When planning a family vacation, it can be challenging to find a place that is both within your budget and provides those sought-after vacation vibes. Luckily for me, I seemingly stumbled upon one such property while planning a family getaway to Clearwater Beach, Florida.
While the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa initially appeared on my radar due to its superb location by the beach and Pier 60, I also appreciated that it had rooms with two queen beds (versus only one king bed with a pullout sofa bed) since these can be difficult to find in popular tourist destinations like Clearwater Beach during peak travel periods. Best of all, these larger rooms cost less than $350 per night when also redeeming points during my travel dates, making it a budget-friendly option for a two-night visit with my family of four.
Know, though, that the lower room rate comes with some caveats: The property is starting to show its age (it opened in 2010), and the service leaves a lot to be desired.
If you’re wondering whether the property may still be a good fit for you, here’s an overview based on my stay at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa.
Getting there
The Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa is conveniently located near two major airports: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), which is approximately 40 minutes away from the resort, and Tampa International Airport (TPA), which can take about 55 minutes to reach depending on the time of day and weather conditions. Getting from either airport to the property via a ride-hailing service will cost anywhere from $43 to $80, with prices a little higher for rides from TPA.
If you are driving, the resort offers indoor self-parking, as well as valet parking. The prices for hourly, nightly and valet parking vary by the season and are regularly updated on the resort’s website.
Should you choose to drive, be aware that getting into the resort from the covered multilevel parking area isn’t straightforward. While it’s connected to the resort via an elevator, that elevator takes you to the level above the check-in desk, so you’ll need to take another elevator or stairs down one level to reach the front desk. That makes checking in a little more complicated if you have kids and luggage in tow.
BHAWNA KHOWAL/THE POINTS GUYBooking details
With a total of 286 spacious rooms that range in size from 400 to 1,600 square feet, the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa is ideal for those who need more elbow room while on vacation.
You can book the property via credit card programs like American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts for extras like a $100 experience credit and a room upgrade at check-in (if available), but for our stay, I chose to book a one-bedroom residential suite with two queen beds and a balcony directly on Hyatt’s website.
In total, my family’s two-night stay cost $343 and 6,000 World of Hyatt points per night. The price included the $35 nightly resort fee, which covered four water bottles, wireless internet access, use of fitness and business centers, a nightly in-room movie, a 50% discount for use of two beach chairs and an umbrella, a daily pool snack, self-service laundry, a welcome drink, and a one-hour loan of the resort’s bikes, among other amenities.
Based on TPG’s monthly valuations, this option of booking with cash plus points ended up being a better deal than paying entirely with cash, as the same suite would’ve cost $603 per night (plus the nightly resort fee).
Standout features
The location is very convenient for families, offering easy access to attractions, activities and restaurants.
Clearwater Beach is pretty scenic and pleasant to visit, even in cold weather, but there’s also a heated pool that’s great for keeping kids entertained.
The rooms are generously sized, and suites come with kitchenettes or kitchens, making it possible to accommodate large families and groups.
Drawbacks
The service leaves a lot to be desired due to the not-so-friendly staff and poor response to concerns and requests related to the condition and lack of cleanliness of our room.
Our suite’s interior felt dated and in need of a refresh. In addition to the blue walls looking dull, the living room sofa appearing soiled, the mattresses were uncomfortable due to years of wear and there weren’t enough lights to keep the space adequately lit, especially on cloudy days and at night.
The vibe
The overall vibe of the hotel in common areas like the lobby, restaurants and pool area was quite the opposite of what we encountered inside our suite. This resort is mostly upgraded with modern lights, chandeliers and attractive furniture, but the rooms are in dire need of upgrades.
During our stay, the resort was mostly occupied by families with kids or bigger groups, drawn by the proximity of the beach and pier. Though the resort also offers a convention center and hosts events, I didn’t see any business travelers, likely due to visiting in winter during a holiday week.
The room
After a smooth check-in process and a complimentary welcome drink (which was a nice touch), my family and I made our way to our suite, which was accessed via a wristband instead of a traditional keycard.
From the moment we entered, we appreciated the scale of the room, beginning with a short hallway that featured a full-length mirror.
There was a small closet with a luggage rack, an ironing board and an iron placed inside, plus a few hangers.
BHAWNA KHOWAL/THE POINTS GUY
If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll appreciate having a second bathroom by the entrance, especially after spending time at the beach.
The kitchen was also very convenient. It had a breakfast counter lined with two counter-height chairs, plus an open layout so you could see into the family room, which had a sectional, a coffee table and a 55-inch wall-mounted TV, making it a good option for a group hangout. A desk and a chair were also placed right under the living room TV, should you need to do some work while visiting.
The separate bedroom had two queen beds and a 65-inch TV placed on a unit with storage drawers, plus a closet with a safe fixed on a much smaller base.
While the space had everything we needed, the pale blue bedroom walls looked dull and incomplete without wall art, the carpet appeared old and faded, and the mattresses on both beds were uncomfortable and worn out.
Lighting (or, rather, a lack of it) was another downside. There was one table lamp between the beds, as well as a floor lamp that didn’t work until we called maintenance to check it.
Additionally, the HVAC system was noisy and failed to maintain the temperature between the bedroom and living room.
Still, we appreciated having a bathroom attached to the bedroom in addition to the one by the entrance. The bedroom’s bathroom was fairly clean and came equipped with various Pharmacopia bath amenities made with organic aloe vera, plus towels, two sinks and a decent-size mirror for two people to share.
My only grievance was the design decision to have a French door instead of a traditional door with a proper lock to ensure privacy from the rest of my family.
Besides the extra square footage, we also enjoyed having a balcony off the bedroom and living room. Though the advertised ocean view was mostly obstructed by the pergola on the pool deck, it had a patio furniture set capable of seating four people, so my entire family could enjoy the space.
Food and drink
Dining options at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa include a seafood restaurant named Shor and a Latin-influenced restaurant called Tropico Rooftop Cantina.
Shor welcomes visitors every day for breakfast and dinner. For breakfast, you’ll find a buffet as well as an a la carte menu. The dinner menu has appetizers, sandwiches, seafood, steak and pasta with a few options for sides. There is also an adjoining sports bar called Offshor, which is open every evening from 4 to 11, plus a grab-and-go outlet of the restaurant called Shore2Go.