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Sunday, December 8, 2024
HomeTrip DirectoryDespacito! TPOL Moves to Puerto RicoHyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico: A Globalist in Name Only

Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico: A Globalist in Name Only

Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico Hotel Review is part of the Despacito! TPOL Moves to Puerto Rico Trip Report.


I moved to Puerto Rico more than four years ago (see Despacito! TPOL Is Moving to Puerto Rico! Effective Inmediatamente). Upon arriving, I toured the island looking for the best place to live:

I chose Rio Mar (see House Hunters Puerto Rico: TPOL Finds His Home). One place I did not visit was Coco Beach which, like Rio Mar, is located in the municipality of Rio Grande. Coco Beach hosts the Puerto Rican Open and is also home to the Hyatt Grand Reserve.


Getting There: Coco Beach is a ten-minute drive from my house. Assuming you’re not coming from my house, the best way to get there is via Uber.

TPOL’s TIP: Uber shouldn’t be more than $30. If it is surging, wait 30 minutes after landing and you’ll see the fare crash down like BitCoin.


Hotel Itself

Like Bahia, Coco Beach is isolated. Some people might find it relaxing, but I didn’t like the seclusion. I also found it to be dated.

a building with a sign in front of it

a row of bushes and palm trees

a walkway between two white buildings with palm trees

a white wall with a lion head on it

The Room

Since the room was booked using Ms. TPOL’s Chase cert (Don’t Let Your Chase Hyatt Cert Expire) and since she does not have status, we were not upgraded (see I Should Receive Globalist Perks with Ms. TPOL’s Booking). I was fine with a garden view. I see the Puerto Rico ocean every day from my house.

a white wall with a round stool and a white railing with trees in the background
Looking at life through the eyes of a Discoverist

a room with a bed and a television

a bedroom with a bed and a couch

a bed in a room

a room with a bed and a couch

TPOL’s Tip: It was only after staying here that I learned that e-certs can be gifted to a Globalist and the benefits honored (see Confirmed: E-Certs Can Be Gifted with Globalist Perks).

Bathroom

I did not take a shower but did take a photo of the tub.

a bathroom with a mirror and sink

a group of bottles on a counter

a bathroom with a bathtub and shower

Espresso

While there was a Nespresso machine, the hotel only provided two bottles of water, hardly sufficient especially post drinking and post Domino’s (see below).

a coffee maker and coffee pot on a table

The Pool

The pool is the main draw of the hotel.

a pool with palm trees and buildings

a pool with palm trees and gazebos

a pool with a pool and palm trees

a pool with chairs and umbrellas

Alcohol

As a resident of Puerto Rico, I have grown accustomed to bringing my own alcohol everywhere I go.

a man sitting on a chair by a table with a fish

Shark Attack

There was an incident with a shark in the pool. I tried to handle it but failed.

a man on a inflatable dolphin in a pool

a inflatable dolphin in a pool

a inflatable shark in a pool

The Food

For lunch, I had a $20 burger which was prepared in a food truck. It was good and the price was inline with resort prices. For second lunch, I had $20 nachos which was also prepared in a food truck. They were great and the price was inline with resort prices. Fortunately, I used my World of Hyatt Business card and will receive a $50 statement credit (see World of Hyatt Business: Almost Missed $100 Statement Credits Per Year).

a food truck parked outside with tables and chairs

a bowl of nachos with meat and cheese

a pool with umbrellas and chairs in the middle
A second pool next to the taco truck.

The Beach

Coco Beach is a nice beach. It is nicer than the beach directly in front of the Wyndham Rio Mar and similar to Las Picaus, a beach accessible to me by foot.

a table and chairs on a beach

a group of rocks on a beach
Our iguanas are bigger.

Dinner

After a long day of drinking, I made the right choice to skip the upscale dining and order in. The wrong choice was not bringing enough water to satisfy my thirst.

a pizza boxes on a table

Overall

Category 4 Hyatts are good enough. Calling this one Grand is a stretch.

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