Most of us are not traveling the way we did pre-COVID. Domestic trips replace international trips. City destinations give way to beaches, mountains, and resorts. We are right there along with all of you. All our international travel for 2021 has been put on hold and we're trying to see as much of the great ole USA as we can. Coincidentally, July 4th weekend is the same time as one of our birthdays. It seemed like a perfect time to take a trip and see a new part of the country. Having heard so many marvelous things about the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, I booked a trip and hoped for the best! We were not disappointed.
Booking
The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa is a Category 5 within World of Hyatt. It costs 20,000 Hyatt points per night. The current Chase Sapphire Preferred signup bonus can get you 5 nights at this hotel (a value of over $4,000) or the World of Hyatt Credit Card sign up bonus gets you 3 nights. Cash rates are often over $800 per night for basic rooms and there is a $35 resort fee and $29 overnight valet parking (self parking is $16 overnight).
When you use points or a free night certificate at Hyatt properties, you avoid paying out of pocket for taxes and fees. Also, Hyatt Globalists do not pay for parking on award nights (certificates or points). Additionally, with Globalist status, you are allowed to apply a Suite Upgrade Award to any cash or points stays. Unfortunately, you cannot apply a Suite Upgrade Award on a certificate stay. A Suite Upgrade Award confirms your stay in a standard suite for the duration of your stay and is confirmed at the time of booking. Each Suite Upgrade Award is valid for up to a 7-night stay. The cash price for our 3-night stay in a massive suite (more on this below) was $3,933.74, including all taxes and fees. Instead, we used 60,000 Hyatt points and one Suite Upgrade Award. Our value was 6.55 cents per point ($3,933.74/60,000).
Check-In
We arrived at 12:30 pm and our suite was not ready. A Globalist had the suite the night before and had requested a late checkout. As we planned to work all afternoon, we went to check out the outdoor restaurant and find a place in the shade to get some work done.
At 3 pm, we received a message via the Hyatt app and a text message that our room was ready. While the desk agents were friendly, we received little-to-no information about the resort or our benefits. We had to ask about parking as a Globalist and the agent confirmed self-parking ($16/night) or valet parking ($29/night) was complimentary for Globalists. Also, we asked about breakfast options and if the club lounge was open, as neither of these were mentioned during check-in. The club is currently closed and we received vouchers for two people each day for either full breakfast at the indoor restaurant or coffee and a pastry at the onsite food store.
I found it quite odd that neither parking nor breakfast would have been mentioned, had we not asked. Really poor customer service there.
On a positive note, I emailed Sarah's World of Hyatt concierge (a perk of her Globalist status) before arrival and requested a birthday surprise. Sarah was greeted with a “Happy Birthday, Sarah!” and received a bottle of wine, a $45 voucher to Cool Beans MarketPlace, and a handwritten note. It was a well thought-out gift and the execution was perfect.
Room
As mentioned, we applied a Suite Upgrade Award when we booked our stay and were confirmed in a Premium Bay View Suite. This room came with a king bed, two bathrooms, three 65″ TVs, two refrigerators, a conference table for eight, and six outdoor balconies. The balconies had views to the south and west.
The suite was absolutely amazing with stunning views of Estero Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Inside, however, the room showed some signs of aging. The bathrooms were not what one expects at a Hyatt Regency (or a $800/night hotel room) and included a standard vinyl tub/shower combo and a cheap plastic curtain.
The agent told us at check-in that daily housekeeping was not provided and we must request it. However, on day 1 we came back from the pool to find our room clean. We declined any additional cleaning.
Dining
The resort has five dining options:
- Tanglewood, indoor dining that served breakfast
- Tarpon Bay, upscale restaurant serving only dinner
- Corkscrew Poolside Bar & Grill, as the name suggests, it's the poolside restaurant
- Cool Beans MarketPlace, a Starbucks/grocery store in the hotel lobby
- Mangroves Bar, indoor bar
Of these options, we did not visit Tarpon Bay or Mangroves Bar. We dined at Tanglewood for the breakfast buffet each day. If you are not Globalist, the breakfast buffet is $26 per person, plus taxes and tips. We presented our vouchers each day and never received a bill. The buffet had more than enough options for everyone: pastries, bagels and cream cheese, fresh fruits, yogurt, yogurt/fruit cups, made-to-order omelettes, and 4-6 varying entree options each morning. I would not say the food was mind-blowing, but the quality and variety each day was enough to satisfy almost everyone.
With Sarah's birthday gift mentioned above, we grabbed lunch one day at Cool Beans Marketplace. Like most resorts, prices are astronomical. Two pre-packaged deli sandwiches, a bag of chips, and two cans of beer were $52. Luckily, the employee at the register recognized the birthday voucher and told Sarah “Happy Birthday” and we didn't owe anything! Overall, the sandwiches were good and the beer was cold. Not much to complain about here!
Lastly, we visited Corkscrew Poolside Bar & Grill each day. On day 1, while waiting for our room to be ready, we grabbed lunch and a cocktail. Our server recommended the fish tacos and she nailed it. The fish tacos were outstanding. We enjoyed a beer and a mojito with lunch. During days 2 and 3, we ordered a large salad and buffalo chicken tenders to share, along with poolside drinks while lounging at the adults-only pool. This is where the service really shined. A server always appeared within seconds of us raising a flag at our seats to request service. Our salad and chicken arrived in minutes, and the salad was chilled perfectly and the chicken was piping hot. This is not an easy feat in mid-90s Florida weather! Overall, the food and service at Corkscrew were outstanding. Not at all what I would expect for a poolside establishment.
I will say that prices at Corkscrew were typical of resort prices. Beers were $7-9 for cans and cocktails were $12-18, with most falling in the $14-16 range.
Pools
The outdoor areas are where this resort really shines. The resort features a three-acre pool area, including 4 pools (one is adults-only), 5 waterslides, and a lazy river. As you can expect from the July 4th weekend, the hotel and pool areas were packed, but we could still find a chair and relax. You did need to come early and claim your spot if you wanted an umbrella. The adults-only area also had a large hot tub.
Outdoor Area
The resort includes a climbing wall, an activities area, and an island green to try to land golf balls. There are 4-5 areas with large fire pits and lots of space to distance from others and enjoy a nice beverage after the sun goes down.
Final Thoughts
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point is perfect for Globalists. It is a nice resort for everyone, but Globalists save $116+ per night (assuming only 2 adults). Free valet parking, free breakfast, and waived resort fees really adds up quickly. The service was spectacular, other than the lack of information provided at check-in, and I would gladly return at any time. However, this is not a hotel I would pay cash for a stay. Even at $300/night, the rooms are not worthy of such a price. I still can't fathom that people actually paid $800+/night over July 4th. If your travels include this resort, and I highly recommend it, plan to use 20,000 Hyatt points per night to make your stay free.
Have you stayed at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point? Have any questions about the resort? Come join our Facebook group and let us know.
