Hi Kelly! Love your videos! Planning a trip for a family reunion with kids ranging from 4-16. We have watched your videos on Finest and Ziva and cannot decide which one is best. Would you recommend one over the other and why? We are looking for amazing food, top notch service and a beautiful beach. We went to Grand Velas Riviera Maya last year, and loved everything about the resort, except the seaweed, although they were tireless in their cleaning efforts! How was the seaweed issue at Finest and Ziva? We would be going back to Grand Velas again, however we have younger children in our party this time around, so looking for a resort with more activities for kids, like the water park at Ziva.
Hi Michelle - Thanks so much for your kind words! Well, I'll start by saying I don't think you can go wrong with either Finest or Ziva. I'll be happy to give you my personal opinions & that's all they are, so take them with a grain of salt....As for food - I would rate them about equal. Both had very tasty food & a wide selection. As for activities for young kids - I have a teenager, so I didn't actually get to experience that - but from what I could see, I might choose Ziva for that - mostly because of the waterslide. However, both resorts seemed to have lots of activities for the kids. For teens - we liked Finest a bit better for the activities because they had DJs & karaoke etc in the evenings that teens could go to. I personally found Ziva to be more quiet in the evenings - Finest seemed to keep going later - at least in the Legends Sports Bar (which all ages can go to). Also - the staff at Finest was really amazing - they were great at engaging all of us in the activities & just having a good time - that was probably my very favorite thing about that resort - so I would go with Finest for the service/staff. Both beaches are spectacular - you can't go wrong there. The Ziva beach is a bit more white sand & walkable, & just WOW, but both are really pretty awesome. I didn't notice a lot of seaweed at either - but I'm not a big ocean swimmer (too many Jaws movies haha), so I'm probably not the best one to ask about that. I hope this helps a little bit at least - Let me know what you decide! I think you've got 2 great choices -
Great video. Please tell me this. I have knee issues and going up and down stairs is a problem with me. Does this resort have facilities in place (elevators, ramps, golf carts etc) to help me get everywhere I might want to go? (ie: from room to restaurants, beach, pool etc..) Thanks so much, Steve S.
You do a really great job with your videos. Use your hashtags for more viewers. You seem to have the same taste as our group of friends. We just got back from Finest Playa Mujeres. Trying to book a trip for 5 families and we would love to try Ziva cap cana. Couldn't believe the prices!! $$$$ I wonder if they fluctuate. Between Ziva and the other resorts youve been to, which did you prefer? We also have four teens in our group.
Oh thank you for the kind words! I really appreciate it :) Our family was divided on which of the 3 Punta Cana resorts we preferred - they were all gorgeous, truly. Our teen daughter liked Ziva the best; I also think Finest is a good choice for teens. As for pricing, I do think it fluctuates depending on the time of year & occupancy - but another option to offset costs is to book with points. If you're interested in learning how to do that, check out my free Points to Paradise masterclass - link is in the description.
Hi Kelly, would you recommend Macao Beach or Ziva if beach activities and food are the top are important. Liked the idea of having surf lessons. Thank you!
I enjoyed the food at Ziva a lot, and there was a wide variety - so that would be my pick for the food. For the beach - really I feel like it was a toss up - both have stunning beaches. The beach at Ziva is a bit more wide with white sand & they have a bunch of activities, but Macao does have the surfing lessons right there, just a 5 min walk down the beach, which my daughter really enjoyed. Macao Beach is the most famous beach in Punta Cana for surfers. But if you stayed at Ziva & wanted to go to a surfing beach, you could schedule an excursion one day. We did that for a snorkel excursion. I hope this helps!
I loved watching your video. Did they have a variety of adult beverages to choose from or are the adult drinks pre-made? I've seen some resorts that only have option to order premade drinks such as bahama mama's..for example.
Oh thank you! They had a full bar everywhere - so yes, you can choose anything you like 😊 There’s also a rum bar on the Ziva side & a nice martini bar on the Zilara side🍸
Hi there! How did u book for the Club level? If we choose the name “club ocean view junior suite king room” are we gonna be in the club level? Thank you
How do they police who has access to the club level areas? Also, are they constantly checking ID's at the Zilara side? My 20 yr old daughter looks quite young?
As for the Club question, they can check that based on your room number - I believe we showed them our room key to get into the Club areas but it may have been a bracelet - I've forgotten that detail, but they do check. As for going to the Zilara side, I'm not sure I have a great test case of that for you - my husband and I just easily walked over to the Zilara side & no one asked us for ID at all - but then again, it's pretty obvious that we're over 21 :) ....so it's possible that someone would have stopped us if we looked much younger - because the 2 resorts are so close together, I feel like they must have people on the lookout for new faces on the Zilara side - sorry I don't have a better answer for that one
Very nice review. I contacted the resort and they told me they do not have connecting club level rooms. Did you have a two separate rooms then? We are a family of three and also like to have 2 bathrooms!
Thank you! Our room was actually the Club Ocean View 1-Bedroom Master Suite…so it was actually only 1 room, but the way the room is designed, you can basically “split” it into 2 rooms just by closing the door. One side has the big bed + bathroom - the other side has the couch that turns into a bed + another bathroom. Both sides have TVs & exit onto the balcony …So it really feels like 2 rooms, but you only pay for 1 😊
I’m sold, this place is stunning! What do you need cash for since it’s all-inclusive? Tips? What is the nightly points range? How did you stay in the club level and how do I try to do this with points also? Thanks!
I agree, it's a spectacular resort for sure :) The cash was for tipping our butler - that's pretty much all we needed if for, if I recall correctly - but we still ran out by the end of the trip. As for the points, there's actually an award calendar on the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana website - so you can click on that & scroll back & forth between months to see the range of points needed for a night. In general, you could get a standard room for as low as 21K points per night & a premium suite for as low as 42K per night - of course that depends on the season & the availability + how many people you have (since it's an all-inclusive), but there is quite a range of options. You can upgrade for as low as 6K points. I'm going to write a whole email about it next week, so stay tuned!
looking to go somewhere for our 2oth anniversary without our teenage daughter and was wondering where you suggest ? is there a way of contacting you privately ? do you book trips also ?
Happy anniversary! No, I'm afraid I don't book trips - I'm not a travel agent - I just enjoy visiting resorts & sharing my thoughts about them :) If you're going without your daughter & you're thinking about a tropical vacation, I would definitely recommend an adults-only all-inclusive...The adult side of this particular resort in Punta Cana is the Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, which is very nice. We've also really enjoyed the LeBlanc Los Cabos in Cabo, Mexico, as well as the Hyatt Zilara Cancun, so I would recommend checking those out too.
What is your honest opinion of the comfort of the sofa bed? Usually you can feel the coils in your back. I wouldn't want to spend all that money and have my teenager be miserable all week!
I had to ask my daughter about this one b/c she's the one who slept on it :) She said it was good - she didn't feel like it was uncomfortable. It's not the type of pullout bed that has a bar in the middle - it's actually made entirely of reconfiguring the couch cushions like a puzzle - we couldn't quite figure it out the first night, but housekeeping did it for us & after that it was easy. I hope this helps!
We went over to the Zilara side a couple of times...I would say that's the more active side for adults for sure. It wasn't super loud, but people were definitely having a good time at the pool
Hi Kelly, we’re looking at an all inclusive for 10 people, 5 kids. Ages 15, 13, 10x2, and 8. Do you have any downsides to this resort for that age groups of kids. Parents are pretty mellow, not looking for any kind of excessive night life.
I think this resort is likely a good fit for your group...If you want to go beyond the on-site activities, though (depending on how many days you're staying), you might consider planning a nearby snorkeling/sailing excursion for everyone - they are easy to book separately - we did this at one of the other Punta Cana resorts & it was a highlight of our trip - I featured it in my Finest Punta Cana video, if you want to take a look - LMK if you have other questions - happy to answer!
Curious, you mentioned to bring plenty of cash. What did you need cash for? Isn’t everything included? Cash just for tipping? How much cash do you recommend?
Yes, cash just for tipping - because they don't have an ATM there. If you have a butler, you'll want cash to tip him (or her) at the end - the amount is totally up to you of course...and some butlers are super-helpful, and others you will barely see them - so I take that into account when deciding how much to tip. We just brought a bunch of $1 bills (USD) - they seem to prefer US dollars. We just tipped bartenders & valets here and there, and then our butler at the end.
How would you rate the 3 Punta Cana properties you stayed at, we are considering all 3 and will have a multigenerational group with a 5 and 7 year old and 2 73 year olds along with mom and dad in our 40? thank you!
They were all very nice - I think it depends on what's most important to you - even our family was split on which one was the favorite. The Ziva Cap Cana probably had the most beautiful beach of the 3 & food was good. Personally I would have liked more of an ethnic vibe there - it did feel very American. The Finest also had very good food & the best entertainment of the 3 - the staff was phenomenal & did a good job leading activities. Dreams had a great surf beach & arcade - and the Villa we stayed in there was the best room I've ever stayed in anywhere. Those are a few thoughts - hope it helps - happy to answer more questions if you have them!
@@mahermohamed3564 Great! There were a ton of little ones running around when we were there - lots of young families. They have a very active Kids' Club & painting classes on the beach for kids & Just Dance (I talk about these in this video) & also the waterslide area. Seems like lots of fun for young kids!
Hi Kelly, Great videos. How would you compare Ziva to Dreams Macao? Beach and Food are our hot buttons. Like the idea of having surfing lessons, bot sure what water activities are available at Ziva?
Thanks & so sorry for the slow response! I didn't see this comment before - Between the 2, Ziva had the better food. Both beaches were very nice - Dreams Macao is more of a surf beach & Ziva's beach was a wide, gorgeous, white sand beach that would be good for volleyball. As for water activities at Ziva - we really didn't do any of that, but I feel sure there are plenty of water excursion options at both. I hope this info is still useful to you!
They had a TON of food options that would be good for kids, especially in the Public Market buffet area. Everything from burgers & fries to Mexican food to salads to sushi to ice cream ...basically whatever you want
Yeah - that seems to be the typical situation at most resorts I've been to - but overall we didn't have trouble getting chairs. We didn't rent a cabana, so I'm not sure about that process...but plenty of them seemed to be available.
My daughter is a teenager, so we didn't really hang out the little kids' area - sorry about that! However, I seem to remember that we typically just went to the walk-up bar to get our drinks at the other (big) pool. There may have been someone coming around to bring drinks, but I don't remember getting drinks that way.
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Hi Kelly! Love your videos! Planning a trip for a family reunion with kids ranging from 4-16. We have watched your videos on Finest and Ziva and cannot decide which one is best. Would you recommend one over the other and why? We are looking for amazing food, top notch service and a beautiful beach. We went to Grand Velas Riviera Maya last year, and loved everything about the resort, except the seaweed, although they were tireless in their cleaning efforts! How was the seaweed issue at Finest and Ziva? We would be going back to Grand Velas again, however we have younger children in our party this time around, so looking for a resort with more activities for kids, like the water park at Ziva.
Hi Michelle - Thanks so much for your kind words! Well, I'll start by saying I don't think you can go wrong with either Finest or Ziva. I'll be happy to give you my personal opinions & that's all they are, so take them with a grain of salt....As for food - I would rate them about equal. Both had very tasty food & a wide selection. As for activities for young kids - I have a teenager, so I didn't actually get to experience that - but from what I could see, I might choose Ziva for that - mostly because of the waterslide. However, both resorts seemed to have lots of activities for the kids. For teens - we liked Finest a bit better for the activities because they had DJs & karaoke etc in the evenings that teens could go to. I personally found Ziva to be more quiet in the evenings - Finest seemed to keep going later - at least in the Legends Sports Bar (which all ages can go to). Also - the staff at Finest was really amazing - they were great at engaging all of us in the activities & just having a good time - that was probably my very favorite thing about that resort - so I would go with Finest for the service/staff. Both beaches are spectacular - you can't go wrong there. The Ziva beach is a bit more white sand & walkable, & just WOW, but both are really pretty awesome. I didn't notice a lot of seaweed at either - but I'm not a big ocean swimmer (too many Jaws movies haha), so I'm probably not the best one to ask about that. I hope this helps a little bit at least - Let me know what you decide! I think you've got 2 great choices -
Going there next week and your review is really helping kind of mentally organize our trip. Thanks!
Oh I'm so glad! Have fun!!
Thank you for this thorough review. I understand you had a club level room but what type? club 1 bedroom ocean view master suite?
Of course! Yes, our room type was the Club Ocean View 1-Bedroom Master Suite
It looks like a beautiful resort. The pools are stunning. Oh my that beach! It looks like it has everything there. Great review. Cheers 🍻
Thanks so much for your kind words! Yes, this resort is really a particularly spectacular one for sure
Great video. Please tell me this. I have knee issues and going up and down stairs is a problem with me. Does this resort have facilities in place (elevators, ramps, golf carts etc) to help me get everywhere I might want to go? (ie: from room to restaurants, beach, pool etc..) Thanks so much, Steve S.
great review. really want to go now. thant spa looks amazing. thank you
Thank you! It was definitely a gorgeous resort & spa - I've never seen a cave spa before :)
Best review by far. Thank you!
Wow, how kind of you to say - thank you! :)
Great review!! We’re going with a nice sized family group. Can’t wait.
Oh how fun! You'll have a blast!
great review thank you. now i want to visit
Thank you - you should! :)
You do a really great job with your videos. Use your hashtags for more viewers. You seem to have the same taste as our group of friends. We just got back from Finest Playa Mujeres. Trying to book a trip for 5 families and we would love to try Ziva cap cana. Couldn't believe the prices!! $$$$ I wonder if they fluctuate. Between Ziva and the other resorts youve been to, which did you prefer? We also have four teens in our group.
Oh thank you for the kind words! I really appreciate it :) Our family was divided on which of the 3 Punta Cana resorts we preferred - they were all gorgeous, truly. Our teen daughter liked Ziva the best; I also think Finest is a good choice for teens. As for pricing, I do think it fluctuates depending on the time of year & occupancy - but another option to offset costs is to book with points. If you're interested in learning how to do that, check out my free Points to Paradise masterclass - link is in the description.
Loved the video! Quick question, what time of the year did you?
Thanks! We were there in late March
Hi Kelly, would you recommend Macao Beach or Ziva if beach activities and food are the top are important. Liked the idea of having surf lessons. Thank you!
I enjoyed the food at Ziva a lot, and there was a wide variety - so that would be my pick for the food. For the beach - really I feel like it was a toss up - both have stunning beaches. The beach at Ziva is a bit more wide with white sand & they have a bunch of activities, but Macao does have the surfing lessons right there, just a 5 min walk down the beach, which my daughter really enjoyed. Macao Beach is the most famous beach in Punta Cana for surfers. But if you stayed at Ziva & wanted to go to a surfing beach, you could schedule an excursion one day. We did that for a snorkel excursion. I hope this helps!
Great Video!! Thank you so much 😊
Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the video. We arrive in a few days.
Oh cool! You'll have fun - are you staying at Ziva or Zilara?
@@epicmomstravel Ziva with our 6 year old.
@@33sarny have fun!
I loved watching your video. Did they have a variety of adult beverages to choose from or are the adult drinks pre-made? I've seen some resorts that only have option to order premade drinks such as bahama mama's..for example.
Oh thank you! They had a full bar everywhere - so yes, you can choose anything you like 😊 There’s also a rum bar on the Ziva side & a nice martini bar on the Zilara side🍸
Every bar was a full bar. Most if not all restaurants had 'signature cocktails'. Pool bars had a tropical cocktail menu plus you could order whatever.
Hi there! How did u book for the Club level? If we choose the name “club ocean view junior suite king room” are we gonna be in the club level? Thank you
Yes that's all there is to it! Nothing else you need to do :)
How do they police who has access to the club level areas? Also, are they constantly checking ID's at the Zilara side? My 20 yr old daughter looks quite young?
As for the Club question, they can check that based on your room number - I believe we showed them our room key to get into the Club areas but it may have been a bracelet - I've forgotten that detail, but they do check. As for going to the Zilara side, I'm not sure I have a great test case of that for you - my husband and I just easily walked over to the Zilara side & no one asked us for ID at all - but then again, it's pretty obvious that we're over 21 :) ....so it's possible that someone would have stopped us if we looked much younger - because the 2 resorts are so close together, I feel like they must have people on the lookout for new faces on the Zilara side - sorry I don't have a better answer for that one
Are three nights enough to enjoy a quick vacation to Cap Cana Ziva
Oh yes! It would be great if you can stay longer, but we were only there 3 nights & loved it
Thank you for this! We’re trying to go in December and I was wondering if you could tell me what room has the jacuzzi on the balcony 😊
I believe our room was #2511 - but I think all these same type of rooms have the jacuzzi on the balcony - we loved it 😍
Very nice review. I contacted the resort and they told me they do not have connecting club level rooms. Did you have a two separate rooms then? We are a family of three and also like to have 2 bathrooms!
Thank you! Our room was actually the Club Ocean View 1-Bedroom Master Suite…so it was actually only 1 room, but the way the room is designed, you can basically “split” it into 2 rooms just by closing the door. One side has the big bed + bathroom - the other side has the couch that turns into a bed + another bathroom. Both sides have TVs & exit onto the balcony …So it really feels like 2 rooms, but you only pay for 1 😊
I'm not sure I caught it...Who were you traveling with? lol. Thx for the Vid.
Traveling with my husband & teenage daughter :)
@@epicmomstravel 😀
I’m sold, this place is stunning! What do you need cash for since it’s all-inclusive? Tips? What is the nightly points range? How did you stay in the club level and how do I try to do this with points also? Thanks!
I agree, it's a spectacular resort for sure :) The cash was for tipping our butler - that's pretty much all we needed if for, if I recall correctly - but we still ran out by the end of the trip. As for the points, there's actually an award calendar on the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana website - so you can click on that & scroll back & forth between months to see the range of points needed for a night. In general, you could get a standard room for as low as 21K points per night & a premium suite for as low as 42K per night - of course that depends on the season & the availability + how many people you have (since it's an all-inclusive), but there is quite a range of options. You can upgrade for as low as 6K points. I'm going to write a whole email about it next week, so stay tuned!
Also I forgot to mention - I believe all the ocean view rooms are Club level :)
looking to go somewhere for our 2oth anniversary without our teenage daughter and was wondering where you suggest ? is there a way of contacting you privately ? do you book trips also ?
Happy anniversary! No, I'm afraid I don't book trips - I'm not a travel agent - I just enjoy visiting resorts & sharing my thoughts about them :) If you're going without your daughter & you're thinking about a tropical vacation, I would definitely recommend an adults-only all-inclusive...The adult side of this particular resort in Punta Cana is the Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, which is very nice. We've also really enjoyed the LeBlanc Los Cabos in Cabo, Mexico, as well as the Hyatt Zilara Cancun, so I would recommend checking those out too.
What is your honest opinion of the comfort of the sofa bed? Usually you can feel the coils in your back. I wouldn't want to spend all that money and have my teenager be miserable all week!
I had to ask my daughter about this one b/c she's the one who slept on it :) She said it was good - she didn't feel like it was uncomfortable. It's not the type of pullout bed that has a bar in the middle - it's actually made entirely of reconfiguring the couch cushions like a puzzle - we couldn't quite figure it out the first night, but housekeeping did it for us & after that it was easy. I hope this helps!
Thank you for the review. Which side would you say is more active for adults? I guess I was wondering is the adult side really quiet?
We went over to the Zilara side a couple of times...I would say that's the more active side for adults for sure. It wasn't super loud, but people were definitely having a good time at the pool
Hi Kelly, we’re looking at an all inclusive for 10 people, 5 kids. Ages 15, 13, 10x2, and 8. Do you have any downsides to this resort for that age groups of kids. Parents are pretty mellow, not looking for any kind of excessive night life.
I think this resort is likely a good fit for your group...If you want to go beyond the on-site activities, though (depending on how many days you're staying), you might consider planning a nearby snorkeling/sailing excursion for everyone - they are easy to book separately - we did this at one of the other Punta Cana resorts & it was a highlight of our trip - I featured it in my Finest Punta Cana video, if you want to take a look - LMK if you have other questions - happy to answer!
Curious, you mentioned to bring plenty of cash. What did you need cash for? Isn’t everything included? Cash just for tipping? How much cash do you recommend?
Yes, cash just for tipping - because they don't have an ATM there. If you have a butler, you'll want cash to tip him (or her) at the end - the amount is totally up to you of course...and some butlers are super-helpful, and others you will barely see them - so I take that into account when deciding how much to tip. We just brought a bunch of $1 bills (USD) - they seem to prefer US dollars. We just tipped bartenders & valets here and there, and then our butler at the end.
How would you rate the 3 Punta Cana properties you stayed at, we are considering all 3 and will have a multigenerational group with a 5 and 7 year old and 2 73 year olds along with mom and dad in our 40? thank you!
They were all very nice - I think it depends on what's most important to you - even our family was split on which one was the favorite. The Ziva Cap Cana probably had the most beautiful beach of the 3 & food was good. Personally I would have liked more of an ethnic vibe there - it did feel very American. The Finest also had very good food & the best entertainment of the 3 - the staff was phenomenal & did a good job leading activities. Dreams had a great surf beach & arcade - and the Villa we stayed in there was the best room I've ever stayed in anywhere. Those are a few thoughts - hope it helps - happy to answer more questions if you have them!
Are you thinking of booking a stay at the Hyatt Ziva in Punta Cana? LMK & I'm happy to answer any questions 😎
How is it for little children 3,6,and 9?
@@mahermohamed3564 Great! There were a ton of little ones running around when we were there - lots of young families. They have a very active Kids' Club & painting classes on the beach for kids & Just Dance (I talk about these in this video) & also the waterslide area. Seems like lots of fun for young kids!
What week of the year did you go and how was the weather and beach conditions
Hi Kelly, Great videos. How would you compare Ziva to Dreams Macao? Beach and Food are our hot buttons. Like the idea of having surfing lessons, bot sure what water activities are available at Ziva?
Thanks & so sorry for the slow response! I didn't see this comment before - Between the 2, Ziva had the better food. Both beaches were very nice - Dreams Macao is more of a surf beach & Ziva's beach was a wide, gorgeous, white sand beach that would be good for volleyball. As for water activities at Ziva - we really didn't do any of that, but I feel sure there are plenty of water excursion options at both. I hope this info is still useful to you!
What room type did you have exactly? Was it a “grand” room? That looks like a huge balcony!
Hi! The type of room was Club Ocean View 1-Bedroom Master Suite - I believe the room # was 2511 - the balcony was amazing!
How was the kids food options? I have grandchildren that like chicken strips and fries
They had a TON of food options that would be good for kids, especially in the Public Market buffet area. Everything from burgers & fries to Mexican food to salads to sushi to ice cream ...basically whatever you want
The fight for chairs in so off putting. Was the extra payment for cabanas process easy or also a dog fight?
Yeah - that seems to be the typical situation at most resorts I've been to - but overall we didn't have trouble getting chairs. We didn't rent a cabana, so I'm not sure about that process...but plenty of them seemed to be available.
Are the pools heated? I heard the pools were very cold and we can't have that with little kiddos! Thanks in advance!
I don't remember them being especially cold ....Hope this helps a little bit at least :)
Is there drink service on the beach on the kids side ?
My daughter is a teenager, so we didn't really hang out the little kids' area - sorry about that! However, I seem to remember that we typically just went to the walk-up bar to get our drinks at the other (big) pool. There may have been someone coming around to bring drinks, but I don't remember getting drinks that way.
How bad is the seaweed on the beach?
When we were there, I don’t remember seeing any seaweed actually
Room #?
I believe it was Room #2511
Beautiful and very clean resort….food…. Not good… MERCADO BEST CHOICE, boring vacation…. Cannot compare with EXCARET in Cancun, Mexico
Appreciate you sharing your experience!