HYATT ZIVA CANCUN: AN AFFORDABLE FAMILY ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT

The all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cancun with its plethora of real estate in Cancun’s Hotel Zone is a top resort that every family member will enjoy. Covering the corner of the famous Hotel Zone peninsula in pristine beaches and three crystal clear infinity pools with ocean views, relaxing spa facilities, and daily entertainment, it’s hard to choose NOT to stay here out of all the all-inclusive resorts!

Here’s why I really enjoyed my stay at this family-friendly resort (even without any kids!)

Hyatt Ziva Cancun sign
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If you’re looking for some fun things to do in Cancun, check out my Cancun itinerary!

HYATT ZIVA CANCUN ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT

If you’re looking for a relaxing and hassle-free vacation, then an all inclusive resort may be right for you. Many all inclusive resorts are located in tropical locations, such as the Caribbean or Mexico.

An all-inclusive resort is a vacation destination that includes lodging, meals, activities, and entertainment all in one price, also known as all inclusive rates. Order as much as you want, drink as much as you want, engage in as many activities as you want – it’s all included in the room rate!

With everything taken care of before you even arrive at your destination, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy your vacation.

But not all all-inclusive resorts are the same.

The Hyatt Ziva is one that offers luxurious accommodations, gourmet dining, a world-class spa, and many activities, an all inclusive experience.

However, a few things were not included. Airport transfers, premium liquor, special menu items, spa services and gratuity. Also any excursions weren’t included, which was a bummer because the resort isn’t far from cenotes, Tulum and ancient ruins. There is a concierge that can book excursions for you though. Or you can book your activity before you even arrive at the resort.

WHERE IS THE HYATT ZIVA CANCUN

All-inclusive main activity pool at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Blvd. Kukulcan, Manzana 51, Lote. 7, Cancun, Mexico, 77500

The Hyatt Ziva Cancun is located at the tip of the Hotel Zone on the Yucatan peninsula in Quintana Roo Cancun, Mexico. The all-inclusive hotel is situated on a white sand beach and offers stunning views of the Caribbean Sea on three sides. Perfectly situated in walking distance to Cancun’s nightlife and restaurant and bars if you want to venture off property. You can easily walk to a few museums and ancient ruins.

Take a short taxi ride to downtown Cancun or go a little farther to the port of Isla Mujeres for watersports such as boating, windsurfing or diving. It’s also a great port to take day trips out to other beautiful islands not far from Cancun.

HOW TO GET TO HYATT ZIVA CANCUN

Cancun Mexico hotel zone by air

The best way to get to the Hyatt Ziva Cancun is by flying into Cancun airport. The closest airport to the resort is the Cancun International Airport (CUN). Many major airlines fly into Cancun from the United States, so you should have no problem finding a flight that works for you, with a handful of airlines that fly direct from the west coast, Miami and New York. I flew JetBlue as it has a direct from Las Vegas!

Once you arrive at the Cancun airport, you will need to take a taxi or shuttle to the Hyatt Ziva. The resort is about a 20 minute scenic ride from the airport. If you take a taxi, be sure to negotiate the fare before getting in the car. You don’t want to get ripped off by a taxi driver!

TRAVELER’S TIP: You should definitely get a taxi from the airport. The airport is a madhouse of tour companies aggressively trying to stop you to sell you tours and rides to your destination. They’ll even ask where you are going and say that they are a representative of that place. It’s full of commotion and frustration. Book your taxi online and exit as fast as you can. Better yet, arrange private transportation through booking.com.

If you rent a car, the resort offers valet parking. Another popular way to get to the resort is a ferry from Playa del Carmen, which is about an hour-long ride. Both can also be booked at booking.com.

Arriving at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Hyatt Ziva all-inclusive main lobby

Similar to all resorts in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, if you arrive by car, a guard posted out front will confirm your reservation before you are permitted to enter the property. Upon arrival, you will be warmly welcomed, handed a drink (the first of many!), and escorted to check-in. No need to worry about your luggage as all that will be handled by the the bellman who will take it directly to your room.

Check-in is located in the main lobby with a private check-in desk for World of Hyatt members. The lobby is beautiful, with high ceilings and plenty of seating. The staff is very friendly and helpful, so don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Especially the concierge who is located right outside the lobby.

Our flight came in pretty early and our room wasn’t ready yet. We specifically booked the one bedroom corner suite. The resort has plenty of activities and amenities to keep you entertained so we had extra time to take advantage of everything that the resort had to offer.

We got an early start on trying the different restaurants by grabbing an early lunch and ice cold beers and hook up to the free WIFI. We would have gone to the beach, but our swimsuits were in our luggage. EEK!

ALL SUITE ROOMS AT THE HYATT ZIVA CANCUN

“Hyatt Ziva Cancun features 547 luxury suites with contemporary Caribbean decor, hand crafted furnishings and picturesque views of the blue sea.” – From Hyatt’s website.

There’s a variety of room types complete with modern amenities and stunning views. The average suite size at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun is about 483 square feet (44 square meters) to about about 680 square feet (64 square meters). Roll away beds can be added to any room on a first come first serve basis.

From standard suites to suites with private pools, here’s a breakdown of the different room types.

Resort Suites

Hyatt Ziva Cancun all-inclusive resort balcony jacuzzi in corner suite with ocean views

All the guest suites are nicely sized since it is meant to accommodate your whole family. All rooms include an mini bar with beverages, including alcohol, snacks and 24-hour room service that’s included in the rate. You can spend your entire family vacation in the room if you wanted!

Floor level suites usually have direct access to walk out to the resort’s garden. The King bed rooms come with a pull out sofa. All rooms can be upgraded to ocean views with private balconies.

Club Room. If you upgrade to a Club suite, these rooms are accessed by key card to a private building. The entrance to the Club building has with several lounging chairs, tables and snacks along with a pool table and direct access to the third pool.

Our suite was in the Club building. The first floor had a private bar and buffet specifically for Club guests. From my experience, the Club served premium liquor at no extra charge.

Dolphin view suites. These rooms are located in the pyramid building. And for an upgrade, you can stay in a room that overlooks the dolphin habitat (and I use that term loosely). For an extra charge, you can spend time with the dolphins.

Swim up suites. There are a few rooms that are a double whammy! Enjoy a swimming up to your patio right off a semi-private pool. The pool is shared by everyone in the swim up suites. Then there’s the Caribbean ocean views from your patio too! But note that these rooms can only be occupied by guests who are 13 years or older.

Living room at the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cancun corner suite
Bedroom at the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cancun corner suite
Complimentary mini bar with ocean views at the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cancun corner suite
Balcony jacuzzi with ocean views at the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cancun corner suite

Larger Suites. We stayed in the Ocean front corner suite, complete with one bedroom and two different views of the ocean. Since there were only two of us, the suite was felt large and comfortable, like being at home. Right of the entrance was a half bath, then emptied into the living room and dining room. The bedroom closed with wooden sliding doors and had its own master bath with a sizable shower. The corner suite allowed us to see three different views of the Caribbean Sea and a private hot tub sits on the oversized balcony.

The family-friendly property also offers two bedroom suites and the Pyramid suite comes in at a whopping 1,316 square feet (122 square meters) and covers two levels.

If that’s not enough, the Presidential Suite sits on the entire 18th floor for 4,381 square feet (407 square meters) for an even greater room experience. Lavished with two bedrooms, butler service and marble bathrooms, this is the family suite of all family suites!

Turquoize Tower

All the same suites, but located in the exclusive access adults only beachfront tower with private check-in.

The Turquoize rooms at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun has turquoise rooms that will make you feel like you’re in a paradise. The color of the sea and sky are captured in the decor and design of the room, making it the perfect place to relax and unwind. Soak it up in the (no kids) semi-private rooftop infinity pool overlooking the sea.

WHERE TO EAT AT THE HYATT ZIVA CANCUN

Eating at an all-inclusive resort can definitely be considered an Olympic event! The Hyatt Ziva is not exception! The good food ranges from casual to fine dining, and restaurant hopping is one of the best ways to experience all types of cuisines.

For the best experience try and request an outdoor table if available or even just grab some food and dine at one of the many outdoor tables scattered on the property to enjoy that warm Caribbean breeze. Here’s a breakdown of the dining options.

Dinner at Tradewinds at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Restaurants:

  • La Bastille. Adults-only. French cuisine. Romantic dining experience. Dress code: smart casual.
  • El Mercado. Gourmet buffet with international cuisines. Indoor and outdoor seating close to the pool area. Dress code: Dry (haha!)
  • The Moongate. Teppanyaki Grill. Open kitchen to view the chefs’ culinary skills. Reservations highly recommended! Dress code: Smart casual.
  • Tradewinds. Grill. Oceanfront. Dress code: Dry.
  • Lorenzo’s. Italian cuisine. Has a wood burning stove. Dress code: Causal.
  • Habaneros. Mexican cuisine. On the beach. Dress code: Casual.
  • Chevy’s. American. Near the pool with indoor and outdoor seating. Dress code: Causal.
  • Pasteles. Dessert parlor for the sweet tooth! Homemade candy, pastries, cakes and ice cream.
  • Casa del Cafe. Coffee. Next to Pasteles, take your dessert and unwind in one of the cozy nooks.
  • Dips and Sips. Swim-up bar. Dress code: pool attire.
  • Bar Del Mar. At the club level infinity pool, serving premium liquor, snacks and small plates. Dress code: Pool attire.
  • Chef’s Table. A culinary six-course specialized tasting menu for groups. Reservations and extra charge applies. Dress code: Smart casual.

Bars:

  • Saasil Bar. Adults-only. Lobby cantina indoor and outdoor. Dress code: formal for dinner.
  • Juana Margarita. Tequila bar complete with a knowledgeable Tequilier. Dress code: Casual.
  • Tres CerveZa’s. Microbrewery with delicious small bites. Dress code: smart casual.
  • Punta Vista. Serving the infinity pool in the adults-only Turquoize Tower. Dress code: pool attire.

After staying at this resort for four days, we still only dined at about half the restaurants. Much of it was because we didn’t want to leave the pool or the beach!

We did find the quality of the food to be surprisingly good. Even at the quick “fast food” places. We spent most of our time away from the pool either at Tres CerveZa’s and on the oceanfront patio of Tradewinds for dinner.

Flaming dessert at La Bastille restaurant in the Hyatt Ziva Cancun

We enjoyed our last night at La Bastille where we were treated to the special flaming dessert prepared right at our table.

ACTIVITIES AT THE HYATT ZIVA CANCUN

Hyatt Ziva Cancun club pool and cabana

As this is an all inclusive family resort, there’s no need to venture off property if you don’t want to. There’s a schedule of activities posted throughout the resort.

Water Sports. Every day there was some sort of water activities, of course. Games of water polo, water aerobics, dance and live entertainment are consistent activities surrounding the main pools. Non-motorized water sports including kayaking, paddle boarding and snorkeling can be done right from the hotel. The concierge is able to book any other activities that the hotel doesn’t offer.

We did find that the third pool, the pool closest to the Club building, to be the quietest and least crowded as most of the daily entertainment, kid’s play area and pool, and restaurants were located around the main pool.

You can rent a cabana for a day and we found the prices to be WAY AFFORDABLE (especially compared to the ones in Vegas $$$). The cabanas came with a set menu that was included, meaning the cabana attendant would bring the food on the menu to you. If you wanted food from a particular restaurant, you would have to go pick it up. It also came with a bottle of champagne and a 20 minute back and shoulder massage 🙂

Fitness center. If water activities are not your thing or if the main pool is too crowded for you, there’s also the traditional fitness center with traditional activities such as yoga classes and it also includes untraditional activities such as a simulated golf course.

Zen Spa. The Zen Spa is available for an additional charge and reservation. Get relaxed in the 13 Mayan inspired treatment rooms or in a beachfront palapas. Soak it up in private hot tubs or hydrotherapy to add relaxation to your relaxation. There’s also a beauty salon to get you ready for that romantic dinner.

All-inclusive resort Hyatt ZIva Cancun live entertainment of evening acrobat show

Live entertainment. In the evenings, the main pools are filled with live music, dancing and entertainment. We were able to enjoy a live acrobat show before dinner one evening and a live drone show another evening.

Kid’s Clubs. Teenagers can hang out at the Moods Lounge where they can play video games, meet new friends and socialize. Younger kids can hang out at the Kidz Club for arts and crafts, video games and even have a great time at a mini water park.

The hotel also offers babysitting services for an extra charge.

Private Beach. There’s also access to private white-sand beaches from the front of the property where you can rent cabanas. There’s also access to a beach at the back of the property where you can view and walk to other hotels in the Hotel Zone. Small boats usually anchor and hang out in the waters back here. There always seems to be a game of beach volleyball too.

BOOKING THE HYATT ZIVA CANCUN

Hyatt Ziva Cancun one of the infinity pools with views of the Caribbean Sea

This property can be booked with World of Hyatt points. The amount per night depends on which room you book and whether it’s peak season.

If you sign up for the World of Hyatt program, you can book this hotel at a discount. If you reach top-tier Globalist status, you can book a standard room and use a suite upgrade voucher to be guaranteed a suite upon check in, like we did!

Another way to have a grand experience at this hotel is to book through American Express Fine Resorts. Thanks to the new benefits of the American Express platinum card, you can get a $200 statement credit, $125 in hotel credit, and if available free upgrades and free late check outs.

Check out the booking price here.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE HYATT ZIVA CANCUN ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT

We found the Hyatt Ziva Cancun to be one of the best hotel picks in the Hotel Zone. It’s a picturesque all inclusive property and its great spot affords the benefit of an almost 360 degree view of Caribbean Sea.

It rivals some of the luxury resorts such as the le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun, and it seemed to have more to offer than it’s sister adults-only property down the street, Hyatt Zilara Cancun, which is why we chose to stay at the Ziva, even without kids.

Also, we found that the hotel kept up with covid-19 updates and travel alerts and offered free PCR testing for us to return to the United States without the hassle of venturing off property to find a testing location.

A major negative about this all-inclusive resort

The only downside, and for me it’s a massive downside, is the dolphin habitat. Captive wild animals for entertainment are inherently cruel and here’s a quick dolphin documentary and a more detailed dolphin entertainment cruelty that explains this extremely cruel industry.

Unless otherwise indicated, the thoughts, opinions, and photos shared here are entirely my own.

For more travel itineraries and inspiration, check out my other posts:

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