Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando [In-depth Review]

On a recent family vacation to Orlando, Florida, I found myself booking multiple different hotels in an attempt to use up some expiring free night certificates.

Part of the hotel-hopping experience that I put my wife and kids through was a 1-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

Hyatt doesn’t have a huge footprint in the Orlando area, but there are 2 Hyatt Regency properties. What’s the difference? Well, a lot! To put it simply, one is more of a conference hotel and the other is more of a resort.

This review is of the more resort-style Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

Although it would be easy to spend over a week at this hotel, my 1-night stay gave me and my family a nice introduction to the property, which will guarantee our return.

Let’s take a quick look at how our stay went.

Hotel Location

The 779-room Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is located on its own lush campus, just minutes (2 miles) from Walt Disney World and other theme parks.

Despite feeling remote and relatively isolated, the resort is just a stone’s throw from the main road and strip malls.

The property is located about 17 miles from Orlando International Airport (MCO), which took us about 25 minutes with light traffic.

If you are visiting theme parks or Disney Springs, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle in the mornings and evenings that takes less than 10 minutes.

Hot Tip: Check out our guide to the best things to do in Orlando, as well as how to visit Disney World for cheap by using points and miles.

Booking

When I started planning our trip to Orlando, I really wanted to spend as much time as possible at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

However, since our dates weren’t very flexible and it is quite a popular hotel, I was only able to find 1 night available to use my free night certificates from The World of Hyatt Credit Card.

World of Hyatt Points

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress was a Category 3 World of Hyatt property at the time of booking, which means standard rooms started at 12,000 points per night, or as low as 9,000 points during off-peak dates.

Hot Tip: Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has since moved up to a category 4 hotel and now costs 12,000 (off-peak), 15,000 (standard), or 18,000 (peak) points per night.

Even though I had a healthy stash of World of Hyatt points, I was looking for properties to burn the 2 annual free night certificates I had, as well as the 2 in my wife’s account.

As much as we would have loved to spend 4 nights here, it just wasn’t happening as the remaining nights were only available in suites, which you can’t book with the free night certificates. Good thing there was another Hyatt just down the road!

For the night we visited, the only reward night options were:

• 1 King Bed — 12,000 points or Free Night
• 2 Double Beds — 12,000 points or Free Night (what I booked)

Cash rates started around $250, so redeeming the free night easily justified the $95 annual fee from my World of Hyatt card. Even paying with points would have been a solid redemption, but I was hoarding them for a future trip.

Checking In

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is located on Grand Cypress Boulevard, a private complex just off the busy streets that surround Walt Disney World.

We pulled off the main road and then stopped at a gate to confirm our reservations before continuing onto the property.

After a drive down the quite long driveway, we arrived at front of the hotel which is tall, modern, and surrounded by palm trees.

Guests can self-park for $27 per night or valet park for $40 per night. Since I had Globalist status and was staying on an award stay, parking was free, so I opted for valet parking.

Upon walking into the lobby, we were first wowed by how big and open it is.

With big skylights, water features, plants, and even a parrot in the lobby, there is a lot to take in. That is even before taking note of the multiple front desks, dining options, and elevators that shoot up to the top floors.

We arrived around 4 p.m. and the lobby was busy as it appeared guests were arriving for a wedding. We hovered near the unmanned World of Hyatt check-in desk for a few minutes before an agent checked us in.

The check-in process was quick and efficient. The agent acknowledged my Globalist status and apologized that no upgrades were available due to the hotel being at full capacity.

Elite Benefits

As a World of Hyatt Globalist member, I had a nice list of benefits to use on this stay that included:

• Waived resort fee
• Free parking
• 2 bottles of water
• Room upgrade (unavailable)
• 4 p.m. late checkout
• Complimentary breakfast for 4 people

I have really been enjoying my Hyatt Globalist benefits, especially on family trips, as it can save a ton of money. Just on this 1-night stay, I easily saved over $160 on parking, resort fees, and breakfast for 4 people.

Room Upgrade

As I mentioned, no upgrades were available.

While sometimes hotels play games with inventory, I had been checking daily trying to extend our stay, but the hotel was quite full.

Obviously, an upgrade would have been welcome, but since we were only staying for 1 night, the room we received was quite comfortable.

Welcome Amenity

Once in a while, hotels will send up a welcome amenity like some chocolates or some fruit, but that wasn’t the case here.

There was no welcome amenity for Globalists on a 1-night stay.

Resort Fee

As is commonplace nowadays, a daily resort fee is added for most guests. However, as a World of Hyatt member (regardless of elite level), resort fees are waived on award stays.

The daily resort fee was $40 plus tax and included:

• Shuttle transportation to Walt Disney World, Disney Springs, and Universal Orlando
• 2 bottles of water per day
• 24-hour access to StayFit Fitness Center
• 8 hole Pitch n’ Putt Course
• Walk-in court times at Racquet Club (racquet and balls included)
• Bike rentals
• Rock climbing wall
• Sailboats, paddleboards, kayaks, and paddleboat rentals
• Daily scheduled activities
• 5 miniature golf courses
• 10% discount on 50-minute or longer spa/salon services and retail at Marilyn Monroe Spa
• Basketball and volleyball court (including ball)
• Outdoor jogging courses
• 10% discount on recreation retail and cabanas (not including food and beverage)

Late Checkout

As a Hyatt Globalist member I was hoping to get a 4 p.m. checkout, however, that was not an option at this resort according to the front desk agent.

After they offered a 1 p.m. checkout, I politely asked for a 2 p.m. checkout, which was granted.

With so much to do on property, I wanted to stay as late as possible.

Hot Tip: You can also check out my review of the Hyatt Regency Orlando.

Amenities

The biggest attraction at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is the plethora of things to do on-site.

From awesome pools with a waterslide to a lake with tons of toys and activities, you would have to try really hard to be bored at this property.

It was no surprise that this hotel was so busy — I didn’t want to leave!

Pools

Arguably the biggest attraction to this resort is the pool area.

Main Pool

The biggest pool has more than 800,000 gallons and spreads across 3 areas that have a little bit of something for everyone.

The main pool section sits right in front of the exit in the back of the hotel, so it is the first pool guests see when heading outside.

This pool tends to be a little deeper and has some waterfalls, which made it more popular with adults — probably by design.

Grotto

The next section is the Grotto, which connects the 2 biggest parts of the pool area.

The Grotto is a partially covered, winding, and rocky passage filled with waterfalls that bring swimmers to the back section of the pool.

Inside the Grotto is 1 of 2 hot tubs. The other hot tub is located out behind the back section of the pool.

Back Pool

Once through the Grotto, the back section of the pool had plenty of seating, cabanas, and even a bridge to cross from one side to the other.

For a big pool, this appeared to be the calmer section for families. But don’t worry, there is more for kids!

Splash Pad

Behind the Grotto, kids will be happy to find a fun little splash pad area.

I am not sure if the water fountains were weak or just malfunctioning while we were there, but they were more fun for smaller kids.

There is also seating around the splash pad area so that parents can watch their little ones while they play.

Waterslide Pool

Finally, the best option for kids, and where we spent most of our pool time, is a small pool just a few feet from the main pool.

This pool was a popular spot because it’s where the waterslide pours into.

Also, there was an evening “Dive-In Movie” showing on a big TV, so many families ended up gathering to watch it.

The pools were open daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Cabanas

Throughout the pool area, there were many options for seating, including the opportunity to rent cabanas and “premium” chairs and umbrellas.

Despite the hotel being busy, we didn’t find it necessary to rent anything. However, the cabanas did look nice.

Premium chairs started at $30 per day for 2 people and cabanas started at $100 per day for up to 6 people.

Reservations can be made online.

Lake Windsong

On top of some great pools, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has a beautiful lake, Lake Windsong, on its property.

With a beach, fishing, boat rentals, and plenty of other watersports included, spending a day on the lake is guaranteed fun.

Whether you want to take out a kayak, paddle around with a friend in the paddleboats, or just relax by the water, Lake Windsong is the place to do it.

Just beware of alligators!

Rock Wall

Located between the pool and the lake is a rock wall that guests can climb.

The price of the climb is included in the daily resort fee.

To climb the wall, guests need to wear closed-toe shoes and weigh between 40 to 220 pounds.

The rock climbing wall was open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Nature Trails

As you can imagine, the lush property is surrounded by beautiful nature trails.

The hotel encouraged us to explore the grounds and trails by bike or on foot. There were 2 walking/jogging trails suggested by the hotel at 1 and 3 miles long each.

With 2 kids in tow, we opted to explore by bike!

Bike Rentals

Located next to the rock climbing wall is the bike rental station.

The hotel provided bikes for almost every size included in the resort fee.

My daughter found a bike her size with training wheels, I took a bike with a seat for my son, and my wife found a comfortable cruiser to explore on.

After breakfast, we took out the bikes and cruised around the property. While there was nothing spectacular to see, a ride around the lake was a nice morning activity with the family.

Fitness Center

As expected in big hotels nowadays, the fitness center was very well-equipped.

Located inside the Grotto pool area, the 1,500-square foot gym had a great selection of machines, including plenty of treadmills, free weights, and machines by LifeFitness.

And a good fitness center wouldn’t be complete now without a Peloton bike. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress had 3 of them!

The StayFit Fitness Center at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress was open 24 hours per day. 

Marilyn Monroe Spa

Guests who are looking to relax with a massage or just need to get a quick mani/pedi can stop by the Marilyn Monroe Spa. It’s located just off the hotel lobby.

The spa is designed to mimic the iconic starlet’s Hollywood home. Appointments can be made online.

The spa was open from Thursday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Grand Cypress Tennis and Racquet Club

Tennis fans and players will love to play at the Grand Cypress Tennis and Racquet Club, located just behind Lake Windsong.

The resort club has 8 clay courts, 4 hard courts, and tennis pros at your disposal. These courts have even hosted Grand Slam champions, so you know they are good!

Tennis courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis and racquet and balls can be provided.

Golf Course

Golfers know that you can find some great courses in Florida, and Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is no exception.

Located just down the road, with free shuttle service available, guests can golf at The Grand Cypress Golf Club.

This award-winning course has challenging Jack Nicklaus-designed holes that will be exciting for most golfers.

Packages and tee times can be made online.

Park Shuttle

Included in the resort fee is a complimentary hotel shuttle to the nearby theme parks and Disney Springs.

Shuttle times may vary based on demand and time of year, but during our stay, guests could get a ride at the following times:

Departure to Theme Parks

• Magic Kingdom: 8:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 11:45 a.m.
• Universal Orlando: 9 a.m.
• Disney Springs: 5 p.m.

Return from Theme Parks

• Magic Kingdom: 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.
• Universal Orlando: 6:30 p.m.
• Disney Springs: 8:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

Hot Tip: Check out our tips on how to make your next trip to Disney as “stress-free” as possible!

Pet-Friendly

Great news for dog-lovers, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is very dog-friendly!

The scenic nature trails make for some great dog-walking routes.

Guests can bring 1 dog up to 50 pounds or 2 dogs that are 75 pounds or lighter, combined.

Fees vary by length of stay:

• 1 to 6 nights: $150 per stay
• 7 to 30 nights: $150 plus an additional $150 deep-cleaning fee
• More than 30 nights: Fee-based on the resort’s discretion

Wireless Internet

Wi-Fi was free and easily accessible throughout the resort.

Whether in the room or by the pool, speed and strength were good. I consistently received around 20 Mbps during my stay.

Business Center

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress also serves as a convention hotel, so having a good business center is essential.

Fortunately, there is a FedEx Office Print & Ship Center just off the lobby, so guests can do everything from printing presentations to packing and shipping signs to submitting orders to be ready upon check-in.

Orders can be placed online.

Laundry

One hotel amenity I didn’t think I needed until I had kids was access to laundry facilities.

Even though we were only at the hotel for 1 night, I still found myself doing laundry because I knew our next hotels didn’t have laundry machines as easily accessible.

Down near the Grotto and fitness center is a game room and laundry area.

The washing machines and dryers were modern and accepted credit cards or Apple Pay, and detergent was available in a nearby vending machine.

Game Room

As I mentioned, the laundry machines were located in the game room — family bonding opportunity?

There are 2 rooms, the first of which had carnival-style games to win prizes.

And the other with more video game-style games.

I could see this being a popular spot with kids when it starts to rain outside.

Valet Parking

Valet parking was available for $40 per night, which was waived for me as a Hyatt Globalist on an award stay.

Guests also have the option for Premium Parking for $50 per night (where they leave your car out front), or self-parking for $27 per night.

Hot Tip: If you are self-parking, be sure to drop off your bags at the front door before going to self-park. 

COVID-19 Protocols

Despite a surge of COVID-19 cases in Florida during our visit, there weren’t many precautions to write about.

Face masks were few and far between and hand sanitizing stations were often empty when we tried to use them.

This was a far cry from the safety standards we saw at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.

The Room

We booked and received a standard room with 2 double beds overlooking the pool and lake.

The room was very nice, but the only issue was getting to it There are 6 elevators, but with 1 call button and guests arriving from 2 sides, it almost always was a mess.

As soon as a door would close, someone would press the button and the same elevator would reopen. And then another elevator down the other end would close and would go up with nobody in it.

It was frustrating and awkward. But now, back to the room!

I was assigned room 1067 toward the end of the hallway on the 10th floor.

The room was listed on the website at 360 square feet (33 square meters), which felt about right as there really wasn’t much extra room with all of the furniture squeezed in.

Upon walking into the room, there was a decent-sized bathroom on the right-hand side.

And when the door to the bathroom slides shut, it reveals a small closet area.

Bedroom

The guestrooms were modern but already starting to show their age at this busy hotel.

It looks like a 4-legged guest spent some time in this room.

The 2 Hyatt Grand Beds were very comfortable, not too soft, not too firm, and the sheets were great.

Next to the beds was a small sofa.

The room featured a 65-inch television with a minifridge containing 2 bottles of water, and a coffee maker underneath.

At the end of the counter space was a chair and a small desk area.

The windows of the room opened up to reveal a tiny balcony, which provided nice views of the property.

Bathroom

The bathroom was nothing special. It was a bit cramped and had an awkward layout with limited privacy.

The toilet was rather exposed, so despite the partition, sharing wasn’t really an option.

The shower/bathtub combination was tight, and I am personally not a fan of shower curtains in a hotel — I think they are gross.

Another thing I think is gross is shared amenities such as shampoo and body wash. However, at least they were locked, unlike the ones I had at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach.

Food and Beverage

There were plenty of dining options at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, and everything that we experienced, we enjoyed.

From quick bites by the pool to sushi and wine in the main restaurant, even the pickiest eaters will be able to find something here.

LakeHouse

LakeHouse is the main restaurant and can be accessed by a grand staircase from the lobby area, which then flows out into the pool area.

Open throughout the day, guests can have a little bit of everything here from pasta and pizzas to sushi and burgers.

For dinner, our kids ordered burgers from the very reasonably priced kids’ menu, and my wife and I ordered some sushi. Everything was good, but nothing special.

LakeHouse was open daily for breakfast from 7 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., and dinner from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., and digital menus were available.

Breakfast

As part of my Hyatt Globalist benefits, we enjoyed free breakfast at LakeHouse in the morning. Apparently, there is a club lounge somewhere, but it was closed during our stay.

We opted for the buffet, which was expansive and impressive. The buffet costs $29 per adult, and kids 12 and under only pay their age (for example, my 3-year-old would have paid $3), which I think is a great idea.

The buffet had pretty much everything we expected from a hotel breakfast.

There were some fresh donuts.

Some cereals for the kids.

A nice bagel and cream cheese station.

A station with eggs, bacon, sausages, and other hot breakfast items.

And the most impressive — and best smelling — griddled cinnamon buns!

The Lobby Bar

Like any good hotel, this one has a lobby bar, creatively named The Lobby Bar.

With big windows, tall drinks, and a great lobby to people-watch, this is a great spot to meet up.

The Lobby Bar was open daily from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m., and digital menus were available.

On the Rocks

On the Rocks Poolside Restaurant is where we ordered our drinks and snacks while hanging out by the pool.

Located on the beach of Lake Windsong, just steps from the main pool, guests can sit and relax or order from a waiter to have food and drinks delivered to their chairs.

After seeing the bar in action, I couldn’t resist a piña colada with a floater on top.

For lunch, we ordered sliders, quesadillas, and chicken fingers. All perfect for a day by the pool.

On the Rocks was open daily from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. There was a digital menu available.

Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen

Celebrity chef Richard Blais opened a restaurant on property in December 2021, which was after our stay. The restaurant serves “fresh-caught surf and fire-grilled turf variety with tropical cocktail creations.”

For more information about Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen, you can visit its website.

Market

Market is a cute little bakery-like shop in the hotel lobby.

With everything from Starbucks coffee and baked goods to snacks and s’mores kits, if you were looking for something, it was probably at Market — including alcohol.

A great option before or after a day at the parks!

Market was open daily from 6:30 a.m. until midnight. 

Service

All said and done, we had a very enjoyable experience at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

All of the interactions we had with the staff were pleasant and professional, but nothing memorable.

With a full hotel, it was very obvious that the property was understaffed, but there were no glaring negatives that impacted our stay.

Admittedly, only staying 1 night may make me less critical, but kudos to the employees who were there working multiple shifts to keep the hotel moving as efficiently as possible.

Final Thoughts

Overall, my family and I had an awesome stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

It is easy to see why this resort is so popular and why we had such a hard time finding availability.

The pools were some of the best my kids have experienced, the lake and grounds were gorgeous, the food options were quite good, and the location was excellent for anyone visiting Orlando theme parks.

For Hyatt members using points or free nights, this is an excellent option, as it provides very good value compared to the daily rate.

Add in the additional benefits like waived resort fees, free parking, and free breakfast for Globalist members, it would be hard to not like this hotel.

Although we thoroughly enjoyed our next stop at the “other” Hyatt Regency, I would be back at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress sooner than later if given the option.

If you are considering this property for you and your family, I think you will enjoy it, too!

If you have questions, please leave them in the comments or come join our private Facebook group Level UP Travel and have a chat.