Hyatt Hacienda Del Mar

[amsunshine]

Hello all: We have secured an II exchange into a 2 br unit at Hacienda Del Mar in mid November. I've read the recent threads and determined it's likely a good idea for our family to rent a car for the week. I saw a vague reference in one thread to a possible shuttle into Old San Juan? However, I can't find any confirming info about a shuttle offered by the hotel so I assume that is not accurate.

I'm wondering if there is a fee for parking? And what the resort fees are? The interval confirmation suggests there might be fees for these things, but doesn't specify any fee amounts. Rude!

Does anyone have any info on what Hacienda Del Mar charges for parking and/or resort fees for Interval exchangers?

Thx a bunch!

 

[NJVacation61]

There were no resort or parking fees when I exchanged thru II in 2024. It is best to rent a car there as even if you are not going into San Juan there are no restaurants or shopping nearby. And the resort did not have a shuttle when I was there. But it's a great resort with a beautiful private stretch of beach.

 

[WorldT]

I don't think this Hyatt Vacation club has a shuttle to San Juan. I believe the post you are referring to are the Hyatt hotels which are much closer to San Juan. The vacation club is about 40 to 45 minutes away.

 

[jdunn1]

I love this resort. I've been there a few times but not in the past 2 years. However, you definitely need a car as others have posted and it's every bit of 40-50 minutes from the airport. Last I was there, they were demoing the old Hyatt or Marriott resort next door. I suspect they have long since finished the demo work but it's San Juan so they could still be working on it. Very beautiful resort but NOTHING to do there except relax and swim and be surrounded by tropical beauty. The beach is wonderful but apart from the Hyatt resort, it's deserted. There is a community to the left of the resort that has access to the beach and there is usually 1-2 people from that community fishing or using the beach. The beach is a cove, maybe man made, maybe not but it reminds me of the Crescent shaped man made beaches I see pictures of in Hawaii, only much smaller. I think the beach was better taken care of and popular when the old Hyatt (or maybe it was a Marriott) hotel was next door. The hotel's side of the beach, to the right of the Hyatt timeshare is beautiful but there were huge cement slabs from what I think was an old boardwalk or something. The cement slabs were treacherous to navigate but doable. You can snorkel in that section of the beach. Just note that overall, it's a fairly undeveloped beach that will feel deserted only steps away on either side of the Hyatt resort.

You will definitely need a car for EVERYTHING. There is nothing to walk to from the resort but there are a couple strip malls 5 minutes or so driving distance from the resort. There about 15 minutes south of the resort is a nice outlet mall. I love San Juan. The Hyatt resort is in Dorado, which is not a tourist area at all. Dorado is also far from Old San Juan and the rain forest. I feel like all the tourist stuff you might associate San Juan with are on the east side of the island and Dorado is more in the center, if not slightly western part of the island. Dorado and the Hyatt timeshare is beautiful but quiet. There are things like Walgreens and burger kings and shopping strips that make it feel like any city in the states but nothing that I can think of that caters to tourists. I think some of the people at the Hyatt resort would take Ubers or drive to the Hilton hotel/complex that is in a gated community somewhere west of the resort, maybe 1-2 miles away to eat dinner. There are a decent amount of restaurants within 10 minutes of the resort by car. Just be aware that it's surprisingly difficult to find anyone working at the stores or restaurants outside of Old San Juan that can speak English. It's actually shocking to me how few people in San Jaun speak English. I asked and they do not learn English in school so even the young people do not speak English, with few exceptions.

The Hyatt timeshare is a gem in my opinion. I'd have to be there with a large group of people and have a few day trips planned if I was there for a whole week as the resort is so quiet, there is little to no activities offered. They do things like bingo and there is a kids activity center but I've never been to the resort at a time when I would describe the resort as hoping or busy so you definitely have to find your own entertainment.

Hope you have lots of fun.

 

[WorldT]

Thanks @jdunn1. Any recommendations on units or buildings to request prior to arrival?

 

[Hindsite]

Thanks @jdunn1. Any recommendations on units or buildings to request prior to arrival?

There is only 1 building and all units face out towards the sea, but some at different angles. The reception building is in the middle of the block and the ground floor units have doors out to the resort, which is nice if you want to go in and out quickly. If you are to the right of reception that is the side that the construction site is on, but it has been more than a decade just getting the demo done and may well be like that for decades more. We have found it to be no bother at all, and the advantage is that the bay that the resort sits in is very quiet as there isn't a huge hotel/casino complex also there.
To the left is the activities ctr and its closer to the bar/restaurant and quicker to get to the beach. Elevators and stairs are towards the middle either side of reception.
There is more parking on the right side than on the left, so if you are on the ground floor far left you may have a bit more of a walk if the car park is busy. There is loads of parking to the front of the resort, so that's not an issue at all. Its not a big resort, so nowhere is a long walk,
I'm not sure there is a "bad" location, but much of that will depend on the behaviour of other guests, so just let them know whether you want low or high floor, close to or away from stairs/elevator or away from the construction etc.

 

[WorldT]

Thanks

 

[amsunshine]

There is only 1 building and all units face out towards the sea, but some at different angles. The reception building is in the middle of the block and the ground floor units have doors out to the resort, which is nice if you want to go in and out quickly. If you are to the right of reception that is the side that the construction site is on, but it has been more than a decade just getting the demo done and may well be like that for decades more. We have found it to be no bother at all, and the advantage is that the bay that the resort sits in is very quiet as there isn't a huge hotel/casino complex also there.
To the left is the activities ctr and its closer to the bar/restaurant and quicker to get to the beach. Elevators and stairs are towards the middle either side of reception.
There is more parking on the right side than on the left, so if you are on the ground floor far left you may have a bit more of a walk if the car park is busy. There is loads of parking to the front of the resort, so that's not an issue at all. Its not a big resort, so nowhere is a long walk,
I'm not sure there is a "bad" location, but much of that will depend on the behaviour of other guests, so just let them know whether you want low or high floor, close to or away from stairs/elevator or away from the construction etc.

Thanks for all the helpful info!

 

[NJVacation61]

There is only 1 building and all units face out towards the sea, but some at different angles.

Technically aren't there 2 buildings? They do face outward to the Ocean but I do remember the Elevators being out one of the days for a few hours in our building but they were working in the other building and if I remember correctly they are 2 separate elevator banks and the buildings are not connected on the upper floors?

 

[jdunn1]

Thanks @jdunn1. Any recommendations on units or buildings to request prior to arrival?

Hello. Like others have already stated, there is only one building, which I would describe as actually being two towers joined in the middle by the reception area. I've never made a room request at the resort. However, I think the 2 bedrooms on the corners of each floor (or maybe it is only on one side/tower) have special layouts. I can't remember what makes them special, it's an extra room of some kind but they all have huge wrap around balconies. If memory serves, they only give those units to owners using their home week but this information is a couple years old and comes from a fellow guest on one of my stays there.

I do not believe there are any bad locations. The resort is just so small, there is no location that give you better access to the facilities and I'm not sure that any of the units have ocean views. Maybe the higher floors have a peak at the ocean but I've never had any issue with the view or location I got assigned. I'd say most, if not all of the views have pool views. It may the that the corner units in the left tower/section of the resort, especially the higher up units have ocean views. If any of the rooms I got assigned had an ocean view, I do not remember it, though maybe the blue of the ocean can be seen from most balconies higher up. the resort has 7-12 floors, I forget how many exactly but it's a pretty tall building.

It's funny to hear they are still working on the demolition next door. I had heard Marriott bought that land but who knows if that is true. Unless things have changed, don't be surprised to find a pack of wild dogs walking around the resort, at least the outdoor restaurant and the beach. The dogs are harmless, but they were always there. Another oddity about the resort you may not know, but the 2 bedrooms are actually a fully separate 1 bedroom unit and a fully separate studio connected by a shared hallway/foyer where the stacked washer and dryer are. It's not the best set-up if you have little kids as there is no connecting door between each room into the living room/kitchen. You literally have to go next door, though your front door and the shared foyer to get to each room. you could jar each of the front doors open in you like but they are solid security doors that don't stay open well. It would be super awkward if you didn't know the people in either the studio or 1 bedroom next to you because you have to share the washer and dryer and you have to share the foyer between each room, where you might store beach gear.

 

[WorldT]

Thanks for the info. The floor plan you described is not good for me as I am traveling with kids.

 

[claraj]

I wedge things under the door to keep both sides open.

 

[Hindsite]

Technically aren't there 2 buildings? They do face outward to the Ocean but I do remember the Elevators being out one of the days for a few hours in our building but they were working in the other building and if I remember correctly they are 2 separate elevator banks and the buildings are not connected on the upper floors?

There is only 1 number for the buildings, that's the 5 at the front of the unit number, from waaaay back when it was part of a larger complex, so when making a request, you can't ask for a separate building number or name.

Yes, as I said elevators and stairs are wither side of the central reception.

No, you can't walk between the sides other than on the ground and first floors

 

[Hindsite]

It's funny to hear they are still working on the demolition next door. I had heard Marriott bought that land but who knows if that is true.

This was the construction notice from March 2025, who knows what will get built and when.

 

[Hindsite]

Thanks for the info. The floor plan you described is not good for me as I am traveling with kids.

They are all 2-bed lock-off units, and the entrance doors to the 2 units are heavy so need something firm to keep them open. The door to the shared lobby is fully secure and is a single door from the outside corridor, so its not like some lock-offs where there are 2 external doors. Each unit has separate balcony/seating area so if you were on the ground floor, there is also the external door to the seating area that goes directly out to the resort and it keycard operated.

 

[jdunn1]

This was the construction notice from March 2025, who knows what will get built and when.

View attachment 121610

Thanks for posting this. Sorry it took me so long to see it. I was fairly certain someone from the Hyatt had told me Marriott was building next door but that was 2-3 years ago.

 

[jdunn1]

Thanks for the info. The floor plan you described is not good for me as I am traveling with kids.

Another apology for the late response. I somehow didn't see this until now. I am sorry to have brought you this bad news about the unit layout. It really is awkward to say the least. At best, it ends up isolating your family since the 1 bedroom and studio rooms are completely separate units. At worst, it could be incredibly awkward to be sharing the washer and dryer and entryway with complete strangers. I've never had to share the common entryway between units as I always exchange for a 2 bedroom. However, I became friends with a family staying at the resort on one of my trips there who was occupying the studio side of a unit and sharing the washing machine and entryway with strangers in the adjacent 1 bedrooms. They never complained about the situation but they said coordinating laundry was a challenge, especially with clothes sitting in the washing machine from the unit next door. I do not remember any concerns with the shared entryway other than the hassle of laundry. I will echo the response from Hindsite about the doors into the 1 bedroom and studio being very heavy. Those doors felt more like bank vault doors to me -- an exaggeration but they are heavy. I feel like the locked door from the outside corridor to the shared entryway into the units always closed security on its own so there wasn't ever the issue of someone not making sure the door behind them into the shared entryway and laundry room wasn't locked.

 

[WorldT]

Thanks for the info. I will definitely plan on keeping those doors open. I will just have to figure out what to use to keep them open.
Based on the description, it sounds like the same configuration as HIVC in Galveston. We stayed in the 1 bedroom side for a couple of days but there was no one in the studio side during our stay. The laundry was also in the shared hallway right behind the entry door.

 

[claraj]

I bought door stoppers on Amazon for $6 for this reason (I am in PR this week) and they worked great!

https://a.co/d/00GGduwr

 

[WorldT]

I bought door stoppers on Amazon for $6 for this reason (I am in PR this week) and they worked great!

https://a.co/d/00GGduwr

Excellent . Thanks

 

[claraj]

I just returned from Puerto Rico. I highly recommend the free grocery delivery from Supermax. It seems you have to put in your order about 12 hours in advance. We arrived late Saturday night (got to the resort past midnight) and wanted groceries delivered in the morning but the earliest option was 1pm. This was not a big deal. If you download the app, you will get an alert when the delivery van is nearby and you can see it's location on the map. The van pulls up right to the lobby and there were plenty of grocery carts available on the left. This saved us time and round trip Uber fares (we did not rent a car).

I recommend ordering from or eating at Katrina. We have been ordering from them the last 2 years but this year we noticed the food improved. We ordered the seafood paella and it was a larger portion and much better. We also enjoyed their mofongo.

I also noticed that the activity center is opened later, until 10pm. Everything was great. Already decided to come back next year during the same week.