Hyatt Zilara / Ziva Rose Hall (Jamaica) REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Mar 26, 2016, 6:18 am
#1172
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: SPG Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 260
The Ziva beach is a very small rock-protected cove with some sand, basically. It is swimmable and small cove area is always quite calm, but isn't really a place you'd swim all day and there isn't a lot of room for floats. As someone else noted, guests use the pool complex far more than the beaches there. Also note that the beach is basically cut in half, half for Ziva and half for Zilara (no kids allowed on that side).
Aruba is just the opposite - it's an enormous beach that extends well past the property in both directions. It's also opposite in that the beach can be very busy when the hotel is full. Swimmability-wise, it can be hit or miss. Often the ocean is fantastic for swimming, but depending on the direction of the wind the waves and riptides can be dangerous. An older man drowned when we were in Aruba last January.
If you're really going for "beach" I'd pick Aruba. If you're going for fun in the sun and swimming, Ziva's pools make up that difference and more, I think.
May 15, 2016, 9:33 pm
#1173
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: WAS (DCA, BWI, IAD)
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 114
Just back from Ziva and have been to Aruba many times - the beaches at Ziva and Aruba are completely different.
The Ziva beach is a very small rock-protected cove with some sand, basically. It is swimmable and small cove area is always quite calm, but isn't really a place you'd swim all day and there isn't a lot of room for floats. As someone else noted, guests use the pool complex far more than the beaches there. Also note that the beach is basically cut in half, half for Ziva and half for Zilara (no kids allowed on that side).
Aruba is just the opposite - it's an enormous beach that extends well past the property in both directions. It's also opposite in that the beach can be very busy when the hotel is full. Swimmability-wise, it can be hit or miss. Often the ocean is fantastic for swimming, but depending on the direction of the wind the waves and riptides can be dangerous. An older man drowned when we were in Aruba last January.
If you're really going for "beach" I'd pick Aruba. If you're going for fun in the sun and swimming, Ziva's pools make up that difference and more, I think.
The Ziva beach is a very small rock-protected cove with some sand, basically. It is swimmable and small cove area is always quite calm, but isn't really a place you'd swim all day and there isn't a lot of room for floats. As someone else noted, guests use the pool complex far more than the beaches there. Also note that the beach is basically cut in half, half for Ziva and half for Zilara (no kids allowed on that side).
Aruba is just the opposite - it's an enormous beach that extends well past the property in both directions. It's also opposite in that the beach can be very busy when the hotel is full. Swimmability-wise, it can be hit or miss. Often the ocean is fantastic for swimming, but depending on the direction of the wind the waves and riptides can be dangerous. An older man drowned when we were in Aruba last January.
If you're really going for "beach" I'd pick Aruba. If you're going for fun in the sun and swimming, Ziva's pools make up that difference and more, I think.
Jul 14, 2016, 3:24 am
#1174
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
It wasn't that it was a written benefit of Platinum status at this hotel. However, other Platinum members have been upgraded to a junior suite and the check-in agent indicated that they would have upgraded us but that the only reason they did not was because junior suites were all booked.
I thought it was odd that she was saying all junior suites were booked because just before our trip I checked availability and saw quite a bit of availability. So while we waited for the shuttle (to go from the airport to the hotel) I checked Hyatt.com and saw that junior suites were available for the entirety of our stay.
When I showed this to the desk agent she distanced herself from the statement about current availability of junior suites, essentially saying "that's just what I was told by my manager....I can't help you further." She said we would have to talk with the check-in staff at the hotel.
I thought it was odd that she was saying all junior suites were booked because just before our trip I checked availability and saw quite a bit of availability. So while we waited for the shuttle (to go from the airport to the hotel) I checked Hyatt.com and saw that junior suites were available for the entirety of our stay.
When I showed this to the desk agent she distanced herself from the statement about current availability of junior suites, essentially saying "that's just what I was told by my manager....I can't help you further." She said we would have to talk with the check-in staff at the hotel.
is there a concierge email contact... so could place special request before arrival? since my status is only platinum, any tip/advice on how to get upgrade to a junior suite...as hyatt only allowed or booked a standard room for the free night award? read thru some reviews & room tips, just want to confirm that only rooms in zilara's bldg 4 are new or recently renovated, correct? if so, does bldg 4 have any standard room or all suite? TIA
Jul 15, 2016, 2:49 pm
#1175
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
meecal or anyone,
is there a concierge email contact... so could place special request before arrival? since my status is only platinum, any tip/advice on how to get upgrade to a junior suite...as hyatt only allowed or booked a standard room for the free night award? read thru some reviews & room tips, just want to confirm that only rooms in zilara's bldg 4 are new or recently renovated, correct? if so, does bldg 4 have any standard room or all suite? TIA
is there a concierge email contact... so could place special request before arrival? since my status is only platinum, any tip/advice on how to get upgrade to a junior suite...as hyatt only allowed or booked a standard room for the free night award? read thru some reviews & room tips, just want to confirm that only rooms in zilara's bldg 4 are new or recently renovated, correct? if so, does bldg 4 have any standard room or all suite? TIA
Aug 25, 2016, 9:18 pm
#1177
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 324
I'm looking for some clarity please. I have reserved a 1 bd ocean view Zilara suite, understanding from previous posts that it is in new building 4. When I called the hotel to put in a request for a floor, they told me this room is in an old building. Are there such rooms in both old and new buildings? Are they on specific floors in different buildings? Am I mixing up Ziva and Zilara?Any way to secure new building? thanks
Aug 26, 2016, 12:40 am
#1179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
I'm looking for some clarity please. I have reserved a 1 bd ocean view Zilara suite, understanding from previous posts that it is in new building 4. When I called the hotel to put in a request for a floor, they told me this room is in an old building. Are there such rooms in both old and new buildings? Are they on specific floors in different buildings? Am I mixing up Ziva and Zilara?Any way to secure new building? thanks
Last edited by TerryK; Aug 26, 2016 at 12:50 am
Aug 26, 2016, 5:04 am
#1180
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 324
Zilara Ocean View 1BR Suites are in new building 4, Ocean Front 1BR Suites are in old building. Please check which category you are actually booked into. Due to difference in building Ocean View 1BR Suite is a higher category, with higher rates, than Ocean Front 1BR Suite.
Aug 26, 2016, 8:09 am
#1181
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
Perhaps I got the rates reversed. Zilara Ocean View 1BR Suite is in building 4 (new building). Zilara Ocean Front 1BR Suite is in building 1 (old building). I have stayed in both of them. Not sure about Ziva though.
Sep 3, 2016, 4:55 pm
#1182
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CT
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 429
Cold pools and hot tubs
I know when they first opened the pool and hot tubs were cold. Has this been fixed? Arriving mid January and don't want to suffer with cold water. We were at the Zilara Cancun last year and can always change the reservation if needed.
Oct 22, 2016, 5:42 pm
#1184
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 37
Zilara good for girls' trip?
Thinking about going to the Zilara/Ziva for an upcoming girls' trip... Wondering if the Zilara had a couples-only vibe to it? Or anything else that would be good to know when picking one over the other...
Thanks!
Thanks!
Oct 22, 2016, 5:46 pm
#1185
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 61
Definitely not, it's the adult side of the resort but there are many for girls weekends or those with older kids. Ziva is the "kids" resort. If you stay at Ziva, even though you are "adults" party, you will not be able to enjoy the adults only restaurants. Also the prestock drink options in your room are more plentiful at Zilara if that matters to you