Review: Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen - All-Inclusive
Last week, my husband and I traveled to Mexico to experience a six-day vacation at the Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen. The last time we visited Mexico, we were celebrating my husband’s 30th birthday with two of our good friends at the Grand Palladium TRS Yucatan (an all-inclusive, adults-only resort). So, this time we were looking for a similar vibe paired with true relaxation.
From Ohio, traveling to Mexico is reasonable. It’s about a 6-hour flight, which typically goes by fast, with an additional connecting flight. Unfortunately, we had a one-hour delay in New Jersey, so our arrival time was pushed back to the evening for check-in. This wasn’t ideal for us, because once we arrived we were beyond hungry.
Note: If you plan on staying in Playa Del Carmen, and plan on flying into Cancun (CUN) International Airport, know that it will take about an hour to get through customs and then another hour to reach your resort or lodging accommodation.
For our next trip to Mexico, I am definitely going to consider staying in Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, or Tulum. We’ve stayed in the Riviera Maya twice now, and I think my husband and I both agree it’s time for a change in scenery.
For me, the benefits of staying in Playa Del Carmen would be close proximity to the Mayan ruins (Tulum, Coba, and Chichen-Itza), nature-made cenotés, adventure parks, and the 5th Avenue strip (which includes a ton of shops, bars, restaurants, and nightly activities). Unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience true nightlife on the strip, but I would highly recommend it if you’re staying in the area.
Based on my previous experience in Mexico, there were specific accommodations I wanted to have for this trip. But, my number one was food. As I’ve gotten older, I truly appreciate eating well as part of my relaxation and traveling experience.
For this trip, I did extensive research and spent time reading through reviews on TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Google to see how guests were talking about the food. Both my husband and I had stomach issues the last time we visited, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs.
For me, I can say the food at the Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen was some of the best I’ve had at a resort, but for my husband he had a minor issue the day after we returned, which was nothing in comparison to the first time we were there and came back.
For me, the Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen offered the best option and price point for what we were looking for along with all the other amenities such as having a clean pool, white sand beaches, all-inclusive drinks and food, a spa and fitness center, a comfortable/clean room, room service, a well-kept campus, and close proximity to attractions since we planned on climbing the ruins.
The Arrival
As you start to pull into the area of where the Grand Hyatt is located, you’ll notice there is an indoor/outdoor mall as well as a ton of restaurants and shops. We were really excited to see so many people wandering the streets and couldn’t wait to get ourselves out of the van.
Upon arrival at the front entrance, your driver will check-in with the security concierge at the front gate, which is great if you’re concerned about safety. The entrance is architecturally very beautiful, but lacks a “wow” factor, which most resorts have in the Riviera Maya.
When you check into the front desk, you’ll provide your credit card information and they will give you a description of all the amenities available. As a note, this was the first resort we were not offered a wet towel or “welcome drink” as we were going through the check-in process. It’s a real thing and experience. We’ve gotten it at every resort and were disappointed we weren’t offered it at the Grand Hyatt, since they publicize it on their Instagram.
King-Sized Room, Partial Ocean View
The room was very clean and spacious. For me, this was the first room at a resort that didn’t have a damp, mold smell to it which was nice. The shower and bathroom area had lots of mirrors and plenty of storage space for all our toiletries and clothes. But my husband thought there was a lack of clothes drawers in the main bedroom area.
The beds were clean and soft, and our partial ocean view was beautiful, along with the turquoise-painted ceramic patio. The room was well decorated, and I loved the cenote-inspired art on the walls. It’s these small touches that make the Grand Hyatt stand out to me. You can tell by the room decor that they truly understand the ecological beauty of where they are located.
Although, no complimentary bottles (liquor or champagne) were offered, they did have a stocked mini bar with snacks, chips, pop, and beer. We took advantage of some of it, but it wasn’t anything spectacular.
What’s “truly” included in the all-inclusive?
Food and drinks. Room service is not included in the all-inclusive package. We learned the hard way. During check-in, they communicated to us that it was included as long as we ordered between 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., but it was not. Luckily, we only ate in our room twice, but definitely a mishap on their end since we were surprised by the charges when we checked out. I will say that the room service was fast, and the dinner presentation comes out on a dinner-sized table cart. For Valentine’s they had roses, which I thought was a sweet touch.
In total, there are “three” restaurants on the resort, so if you’re used to 10 to 12 restaurants to choose from at a resort, you may want to re-consider. All the restaurants are within walking distance of one another – The Grill at 126, La Cocina, and the Sushi & Raw Bar.
They also offered a coffee bar and ice-cream station in the main lobby areas, but I never saw the ice-cream station opened. But with that, I will say that all the food was amazing, and I ate something different every day. All the menus were a la carte, except for breakfast, which offered a continental, culinary buffet. I’m not a breakfast person, but my husband really enjoyed it. The serving staff was great and offered top-notch service.
At the end of each meal or drink order, you do have to sign a “bill”, which feels different for an all-inclusive. You almost feel inclined to tip every time, which we did in small amounts here and there because we were being serviced, but that can make people feel uneasy when they’ve elected to do an all-inclusive. And, you can’t just walk-up and leave, you have to sign your name and room number, even if you have the all-inclusive band.
All-inclusive drinks were only available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., which was extremely odd, but I can say that I never had a hangover once while I was there. But it was frustrating that in order to get a mimosa, I couldn’t order it till 11 a.m. If I did, I would have been charged for it, which is kind of ridiculous. I believe that if I’m paying for an all-inclusive there shouldn’t be time limitations on when I can drink. I’m a grown woman.
Access to the Beach / Pool
The waves were a bit choppy a few days that we were there, but on days we were actually on the beach, the water was warm and perfect. The sand was smooth on the feet and the water was clear of debris and seaweed. Clean towels and cucumber-flavored water was always accessible. There were runners that took food and drink orders, which was nice. And, we loved that we could walk along the beach to see other resorts.
There is a beach club right next door, which played a mixture of American/Latin-pop and hip-hop music, which we loved, but I could definitely see how this could annoy guests looking for peace and quiet at the beach. And although the beach area is smaller than most, I do think for the size of resort it provides great space for all of their guests.
Also, I really liked the wooded deck on the beach if you didn’t want to be in the sand. And the umbrellas and chairs are provided to guests at no costs, but the cabanas do cost (and are way overpriced) but are offered at a discounted rate to all-inclusive guests. But, not worth it.
The pool area was stunning, and we had the opportunity to lay out in two different areas which was nice. The water was cold, but not freezing and your body could easily warm up to it, unlike other resorts we’ve been too. I will say, there were a lot of seagulls nearby, which considered the pool their bird bath, but surprisingly the water was kept very clean (without feathers and feces).
Cenoté Spa
Now this is the gem of the resort – it’s truly magical and sits in the center of campus, and you have to go to the ground floor to access it. It’s beautifully designed and captures the true essence of a cenoté. There’s a small, heated water pool in the center, with dimly lit lanterns built into the sides.
Every all-inclusive package includes a complimentary day at the spa which includes access to the steam room, cenoté, cold bath, sauna, showers, and changing areas. For my husband and I, this was the first time we didn’t have daily access to the spas – and we’ve experienced similar quality spas for comparison.
All-inclusive guests are provided 25% off for all spa services. We knew we wanted a couple’s massage, and the regular prices for a 50- or 80-minute massage were expensive, but with the discount it brought it down to a normal price. Thankfully we were able to afford the 80-minute massages, because the massage was amazing, and one of the best I’ve ever had.
Our tip would be that if you plan on taking advantage of the spa services, schedule your spa appointment on a different day than your complimentary day at the spa. So, then you can enjoy the amenities of the spa twice, because your massage includes spa access.
Nightlife and Activities
For nightlife, your best bet is to leave the resort and go to 5th Avenue; walk around the strip, shop for souvenirs, attend Coco Bongo, and do a free tequila tasting. From what we experienced, there is no nightlife at the Grand Hyatt. I believe they have daily activities, but they don’t promote them to their guests or encourage participation in them. Don’t come here if you’re looking for nightly entertainment, because you won’t find it; not even a chill, soft tunes and drinks kind of vibe.
24-Hour Fitness Center
The Grand Hyatt offers a 24-hour fitness center that my husband and I did get some use out of during our stay. The fitness area offers tread mills, free weights, and standard exercise equipment; and guests can access the gym by key card. As a note, they say that this is part of the “all-inclusive package”, and it’s “free”, but it’s really not. The hidden resort fee, that is briefly mentioned during the check-in process, is what pays for the gym. So, if you’re not using it, you’re still paying for it, which will be included in your bill at check-out. It costs $30/a day.
Overall, we enjoyed our restful, and very relaxing vacation at the Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen, and we would recommend it to family and friends who want to experience a few days here, but not a full week. It’s funny because I expected the Grand Hyatt to offer exceptional customer experience, with a hint of luxury, but it didn’t feel that way.
The food and drinks were exceptional and by far my favorite, but the aesthetic of the campus felt a bit more pretentious than luxurious. Also, a few areas around customer service could be improved along with the transparency of pricing.
The Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen feels more like a business resort or conference center than it does a hotel with an all-inclusive option. It would also be my recommendation to the Grand Hyatt to not offer all-inclusive and market to guests who are willing to pay extra money for all the amenities, instead of tacking on hidden fees at the end of one’s stay, just charge the full amount in the all-inclusive.
It doesn’t feel very inclusive when you do all these minor charges that add up in the end. It’s doing a disservice to the brand and to future guests who truly think it will be an all-inclusive when it’s not, minus extra features that everyone knows costs more, like a massage or romantic dinner on the beach.
