We recently spent a week in Florida. Initially, we planned to fly into Miami on Saturday and spend a night there before driving down to Key Largo for 3 nights at one of our favorite resorts and ending up in Key West for our last 3 nights. The resort didn’t have availability for Sunday, so we pushed it forward cutting out a night in Key West and creating a need for another night between Miami and Key Largo.
I was proud of my planning for this trip because I had booked all of the flights and hotel nights with points, miles, or Free Night Certificates. So when I began researching a hotel, I also checked to see what tools I had available. We had a Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Certificate that needed to be used soon, so I focused my search on Hyatt hotels. The Hyatt Regency Coral Gables fit the bill perfectly and would also give us our 4th Hyatt property type for their Brand Explorer program. One more and we will earn another Free Night Certificate!
Hyatt Category 3 – Eligible to use a Category 1-4 Free Night Certificate
The Hyatt Regency is located at 50 Alhambra Plaza in Coral Gables. It’s only about 26 miles from MIA airport so is an easy stopover if you are flying in and then driving down the Keys.
Check-In is at 3pm and Check-Out is at 12pm
Rate Options
Hyatt uses a dynamic pricing structure where the points fluctuate based on seasonal demand.
- 9,000 Points – Off Peak
- 12,000 Points – Standard
- 15,000 Points – Peak
- 23,000 to 30,000 Points for Suites
Arriving at the Hotel
Sometimes pictures of a hotel don’t really tell the whole story. This Hyatt Regency was a whole lot of Wow compared to the descriptions and images on their website.
What a welcome! The Lobby and reception areas were incredible. From the winding staircase and gorgeous light fixtures to the marble floor, every detail was pure luxury.
When we arrived, a wedding party was filing into the Lobby for photos. What a grand venue for a wedding, reception, or formal event.
The Room
We booked a Standard King Room with our Free Night Certificate. Although my husband is a Hyatt Discoverist, it is their lowest Status Tier so we had no expectation of getting a room upgrade. However, we were pleasantly surprised to be given a King Bed Deluxe room. This 500+ sq ft suite was very spacious and well-appointed.
In addition to our super comfy King bed, we also had a pullout sofa. We didn’t need one for this trip but it’s a great feature when you do. The coffee station and mini fridge were located in a separate area outside of the bathroom. This area also contained a double closet with full mirrored doors. There was an additional mirror and seating area in the entryway which was the perfect place for putting on shoes and doing a final check on your way out the door.
The bathroom had tons of space and plenty of thick fluffy towels. The smart mirror over the vanity had a built-in LED clock and other features. The room was supplied with large bottles of Pharmacopia shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion. The lotion smelled amazing!
One of my favorite hotel bathroom features is an adjustable sliding showerhead. My husband is 6’1″ and I am 5′ so there is a lot of difference in how we prefer our shower settings. This one slid up and down on a track and could also be used as a handheld.
Hotel Amenities
- Heated Rooftop Pool
- Hot Tub
- Saunas
- Fitness Center
We didn’t have any activities planned in Coral Gables, so we were really looking forward to relaxing and taking advantage of the amenities at the hotel. The weather was a bit cooler than normal so the hot tub and heated pool were much appreciated.
Other Hotel Details
Destination Fee
$25 plus tax daily – waived for award stays
Destination Fee Perks:
- Cuban Coffee Station in Lobby
- Two bottles of water per day
- Premium Wi-Fi
- Kids 12 and under eat free from the kids menu with paid adult meal
- $15 Food and Beverage Credit at Bar 50 (does not apply for guests using an award night with waived fee)
- A variety of local discounts
The $25 Destination Fee was waived for our award night but we did not receive the $15 Bar 50 Credit.
One thing that is confusing with Hyatt is that their hotels are not consistent with how they apply Resort/Destination Fees. Sometimes I am charged a fee when I book an award stay and other times I am not. When the fee is waived some hotels still let us use all of the perks while other hotels don’t. For example, I booked the same Hyatt hotel in Chicago on 2 different occasions, once as a paid stay and once as an award stay. That hotel charged us a Destination Fee either way. On the other hand, a hotel that we stay at in Waikiki waives the Resort Fee for award stays and we still get to use all the included benefits. As a guest, it’s kind of confusing.
**No Airport Shuttle**
We found the hotel to be in a very walkable neighborhood. There is a Brewery directly across the street and it’s only a few blocks to an area with many other restaurants, shops, and bars. For dinner, we walked to a fantastic Italian restaurant called Trullio.
Parking
- $35 Self Parking
- $41 Valet Parking
- $16 Special Events
Dining
There are 4 options for dining at this hotel.
Bar 50 – Lobby Bar with a full food and beverage menu.
Two Sisters Restaurant – Upscale Restaurant serving Mediterranean and Miami cuisine.
Perks Coffee Shop – The Coffee Shop serves coffee, tea, and pastries in the morning, then switches to snacks and sandwiches in the afternoon.
Market – Grab and Go food, beverages, and toiletries.
While we were staying at the hotel, we decided to have an evening drink at Bar 50. The drinks were alright but a bit expensive. If you have the $15 off Destination Fee credit for Bar 50, or if you visit during their Happy Hour (5-7 pm on Monday through Friday), you can get some options at 50% off, which might make it worth it. Otherwise, there are plenty of other options nearby that you could check out instead.
The next morning we wanted to grab something quick and easy to eat before we hit the road so I popped into The Market to see what I could find. They had lots of bottled water, sodas, junk food, and some prepackaged sandwiches and microwaveable meals. Nothing said breakfast to me so I headed over to the other end of the main floor to check out the Perks Coffee Shop. I was hoping for a breakfast sandwich or something with a little protein but all they had were a few pastries in the case. We didn’t have time for a seated breakfast so we decided to skip it and check out.
Final Review
I thought this property was stunning. The room upgrade was a fantastic surprise and we absolutely loved our super comfortable and spacious room. But even if we hadn’t received an upgrade, their rooms are luxurious and larger than most hotels. The Hyatt Regency Coral Gables was a great value for using a Free Night Certificate.
We really enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub and it was a treat having a heated pool since the weather was a bit chilly during our stay. There are several options for dining available at the hotel. Although they didn’t work out for us, the location was also ideal for venturing out on foot to explore other places in the neighborhood.
We fly into MIA regularly so I am excited that we have found yet another great hotel option in the Miami area. I will definitely book this hotel again for a future trip!
Visiting Miami soon? You may also want to consider this awesome hotel: Intercontinental Doral – Miami
The World According to Dev 