I have mixed emotions about our stop along the Gulf Coast in Florida. When we first conceived the idea of going to Florida for spring break, we were just thinking of going to the Gulf Coast. I had never been there and heard that the beaches were fantastic, and there was a certain appeal to a relaxing vacation after the year it had been.
But I really wanted to go to the Everglades and my husband was interested in the Keys too and we had always wanted to go to Saint Augustine. So hey, why not just go all those places? Unfortunately as a result, what was originally our sole destination became the tail end of a tiring trip and it didn’t get the attention it deserved. In fact, we only spent an hour or so on the beach and spent the rest of the time relaxing at the resort.
But what a resort it was! The Hyatt Residence Club Bonita Springs, Coconut Plantation is a timeshare and vacation condo complex. Featuring studios, one and two bedroom condos, the resort is a great option for families. We really appreciated the extra space after 4 nights together in a single hotel room.
Customer service was fantastic at the resort. When we checked in, we asked for bedding for the pull-out couch. We got it within 5 minutes of arriving in our room and then 5 minutes later I received a text from the manager making sure that we had everything we needed. After spending 3 days battling with the staff at the Hampton Inn Key Largo to get 4 bath towels (how dare we each want our own towel!), it was refreshing to have such as attentive and proactive staff. Everyone who we interacted with was friendly and helpful.
The property is immaculately landscaped and maintained. Palm trees and flowers abound, giving the resort a lush, tropical feel. Its gorgeous grounds feature 4 pools, 2 hot tubs, and a lazy river.
The resort uses wrist bands for pool access and a card for pool towels. Each guest gets a towel card that can be exchanged for two towels at several stands around the pools. Before leaving the pool you have to return the towels and get a card back. Failure to turn in the cards at the end of your stay results in a $25 charge per card. The system worked well and it was great to have easy access to towels.
Except on peak weekends, guests of the Residence Club can use the pools and amenities of the sister hotel next-door, the Hyatt Regency Coconut Resort and Spa. Obviously spring break is a peak week so we did not get to use their pools and we made a tactical error by going to dinner at the hotel, which allowed the kids to see their pools, which were somehow even better! The hotel pools have a leg up with some great water slides but the Residence Club wins in the lazy river category. That was the boys’ favorite part of the resort (but they definitely looked longingly at the water slides during dinner!).
The hotel and resort share a private island where guests can relax on the beach. A ferry leaves from the hotel for the quick ride to the island, which has umbrellas and chair set up for guests. We didn’t have time to make it over, which was definitely a miss on our part. That was yet another reason why I wish we had had an extra day along the Gulf Coast.
All in all the Hyatt Residence Club was fantastic but I couldn’t help but think that the resort could have been anywhere. There was nothing uniquely Gulf Coast about it. (And yes, I realize I am saying this right after I said that we didn’t go to its beach.) It was a really isolated location and when you leave the property you find yourself on highways surrounded by chain stores and restaurants, not close to a beach or the town. As an insulated experience it is wonderful – the property and amenities are great. But if you are looking to get a real feel for the area, it would be better to stay in Sanibel or one of the other beaches.
So while I had a really relaxing and enjoyable time at the Hyatt in Bonita Springs, I don’t feel like I got a real taste of the Gulf Coast. Part of it was because of our limited time and part of it was because the hotel was so isolated. If you are looking for a relaxing, get-away-from-it-all experience, this is the place to go. If you are looking for easy access to the beach and local flavor, you should go elsewhere.
