Puerto Vallarta is the ultimate escape. Spectacular sunsets night after night, savoury, delicious dining, and beautiful beaches are abundant in this tropical paradise. Our Groups and Weddings Travel Expert Michelle Grennan recently stayed at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta and shares five reasons how staying at this luxury resort will upgrade your next trip to Mexico:
Location
On the beachfront of a secluded bay, the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta feels tucked away on a private tropical paradise. Because of its particularly private nature, this resort does not require its guests to wear wristbands – which is a lovely touch. The Hyatt is a convenient five-minute taxi ride to get downtown and only costs about $7 USD. With this in mind, I definitely recommend leaving the resort to explore downtown Puerto Vallarta – shop, sightsee, people watch on the Malecon (the iconic seawall), or dance at a nightclub. I felt safe everywhere I went, even at night.
Rooms
Imagine waking up to the morning sun rising over the Pacific and falling asleep to the sound of the waves with your balcony slightly open to let in the breezy fresh air.
What makes the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta extra special is that it was built so that all rooms were ocean-facing – with the exception of two room categories on the first floor which are garden facing (the Hyatt Ziva Terrace King room category and the Hyatt Ziva Terrace Double room category).
The resort has two buildings with guest rooms. The main building has the majority of lead-in room categories. The rooms are open, airy, modern and outfitted with the most comfortable beds and pillows. Floor to ceiling sliding glass doors framed with Juliet-style balconies lead your gaze toward the beautiful view of your surroundings. There are adults-only swim-up room categories available with exclusive pool access and a private lounge area. The second building has the Club-level rooms, which are bigger, have full balconies as opposed to Juliet, rainfall showers and soaker tubs, upgraded amenities, as well as private check-in and Club lounge access. Here you’ll find the Club suites, like the presidential one-bedroom suite which is atop the Club tower: a two-story suite with its own private plunge pool and terrace that looks over Las Estacas beach.
Food & Drinks
The food and dining here is perfection of the highest quality! There’s a buffet, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but one thing I noticed right away was that the buffet always had small (but sufficient) quantities of food on hand, presumably to constantly replenish with fresh food. None of the restaurants require reservations, including the a la carte restaurants! They’re all first come, first served.
My favourite restaurant was Blaze, an open-air, waterfront restaurant featuring stunning views, eggs benny at breakfast, fish tacos at lunch, and seafood and steaks at dinner. There’s also an upscale Mexican restaurant (mmmm, mango margaritas!), an Italian restaurant (pizza on the patio for lunch was perfect!), and an Asian fusion restaurant (get the spring rolls and lemon drop martinis!). Each restaurant has perfect ocean views. There are a number of places for refreshment throughout the resort, from cafes to tequila sports bars. And, there’s a swim up bar! It was super lively throughout the day and the staff did an amazing job at keeping up with the high demand.
- Expert tip: if you want to get away from the action near the Asian fusion restaurant, there is a beach bar close to the palapas on the beach, where seats in the shade were always plentiful and the beach service made it even better!
Spa
The spa at the Hyatt is the biggest spa in Puerto Vallarta proper and one of the top 10 of best spas in all of Mexico! I made it a point to “product test” the spa at the Hyatt and was very pleased with the result. The highly popular fish spa is available here, which was a new experience for me. I booked a beachfront cabana massage and let me tell you… it was to die for! In my opinion, there isn’t anything better than getting pampered while hearing the sound of waves just a few feet away.
- Expert tip: If you have a later flight, it is a great idea to get a spa service, or buy a day pass ($25 USD) to use the hydrotherapy and terrace area all day long. There are in and out privileges, so you can come and go as you please to eat or swim in the ocean, or whatever you like! This gives you access to showers and lockers also!
- Bonus expert tip: Enjoy later check-out times!
Group Events & Wedding Amenities
First and foremost, I’m a specialist in groups and destination weddings, so naturally my attention gravitates toward anything at a hotel that would relate to this aspect.
On my first night at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, I went to the tequila sports bar for karaoke night. It was packed and everyone was having the most fabulous time. One group of about 20 people were celebrating a 70th birthday and the whole family was at the resort for a week to celebrate, all ranging in age starting at 7 years old.
There was a wedding party that took place in the wedding penthouse, which is a private location the top floor of the resort with the ocean as your backdrop, which led to a poolside where the reception took place and an after-party at the tequila sports bar. Everything looked absolutely gorgeous. I asked the bride if she enjoyed the wedding services and she absolutely raved about them! Everyone was just wowed.
- Expert tip: If you have always dreamed of a destination wedding on the beach, with the most spectacular gorgeous sunsets, Puerto Vallarta is the place for you! They’re the most stunning sunsets in Mexico.
I had the best time at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. I had high expectations and they did not disappoint! One thing I haven’t mentioned is that often it is the people and service at a resort that takes a good experience to the next level and the service “from the heart,” which is Playa Resort Group’s motto. It absolutely shined through.
To sample the gourmet dining, watch a spectacular sun set over the Pacific, or book your own presidential suite with its own private plunge pool, now is the best time to book a stay at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta! Take advantage of our Early Booking Bonus Sale, only on for a limited time. Save up to 50%* on select sun vacations including the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America. You can connect with Michelle online, visit her in-store, or call 1-866-386-0840. Book today!
*Conditions apply. This overarching offer is based on a variety of Sun Early Booking Bonus offered by various charter partners as follows: WestJet Vacations, Air Canada Vacations, Transat, Sunwing, and AM Resorts. Offers are provided by suppliers and are subject to change, click here for more details. Expiry dates vary.