Hyatt Zilara Cancun Restaurant Review
Hyatt Zilara Check In and Guest Rooms
Hyatt Zilara Restaurants
Hyatt Zilara Amenities
Overview
Hyatt Zilara Cancun is an all-inclusive, adults only resort. This means that all food and beverages are included with your room rate*. I put the asterisk because there are a few “upgrades” available on both food and drink. You can add a lobster tail to your meal for an up-charge. Bottles of wine and top shelf alcohol are also extra. I didn’t end up purchasing any of the food and beverage upgrades and didn’t feel like I was missing a thing.
When you check in, you fill out a card explaining any dietary needs and allergies. This then goes into your record during the stay. Whenever you go to a restaurant, they ask your room number and review the notes. The host notifies your server of any needs.
I would say that there are five distinct restaurants. In addition, there is a coffee shop, 24 hour lounge (think airport lounge) and room service. There are a number of bars as well.
Spice
I’ll start with the buffet; where I ate more than any other location. It is one of only two locations that serve breakfast. Located just off the main lobby, it offers casual ambiance and rotating food options for all three meals. Most guests eat breakfast at Spice.
As far as buffets go, Spice is one of the better ones I have been to. There are a ton of fresh options. At breakfast there is a huge selection of fresh fruit. Lunch and dinner have a very nice salad bar. Made to order options include omelets for breakfast, pasta, grilled fish and burgers at lunch, and a rotating selection for dinner.
I find that buffets typically offer lower quality food that sits out and gets dried out. I rarely found food that had been sitting for too long.
Servers are attentive and bring drinks, including any bar drinks, and clear plates.
Pelicanos
The other breakfast option is Pelicanos which also serves all three meals. Pelicanos is located in the pool complex and is open air and overlooks the beach. For an August stay, I avoided Pelicanos during the day because it was too warm. The one meal I ate there was dinner. I found the food to be mediocre. Upon arrival, we had a late dinner there the first night. Their fresh items were much better than the cooked food that seemed prepared in large quantities.
Pelicanos is casual and has a swim up bar for drinks.
Asiana
Asiana is the generic asian food option: sushi, hibachi, noodles. It is located next to Maria Marie (below) and the Spa. The big draw at Asian is the hibachi grill seating. You must make reservations for the hibachi tables and it fills up quick. Make an appointment when you check in or you may not get to eat the hibachi. Which might not be such a bad thing.
We were told that for better options, it is best to get a standard table at Asiana (no reservation required). It has a full menu, while the hibachi only has a few options. But if you want the full entertainment dining experience, do the hibachi.
The food at Asian was my least favorite with one exception; the dessert. If you go, get the tempura fried ice cream. It is fantastic. I quite seriously considered going back just for dessert.
The rest of the food was bland and generic. My friend and I ordered two separate dishes. The only difference was mine had peanuts added to the top to make it “pad thai”. The sushi was fine but not spectacular.
Maria Marie
For a more formal setting, Maria Marie offers Mexican food. Next to Asiana, the building houses both Maria Marie and La Adelita Cantina, a less formal lounge. During my Friday evening dinner, a live Mariachi band serenaded the guests.
A four course dinner was served; starting with ceviche and margarita, followed by salad, main course and dessert. Of course there is no limit to the number of courses.
I found the service at Maria Marie to be the best of any restaurant at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun. My server, Nea, had worked at Maria Marie for nine years, meaning he had worked at the property before it transitioned to a Hyatt. You could tell he knew the importance of customer service and making the most of the experience for the guest.
Chef’s Plate
The most exclusive dining at Zilara is Chef’s Plate. It is only available for guests staying in Oceanfront rooms and above. As we were in an Oceanview room, we did not get to try it out.
Chef’s Plate is located in the lower level of the building that houses Maria Marie.
Coffee House
During my stay, the Hyatt Zilara Cancun opened their brand new Coffee House in a better location with views of the pool and ocean. Formerly next to the 24 Hour Lounge, the new space is much brighter and modern.
On the last day of our trip, after checking out of our rooms, we camped out in the Coffee Shop to play cards. Besides coffee and tea, they serve sandwiches, snacks, desserts and ice cream.
24 Hour Lounge
The 24 Hour Lounge is open to all guests of Hyatt Zilara Cancun. It is the only 24 hour food and drink option besides room service. It had only a few appetizer type options and a self service bar. There was also games including billiards and ping pong. A few computers were also available for use. Side Note: There are not many public bathrooms at Zilara. One of the few public bathrooms is in the 24 Hour Lounge.
Bars
The main bar is located in the lobby and is open until Midnight. It is lively all day but especially in the evenings. During the day while at the pool, I mostly ordered from the swim up bar at Pelicanos or walk up bar just off the beach. Servers also make their way around the pool and drinks can be ordered directly from them and delivered to your cabana or chairs.
The bars serve mostly beers and cocktails. Wine is not common at Zilara except for at the restaurants where they will offer to sell you wine. If you don’t want to pay, it seems like most restaurants had a house wine.
That covers food and drink at Hyatt Zilara Cancun. Continue reading about the pool, beach and other amenities.