Review of the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall
On my first trip to Jamaica, I decided to stay with the Hyatt Ziva, Rose Hall. Located in Montego Bay, Ziva Rose Hall is one of the two hotels in this beachfront property by the Hyatt. The other being the Adults-side, Zilara. The resort is in close proximity to the airport (15 minutes by taxi), which has become a key criteria for me now that I am traveling with an infant. I will preface my review by saying I am not typically keen on staying at all-inclusive resorts as I find they lack in many areas, and a 5 star is never truly a 5 star when its an all-inclusive. However, that being said, we did have a pleasant stay with the Hyatt Ziva and would recommend it.
We traveled in mid-December right before the Christmas break and had perfect weather during our week-long stay.
The RESORT
This all-inclusive resort is quite vast stretched along a beachfront bay on the Northern side of the island. Because it is on the Atlantic side of the island, the ocean tends to be more wavy and windy than what you would find on the Caribbean Sea. There is a large pool with plenty of lounge chairs and a small stretch of beach to enjoy on the family-side of the resort.
-
Rooms:
Many of the rooms on the property have had a recent renovation. The rooms are quite spacious and many feature a private terrace with a view of the ocean. We were on the 3rd floor and had a direct view of the ocean – it was quiet and beautiful!
The bathroom is open concept with a spa-like feel. Double sinks, a soaker tub and a stand-up shower. The bed was moderately comfortable and overall all we had a pleasant stay.
-
Beach
The beach is decent for being on the Atlantic side. They have done a good job to make great use with what they had and have created a stone wall to break the wave allowing children to wade in the beach safely. There are plenty of loungers and palapas with daybeds for daily use ($).
The Jerk Shack is next to the beach serving up local Jamaican grilled chicken or pork. They serve the jerk meat with rice & peas along with festival (a Jamaican dumpling – quite tasty!)
-
The Pool
The pool area is quite large taking up an entire half of the family side of the resort. The loungers are plentiful and it isn’t difficult to find a chair for the day to enjoy. Should you need shade or quiet areas when traveling with an infant/as a family, there are many areas to accommodate. They have a number of daybeds lining the pool, all for a small fee to reserve for the day.
There is daily entertainment by the pool with a number of activities for both adults and kids. The service is wonderful and friendly. Someone is always around to get you a drink or a snack.
They also have a daily snack cart set up next to the pool offering self-serve nachos and Jamaican patties, and made to order hotdogs and hamburgers.
I worried that the music and entertainment by the pool would be too overpowering especially with the infant, but it was the opposite. We didn’t mind at all and in fact enjoyed it for ourselves.
Overall, the resort checked all boxes with service, functionality and room comfort. I didn’t necessarily find the resort ‘beautiful’ per se or unique from others in any regard, but it was exactly what I expected for an all-inclusive property.
The FOOD
One of the reasons my husband and I don’t travel often at inclusive resorts is due to the food. We often find the quality lacks when serving it to the masses for an all-inclusive price. That being said, we were very pleased with the selection and quality at the Hyatt Ziva. The buffet was plentiful and fresh and the a la carte options were quite delicious.
I don’t feel as if the food quality was compromised for being an all-inclusive resort. All of our meals were excellent and we were never left disappointed. On the family side, they have several options to choose from for dinner. A buffet each night with different themes, Italian, Asian Fusion (my favorite!), Caribbean with fresh seafood and lastly a Brazilian Steakhouse. There are a few more options on the adult side, but we weren’t able to visit with our infant in tow.
FAMILY FRIENDLY?
For the most part, yes. Infant friendly, not the greatest.
While there were many families traveling with young children and some with infants, I didn’t find the resort to be particularly accommodating to infants. There were no family restrooms and no change tables to be found in the women’s restrooms on site. There are quite a few stairs around the resort. Accessing the main lobby building is not very convenient as there is no way to get to it other than stairs or a very long detour otherwise (this would apply to wheelchairs as well).
Our room was on the third floor at the end of a long hallway which wasn’t the most convenient either.
While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this resort to parents traveling with infants, I do think it is overall a great, family-friendly resort, without there being too many kids.
I would certainly recommend this resort to the average all-inclusive traveler. I think you would be very pleased with the Hyatt property and their step above a typical AI property.
Like!! I blog frequently and I really thank you for your content. The article has truly peaked my interest.