Hyatt Place Tijuana Review
A Hyatt Place is not on everyone’s radar when venturing into Mexico, but I found a solid option on a recent trip to San Diego. I was hoping for some relaxation and some brewery exploring and I found just that. With San Diego hotel prices high, and point bookings tough to come by for my usual Hyatt choices, I looked a bit outside of the box and settled on a trip across the border to Tijuana. In my Hyatt Place Tijuana review I'll show you why it turned out to be somewhat of hidden gem south of the border.
Interesting Tidbit About Tijuana
A fun fact about Tijuana is that many attribute the Caesar salad to Tijuana. Per Wikipedia, the salad's creation is generally attributed to the restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in Mexico and the United States. Cardini lived in San Diego but ran one of his restaurants in Tijuana to attract American customers seeking to circumvent the restrictions of Prohibition.
Location
While Tijuana may not be on everyone’s to do list but it is actually quite popular. It is located in the Mexican state of Baja California and has over 1.8 million people. It has great food, nightlife, popular among those not only in San Diego but brings people from all over the United States for medical procedures. While many may think of Tijuana as not safe, each needs to do their own research on that point. I will say that I never felt unsafe as I enjoyed what the city had to offer.
Reaching Tijuana from San Diego International Airport can be easy and economical. I utilized the San Diego Metro transit system to take bus 992 from the airport and transfer to the Blue Line trolley. In under an hour you can be quickly crossing the border. The Hyatt Place Tijuana is then just a quick taxi ride of about 7 minutes near Zona Rio and just over 2.5 miles and cost about $8-$10 with Uber available for less.
It is also located right across from a large shopping area which had a variety of restaurants, bars, and a Starbucks.
Hyatt Place Tijuana Review: Typical Booking Cost
Hyatt Place Tijuana is a Category 1 in the World of Hyatt program. Here are the award costs for each room type:
Standard Room
- 3,500 points off peak
- 5,000 points standard
- 6,500 points peak
The Hyatt Place Tijuana has 145 rooms, and some may have a sofa bed while others do not, which is a little unique for Hyatt Place hotels. Cash prices can peak to near $300 which I was shocked to see. However, this hotel also appeared to act as a base for those having medical procedures and is close to the hospital. Many will also use this as a base to flying out of Tijuana Airport on low cost carriers to try and save money versus flying from San Diego.
Property/Amenities Review
I found check in staff to be fast and friendly. I had already checked in online via my Hyatt app as I often do. With this hotel being a Hyatt Place I did not have to worry about upgrades. I was given an overview of amenities which included a large breakfast area, a small lobby bar and restaurant, as well as on the go food.
The breakfast is what really blew me away. I know what we all think when we see the words, Hyatt Place. However, I found a large area with a full hot buffet. Attendants opening items for me and topping my items with sauce as needed.
Hyatt Place Tijuana had a larger spread than we normally see at a HP. Full review tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/EPeZ1Kl7WQ
— Travel on Point(s) (@TravelonPoints1) March 10, 2023
The food was great and had plenty of variety. Hot coffee as well as fresh fruit with the full array of items each morning made this not your normal Hyatt Place.
The entire area was very spacious. Between the front desk and breakfast area there was a large bar area where you could sit and order drinks and food throughout the day.
A large sitting area which doubles for part of breakfast seating. However it made a nice work area for me as well. The Wi-Fi held up well for me on laptop, although I had some phone issues. No pool here although they do have a small gym.
Hyatt Place Tijuana Review: My Room
I booked a standard room and it was what many will recognize as a Hyatt Place. I found the room to be clean and had no issues with it. There was a safe and a small refrigerator which worked fine. There are not many views that I could tell from this property and that may have only been the one downside. My view was of the parking garage next door.
The bathroom was a standard bathroom. The shower was a bit leaky from the shower head but nothing too bad or worth reporting. Water pressure was good and strong with hot water which is always something I look for.
Hyatt Elite Perks & Status Recognition
As a Hyatt Place, I was not expecting too much. The hotel does offer free parking for all guests. They also have electric vehicle charging as well. My room view was nothing to write home about but the room was clean and quiet. I received my free waters. I took advantage of ,my late checkout for Globalists members. This remains one of my favorite benefits and really allows me to enjoy my day before leaving when not in a rush.
Redemption / Value Breakdown
Cash prices seem to vary greatly here and with my last minute minute booking, I observed rates go close to $300 for this Hyatt Place! When I booked it was down to about $250 a night making the 5,000 points I utilized for each night a bargain. I also will earn an extra 1,000 Hyatt points as part of their Hyatt House/Hyatt Place promotion for card holder on two night stays. The promotion is expired now, but this is what it included:
- Cardmembers can earn 1,000 Bonus Points per stay at Hyatt House hotels and Hyatt Place hotels when they stay a minimum of 2 nights between January 2 and March 5, 2023.*
- Register by January 31 and then stay by March 5, 2023
If you are new to the World of Hyatt program, remember: one of the major perks is that Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer 1 to 1 to the World of Hyatt. You can earn Hyatt points (either Chase Ultimate Rewards or Hyatt points) from these cards:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Chase Freedom Flex
- Chase Ink Cash
- Chase Ink Unlimited
- Chase Ink Preferred
- World of Hyatt Business Card
Hyatt Place Tijuana Review: ToP Thoughts
A Hyatt Place usually does not make you look forward to the breakfast, but this one did. I really enjoyed the location as being in a quiet area but close enough for a quick walk for Starbucks or some tacos. The staff was all friendly and helpful. Uber rides were easy and inexpensive to get to the local restaurants, bars, and breweries. Have you stayed at this property? Is it now on your travel itinerary? Let us know in our Facebook group, where we talk points & miles and award travel all day long.
