as they're extremely popular and sell out. We ate dinner at the French restaurant which is a great respite (adults only) and the Italian restaurant was good. Keep in mind that portions are small and guests are not encouraged to order multiple dishes. I didn't have a chance to try Dozo (Asian) and the 24 Hour Deli Cactus restaurant only has fruit and a few other snack items (it isn't a deli as advertised). The Coffee bar also serves drinks and smoothies. 

Room Service

This was the first time I've had a bad room service experience at a resort. We decided to order room service and our order never came! After waiting for an hour we called to check on our order and were told that someone knocked, called our room, but no one answered. We had been in our room the entire time and never received a call. We never received an apology for the error but gave room service one more shot for breakfast the next day. Thankfully, our order was correct and we received it promptly. 

The Pools

Swim-up pool

The pictures really don't do this resort justice, the pools are gorgeous! There's an adults only pool in the back of a resort and two huge pools right near the beach. We also enjoyed the private swim-up pool for guests in building 3.

None of the pools are heated, so the initial moments of getting in were a little tough. The chair-towel game is in full-effect at this resort and I noticed that all chairs were taken by 9 am. You can also reserve a cabana for an extra cost if you want to avoid the chair game. 

The Beach

I spent the entire Saturday morning of my stay at the beach. If you'd like an umbrella simply ask the lifeguard and he'll bring you one. You can also have food brought out to you.

Putting my negotiating skills to the test!

The only annoyance about the beach is that the beach vendors were constantly asking me if I wanted to purchase items. This really isn't the hotels fault, but I had zero problems with vendors when staying at Paradisus Los Cabos and Hilton Los Cabos. 

Entertainment

El Piano Lobby Bar

There was always something going on whether it was music at the pool, exercise classes, shows, or activities for kids. I loved the Piano Bar which basically turns into an adults only nightclub. The DJ played a great mix of music and I was especially fond of his hip-hop set. I think my husband and I spent almost two hours there before we decided to call it a night. We also enjoyed the Mexican show. 

Location

The hotel is really close to the airport and there are things to do within walking distance. You can walk to Starbucks and there's even a massage place in the shopping center nearby. A round trip cab ride to Cabo will cost you about $80 and there is no shuttle service provided by the resort. 

Weddings Around The Clock

I stayed at this hotel for 2 nights and witnessed 4 weddings. There was a wedding reception held in the center of the resort and music from their DJ blasted until about 11 pm at night. If you're noise conscious this resort probably isn't the place for you. 

Additional Thoughts

• I probably wouldn't stay at this hotel again unless I was with a group that insisted on it. Although the property is beautiful, the service isn't up to par with competitors in the area. I did see other couples around but there were no romantic vibes at the property aside from the adults-only French restaurant.

• We informed the staff we were celebrating our anniversary but we never received any acknowledgment. Since the property is expansive, the hotel isn't able to add a personal touch when it comes to service- at least from my experience. However, I will give a shout out to Margarita (the hostess at Dozo) and Alejandro at the French restaurant who were the only two employees that greeted me by name during my stay.

• This hotel is great for families. If you have small children or babies you'll fit right in and won't feel out of place. 

After staying at this hotel, I'm going to make an effort to stay at adults-only all-inclusives whenever possible, unless it's during off-season. Have you ever stayed at a Hyatt Ziva property? If so what are your thoughts?