Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico [In-Depth Hotel Review]

The author stayed as a guest of Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. All opinions are the author’s own, and the hotel had no input in any part of this review.

Puerto Rico is a great spot for a quick beach getaway. It’s easy to get to, and U.S. citizens don’t need a passport to travel there.

I’d actually never been to Puerto Rico before, so when an opportunity popped up to fly down for a quick getaway, I jumped at the chance. My husband and I stayed 3 nights at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico.

I’ve been intrigued by this hotel ever since it was a coveted World of Hyatt Category 4 property (meaning it was bookable using free night certificates). While it has since moved up to a Category 5, it still boasts very favorable redemption rates for a tropical resort, so I was excited to see what it was all about.

Booking Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico

The Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is a World of Hyatt Category 5 hotel that can be booked for 17,000 (off-peak), 20,000 (standard), or 23,000 (peak) points per night. The cash cost starts at around $450 for a flexible member rate.

I did some sample searches for random dates and found that the cents-per-point value ranged from about 2.5 to 3 cents per point. That’s an excellent value, considering World of Hyatt points are worth about 1.5 cents each.

Resort Fee

This hotel charges a resort fee of 18% per night plus tax. That’s pretty steep, but the good news is that you won’t pay this when you book with World of Hyatt points. Here’s a look at what you’ll get for the resort fee:

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Location

We flew into Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is about 40 minutes from the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico by car. I took a private car service from the airport, but Uber is available for between $55 to $70 each way.

Hot Tip:

Uber is available in Puerto Rico, however, Lyft is not.

Check-In and Elite Benefits

We arrived at the hotel in the mid-afternoon. The person checking us in was very friendly and apologized for the short wait. He explained my Globalist benefits, the highlights of which were late 4 p.m. checkout and complimentary breakfast.

In just a few minutes, we had our keys and were directed back out to the front to get a ride to our room. Our luggage was loaded in a golf cart, and we were on our way.

The Room

We spent 3 nights in a 1 king bed villa. This 685-square-foot space would be great for a family (it was more than enough room for the 2 of us to spread out).

Bedroom

As soon as I walked in, I noticed the modern kitchenette with a sink, a microwave, a minifridge, and lots of cabinets.

The ingredients and a recipe for our welcome drinks (which were included in the resort fee) were left for us on the counter.

There was a hot water kettle and an electric coffee maker on the countertop. I couldn’t figure out how to use the coffee maker, so it went unused (thankfully, the coffee shop was close to my room).

There was enough counter space for us to do a little work each morning before heading to the pool.

Across from the kitchenette was an open-concept closet (you’ll see these at many Hyatt Regency locations).

Just beyond the kitchenette was a sleeper sofa and TV.

The bedroom, with a king-sized bed, was located across from the sofa. There were big sliding doors that could be opened or closed (we kept them open).

The bedroom was very spacious, and I loved that it could be opened up or closed off from the living room.

Sliding glass doors from the living room and bedroom led out to the balcony.

We had a view of the gardens and one of the smaller pools.

Bathroom

The bathroom had 2 sections. The first was right off of the bedroom. It had a large soaking tub and a closet.

Across from the tub was an open closet with shelves, drawers, and hanging space. There was also a safe, robes, and slippers.

The main bathroom area had a single sink.

The toilet was in a separate space — a must in hotel rooms, in my opinion.

The large shower had both rainfall and handheld showerheads.

The shower products were from Pharmacopia, which is what you’ll find across the Hyatt Regency brand.

Amenities

Like many beach resorts, the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico boasts numerous amenities to keep guests of all ages entertained and busy.

Pools

The centerpiece of the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico was the enormous, sprawling swimming pool. While there was more than 1 pool on the property, this main pool was the highlight.

The temperature was absolutely perfect, and I loved the fact that it wasn’t too crowded.

There was also a pool that I could see from my room.

We spent a delightful afternoon in one of the poolside cabanas. It was nice to have time to catch up on some magazines. (I took the hotel’s motto, “Doing Nothing Means Everything,” very seriously.)

Beach

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is located on a secluded peninsula, so the beach never felt crowded.

The calm water was perfect for kayaking, paddleboarding, or just floating with a drink in hand.

Parts of the beach were a bit rocky, and while I was able to walk barefoot just fine, it’s not a bad idea to pack some water shoes if you plan to spend a lot of time on the beach.

Outdoor Games

There were numerous outdoor games available to guests, including giant Connect 4, ping-pong, and cornhole.

Kayaks

Kayaks were available to use free of charge, weather permitting.

Bicycles

Complimentary bicycles were available for guests to use. We grabbed a couple and explored the area right outside of the resort. Despite getting caught in a sudden rainstorm, we enjoyed the ride.

Topgolf Swing Suite at The Sand Trap

Puerto Rico’s first Topgolf Swing Suite is at The Sand Trap at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve. Four simulator bays are available for $50 an hour for up to 8 people.

Rainforest Spa

I hadn’t planned on visiting the spa during my stay, but I couldn’t resist and ended up booking a last-minute appointment. I’m so glad I did because it was one of the best massages I’ve had in recent years. My therapist, Shayla, tailored the massage to my requests, and she did a fantastic job.

There was a sauna and steam room inside of the locker rooms, plus an outdoor hot tub.

Kids Club

The Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico had a kids club with a small playground and organized activities throughout the day.

Grand Reserve Golf Club

There are 2 PGA-certified Tom Kite-designed golf courses on-site at Grand Reserve Golf Club.

Tennis and Pickleball

There were 2 tennis courts and 2 pickleball courts available for guests to use.

Pet-Friendly

Dogs weighing 35 pounds or less are welcome at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. A pet fee of $150 is charged for up to 6 nights, and an additional $150 fee is charged for stays between 7 and 30 nights.

Food and Beverage

There were 6 restaurants, 5 bars, a coffee shop, and a market to choose from during my stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. On our first night, we ate at Prime 787, an elegant steakhouse. The menu had vegetarian options in addition to steaks and seafood.

The next morning, we had the San Sobao Breakfast delivered to our room. This traditional Puerto Rican breakfast consists of soft, slightly sweet bread served with sweet butter and cheese.

After breakfast and a little catching up on work, we headed out to our poolside cabana where I enjoyed the chicken tacos for lunch.

That night, we ate dinner at Nori, a restaurant that serves sushi and Asian fusion cuisine. There was also teppanyaki, but we opted for a quiet dinner outside (there were only a few tables outside when we visited, but the restaurant noted that it would be expanding this area).

On our last night, we tried Nectar, which serves Puerto Rican favorites. What we didn’t know until we tried to charge our dinner to our room was that Nectar, while located on the resort’s property, isn’t actually part of the resort (you would never know this as it’s located in the middle of the resort and listed as a resort dining location).

Hot Tip:

If you eat at Nectar, you can’t charge it to your room, so bring a credit card that earns extra points on dining purchases. There are tons of great options; some of my favorites include the American Express^® Gold Card, which earns 4x American Express Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year), and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, which earns 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on dining.

Breakfast was served at Water’s Edge from 7 to 11 a.m. As a Globalist member, this was included in my stay. It was a big buffet with all the traditional options you’d want at breakfast, including hot items like eggs, bacon, and pancakes, along with fresh fruit, yogurt, pastries, and so much more.

Molido

Molido is a coffee shop that serves specialty coffees, pastries, snacks, and bottled drinks. It’s open Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Market

The Market is a grab-and-go spot that stocks a variety of snacks, light bites, and beverages.

Kayak Sunset Bar

Kayak Sunset Bar is an open-air beachside bar, perfect for a midday beverage.

Lobby Bar

Lobby Bar’s menu featured pizzas and salads in addition to drinks.

Sand Trap Bar & Grill

Sand Trap Bar & Grill is a sports bar that serves food (appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, salads) and a full menu of cocktails, beer, and wine. It also has Puerto Rico’s first Topgolf Swing Suite, as I mentioned earlier.

Service

Overall, the service at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico was wonderful. Our servers at Prime 787 and Nori (Angelo and Diana) were excellent. I also enjoyed Andrea at Sand Trap Bar & Grill, who made some excellent nonalcoholic cocktails for us to try. Of course, Shayla at the spa was fantastic, too.

On our last full day at the resort, we were surprised with a fresh fruit plate as a thank-you for being a Globalist member.

However, I was underwhelmed by the service at the pool, because it was non-existent. I saw a waiter bringing drinks to other groups, but he never came over to me. That was a minor frustration, but really, getting up to go to the bar to order some drinks and lunch isn’t much of a problem in the scheme of things.

Final Thoughts

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is a laid-back resort that would appeal to both families and adults traveling without kids. Even better, the cost in World of Hyatt points is fairly low for a beach resort, so it’s a great option if you want a vacation that won’t break your points budget. On top of that, it’s easy to get to since no passport is required for U.S. citizens to enter Puerto Rico.

I wish I had been able to stay longer to explore more of what Puerto Rico has to offer. I guess I’ll be planning another trip!