Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Review: A Weekend Getaway Wrapped in a Bow

I can’t say no to a warm weather getaway during the long, gray Ohio winters and this year Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa seemed like the perfect family escape. Did it live up to its reputation? Yes, yes and yes again.

In this Hyatt Regency Coconut Point review I’ll share the ins and outs of what you can expect, tips to make the most of your visit, my overall impressions and a few small areas for growth.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point quick info

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point is located in the southwest corner of Florida, nestled between Fort Myers (the closest airport) and Naples. If you’re considering incorporating it into a broader Florida road trip, you can get to parts of Everglades National Park in just over an hour or switch to Miami or Tampa in just over two hours.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a city served by Southwest, there are plenty of non-stop flights into RSW. Even better, we were able to use our Southwest Companion Pass to bring the kids along for just $11.20 each while we covered our adult flights with points. You can also grab flights on Breeze, Spirit, Frontier and most other carriers (Delta in particular has a major presence).

The grounds are absolutely beautiful, as I’ve tried to capture in my pictures (despite some overcast weather). You’re surrounded by lush mangrove forest, while the property has gorgeous flowers and fountains everywhere you turn. There are inviting sitting areas throughout the public spaces, so don’t feel like you’re wasting your time if you just want to linger with a good book. Evening strolls are lovely when the fountains and trees are all illuminated and the fire pits are turned on.

The hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program, and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa is currently a Category 5 hotel. If you’re a points aficionado like I am you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points from your Chase Sapphire credit card to Hyatt and book for 17,000-23,000 points per night – that means your new cardholder welcome bonus can cover an entire stay! Stays booked on points also don’t pay the $39 resort fee, so you’re only expenses will be food and the $24 self-parking or $32 valet – Hyatt Globalists get free valet on award stays here.

Check prices for your stay

How long should you stay at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort? I think about three nights should do it. We arrived Friday afternoon and departed Monday evening (thanks to late checkout) and felt like we had enough time – even with one day being a complete rain-out. Hard-charging families can have kids already in their swimsuits en route to the hotel and putting sunscreen on in the car to maximize their visit. If you plan for three nights or more, I suggest that you rent a car and plan at least a half-day activity off-site.

Rooms at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point

No matter what room you’re assigned at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, the aesthetic is fresh, clean, light and decidedly coastal. Even the most basic rooms have a juliet balcony that opens to the surrounding green space, while mid-tier rooms and up have balconies fit for sitting out with a cup of coffee. If you’re a sunset lover, go for a bay view room!

Since we brought Grandma with us at the last minute, we split into two rooms: a two queen bay view balcony and a king corner view. Both were plenty spacious and had thoughtful designs with plenty of room to store everyone’s clothing for a few days and keep things tidy.

There are also tons of different room types available including Patio rooms. These don’t have as a bay view because they’re lower down (looking out to the pool) but they have spacious outdoor areas that include lots of seating and a fooseball table! When we visited these were being prepared for the Boston Red Sox who were coming for Spring Training.

The hotel also offers a range of suites, including a family suite for up to six people. Of course there are the extra-fancy Regency and Presidential suites as well! Unlike some hotels I don’t get the impression that Coconut Point plays games with suite upgrades for Globalists, but the hotel was sold out during our stay so I didn’t expect to be assigned to one. The high floor view rooms we received were an upgrade from the basic rooms I booked.

Things to do at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point

Where this hotel really shines is in the things to do on-site. You could easily spend a long weekend here without leaving the property, as many families do.

Note that if you’re on a tighter budget, another option is to stay at the Hyatt Place down the street and purchase a Hyatt Regency Coconut Point day pass to use the amenities. Note that they do sell out during popular times like spring break and prices vary by day/demand – if you’re going to do this, be sure to try a few dates to find the best value.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point water slides & lazy river

For many families (including ours) the big reason to visit Hyatt Regency Coconut Point is for the water slides and lazy river. The set up is fantastic, with options for nearly the whole family! But the sweet spot in my opinion is for the tweens in the house – they’ll get to enjoy nearly every amenity, and it’s a place where you can feel comfortable letting responsible ones roam and enjoy independently.

Our favorite water slide at Hyatt Coconut Point was the inner tube slide, which you can ride in either a single or double inner tube – both provided in abundance. It’s the tab slide on the right side in the above photo and goes at the perfect speed for a little thrill without fearing for your safety! It has some small parts that are fully enclosed but much of it is open – great for people like me who can feel a little claustrophobic.

At the top of the same platform, you can opt to try out the twin blue racing slides. My tween and husband loved these! They’re reportedly quite a bit faster than the inner tube slide and are fully enclosed. Pro tip: Be sure you’re wearing a rash guard on these slides, as I heard lots of shirtless boys complaining that the connections between the panels were painful. My guys wore shirts and had no issues.

Both the inner tube and racing slides start 30′ up on the water slide tower. Riders for both must be at least 48″ and the staff is vigilant about checking. There’s no sneaking shorter kids on! My daughter was about 49″ when we visited and was repeatedly checked until she finally got a color-coded wristband giving her access to everything.

The water slides are surrounded by a fabulous 500+ foot lazy river. It glides along at just the right speed in the provided inner tubes and has no height minimum.

Outside of the fenced lazy river area, don’t miss the “Adventure Pool” and its corkscrew slide. This is a great slide for kids and adults alike! It has a minimum height of 42″. If your kiddo is at the bottom of this range you can get them a color-coded wristband (different than the 48″ band) so that they can keep going over and over again. This slide does not permit double riding.

Finally, there’s a tiny little slide for the preschool set. It’s nothing to write home about but nice to have if you’re bringing kids of multiple ages. This pool is nicely landscaped and has a zero entry end, so you’ll find lots of families with young kids relaxing here.

Aside from the tiny slide, the others have a set closing time each day that’s posted nearby. During our February visit they closed at 5pm, when the activities staff finished work. Be sure to check in the morning as you’re planning your day! Thankfully everything at the hotel is so easy to access that we were able to enjoy the heck out of even an hour on our arrival day.

One thing I’m thrilled to report is that during our President’s Day weekend visit there were barely any lines for the slides. In most cases there was no one in front of us, and now and then there were just a handful of people. It was a sharp contrast to the water park at Moon Palace where my son waited 30 minutes for a single turn! The crazy part? The hotel was 100% sold out.

We were also able to get to get chairs every time we went to the pool even though we aren’t early risers. It might have been harder during spring break but there are plenty of chairs and umbrellas, particularly if you place your belongings near one of the other pools.

Are the pools at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point heated? Both the Corkscrew and Adventure pools are heated but I wouldn’t describe them as balmy. They were perfectly refreshing when the sun came out!

One neat feature at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point are pool towels with RFID trackers embedded in them. You check them out from a “towel locker” with your room key and then put used ones back in a slot where they’re automatically scanned back in. There’s no limit to the number of towels you can take out or how frequently you can swap them, and they always felt warm!

In this area you’ll also see a small shop that carries necessities like sunscreen, pool toys and goggles. You can also grab balls for the putting green here, and generally get help from staff.

Additional Hyatt Regency Coconut Point pools

In addition to the kid-oriented Adventure pool, there are two more pools worth mentioning. First is the waterfall pool, which you’ll see all the way in front of you when you exit the hotel to the pool area. It’s not nearly as popular as the Adventure pool and is often empty, but it’s absolutely available for swimming! This is the only pool on property that is not heated, so keep that in mind if you’re visiting when the weather is cooler. It’s a fun option because you can swim under the waterfall, and it’s also the closest to the lawn where activities to place so parents can go for a dip while their kids are entertained.

In the adult area there’s a heated lap pool. We only ever saw a few people using this. Tucked behind the lap pool against a lush wall, adults can enjoy the property’s only hot tub.

If there’s one thing I’d change about this hotel (and really, it’s almost the only one) I would recommend that they either open this hot tub up to all ages or – better yet – build a families-welcome hot tub near the Adventure pool. As a parent of hot tub loving tweens who understand the etiquette of soaking with adults, I would have loved for them to join us to warm up when the slides closed at 5pm.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point private beach

While you’re visiting the hotel, be sure to spend a half-day at the “private” beach on Big Hickory Island. I won’t say that it’s entirely private because you will encounter boat-owning locals there along with guests staying at the Hyatt Vacation Club at Coconut Cove (previously called the Hyatt Residence Club Bonita Springs, Coconut Plantation) and residents of Pelican Landing. But on the part of the beach where Hyatt directs its guests you will encounter few other people.

The boat ride itself is lovely. It takes about 15 minutes and you may see some wildlife like dolphins and birds. The boat is comfortable and uncrowded. When you disembark, it’s just about a five minute walk on a designated path to the Gulf side.

Similar to other beaches up and down Florida’s west coast like the Sarasota area, Big Hickory Island boasts powdery white sand and great shelling! Even if the water is a little chilly, it’s a lovely place to go for a walk and enjoy a few hours.

The island was closed after Hurricane Ian in 2022, when it sustained major damage. It reopened in early 2024 and there’s a “beach house” to provide basic services like restrooms, vending machines and shelter in case of a storm.

There are chairs and umbrellas set out at the beach for guests coming to visit, and we even found a rather basic beach wheelchair for Grandma. It wasn’t as fancy as what we were given at Royal Caribbean’s Coco Cay, but the beefy tires on a PVC pipe frame did the trick.

I’ll share some quick tips on logistics of visiting the beach at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point. Hyatt provides shuttle boat service free to all guests, but it must be reserved to ensure you get a spot! The weekend we visited the boats all filled up – and that’s after Hyatt added capacity but contracting with an outside company. Reserve your spot the day before here. Be sure to download and save your boarding pass from the email ASAP – cell service en route to the boat is limited.

If you miss your departure and the later boats are full, you won’t be able to go. Give yourself ample time to get to the dock, which is about a 5 minute walk from Corkscrew Pool Bar if you’re going at a brisk pace. We attempted to eat lunch before going to the beach but service was so slow that I changed it to a to-go order, which really wasn’t ideal since we had to lug our beach stuff and food. I recommend taking a morning boat right after breakfast if you’re able to reserve it.

You don’t need to reserve the boat to return to Hyatt, but if it’s especially busy guests will be taken in the order of arrival. We arrived at the dock a few minutes before our intended return boat only to find it full and leaving so we were given passes showing we’d be in the next group. Our boat was just 10 minutes behind, and the first boat returned a few minutes after we left to collect more passengers. Overall the system worked efficiently, but give yourself a little buffer

Other on-site activities

Staff-led activities

When your kids need a break from the pool, there are frequent free activities over on the lawn! The activities staff are so great with kids that they managed to get a huge group together for a fun water balloon toss while we were there. There are also races, scavenger hunts and more.

The lawn also has games for kids and adults to play independently, like giant Jenga and Connect Four. A small sandy area on the edge even has hammocks for relaxing and there’s a fire pit just over the hedge – you can grab a s’mores kit from the on-site market to roast marshmallows.

If you want to place to run your kids around, this is a great option. There’s also a more secluded (but equally large) lawn on the opposite side past the adult pool. From time to time these spaces are used for weddings or other events to keep that in mind.

There’s also a “tiki hut” near Adventure pool where paid crafts are led by staff daily. This seemed poorly attended, and honestly I’m not sure why they charge for it when the kids’ club is free.

Don’t miss the ping pong table next to the craft table! It’s free and you can ask for equipment at the little shop on the pool deck.

Camp Hyatt kids club

There is a small Camp Hyatt kids club at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, though I never saw anyone in there. Camp Coconut offers crafts, games, books, movies and other activities. While it was closed when I went to check it out, the space looks clean and organized.

It’s free during the day – perfect for spa time – or you can pay for an evening session if you’d like to have an adult dinner. This seemed primarily geared to preschool age kids.

Arcade

There’s a tiny arcade next to Camp Hyatt, which I deliberately didn’t tell my kids about. Please don’t tell them either!

Climbing wall

Like Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Coconut Point has a multi-sided climbing wall with a self-belay system. In theory it’s open 10am-2pm, but during our visit there wasn’t enough staff so the hours were even more limited. Next time!

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point spa

We didn’t have an opportunity to visit the spa, but it looks lovely. Treatments are as expensive as you’d expect of a hotel spa.

Shopping

There are a few nice shops at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, including a jewelry store and a larger store focused on resort clothing and some hotel swag. If you need a new swimsuit or a gift to bring back for someone it’s a nice option to have on-site!

Evening entertainment

We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the Hyatt at Coconut Point offers live entertainment many evenings, particularly weekends in the Belvedere Lounge (the large space between the restaurant and bar where you’d walk out to the pool during the day). During our visit there was a DJ spinning tunes on Saturday night, but sometimes there are singers or instrumentalists. We also enjoyed a classical guitar player while we had lunch at Corkscrew on the pool deck.

There was also a hilarious magician performing Sunday night during our visit. He was very entertaining and the assigned ballroom was so packed that Hyatt could have easily hosted two shows. Hopefully it’s enough encouragement for continued high-quality multi-age entertainment!

Hyatt Coconut Point restaurants

Hyatt Regency has a few different restaurants and bars on site, meeting a variety of needs at prices ranging from moderate to high. I can’t say that anything is especially budget-friendly here.

Tanglewood

We had breakfast each day at Tanglewood, which was covered by our Hyatt Globalist status since there is no longer a club lounge at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point. I enjoyed the avocado toast so much that I ordered it for two of our three days. Along with a latte, it was the perfect way to start my day.

My family opted for the extensive buffet each day, which was understandable. It offers a huge range of both hot and cold dishes including plenty off fruit and rotating specialty items. An omelette bar is included as well. The buffet is pricey for adults at $30 each, but a bargain for kids since they “pay their age” – if you have little kids you could spend less than $10 for several of them to have a massive, filling meal!

One word to the wise: on busy weekends there can be a line to get a table for breakfast if you go down at peak time. It moves pretty fast, but you might want to send one person down in advance if they’re ready before everyone else.

If you aren’t covered by Globalist status, you might want to indulge in Sunday brunch at Tanglewood and then choose a less expensive option for your other breakfasts. You can grab pastries and coffee from Cool Beans Marketplace to enjoy at one of the many outdoor tables around the property, or if you’re really industrious get some breakfast items delivered to put in your room’s mini-fridge (which stayed plenty cold).

Pro tip: If you booked with points from a Chase Sapphire card like I did, that means you also have free Instacart+ membership and month or quarterly credits!

In the afternoon and evening Tanglewood offers southern fare and is an easy option for families who don’t want to venture out. They also offer takeout service so that you can eat anywhere on property (even in your bathrobe after you clean up from the pool).

Corkscrew Poolside Bar & Grill

We ate lunch twice at Corkscrew Poolside Bar & Grill, which is a great option if you don’t want to break up the fun at the pool. If you have the World of Hyatt business card (as I do), this is a great way to use one of your two annual $50 Hyatt credits!

The food at Corkscrew was pretty good, particularly the blackened Grouper sandwich – but they did run our one day we were there, so order early if you want to try it and are there on a busy day. We also enjoyed the fish tacos and burgers. Expect to spend about $20-25 per adult and $10-15 per kid (if they’re ordering off the kids menu).

Even better, you can put up a little flag on your pool chair and place your order without going to the restaurant itself. They’ll bring you lunch and drinks poolside so you won’t miss a beat.

Lazy River Food Truck

In the gated area housing the lazy river and big water slides, there’s a food truck that opens for a few hours per day. While it used to serve actual food, these days it’s really more of a treat truck. It offers churros, ice cream, milk shakes and adult milk shakes. No judgement here, you’re on vacation!

Tarpon Bay

The most popular dinner option is Tarpon Bay, which has reservations, a dress code and often live music – clearly it’s a notch above Tanglewood for dinner service. While it gets solid reviews, the menu is pricey and oriented to shellfish and beef. We couldn’t spot a kids’ menu anywhere and didn’t want to succumb to our children’s preference for Wagyu beef! If you like shellfish and are visiting without kids, this could be a great option. Alternatively, you can order them Tanglewood To Go to enjoy in the room with a movie if they’re old enough to be on their own.

Cool Beans Marketplace

Need a snack, coffee or sandwich? Cool Beans Marketplace is located in the lobby and has a decent selection of all of the above plus a large drink case. There’s also ice cream, s’mores kids and hotel swag to appeal to young visitors. Cool Beans offers some seating inside and more seating on a covered patio out its back door.

Overall impressions of Coconut Point Hyatt Regency

My overall impression of the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point is resoundingly positive (if you didn’t catch that already). It’s beautiful and joy-inducing everywhere you turn.

The staff was universally warm and helpful in so many situations: helping us find a last-minute room for Grandma (including an offer to extend resort access and breakfast to her even if she had to stay at Hyatt Place down the street); sweetly encouraging our younger kiddo when she was nervous about the big slide; promptly appearing with a wheelchair when we mentioned that we might need one. From start to finish, you can tell that this hotel prides itself on an excellent customer experience.

We’ll definitely be back, and next time we’ll probably bring some cousins with us! It’s a great property for a quick multi-generational getaway thanks to the variety of spaces and entertainment, plus a few on-site dining options. That said, I think it’s best for kids who are at least 48″ because they can do everything. For kids who are slightly shorter, consider if they’ll be pissed they can’t do the three big slides or if they’ll be content with the medium slide, lazy river and myriad other activities.

On the topic of multi-generational travel, the hotel handled accessibility pretty well. The typical route to the pool goes down a beautiful series landscaped of terraces, which can be touch for a senior recovering from knee replacement. After hunting for it a little, I discovered a beautiful “secret passageway” from the lowest level of the elevator directly to the lawn and pools! That was a huge help, and also a joy to walk through (even if you don’t need the flat surface). Hotel staff also magically appeared with wheelchairs several times when we needed to borrow one, including at the beach. We didn’t need one but there are several configurations of accessible rooms offered. I give it an A for accessibility, and a B for communication of the options.

Every hotel has room for improvements, and this one is no different. As I mentioned above, our one frustration is the lack of a family hot tub. Hopefully Hyatt can work on that over the next few years!

The other area for growth is how the hotel handles a rainy day. Obviously it’s outside of there control, but in reality there isn’t a ton to do indoors in the immediate vicinity of the hotel – and some families on a quick getaway don’t rent a car. While the activities staff tried to bring the fun indoors with a movie, bingo, face painting and balloon art they probably could have done more. For example, I’ve heard that at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines (which we’re visiting next month) they rented inflatables and set up dance competitions, relay races and more in their large ballrooms during a recent rainy day. I chatted with some very wary parents at the end of that day whose preschoolers didn’t have any great outlet for their energy.

These small critiques really are small in the greater scheme of things. Neither of them gives me pause when recommending this property to other families who want an easy getaway that’s just plain fun. I’m already looking forward to another visit!

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