Zoetry Curaçao: Excellent Staff Cannot Save an Average Property
Overall Rating: 2.5 / 5 (Average)
This review is written from the perspective of a frequent traveler and UVC member, expecting the premium experience promised by the Zoetry brand and its position as one of Hyatt’s top-tier all-inclusive properties. While the resort provided clean, comfortable rooms with a great bed—allowing for good rest—and essential access to neighboring properties (Dreams and Il Mare), the overall experience was significantly hampered by operational failures and maintenance issues. For a Zoetry-branded property, this resulted in a profoundly average stay that fell short of the luxury standards promised.
The Saving Grace: Exceptional Staff
The only reason this review is not lower is due entirely to the incredible staff who are doing their best with limited resources. Zoetry management owes a debt of gratitude to their team, as without them, the rating would drop to a 1.5 or 2.
Bartenders LaToya and Jason: These two were professional, knew their craft, and excelled at guest interaction. They frequently had to improvise to keep guests happy due to management’s inability to keep bars consistently stocked with premium spirits and even basic mixers like ginger beer (required for popular drinks like Dark and Stormies or Moscow Mules). Their dedication in the face of poor support was remarkable.
Concierge Brigitte: Brigitte was fabulous. She was proactive in checking in on us, provided excellent local recommendations, and efficiently handled all arrangements, proving to be an invaluable resource.
Disappointments in Operation and Maintenance
While the Zoetry rooms were comfortable, the rest of the property's maintenance and operation were highly concerning and ultimately led us to avoid the main pool. Despite the pool looking aesthetically nice, there was a constant, noticeable smell of sewage. We observed a makeshift pump connected to a patchwork of old hoses draped across the patio. This arrangement was finally swapped out for a new hose only on the last day of our 10-day stay. Alarmingly, the makeshift hoses must have broken at one point, as there was feces visible on the patio, which was clearly not from an animal. This is an unacceptable sanitation and health issue for any property, let alone a luxury resort. We spent all of our subsequent pool time at the Il Mare property.
Maintenance and cleanliness across all three accessible properties (Zoetry, Dreams, Il Mare) were severely lacking:
Furthermore, though we did not experience it ourselves, there was a constant complaint from guests at the Dreams property that air conditioning was unavailable in several floors. Crucially, there was little to no offer of appropriate rectification or compensation. For guests booking a "trip of a lifetime," this operational failure is absolutely unacceptable.
The Zoetry grounds were just average, failing to live up to the pictures and high-end advertising.
The Dreams grounds were very dirty, littered with plastic cups, straws, and napkins. The fishing docks were full of refuse (cans, plastic cups) that were clearly never cleaned up by staff.
Pool cushions at all locations were faded, stained, and uncleaned. A general lack of maintenance and necessary upgrades is apparent and needs immediate attention.
Food & Beverage Consistency (or Lack Thereof)
The food was uniformly average and uninspiring. Given the limited on-property dining options and the generally uninspiring food quality, we opted to eat off-property more often than planned, which is not the expectation for an all-inclusive stay.
Zoetry Restaurants (Bloom and Pool Bar): Decent but average.
Dreams: The food was only fair and often overcooked.
Best Option: Blu at the Il Mare was the strongest restaurant, but even it was fairly average and lacked culinary inspiration.
The most persistent issue impacting the premium all-inclusive experience was the consistent shortage and inconsistency of both premium and non-premium spirits. Simple essentials were also constantly unavailable; items like Green Juice, Mint Leaves, and other necessary ingredients were routinely "out of stock" throughout the day, reinforcing the feeling of poor operational oversight. Only 2 or 3 bars across all three resorts (Zoetry Lobby, Blu at Il Mare, and the premium bar at Dreams) reliably offered what was promised. This systemic problem requires corporate intervention, as it seems to fall on deaf ears at the resort level and across many Hyatt all-inclusive properties.
Final Verdict
The Zoetry Curaçao fails to deliver on its promise as a premier, high-end property. The exceptional quality of the staff (LaToya, Jason, Brigitte) masks deep flaws in management, maintenance, and adherence to brand standards, most notably the shocking sanitation issues around the pool and the unacceptable scarcity of promised premium amenities.
Setting Expectations: Based on our extensive experience across Hyatt's all-inclusive brands, including Dreams, Secrets, and now Zoetry, the overall experience here was unfortunately what we have come to expect. We set the bar low, and while the resort did not meet all of its stated expectations, we still thoroughly enjoyed the island of Curaçao. If we were to return, we would prefer to stay elsewhere, but we acknowledge that our UVC membership requires us to save a bit of money by sacrificing the premium experience that is repeatedly promised and not delivered by Hyatt and the UVC membership.
While the destination of Curaçao is beautiful, the Zoetry experience is a disappointing 2.5/5, merely average at best.
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