Hyatt ALG All-Inclusive Resorts
Hyatt has operated two all-inclusive resort brands, Ziva and Zilara, for a while now. There aren’t all that many properties, but I’ve heard mostly good things about their AI resorts. But the landscape may be changing for my favorite loyalty program as the Hyatt ALG all-inclusive resorts are added to the portfolio.
Back in August Hyatt announced the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group (ALG) for the massive sum of $2.7 billion. The all-inclusive luxury hotel portfolio will include nearly 100 properties by the end of 2021. The crazy thing is that this will make Hyatt the largest operator of luxury all-inclusive hotels. Given the upscale to luxury standards of their various brands, I think this fits Hyatt nicely. The resort brands added are from the AMR Collection. Brands include: Secrets, Dreams, Breathless, Sunscape, Zoetry, and Alua.
It’s unclear when and how the all-inclusive properties will be integrated into World of Hyatt. The deal will close before the end of 2021, and I would expect them to be integrated quickly, but could be wrong. Hyatt has done a great job adding in Small Luxury Hotel properties into their program. The award pricing will need to be set, and I anticipate this will be an expansion to the other all-inclusive pricing rather than integrating the ALG hotels into the standard award chart.
Update 5/8/22: Many of these become bookable tomorrow on 5/9/22. We won’t know the award prices until then but check them out in the morning.
Finding the Best Hyatt ALG All-Inclusive Resorts
I’ve looked over the ALG portfolio for some gems. Here are ten Hyatt ALG all-inclusive resorts that appeal to me:
Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica
Costa Rica is close to my heart since this is where my kids are from. While we were there in 2017, I really wanted to head out to Guanacaste for a long weekend at the Andaz, but I couldn’t make it happen with everything we needed to get done.
In addition to an AMR Collection all-inclusive being added close to the Andaz, the Dreams Las Mareas will be joining Hyatt. The hotel is about as far north along the Pacific coast as you can get, nearly to Nicaragua. Surrounded by hills and opening out to a sandy beach, it looks lovely. You also have tons to do with Parque Nacional Guanacaste nearby. Fly into Liberia for the easiest access.
Secrets St. Martin
Although this is on the French side of the island (and all avgeeks know that the beach by SXM is the place to be), this hotel looks lovely. The exterior is less than impressive, but the rooms, hotel interior, and swimming pools looks excellent. Secrets St. Martin also faces a nice little beach nestled within a cove, and you can even see Anguilla in the distance. There’s also a small marina next to the hotel.
AluaSoul Zakynthos (Greece)
Zakynthos is high on my list of Greek islands that I have looked at for planning a trip. There are more famous ones, to be sure, but it is still on the popular side. The AluaSoul Zakynthos beach is the only Zakythos option among the AMR Collection resorts. The rooms and restaurant setting look nice from the photos, but you have less of a beach and only one pool, which is a drawback. Still, it made my list since, well, Zakynthos, Greece. This property is adults-only.
Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa (Mexico)
Visiting an all-inclusive in Mexico just seems wrong, which is likely a contrarian opinion. Places like Cancun have never really appealed to me. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that this resort in Oaxaca is way more appealing. The beach at Dreams Huatulco Resort looks fantastic. The hotel also offers multiple pools, and you’re right next to Parque Nacional Huatulco. This resort is also more affordable than most, and I’d hope that it’ll be possible to burn a Hyatt free night here.
Secrets Mallorca Villamil
This 5-star resort in the middle of Peguera should be high on anyone’s list. The room look amazing, and you’re steps from the beach. I love the character of the hotel from the photos. Note that Secrets Resorts are all adults-only, so that may influence your decision (or ability) to visit one.
Zoetry Montego Bay
If you’re looking for a quieter resort atmosphere but without the adults-only requirement, Zoetry might be a brand to consider. This property in Jamaica boasts beautiful rooms and an excellent beachfront location. Prices are sky-high, so I’d be glad to burn points at this Hyatt ALG all-inclusive resort.
Sunscape Curacao Resort
I go back and forth between Aruba and Curaçao as the ABC island I’m most interested in visiting. The Sunscape Resort looks like an excellent option if you’re targeting Curaçao. I love the beachfront location, yet you’re super close to the rest of Willemstad. The resort also has a kids’ club.
Dreams Jardín Tropical Resort & Spa (Tenerife) – Coming Soon
This property jumped out at me immediately. The hotel grounds and building have a ton of character, and the rooms are stylish. Additionally, you will be able to enjoy seven restaurants and wonderful views of the Atlantic. It does it’s best to make up for lack of direct beach access.
Zoetry Agua Punta Cana
With quite a few AMR Collection resorts in the Dominican Republic, it was hard to pick a property. Of those I browsed, the Zoetry Agua Punta Cana looked to be the best Hyatt ALG all-inclusive resort. The rooms are beautiful, and I love the island-style hotel construction. You’re also away from a bunch of other Punta Cana resorts, so hopefully the beach is a bit more quiet. The reviews are excellent. Prices are not. But that’s why we have Hyatt points.
Dreams Playa Bonita Panama
I was surprised to find this Hyatt ALG all-inclusive property just outside Panama City. I’ve looked at Panama hotels multiple times, and prices are always affordable. This all-inclusive is no exception. It’s not as upscale as most of the other properties in the AMR Collection, but it is right on the beach, and you’re still close to the city if you want to explore.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be honest: I’ve never been crazy about all-inclusive properties and have very little experience at them. But some of these places look amazing. Depending on the pricing, I’ll likely be more than happy to drop Hyatt points for a stay.
Which of the Hyatt ALG all-inclusive resorts interest you?
Featured photo courtesy of Secrets Villamil.
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“but every time, the people who drove us made multiple stools along the way”
No thanks. Think I’ll pass on that experience.
None of the hotels seem to be bookable with points
We got married at Dreams Las Mareas and it’s by far the nicest of the Dreams properties I’ve ever visited by a long shot. It’s about 90 minutes from LIR, but every time we’ve stayed there, the people who drove us were amazing, and made multiple stools along the way to show us various things
Ian-while a location wish list is one aspect to get excited about as it relates to trying out a property-the expanded list of new ALG hotels will be great for WOH members to earn/redeem points-keep in mind that the quality of each one not only varies between brands, but within each brand itself…and not just in different cities. You can have multiple properties in the same city and brand that vary not only in amenities but quality of service, food & bev and infrastructure/maintenance. The main reason for this is that these hotels are owned, operated and managed by various companies; Hyatt Ziva and Zilara are operated by Playa Resorts that have a high standard of product operation and customer service. AM Resorts have been hit or miss…they can be an issue with consistency. Plus, what your pay for at a Dreams (high end) isn’t what you will get at a Sunscape (low end). They used to also have the Reflect Krystal brand in the chain, which has since left, and the NOW brand, which is mid-tier and may or may not be in the group moving forward (they have been rebranding some into Dreams). So the overall experience will be different and not match what Playa has done with Ziva/Zilara.
I get that. Based on the photos, brand consistency could definitely be better. I’m mainly excited that these will be new offerings, and I’m hopeful Hyatt will price award nights appropriately.
Thank you Ian for the excellent summary. Have never regretted going to an all-inclusive. Especially with kids, the better ones actually cater to families. We now gravitate towards them. I was leery of Cancun (curious for a Mexican native,) and we end up going back there, and especially Isla Mujeres. Getting there is always easy, and we usually find competitive airfares and room rates. Yes, there is the “Vegas by the Sea” element, but the natural Latin American hospitality wins out.
We drifted away from the “Adults Only” places. Kids are usually not drunk, loud and obnoxious at all hours.
Thanks for reading! I concur with avoiding the adults-only places for those reasons. I’ve never been sold on the idea. There are a few on the list above, but I would much prefer those that welcome families. Assuming there is some brand consistency, Zoetry seems like the best fit for me, personally.