Canadian Travel News was There: Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya
January 17, 2023 Marsha Mowers
Working in travel, I’m often asked for my recommendations for vacations, everything from family to romance to getaways with friends, so I’ve started a regular column on where I’ve stayed and how it rates.
First, I think it’s important to understand how I look at properties and why I would recommend one. My overall basis for any judgement is simple: you’ve saved for your trip, booked your time off work and you want to have the best experience possible within your budget.
For some that’s lying on a beach all day sipping drinks, for others, it’s using a hotel for a place to crash while you’re out exploring. It also should be easy – if you can only grab something to eat or drink during certain hours, that will factor into a recommendation. Safety is always a priority, especially when travelling with kids.
With all that in mind, here’s a look the brand new Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya.
About the property – Travellers might know this property as the former Secrets Capri, and while the location and hotel structure is the same, the entire property has been completely renovated. The adults-only, all-inclusive resort just opened December 1, 2022, so we were among the first guests. It’s a smaller property with only 291 rooms (for comparison, many resorts start at around 500+) which gives the property a more intimate vibe.
Food & Drink – The food and drink are both fantastic here. There are 4 restaurants on site; 3 themed Tempest (Asian and features a sushi bar, teppanyaki table and general dining), Capri Grille (rustic Mediteranean) and Lola Beach (beachfront sit-down seafood and snacks) and 1 buffet (El Comedor). There’s also a coffee shop and lobby bar that serve delicious homemade cocktails. Because it’s a smaller resort, the restaurants never feel like you’re eating in a huge food hall and resemble more of a nice place you’d eat at in a city. The fish tacos, ceviche and margaritas at Lola’s are a must-try as well as are the fresh churros outside Coffee Republic! Room service is available 24/7 and included.
Rooms – The rooms are beautifully done and spacious, and there are options for a swim up room (there are 40 in total) or suites with a plunge pool (6 in total). Standard rooms have a large glass shower with a sliding privacy enclosure from the bedroom. The beds are very, very comfortable! Not sure where the Zilara gets their pillows and mattresses from, but you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a great sleep.
Beach & Pools – There is only one big pool, that is somewhat separated by a walking bridge and has a swim up bar. One side of the pool is a bit more active, with activities such as water spinning classes offered at certain times, while the other end is for those who might want to just chill in the sun. The beach is very good – the sand is so soft and white and there are lots of loungers and huts available. We stayed at the resort 2 nights, and the first day the water and beach was free from sargassum, while the next it was there quite a bit. It should be noted though that staff was very on top of it and quickly had it cleaned both on the beach and in the water. Food and drink service is available on the beach and by the pool.
Cabanas are available (main picture) for rental which includes full Butler service, starting at $69 USD.
Entertainment – There’s no shortage of things to do at the resort. There are nightly shows in the theatre and lots of options for swimming, water sports and fitness. There are also free classes to take such as mixology, where we learned to make a couple of their signature cocktails in a fun, hands-on, class. There’s also a Mayan Ritual that you can participate in which was very interesting and a way to learn a bit more about local culture.
Spa – While we didn’t experience the spa on this visit, we did get a tour and the Zen Spa itself is beautiful. We visited after attending the Mayan Ritual and immediately felt peaceful in its serene atmosphere that features a hydrotherapy circuit that’s nestled in an open-air, thatched roof enclosure. We could easily see spending a few hours here and coming back completely rejuvenated.
Recommendation: This would be a perfect setting for a wedding or honeymoon, or romantic celebration and we would highly, highly recommend.
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About the Author
Marsha Mowers made the move to editorial side of travel after many years working in destination marketing where she represented places such as NYC and Las Vegas. Her experience on “both sides” of the industry has put her in a unique position to provide valuable context to both readers and trade partners. Marsha also serves as Director of Content for TravelPulse Canada
