The Travelling Aficionados | Hotel Review

Some hotels impress you once. Others become part of your life.

For the past three years, my wife and I have returned to Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana on exactly the same occasion: her birthday. What began as another stay in Punta Cana quickly became a tradition. We have experienced many all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic over the years, but Zilara is the one that ultimately won us over.

It has become our home hotel in Punta Cana.

After three consecutive visits, that distinction has less to do with the architecture or the beach than with something much harder for a hotel to consistently deliver: how we feel when we are there.

The Arrival Sets the Tone

The experience begins with the reception and check-in process.

There is a polished ease to the arrival at Zilara. You immediately get the feeling that the resort understands hospitality rather than simply operating a hotel. The staff is welcoming, professional and genuinely attentive, and throughout our stays that level of service has remained remarkably consistent.

That matters.

Luxury isn't simply marble, expensive furniture or an impressive lobby. True luxury is removing friction from someone's experience. Zilara does that exceptionally well.

Because Hyatt Zilara is adults-only, there is a distinctly different atmosphere throughout the property. It feels relaxed and sophisticated without becoming stiff or overly formal.

A Resort Built Around the Caribbean

Visually, Zilara understands exactly where it is.

The architecture is contemporary and restrained, allowing the Caribbean to do most of the talking. Large open spaces, limestone, tropical landscaping, palms, water features and long sightlines repeatedly lead your eyes back toward the ocean.

One of my favorite perspectives is the long central promenade that seems to pull you directly toward the sea.

During the day it is unmistakably Caribbean: brilliant blue skies, palms moving in the breeze and the turquoise water beyond.

Then the personality changes.

At sunset and into the evening, lighting transforms many of those same spaces into something far more intimate. The property feels sophisticated without losing its tropical character.

That transition from resort-by-day to elegant social environment by night is one of Zilara's strongest qualities.

The Restaurants and Bars Keep the Experience Interesting

One of the weaknesses of many all-inclusive resorts becomes obvious after a few days: repetition.

Zilara handles this much better.

The variety of restaurants and bars means that you can create very different experiences without leaving the property. Dinner can feel elegant one evening and casual the next. Drinks can mean sitting at a bar, enjoying something outdoors or simply finding a quiet place to watch the resort transition into evening.

The physical property is beautiful, but after three visits, what stands out most is still the staff.

Buildings can be duplicated.

Hospitality cannot.

The employees are a major reason we continue returning.

For the Cigar Aficionado

This is where Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana becomes particularly interesting.

The resort does not allow smoking around the pool or inside the lobby, which is understandable. But unlike properties that technically permit cigars while making cigar smokers feel as though they have been exiled, Zilara has handled the situation intelligently. If you're curious how other cigar-friendly hotels compare, check out our Fes Marriott Hotel Jnan Palace review from the other side of the world.

There are approximately six beautiful outdoor smoking terraces positioned around the property.

And these aren't forgotten corners with two metal chairs and an ashtray.

Several are essentially extensions of the lobby and surrounding common areas, furnished with comfortable lounge seating, plush chairs and even sunbeds. Some overlook the pool and resort grounds, while others become wonderful places to sit as the sun begins to disappear.

For someone who enjoys ending the afternoon or evening with a premium cigar, this changes the experience considerably.

You aren't simply being allowed to smoke.

You actually have somewhere enjoyable to do it.

That distinction is important.

I have spent many moments at Zilara simply sitting outdoors with a cigar, watching the light change over the resort. Those moments have become part of what I associate with staying here.

And that is ultimately what a great cigar often does: it marks a moment in time.

One Important Recommendation: Bring Your Own Cigars

Zilara does have a cigar shop.

Unfortunately, it is probably the weakest part of the cigar experience.

The selection and presentation don't feel consistent with the sophistication of the rest of the resort, and the pricing is expensive. For a property of this caliber—particularly one located in the Dominican Republic, one of the world's great cigar-producing countries—the cigar offering could be substantially better.

There is an enormous opportunity here.

A properly curated cigar boutique featuring leading Dominican producers, beautiful accessories and knowledgeable service could become a genuine amenity rather than simply somewhere that sells cigars.

Until then:

Bring your own cigars.

I do.

When I travel, I usually bring cigars that I have deliberately selected for the trip—special cigars for special places—and Zilara provides plenty of settings worthy of smoking them. Since the destination is the Dominican Republic, I like to pack genuinely Dominican sticks, such as the Arturo Fuente Hemingway or the bolder La Flor Dominicana 30 Aniversario, both available from our humidor before you pack.

Why We Keep Returning

After visiting enough luxury hotels, something interesting happens.

You stop being impressed simply because somewhere is beautiful.

There are many beautiful hotels.

Eventually you begin evaluating the things that are more difficult to photograph: consistency, service, atmosphere, comfort and whether a property understands how people actually want to spend their time.

Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana gets those things right.

We have been coming here for three consecutive years to celebrate the same birthday. There are countless other resorts we could choose in Punta Cana, and we enjoy discovering new hotels when we travel.

Yet every year we find ourselves coming back.

At some point, that stops being a coincidence.

It becomes loyalty.

The Travelling Aficionados Rating

Hospitality & Service: ★★★★★

The biggest reason we return.

Property & Design: ★★★★★

Modern Caribbean luxury executed extremely well.

Food & Beverage: ★★★★½

Excellent variety for an all-inclusive resort and enough options to keep a multi-day stay interesting.

Adults-Only Experience: ★★★★★

A major advantage for couples looking for a sophisticated resort atmosphere.

Cigar Friendliness: ★★★★½

Excellent outdoor smoking terraces and comfortable places to enjoy a cigar. The restrictions around the pool and indoor lobby are reasonable.

Cigar Selection: ★★½

The clear opportunity for improvement. Bring your own.

The Moment Factor: ★★★★★

This is the important one. Zilara creates places where you actually want to slow down, order a drink, light a great cigar and remember exactly where you are.

Travelling Aficionados Verdict

A hotel we don't merely recommend—we return to.

For us, Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana has crossed the line from being a favorite resort into becoming part of a family tradition.

And in hospitality, there may be no stronger endorsement than that.