totEclipseEnt

If you are a couple and looking for a romantic adults only getaway, Zilara is not the place for you. At night, there is no bar at the adults only section of the property except for a lobby bar which no one really hangs out in...so you are forced to go over to the Ziva for entertainment. And my girlfriend and I just left there, because the bar looked more like a summer camp than a resort. There were mostly teenagers at the bar...and I swear half of them looked 15. Mind you, the legal drinking age in Jamaica is 18 but not one of the kids was carded and it seems like a pretty big liability to Hyatt. The bottom line is, the Zilara is deceptive. There should be entertainment at both properties (I.e an adults only bar or night club...a place where couples are not forced to drink amongst drunk teenagers and their "too cool for school" parents). So now we felt compelled to come back to the room where we are not watching TV (because it has been broken for 3 days & engineering constantly tells us they will be back to fix it and no one comes back) and we are listening to what sounds like a mouse scratching in the walls.

However, if you do decide to brave coming here...DO NOT MISS the Brazilian steakhouse. That place is the tits.

everestgrp

So were you offered a free stay to compensate the shortcomings? It looks really scary now but we have no choices but coming here. Flights are non refundable

setho212

The issue is not that Zilara doesn't have its own bar(s), its that they are not checking IDs to make sure people at the bar are 18. The fact that you have to be 18 to drink means that no one under that age should be at the bar. As such, it doesn't matter whether you are staying at Ziva or Zilara, you should just have to be 18. If Zilara had its own bars, what is to stop teenages from drinking at those bars if no one is carding the teenagers.

That being said, you do mention that Zilara does have its own bar, just that no one goes there. It seems to me that if the situation at the Ziva bars was so bad, more Zilara guests would go to the Zilara lobby bar. Why not try to make some friends, and gather some people up to go to that bar if you want a more lively atmosphere.

totEclipseEnt

Listen man...I know you have a stay booked in February and are trying to keep it positive because you don't want your vacation ruined before you even get there. I had the "it's not that bad" mentality too before I left. However, I am on the ground here and experiencing everything firsthand. So I really don't need you to tell me what I should do on my vacation. The bottom line is that the hotel has issues...it was a rush to open it, resulting in a sub-par 5 star resort. I really hope for your sake that everything is running smoothly by February.

totEclipseEnt

We were not offered a free stay. I think they stopped doing that weeks ago.

cotter77

what is Half moon? is it hyatt owned?

hope the reports keep coming in through january...i can totally understand the problem with holiday crowd swells ontop of the current debacle.

anyone know if the hot tubs are hot yet?

mrredskin

and Hyatt is still unresponsive with all of what's transpired...

observer

Half Moon Bay is an old, established, *very* beautiful and expensive resort down the road from the Hyatt/Ritz. It has no relationship with Hyatt, and I doubt it has much if any availability for the winter. Many people go there year after year.

cotter77

thanks..they have rooms available with an AI plan option for me for feb 1 so, i might hedge.
gotta buy my airfare asap, so as long as I have a way out to salvage my trip if these reports continue to be bad...
i am hoping as holiday crowds fade they get their act together by Feb.

observer

I too checked and saw that I was mistaken: They do have availability at Half Moon.

I wish I were as confident as you appear to be that all will be well when the holiday crowds fade. There can then be full occupancy because of weddings or business-related travel (incentive reward trips for high producing folk), etc.

observer

Some info from FT folk currently on site, please.

There have been reports of long waits to get into restaurants, etc.

Could someone please let us know if all restaurants (including those on Zilara side) are open?

Thanks.

totEclipseEnt

All the restaurants are open. The French and the Brazilian have the longest waits. But the food is so good everywhere. That is one saving grace to this resort. The Zilara only has 2 restaurants. The one next to the lobby is always dead...especially during dinner. The one on the beach is good for lunch and late night snacks. I would try to go to the restaurants on the Ziva side for dinner. You can always put your name down at one of the places and then go to the buffet for an appetizer.

edcho

I have an upcoming stay here and i've never been more stressed about a Hyatt stay nevertheless even before I even get there.

Doesn't help that i'm staying at PVR a few weeks later .

montclairmiller

First time poster, currently at the resort. I will write a full review when we return but I will echo other posters in saying that 1) it is NOT possible to have an adults only experience here and 2) the pools and hottubs are both freezing and only nice ocean spot is on the Ziva side.

We are in the Zilara building and have seen a little kid coming around. I watched the security guard let him through twice and asked the front desk. They said he is probably visiting someone in the hotel and they will look into it. This incident in and of itself is totally not a big deal but it is reflective of the general attitude. Yesterday the adult side freezing hot tub was filled with 13 year olds. The cabanas have families with preteens laying on them (all on the Zilara side!) In addition, even the adult only restaurants (petit pariZ) which does honor the policy is permanently located in the ziva building! The ziva side is gorgeous and lively -- Many more pools, much better beach, very lively at night. The sports bar is on the ziva side and filled with teenage campers as the previous poster wrote.

The pools and hottubs feel like knives stabbing you they are so cold. I went in today anyway, and when I found a sunny spot after a few minutes it was refreshing and fun but it certainly wasn't easy getting in. I think kids won't have a problem though, they are generally braver .

One other thing I will add on the Zilara side is the hotel is CLEARLY not ready. I didn't think it would bother me that the landscaping isn't done but it's SO bad that it truly takes you out of the moment. I feel bad for anyone that got a swim up suite which is freezing cold and literally in between piles of junk.

I will post a full review when we return. Despite all of this I will say we are having a fun, relaxing warm and sunny time full of laughs.

observer

The following has just appeared on Trip Advisor, addressed to the GM of new property:


“Still Here Carl Hendriks please contact me room 4306”
3 of 5 starsReviewed yesterday NEW
Carl we are currently staying at the zilara and are supposed to be here through Jan 3rd. I would like to leave a positive review and think with your help we may be able to get there. Please contact me ASAP and let me know when you are here to discuss our stay.



Apparently the occupant of 4306 can only get the attention of the GM by posting on TripAdvisor and offering possibility of a favorable review if GM contacts him/her and does the needful.

I gather that there are a lot of guests who would like the GM's attention. BTW: It appears that the GM "inherited" this property and got his job in September. So he can hardly be blamed for a premature opening, etc.

UPDATE FOUR HOURS LATER:

TripAdvisor appears to have removed this post. I am surprised that it passed their filters in the first place since it was not a review but a private communication. The GM is now posting cordial and apologetic responses to some posts on TripAdvisor. Good for him!