Hyatt Centric San Salvador Review

San Salvador is the launching point for El Salvadorean adventures, offering the opportunity to explore Central America with a close proximity to the US. Just a 3-5 hour flight from many North American destinations, it offers an entrance point to the Central or South America. San Salvador is a fantastic city, where tourism has not yet fully touched. As such, prices tend to be on the lower end; and your USD will go quite far. If you are dying to try some Pupusas (the national dish of El Salvador, which they are quite passionate about), then you will want to check out this property. I will share my thoughts on the only Hyatt property in El Salvador; in this Hyatt Centric San Salvador review.

Location

The international airport serving El Salvador is SAL. The airport is a 45 minutes drive from the Hyatt Centric – which I managed to cover via Uber both ways. My Uber rides came in around $35 each way; so fairly reasonable for a 45 minute drive. Speaking of the airport, it is mostly served by Avianca. However, there are Delta and United Airlines options for award travelers, as well. In terms of the location of the hotel itself, it was in an urban area; removed from the touristic city center. The hotel was connected to a shopping mall, with little else to walk to in the vicinity. This wasn't a concern for me, however, as Uber's to the city center were just a few dollars and readily available.

Things to Do

I would highly recommend heading to the Parque Cuscatlan to see families outside enjoying the vibrant park. From there, I would walk to the Centro Historico and of course stop by the National Library. San Salvador is also well located for many day trips, including hiking volcanoes, beach clubs, and other adventurous outings.

Hyatt Centric San Salvador Review: Booking

The Hyatt Centric San Salvador is a Category 2 Property with 138 rooms including 3 suites, meaning a standard room costs:

• 6,500 (off-peak),
• 8,000 (standard), or
• 9,500 (peak) Hyatt points per night.

This property was a category 1 until 2025 with Hyatt's award chart changes. I was able to book 5 nights at standard & peak pricing for a total of 28,000 World of Hyatt points. In addition, I applied a suite upgrade award to instantly confirm myself into a standard suite.

Hyatt Centric San Salvador: The Rooms

Since I had booked directly into a suite, I don't have any insight into the standard rooms. I found the room to be both modern (not surprising as the hotel was only opened in 2022) and welcoming. Upon my arrival to the room, I was greeted with a fruit plate and a bottle of Pellegrino. This was a welcomed touch, and I thought quite inspiring for a Hyatt Centric. The room included a small kitchenette with fridge, microwave, sink and coffee/tea bar. I found the shower to be super interesting – it was massive, definitely the biggest shower I have ever come across.

Property and Amenities

In terms of amenities, I would say it all comes down to three main components: dining, outdoor pool, and gym.

Dining

The Hyatt Centric has four total options for bites and drink. Yek, the in house coffee shop is situated in the lobby of the hotel. I had a great latte from Yek one morning and appreciated having gourmet espresso products available. Las Tunas, the main restaurant option, is where breakfast is served and is also off of the lobby. I enjoyed breakfast each day in Las Tunas where I found many enjoyable options, including in house baked goods, made-to-order omelets and local options. The other two drink options include the lobby bar and the pool bar.

Outdoor Pool

The outdoor pooldeck was on floor 3. I actually wish that the pool deck could have been on a higher floor, but beggars can't be choosers. The pool overlooks a shopping mall, so isn't the most picturesque in terms of views. That said, it was quite hot each day in SAL (high 80s) and it was fantastic to have an outdoor pool deck to cool off. The pool deck also features a pool bar which really made this feel like a place to hang out. That said, the chair space was limited and at times loungers weren't available.

Gym

The gym was adequate, but I wouldn't go so far as to praise it. It had all of the equipment needed to enable you to tick the box of your workout, but it was rather condensed. I did enjoy that it had views of the pool deck.

Elite Status Recognition: Hyatt Centric San Salvador

Given the very few number of suites available at this property, I would not expect to receive a complimentary suite upgrade as a globalist. That said, the fruit plate in my room was a nice touch. I already spoke on the complimentary breakfast too, so beyond that – there really wasn't much to find here. I was offered my 4 PM check out as a globalist, but I wasn't able to take advantage.

Hyatt Centric El Salvador: ToP Thoughts

I really enjoyed this Hyatt Centric location. At a category 1, it was a flat out bargain. Now at a category 2, it still has plenty of value. The rooms were modern, comfortable and well appointed. The breakfast offerings were delicious and expansive. The jewel of this property is the pool deck, though I would like to see a few enhancements such as additional chaise lounges. This property is well positioned as a launching point for many of the exciting adventures that El Salvador has to offer. I would happily return to El Salvador, and stay at this property! Overall; the Hyatt Centric San Salvador exceeded my expectations and left me with a good impression.