Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall

Arrived 15 July, departed 23 July. I would like to thank the service personnel they work very hard taking care of the guess. Shout outs to Toni-Ann, Elvis, Julio, and Tasha at the Zilara Pool bar thank you so much. Anthony at the Zilara Pool side grill great jerk chicken, fried chicken and pizza. Food at all restaurants was very good. Problem was not the service or food. The Zilara side was pretty much closed down the only things open on the Zilara side was some rooms when we first arrived. The pool, pool bar, and grill were closed when we arrived and opened 17 July. No restaurants on the Zilara side were open during our stay, you had to go over to the Ziva side for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all lobby bars were closed, sports bar on the Ziva side was open. Very disappointing, expected things to be different due to COVID-19, did not mind wearing a mask, social distancing, etc. no one wants to get sick. But having the Zilara side closed down was not what I expected. You are either open or closed, and in this case you might as well say the Zilara was closed. Hope Hyatt management can come up with a better plan than this, paying for A and getting B is bad business. If anyone reading this plans on going to the Zilara I would recommend calling first and finding out exactly what is open and what is closed.

This was our first trip during COVID and were naturally pretty nervous. We were really pleased to see all of the precautions from immigration, health screening, check-in, safety measures and check-out. We heard it said every day and we said it ourselves, we felt safer with the protocols in Jamaica than at home in the US. Jamaicans take precautions seriously, adhere to protocols, social distancing, face coverings and sanitation. The Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara resorts were really well run. There were touchless hand sanitizer stations throughout the resort. Luggage was sanitized and labeled "sanitized" as soon as we got off of our private shuttle. The check-in process was quick and efficient. We had the choice of calling housekeeping as needed or if we would like daily housekeeping. Bellman, Jerry walked us in and guided us to our room. He asked us to unlock the room, open the door & break the "sanitized" sticker at the door. Before helping us with our luggage he specifically asked if he could enter, or, he would unload our suitcases at the door (to our preference). Mini bar fridge also had a sanitized sticker would be stocked when we called. All items were brought in paper bag. Room service brought folding table and folding stool to ensure contactless delivery every time. FOOD: With limited occupancy, restaurants were open on rotational schedule. The chalkboards were updated daily on which restaurants were open for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Our favorite was the outdoor jerk grill with the jerk master Shayon. He is also skilled at cutting cold coconuts (try it)! We happily ate there every day. I have food allergies, it is always a huge concern when going to a new restaurant or resort. I read another Tripadvisor review from someone with severe allergies and their input really helped. ALL of the staff were extremely knowledgeable about cross-contamination and gluten in the food. Our first meal was at Calypso, the outdoor seafood grill. Ricardo made sure my no-bread daily catch sandwich was gluten free. Huge extra bonus, he specially asked the chef to make me fries in it's own pan rather than the usual frier. It's not every day I can safely have fries. At the ChoiceZ buffet, all of the food items are served by staff (no self-serve) for cleanliness. One dinner at ChoiceZ they were not sure about salmon. Without hesitation they made me a special plate in the kitchen. Every breakfast Dale or Denmar knew side dishes and who had cooked dishes. They asked chefs if the vegetables were cooked 1st or after dish containing gluten. One morning I asked about the cabbage and because of the seasoning I could not have it. The next morning Denmar modified it so it was safe for me to try it. They also have a poached egg station with fresh hollandaise sauce which is a work of art. The pools were lovely as are the beaches. There were daily activities by the entertainment team: Anthoneil, Kelly Ann, Sophia greeted us daily and kept things exciting. There were daily fitness classes, nightly entertainment and water sports (kayak, SUP, sailing all included). The gym was really impressive, it is hands-down the nicest resort gym I have ever seen. It's about 3 years old, 2-levels, open 24/7. Dedicated spin room with huge screens. TRX, group fitness classes. Fully stocked weights, cardio equipment and floor space. There was daily outdoor yoga classes overlooking the ocean. I haven't seen aqua spin, aqua pole & aqua boxing classes before. It was really hard to leave and we can't wait to go back. Every single staff member, grounds team, managers we met were so kind and welcoming.

We selected the adults only side of the hotel because we wanted to have a quiet and tranquil experience sans kids. The adult only side did not provide this for us. It was the complete opposite, there was a spring break style pool party going on every day and all day long. Out of the five days we had at the property we did not hear any reggae music. The sounds by the pool were American hip hop, dance and rap. Such a disappointment because we were hoping to experience true Jamaican culture as the resort marketed to prospective guests. The adult’s side of the resort seemed like an afterthought when compared to the amenities and décor of the family side. The restaurant selection, shops and main entertainment are located on the family side. We were not adequately informed of the offerings on the family side of the resort and only discovered them on our last days. The room was a nice size overlooking the family pool and partial ocean view. The beds were comfortable and big and there was plenty of drawers and closet space for clothing. The bathroom was large with a standing rain shower and separate soaking tub. There was an issue with the toilet running all the time and maintenance could not seem to fix it. The AC was awesome and so refreshing after being on the beach. Food and beverages are included in the package except for a few restaurants that have an upcharge. We were able to drink top-shelf liquors, but the wine package was quite disappointing. A few folks from my party commented that the mixed drinks had very little alcohol and they are light drinkers so basically the drinks were watered down. Several months before the trip I had arranged and paid for a private dinner to celebrate a birthday. Before the trip, I confirmed the private event and made sure the special requests were in order down to the cake flavor. When we arrived at the restaurant on the set day and time, the room was dark and not set for my party. The hostess and manger did not seem to know what was going on. We had to help arrange the tables in the room and get folks on the same page to meet our prearranged expectations – something the manger should have done. Additionally, the cake was not prepared as requested and I was asked several times whom the contact was at the resort that made the arrangements. Finally, the manager told me the pastry chef did not make the birthday cake! The server knew the restaurant royally screwed up the event and did his best to provide excellent service – which he did. This was such a disappointment and waste of money. The service was spotty. Some folks provided attentive professional service while others were struggling to find patience for tourist. Sometimes we had too many interruptions during dinner as if to rush us out of the restaurant and other times we could not find anyone to help us. Safety is an issue for single ladies at this resort. I had a couple male staff approach me in an unprofessional manner and both times making me feel uncomfortable and unsafe. I learned after a couple days that it was safer to pair up with the guy friends in my group than walking with my girlfriends around the resort. We took an excursion with Island Routes to see the sunset at Ricks with a shopping trip and stopover at the beach. The driver would not take us to a proper shop or beach and instead took us to a small resort where we were hassled by VERY aggressive vendors on the beach and one nearly attacked my friend when he did not want to buy bracelets. The driver did not look after or protect his clients as he should, and quite frankly was a horrible driver. We came close a few times to an accident while transport between the hotel and tourist attraction. We think the driver was struggling to stay awake. It was an awful experience. The tour company was also responsible for airport transportation and did not show up at the agreed time. The hotel had to call a taxi, which was an additional charge. The resort would benefit from a thorough review of their customer base and matching customer service and operational offerings. The resort is listed as a 4-star hotel. I travel quite a bit and stay at 4+ star hotels on the regular and this was more appropriately a 3-star experience that I would not recommend to family, friends, or business colleagues.

I think it’s hard to be working during coronavirus, but the staff at Zilara/Ziva did a great job. Very friendly and inviting even talking through a mask. Not all the restaurants were open, but we loved all 3 versions of Fusion. Highly recommend the wok. Davian worked the pool bar and was AMAZING—if he’s there, ask for his special.

The resort was clean, beautiful, and romantic. But, without the people that run this establishment our trip would be nothing. Toni Ann was our favorite! Her service, dedication, and genuine character made us feel like Jamaica was our home and we were part of her family. I will especially go back to the Hyatt just to see her again! She remembered us, our likes and dislikes, and went out of her way for us every day she was there. We will never forget her. Adrian and Tameaka were amazing too. They were always eager to put a smile on someone’s face and that interaction is priceless. Although we never met Natasha, she checked on us daily as well. I can’t say enough about the service. One more shout out to Toni......if she ever comes to the states I would love to get her a drink this time! Can’t wait to see you again!