Park Hyatt St Kitts Review

Updated: 1/5/22

The Park Hyatt St Kitts is located in the Christophe Harbour area on the island of St Kitts. The resort sits about 30 minutes from the airport on the southeast peninsula overlooking Nevis. If you are visiting this resort, you might choose to leave the resort to venture into Brasserie, take a boat over to Nevis or visit nearby Christophe Harbour restaurants. But with all the amenities and dining options, you don't have to leave the resort. So the Park Hyatt St. Kitts is great for those who just want to lay around and relax or for those who want a more adventurous trip full of excursions and site seeing. We planned our visit to the Park Hyatt St Kitts back in the spring of 2018 so the anticipation built up for quite awhile. And lets just say this luxury resort was worth the wait. The Park Hyatt St Kitts just opened their doors in November of 2017. And the resort did not disappoint.

The Park Hyatt St Kitts at Christophe Harbour

If you are looking for a luxurious escape smack dab in the middle of the Caribbean, then the Park Hyatt St Kitts is where you need to be. The entire resort overlooks Banana Bay which has an incredible view of Nevis.

Upon our arrival to the Park Hyatt St Kitts, we were very tired after traveling all day. So all we wanted to do was get checked into our room. From the front drive of the hotel we were escorted down a very wide candle lit sidewalk that was surrounded by water to the lobby of the hotel. There we were greeted with a cold damp towel and a glass of champagne. Definitely a nice touch!

Our Room

The Park Hyatt St Kitts consists of several dwellings with many different types of rooms. Since the resort is a bit spread out, we were given a ride on a golf cart with our luggage to our room.

The rooms boast a very luxurious yet modern beach feel. Lots of white painted wood mixed with warm tones of mahogany. During our stay we had the opportunity to stay in a Beachside King Room as well as a Park Executive Suite. Both rooms were very comfortable boasting plenty of space, incredible spa like bathrooms with freestanding tubs, walk-in showers and a closet.

The rooms are decorated very simply as not to distract from the colors of the Caribbean and the resort. Each room at the Park Hyatt St Kitts features either a private balcony or terrace.

The luxurious spa like bathroom featured a double vanity, a free standing tub, a walk in shower and a separate toilet room. And the best part is Park Hyatt has some of our favorite brand of toiletries Le Labo!

Dining

There are three dining options at the Park Hyatt St Kitts. There is the Great House (main restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner), the Fisherman's Village (seafood lovers heaven for lunch and dinner) and the Stone Barn (adult only dining for dinner).

Since we visited during slow season the Stone Barn was unfortunately closed. However, the Stone Barn menu was being served in the Great House in addition to the Great House menu. We ate breakfast each day at the Great House. They have a nice breakfast buffet that is very European with lots of cheese, smoke meats, pastries and fruit. There were also a variety of hot food items each day. And the pastries were delicious! If buffets aren't your thing, they have a great breakfast menu as well. All of the meals we at at the Great House  were absolutely incredible.

We also had the opportunity to do a coffee tasting class. During the class we were taught about coffee, how it is grown, roasted and brewed. We got to taste coffee that was brewed by six different methods, each with it's own unique taste. And since we are self proclaimed coffee snobs, this class was obviously something we really enjoyed!

Another thing we really enjoy about Hyatt properties such as the Park Hyatt St Kitts is that they truly understand the need for great craft coffee. In fact most luxury Hyatt properties feature a barista and a craft coffee menu and the Park Hyatt St Kitts was no exception from this.

Amenities

The Park Hyatt St Kitts has plenty of things to do. There are several paths to walk around the resort, there is a nice stretch of black sand beach and plenty of opportunities to relax and connect with nature. Not to mention the incredible views of Banana Bay that can be seen from all over the resort.

The resort features two pools. There is the adults only pool (Rampart Pool) with cabanas and incredible views of Banana Bay. And there is the main pool (Lagoon Pool) that features a man-made beach, and a zero-entry infinity edge pool. Both pools feature full-service food & drink.

In addition to the pools there is the Beach Shack with has all kinds of non-motorized watersports activities such as paddle boarding, snorkeling, and kayaks.

The Park Hyatt St. Kitts also features a great spa with separate men's and women's facilities such as a steam room, sauna, hot tub and outdoor showers. The facilities were very well maintained and the staff was very attentive and friendly.

It can be a struggle to get a decent workout in on vacation. But the fitness center at the Park Hyatt St Kitts won't disappoint. You'll find plenty of cardio equipment, free weights and machines to get your blood pumping. And of course afterwards, take advantage of some time relaxing in the steam room and sauna.

Overall Impression

The Park Hyatt St Kitts is a great place to relax unwind and live on island time. Despite the fact that St Kitts can be a hard place to get to, this 5-Star resort makes the hours of travel worth it in every way. And the staff at the Park Hyatt St Kitts is incredible. Everyone made an effort to get to know us. Toward the end of our stay everyone was calling us by name as if we were family.

And remember, if you book with a Hyatt Prive travel agent like Live Luxe Travel Co. , you’ll get extra benefits like complimentary breakfast, a $100 USD resort credit, a confirmed on category room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out! And occasionally the Park Hyatt St. Kitts offers promotions a free night offer when you book through a Hyatt Prive travel agent. So take advantage of some of the promotions and go visit this new luxurious resort. You won't regret it!

Thompson Zihuatanejo Review

Our Verdict

Thompson Zihuatanejo Review

Looking for a luxurious place to stay that’s off the beaten path? You’ve found it at Thompson Zihuatanejo, Beach Resort. Thompson Zihuatanejo is located on Playa La Ropa, the premier swimming beach of Mexico’s Pacific Coast. And this refined luxury beach resort is not your typical Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa hotel or resort experience. In fact, this boutique property will make you never want to stay at a large resort ever again.

Thompson Zihuatanejo features luxury accommodations on one of the most sought after beaches in Mexico, an adults-only pool, a family pool, an intimate spa (currently being renovated), fine dining and the best place to watch the sunset.

This review is based off of our personal stay in December of 2020. And don’t forget, if you are planning to stay at Thompson Zihuatanejo, book through Live Luxe Travel Co. to take advantage of exclusive Hyatt Privé benefits like a confirmed room upgrade (if available, confirmed within 24 hours of booking), $100 resort credit, daily breakfast and a welcome amenity. And for a limited time get the third night free combinable with Hyatt Privé benefits, valid for stays from January 20, 2021 to October 31, 2021. See all Hyatt Privé offers here.

If you’re looking for a luxurious escape and want to enjoy relaxing mornings while enjoying a freshly brewed cup of coffee and homemade pastries, a place to get in a great workout, a place to soak up the sun, eat delicious food and whatever else your heart desires, you’ve found it at Thompson Zihuatanejo.

Our Room

Now to the good part! During our stay at Thompson Zihuatanejo we stayed in a 2 Bedroom Beach Suite. And are you ready for the best part….you can walk out the door of your room, take 10 steps across the patio and be walking on the beach. Our Beach Suite made for the perfect place to really enjoy all that Playa La Ropa has to offer.

The Beach Suites have incredible indoor and outdoor living spaces, a small plunge pool, and the best part is you are so close to the beach and to the relaxing sound of crashing waves.

While we stayed in a 2 Bedroom Beach Suite, it is worth noting that all of the rooms and suites at Thompson Zihuatanejo come standard with the following amenities: custom Egyptian cotton bedding, cotton kimono bathrobes, slippers & beach towels, Thompson DS & Durga luxury soaps & shampoos, rain showers, gourmet mini bar, bluetooth speakers, in-room safe and flat-screen TVs.

Thompson Hotels & Resorts are known for their mid-century styling and that is no different at Thompson Zihuatanejo. The accommodations feature touches of parota woods, brass details, Mexican artworks and Oaxacan clay light fixtures, which all come together to create the perfect balance of old-world and new in the 56 guestrooms and suites.

Our 2 Bedroom Beach Suite had 2 bedrooms, each with their own living area and bathroom, making for the perfect place for a friends getaway. The rooms are separated by a large sliding wood door that could be left open to make a bigger space to spend time together or closed to offer privacy.

Each bathroom in our suite had an oversized vanity and shower and featured a sperate water closet.

Amenities

While beach vacations look different for almost everyone, one thing to note is that Thompson Zihuatanejo sits on Playa La Ropa Beach, one of Mexico’s most swimmable beaches. As you may have read some of our other hotel reviews such as Viceroy Los Cabos, The Cape - A Thompson Hotel or Solaz Los Cabos, none of these resorts sit on beaches that you can actually enjoy swimming.

As mentioned earlier, the spa at Thompson Zihuatanejo is currently being renovated which means they have a temporary spa setup in a couple of suites near Ceniza (the fine dining restaurant) and the family pool. The intimate makeshift spa is quite nice. During our stay we enjoyed massages and could hear the sound of waves crashing which made for a relaxing experience.

One of the therapists we spoke to at the spa has been with the property for over 18 years. And if you know anything about spas, this makes for fantastic treatments. People who have been with a property for a long time come to know the guests who come back year after year and are very good at what they do.

During our experience at the spa, it’s safe to say that the spa staff was taking COVID very seriously and offered us hand sanitizer before our massages and the therapists wore a facial covering during the duration of the massage.

Whether or not you like to exercise while on vacation is up to you, but Thompson Zihuatanejo has a great air-conditioned gym. The gym did require that we had reservations each day to limit the number of guests trying to utilize the gym at the same time and so they could clean in between guests. We have stayed at other resorts who have been doing this during COVID and can really appreciate them providing a safe place for guests to enjoy working out. The gym has an elliptical, a Peloton bike, dumbbells, and a couple of cable machines.

If you like to run, the beach makes for a great place to get those miles in. And if you like to do yoga, there are lots of outdoor areas to find peace and serenity.

Dining

Under the direction of Executive Chef Miguel Baltazar, Thompson Zihuatanejo’s two restaurants Ceniza (wood-fired cuisine with a menu crafted daily from fresh local ingredients) and Hao (Zihuatanejo bar featuring all-day-menu and seasonal cocktails) make for the perfect place to indulge your palette.

During our stay breakfast was served on the weekends at Hao and during the week at Ceniza. Even while at Ceniza, the breakfast menu remains the same breakfast menu from Hao.

Since we stayed for a week, we definitely got to try several items from the breakfast menu including Chilaquiles, Rancho Troncones, Zihua Benedicts, Surf Champion’s Breakfast, and Steak & Eggs. And the longer we stayed the decision didn’t become any easier, all of the items we tried for breakfast were delicious. A couple things we really enjoyed about the Privé breakfast that was included was that it comes with coffee, choice of fresh juice, a fruit bowl, fresh baked pastries and your choice of entree.

And another thing that makes Thompson Zihuatanejo special is that each morning around 7:20 am, a basket of traditional Spanish pastries and a freshly brewed pot of coffee would show up outside the door to our room. This made for very relaxing and indulgent mornings.

On Saturday nights, the resort does a taco experience and let’s taco-bout how incredible it was. Taco night consisted of lobster, octopus, pork pibil and short rib authentic tacos which are served with handmade rolled tortillas on the beach. We can tell you from first hand experience, the whole meal is incredible. And to finish off your meal, it includes fresh made churros or cookies & cream tacos for dessert.

If you love trying new food, you’re going to want to sign-up for a cooking experience with Chef Miguel. We opted to do the cooking class one afternoon of our stay and made it into an early dinner.

The cooking experience usually starts with going into Zihuatanejo to the market to pick out the freshest ingredients and fish. Due to COVID, we weren’t able to go into town and go to the fish market, but chef did that part for us. So our cooking class began on the beach with this amazing market setup for us to select fresh ingredients from.

The menu for your cooking experience can be tailored to accommodate food allergies and sensitivities as it was for our group.

Welcome to Brandon’s Fish Market where Chef brought to us fish caught just hours before. For our experience we prepared citrus salt that was used in all of the following dishes we made: Trendy Guacamole, Tiritas Ceviche, Tuna Tiradito, Grilled Catch of the Day and Papaya Quinoa Salad.

Holy guacamole was never so fitting. One person in our group didn’t like guacamole and after trying this guacamole, that changed.

This hands on culinary experience was by far our favorite thing we did on the trip. Chef guides you through each recipe and leaves it up to you to be creative and to use your own technique.

We’re not sure which dish we made was the best because it all paired so well together to create flavors of sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami.

Service

Be prepared to be treated like family when you stay at Thompson Zihuatanejo. This boutique resort feels very intimate and the service matches that. The staff is very attentive to your every whim and truly gets to know you throughout your stay.

How are they handling COVID?

While traveling looks much different in 2020, we felt extremely safe and healthy at Thompson Zihuatanejo. The resort was following all of Hyatt’s Global Care and Cleanliness Commitment.

Thompson Zihuatanejo is adhering to all state and local government regulations. All employees were wearing masks, there were hand sanitizer dispensers all over the resort and the staff was there to give gentle reminders to wear a facial covering.

And one of the biggest reasons we felt safe here was because of the size of the resort. With government regulations only allowing for 30-40% occupancy during our stay the resort was very quiet and not very crowded which made for a safe and enjoyable getaway.

And also to let you know how serious Thompson Zihuatanejo was taking COVID, upon arrival and exiting of the resort you had to have your temperature taken.

Overall Impression

Zihuatanejo might be off the beaten path and at times a little challenging to get to with flight schedules, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the trip. The Thompson Zihuatanejo is a hidden gem. This luxury resort is the perfect spot for a family getaway, couples getaway, honeymoon, or a friends trip.

From the accommodations to the food to the staff, our entire experience at Thompson Zihuatanejo was nothing short of perfecto.

Extra Perks

And don’t forget, when you book Thompson Zihuatanejo with Live Luxe Travel Co., through our Hyatt Privé partnership, you’ll receive a $100 resort credit, daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade and a welcome amenity.

Alila & Miraval Hotels Join Hyatt Prive

Hyatt Privé is one of the luxury hotel programs we book the most here at Live Luxe Travel Co. We personally are very loyal to Hyatt and World of Hyatt. And we think Hyatt Privé is one of the better luxury hotels programs due to the benefits that come with booking the Privé rate.

Benefits with Hyatt Privé bookings differ from other programs because the room upgrade is confirmed at the time of booking. That means you always know if your room is going to be upgraded. Plus of course you get a hotel or resort credit, daily breakfast for two, early check-in and late check-out and another differentiating benefit is a welcome amenity. It’s nice to show up to a hotel room and find a bottle of champagne and dessert waiting on you!

As of this last week, Hyatt added two more brands to the Hyatt Privé program.

Alila Hotels

So what are Alila Hotels? Here’s how Hyatt describes the brand:

To stay at any Alila's hotels and resorts is to embark on an authentic destination experience. Be it in recreating the flavors of the local cuisine, enhancing your well-being through ancient healing arts or the thrill of adventure sports... Indulge in the joy of discovery at Alila.

Miraval Resorts

And how about Miraval Resorts? Hyatt describes Miraval Resorts as a life in balance —a healing sanctuary of surrender and discovery where nurturing specialists guide you through mindful experiences.

And when you book an Alila or Miraval Hotel or Resort with Virtual Travel Gurus, you’ll get a confirmed room upgrade, hotel or resort credit, daily breakfast for two each day and a welcome amenity.

For more information on Hyatt Privé or to book your next stay, just visit www.liveluxetravelco.com/hyatt-prive

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel Review

Our Verdict

If you are looking for a luxurious yet fun getaway to Mexico, then The Cape, a Thompson Hotel, is exactly what you are looking for. This Industrial Modern resort was designed by the famous Mexican architect Javier Sanchez. The goal behind the design of the resort was to offer the most incredible views on the peninsula.

If we had to sum up our stay at The Cape in a few words, it would be an incredible resort with a unique design, amazing staff and incredible views.

This review is an honest review and we aren’t being paid or told what to say.

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel is rather new compared to other resorts in Cabo, as The Cape opened their doors in June of 2015. And the resort is quite compact and intimate with only 161 guest rooms. To be honest, there isn’t a bad view from this resort. All 161 guest rooms have incredible ocean views from their private balconies along with a freestanding copper tub and rain shower.

The whole experience of this 5-star resort, from the staff to the food to the accommodations and the amenities, it won’t disappoint.

OUR ROOM

During our stay at The Cape, we stayed in a Thompson Suite. The suite had incredible ocean views and a great view of the arch.

The room had a great entry way that led into the living area complete with powder bath, sofa and small dining table. The bedroom, bathroom and closet could be separated from the living area by closing the shuttered doors.

Let’s talk about the attention to detail in these rooms! The artwork on the wall, the hand-painted tiles on the floor, the wood on the ceiling in the bathroom, the fixtures, the mirrors, and the lighting all work so nicely together. The exterior of the hotel is very industrial looking with lots of concrete and metal, so it is definitely nice to feel a warmer tone in the rooms.

The freestanding copper tub and rain shower equipped with 3 shower heads was awesome. Definitely a great place to relax and clean up after a day at the pool and beach.

DINING

It is always hard to decide where to eat when visiting a resort. Do you eat every meal at the resort, do you visit other resorts or do you get really adventurous and venture into town. We never felt the need to leave the resort as there are plenty of dining options. Even though the resort is rather compact, don’t let that make you think there isn’t a variety of food options.

The Cape features five restaurants on the property. There is Manta (Chef Enrique Olvera’s restaurant) which features globally inspired Mexican cuisine only offered at dinner. There is also The Ledge which is a casual dining option for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition there is The Rooftop which is the best place to go for drinks and lite bites in the evening. The pool offers Point Break which only has a few tables but can be a nice place to grab lunch and a drink. And last but not least is Lobby Bar which not only offers incredible cocktails but a great bar food menu as well.

During our stay we enjoyed breakfast each day at The Ledge. We booked our stay under the Hyatt Privé rate and had breakfast included each day. The Ledge offers a cold breakfast bar with fruit, yogurt, cereal, pastries, meats, cheeses and juice as well as a full menu. And if you are looking for a special treat, they have brunch on Sundays with an expanded buffet offering the normal cold buffet in addition to ceviche, seafood, a taco bar, and so much more.

Perhaps once of the best dining experiences we have ever had at a resort was at Manta. We saved the best for last as we ate here on our last night at the resort. Not only was Manta a great place to sit outside on the patio with a drink and watch the sunset, but it offered an amazing meal. The waitstaff all wears black in order to not take away from the incredible views.

As a starter we had Wagyu yakitori with roasted pineapple purée. This was a fun starter as they bring out the beef and a yakitori where you can cook the meat yourself over a small flame table-side.

For dinner we selected the Organic Fried Chicken and the Lobster Gringas. If you know anything about Gringas tacos, they are delicious. The Lobster Gringas were no exception to that!

AMENITIES

When in Mexico you are probably looking to spend time at the pool or on the beach. And that is exactly what you can do at The Cape. The Cape features two pools, a main pool with swim-up bar, and a salt water pool with drink service.

The main infinity edge pool overlooks the beach and offers the same great view you have from your room. The staff at the pool were very helpful with finding chairs, getting your towels setup and of course taking orders for food and drinks.

Currents Spa is located just past The Ledge Restaurant on the ground level at one end of the resort for guests relaxation and privacy. Currents Spa will do one thing and that is enhance your senses.

The walls inside the spa are made of concrete and are painted black. You can see light at the end of the hallway as the spa is open air and when you get to the end of the hall, the views of the beach and the arch are incredible mainly because your eyes aren’t as distracted.

Currents Spa has several treatment rooms, and one treatment room equipped with indoor jacuzzi and shower.

Unlike most spas the facilities such as the spa pool, jaccuzi, plunge pool, steam room and sauna all outside in a co-ed area.

SERVICE

A great resort is nothing more than a place to be without excellent service. All of the staff we encountered at The Cape were friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and truly made you feel like you were at home.

Upon arriving at The Cape we were promptly greeted, assisted with check-in and escorted to our room. Everyone from the bell staff to the front desk to the restaurant staff were so warm and welcoming. When you are looking to relax on a weekend getaway, the service can either make or break your stay.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

This was our first time to Mexico, but it wasn’t our first time to stay at a Thompson Hotel. You can see our review for the Thompson Seattle here.

The Cape should be on your list of places to visit. It makes a perfect weekend getaway for both families or a romantic couples retreat.

Its hard to have a luxury resort that caters to both families and adult getaways, but the Cape has the perfect space for both.

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel, just joined World of Hyatt and is now affiliated with Hyatt Hotels. That means the hotel is part of the Hyatt Privé program. And when you book with Live Luxe Travel Co., you’ll get complimentary extras like a $100 resort credit, daily breakfast for two, welcome amenity and a room upgrade at the time of booking.

New Additions to Hyatt Privé

With Hyatt’s recent acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality, there has been a much anticipated wait for additions to Hyatt Privé.

On Monday June 17th, 2019 Hyatt will officially add three new brands with dozens of new properties to Hyatt Privé. We are excited to tell you that properties from Thompson, Joie de Vivre and Hyatt Centric will now participate in Hyatt Privé.

Hyatt Privé bookings include a hotel/resort credit, daily breakfast for two and confirmed room upgrade at the time of booking. And those benefits are all complimentary just for booking through a Hyatt Privé advisor like Live Luxe Travel Co.

Here is the list of newly participating hotels in Hyatt Privé as of Monday, June 17th.

PARK HYATT

Park Hyatt Shenzhen

HYATT REGENCY

Hyatt Regency Bethesda

Hyatt Regency Casablanca

Hyatt Regency Istanbul Atakoy

Hyatt Regency Sochi

UNBOUND COLLECTION

Chicago Athletic Association

Great Scotland Yard

Holston House Nashville

Hotel Sofia Barcelona

Nam Nghi Resort Phu Quoc

UB Budapest Parisi Udvar

HYATT CENTRIC

Hyatt Centric Brickell Miami

Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans

Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid

Hyatt Centric Guatemala City

Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa

Hyatt Centric Levent Istanbul

Hyatt Centric Montevideo

Hyatt Centric San Isidro Lima

Hyatt Centric Las Condes Santiago

Hyatt Centric South Beach

Hyatt Centric Times Square New York

Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach

THOMPSON HOTELS

Gild Hall

The Beekman

The Cape

Thompson Nashville

Thompson Playa del Carmen - Beach House

Thompson Playa del Carmen - Main House

Thompson Seattle

Thompson Zihuatanejo

Thompson Chicago

JOIE DE VIVRE

50 Bowery

Carmel Valley Ranch

Hotel Revival

The Laurel Inn

The Talbott Hotel

Book your next stay with Live Luxe Travel Co. to receive complimentary Hyatt Privé benefits. Request rates on our Hyatt Privé page, send an email to hyattprive@liveluxetravelco.com or give us a call at 1-888-743-8533.

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme Review

Our Verdict

Bonjour! That is exactly what comes to mind when we think about Paris. Paris is such a romantic and charming city.

Paris has dozens of 4 and 5-star hotels. But, if you are going for ultra luxury then there is also another designation you should know about. Ultra luxury properties in France are located in historic palaces and are given the designation as a Palace hotel by the French government.

One of the reasons we choose the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme was for it’s location in proximity to the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries. And this property has a much more boutique feel with only 155 guest rooms.

PARK HYATT PARIS VENDÔME

A luxury palace away from home is exactly how we would describe the Park Hyatt Vendôme. With exquisite decor, plenty of luxury amenities and the excellent location make this hotel an unforgettable experience. As to be expected with most Park Hyatt hotels, they are a great mix of old-world luxury yet also contemporary.

OUR ROOM

During our stay at the Park Hyatt Vendôme we stayed in a Park Suite King. This particular suite felt like a true home away from home. The only thing this apartment-style suite was missing was a kitchen.

Upon entering the suite you are welcomed into a living room, followed by a spa-inspired bathroom and then the master-bedroom. There was no lack of space in the Park King Suite and perhaps the most notable feature was the attention to detail and use of elegant materials.

From the door handles to the light sconces, everywhere we looked there was so much influence of art in the style and decor of the room and even the whole hotel.

The bathroom could practically be a spa with the limestone walls, a deep-soaking tub, rain shower, heated floors, and exclusive toiletries designed by acclaimed perfumer Blaise Mautin. And we just loved those toiletries!

DINING

There was not a lack of great food at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme. Food is a huge focus at this property with 5 different dining options. The most well known dining venue is Michelin-starred Pur’ – Jean-François Rouquette.

During our stay we enjoyed breakfast each day at Sens under an elegant glass ceiling. And as you would expect at any Park Hyatt, a gourmet breakfast. Breakfast is either order off the menu or a buffet with made to order eggs.

For those who are gluten-free, paleo, keto any any other type of dietary restrictions, there are plenty of options for everyone.

AMENITIES

As you might expect in a palace hotel, there were plenty of amenities to keep guests busy. After a long day of exploring the city streets of Paris, come back to this palace to relax, get in a good workout or get some work done.

Le Spa features four treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a jacuzzi. The spa facilities are co-ed and might just make you forget you are in the middle of Paris. The use of stone and tones of gold make Le Spa very elegant and reflective.

SERVICE

Parisians tend to be very classy, elegant and demand a certain level of service. The service at the Park Hyatt Vendôme is no exception to these standards.

Upon arrival at the property, we were promptly greeted, assisted with our luggage and taken to the front desk. Each time we left or returned to the property, we were greeted by friendly and helpful staff.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

The Park Hyatt Vendôme feels like somewhere you could stay overnight, for a few days or even for upwards of a few weeks. The finishes, the staff and the amenities make it a true home away from home for any European vacation.

As one of just 11 palace hotels in France, we would highly recommend you stay here for all or part of your trip to Paris.

And when you book with Live Luxe Travel Co., you’ll get complimentary extras like a $100 activity credit, daily breakfast for two and a room upgrade at the time of booking.

New Properties Added To Hyatt Privé

We love the Hyatt Privé program. In fact, we think it’s one of the best luxury hotel programs available. Why? For one, the personalized service can’t be beat. And the extra value you receive through Privé like a confirmed room upgrade at the time of booking and welcome amenity are special touches that most programs don’t offer. And Hyatt has some great, aspirational, luxury properties like the Park Hyatt New York, Andaz Maui and Park Hyatt St. Kitts.

As a reminder, with the Hyatt Prive program, you get either a $50 or $100 hotel or resort credit, confirmed room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, welcome amenity and more at Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Andaz, Unbound Collection and Hyatt Regency Hotels & Resorts.

New Additions To Hyatt Privé

And as of this week, over twenty additional properties are now participating in Hyatt Privé.

Here’s list of the new additions:

Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi

Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor

Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere (opening April 2019)

Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl

Grand Hyatt Bogota

Grand Hyatt Denver

Grand Hyatt Incheon

Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit

Hyatt Regency Cartagena

Hyatt Regency Chantilly

Hyatt Regency Coral Gables

Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, the Kilimanjaro

Hyatt Regency Makkah

Hyatt Regency Moscow Petrovsky Park

Hyatt Regency Orange County

Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk

Hyatt Regency San Francisco

Hyatt Regency Savannah

Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island, Okinawa

Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Hyatt Regency Westlake

Park Hyatt Chennai

Park Hyatt Ningbo

The Unbound Collection - Jinmao Hotel Lijiang

Ready To Book?

Andaz San Diego Review

Andaz San Diego is located in the heart of downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Located about a mile from North San Diego Bay and the USS Midway Museum, this particular location makes most areas of downtown San Diego very walkable.

Andaz San Diego

Let's talk about vibrant meets modern and chic. The Andaz San Diego just unveiled a $4 Million Dollar rennovation in the spring of 2017.  Perhaps one of our favorite things about the Andaz properties is you are surrounded by local arts, culture and food. During the renovation, a different piece of local art was sourced for each and every guest room, giving each space it's own unique look and feel. All 159 guest rooms and suites underwent upgrades. And trust us the renovation turned out great! The Andaz San Diego looks very sleek from the outside and that continues as soon as you enter the hotel.

OUR ROOM

The Andaz San Diego gives you the feel of a smaller boutique hotel But you'll also get the amenities and location of your typical larger chain hotels. The rooms are very art-centric with several paintings, photographs, sculptures and a variety of textures give the rooms a fun chic vibe. The rooms feature a pretty neutral color palette of grey and white with pops of color in the furniture, accent pillows and trim work.

We stayed in the Star Suite. And it's incredible with two bedrooms (1 had full-size bunkbeds), 2 full bathrooms plus a living and bar area. The room featured sleek modern surfaces with industrial light fixtures and colorful textiles tying it all together.

And if you happen to bring your four legged friend, the Andaz San Diego is pet friendly. They don't even charge a pet fee like most hotels typically do. And they will roll out the red-carpet for your pet with a bed and food & water bowls. We are already planning another trip back next month and Madi is definitely coming with us!

Be prepared to step into the modern age in this spa like bathroom. You'll be surrounded in lots of glass, metal and shiny surfaces. Both bathrooms featured large walk-in showers and had a modern-sleek feeling to them.

The master bathroom also featured a steam shower, which was quite nice! The shower enclosure in the master bathroom also featured a large free-standing tub, oh and don't forget the fun gold duck.

DINING

The on-site restaurant at Andaz San Diego is not your typical local inspired restaurant. Instead the Andaz San Diego opted for a restaurant that matches the vibe of the hotel. And STK knocks it out of the park!

STK puts a modern twist on your classic American steakhouse food. The ambiance is very dark, fun and romantic with club like music and candles on each table. Steak lovers rejoice, the steak was some of the best we've ever had. Seriously. We can't wait to go back, just to dine at STK!

AMENITIES

There are plenty of amenities at the Andaz San Diego such as the Gallery (art gallery), fitness center and the incredible rooftop bar & pool. If you want to watch the sunset head up to the rooftop for a cocktail or a dip in the pool.

Due to the short duration of our one-night stay at the Andaz San Diego, we weren't able to take advantage of the fitness center. But we did check it out, and it would definitely suffice to get a good workout in. There are plenty of free weights and cardio equipment to get your sweat on.

If you are planning a trip to San Diego, be sure to check out our Weekend Wanderings: San Diego Guide

And remember, if you book with a travel agent like Virtual Travel Gurus, you’ll get extra benefits like complimentary breakfast, a $100 food & beverage credit, room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out!

Andaz Scottsdale

Our Verdict

Updated June of 2020: After seven stays at the Andaz Scottsdale, and staying at many other resorts across the Scottsdale area, we continue to be a big fan of the Andaz Scottsdale Resort. It provides a true opportunity to relax by a pool, enjoy a yoga class or sip on a deliciously crafted cocktail. But what makes this resort is the staff. The staff at the Andaz Scottsdale is incredible and they truly make the stay memorable.

And don’t forget, if you are planning to stay at the Andaz Scottsdale, book through Hyatt Privé to take advantage of exclusive complimentary extras like a confirmed room upgrade (if available), $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast and a welcome amenity. Plus through March of 2021, they’re offering a 3rd night free on Hyatt Privé reservations. To request Hyatt Privé rates, just visit liveluxetravelco.com/hyatt-prive.

MID-CENTURY RESORT WITH A SPANISH & DESERT FLAIR

We are a big fan of the Andaz brand of hotels and resorts and stayed at the Andaz West Hollywood over Christmas and the Andaz Papagayo (see our review) this past January. Hyatt describes it's Andaz brand as boutique hotels and resorts located in dynamic urban and leisure destinations worldwide with a lively local art scene. Essentially Andaz Hotels and Resorts are Hyatt's take on an upscale lifestyle resort or hotel. And The Andaz Scottsdale Resort definitely definitely lived up to the Andaz brand's image.

LOCATION

The Andaz Scottsdale is located just 5 minutes from Old Scottsdale and in a great area of the city with several nearby restaurants and bars. But the Andaz Scottsdale does offer complimentary shuttle service in their Telsa to Old Scottsdale.

You'll arrive at the "Guest House" and you'll be instructed to leave your car with valet parking (valet parking is included in the resort fee).

You won't find a formal check-in desk at any Andaz Hotel or Resort. But instead you'll arrive to a lounge area where a guest services representative will check you in on an iPad (or with COVID precautions you can do online check in and completely skip the check-in progress). During check-in, we were offered a glass of wine or glass of lemonade and we also indulged in a complimentary Fairytale Brownie (made in Phoenix).

OUR ROOM

The resort features beautiful landscaping and our room had a great view of Cambelback Mountain. The modern industrial rooms feature two terraces, one out front and another completely private terrace on the backside of the room.

As soon as you enter the room, you’re in the main bedroom. We had one king bed and a couch along with a huge 65" television.

Beyond the bedroom is a hallway with a closet and minibar. And one of the great features of the Andaz brand is that the minibar is complimentary (except alcoholic beverages). The fridge and minibar get replenished daily with bottled water, soda and snacks.

Beyond the hallway and the minibar was the bathroom. The spa like bathroom was HUGE and featured a long vanity with one large sink and plenty of counter space. And there was also an extra large walk-in shower and separate toilet room.

The shower was uniquely huge and featured dual shower heads. And the entire room and particularly the bathroom had a mid-century yet southwestern feel.

TURQUOISE POOL

The Andaz Scottsdale Resort has two main pools, the Turquoise Pool and an Adult only pool near the Spa.  The Turquoise Pool has incredible views of the surrounding desert. Our only complaint, but it's nothing you don't expect in the Arizona summer, is that the concrete around the pool gets extremely hot.

Needless to say, we enjoyed quite a bit of time at the pool sipping on Moscow Mules and enjoying the inflatable pool toys.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

The Andaz Scottsdale Resort only has one restaurant (other than the bar at the Turquoise Pool). We enjoyed happy hour, coffee and breakfast at the Weft & Warp Art Bar and everything we tried was delicious. Weft & Warp is known for their avocado toast - just an insider tip. And we were a big fan of the steak breakfast tacos.

And we also enjoyed an incredibly good burger, fries and ice cream sandwich at the Turquoise Pool.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

The Andaz Scottsdale Resort is an incredible property, has great amenities and the staff ensured the service was impeccable. We can't wait to return to the Andaz Scottsdale Resort. In fact we are already planning our next trip back later this year.

The resort is luxurious, comfortable and makes for a very relaxing and enjoyable stay. While we wish the resort featured a few more food options, the Weft & Warp Art Bar offered a good variety of items on their breakfast, snacks and dinner menus. Plus we found several great food options at the Turquoise Pool. But as we said above, the staff is what makes this property.

Extra Perks

And don’t forget, when you book the Andaz Scottsdale with Live Luxe Travel Co., through our Hyatt Privé partnership, you’ll receive a $100 hotel credit to use on dining or at the spa, daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade and welcome amenity.