In May 2025, my husband and I stayed at Hyatt Zilara for our honeymoon, and we completely fell in love with Jamaica- the people, the atmosphere and the hotel itself. Everything was outstanding from start to finish. Because of that experience, we decided to return for Easter 2026, this time bringing our parents along.
Unfortunately, following the impact of Hurricane Melissa, we were informed that Hyatt Zilara would not reopen until November 2026, and our stay was redirected to Iberostar.
Upon arrival, our first impressions were very positive. Check-in was smooth, and the staff were welcoming, friendly, and helpful. Much of the experience initially felt comparable to Hyatt. However, as the stay went on, several issues left a disappointing impression.
Before going further, I want to stress that many members of staff- particularly those not involved in sales- were genuinely kind, attentive and hardworking. They along with most of the food and all of the drinks, are the reason I am giving this review three stars.
On our first day, we were lured to the lobby under the false pretence that the hotel needed our departing flight information. When my husband went to provide this on behalf of our party of 5, they were dissatisfied, stating that they needed the whole party to attend. It later became clear as to why we all needed to be present.
What we encountered was persistent pressure to attend what was described as a “breakfast with a hotel representative.” We were repeatedly beckoned in the lobby, contacted in our rooms and encouraged by both concierge staff and excursion organisers to attend. It was presented less as an optional activity and more as an obligation.
We were told the meeting would simply help us “understand our stay better,” and that we would receive a $150 excursion voucher for attending. When we asked about time commitments, we were assured there was no obligation and that we could leave whenever we wished. We agreed and attended at 8am on our third morning at the resort.
However, upon arrival- after being transported by golf cart to an office area alongside the concierge- we were informed that the “breakfast” was in fact a 90-minute timeshare presentation. The sales advisor immediately focused on the oldest members of our group, even requesting passports and proof of credit card accessibility without clearly explaining why. There also seemed to be disappointment upon learning that one member of our party was retired, which now feels inappropriate given the context.
When we explained that we had not agreed to a 90-minute presentation and would not be staying, the advisor’s demeanor changed noticeably. We were questioned about whether we had been informed, and when we clarified that we had not, communication became abrupt and we were escorted out within minutes.
This pattern- warm, friendly interactions followed by a sharp change in attitude when we declined to spend money- occurred a few times throughout our stay.
Afterward, the concierge appeared surprised that we returned so quickly and claimed she had already informed the sales team that we would not participate in a full presentation. Unfortunately, no one took responsibility for the situation or for wasting our time. Despite our clear lack of interest, promotional emails advertising $18,000 timeshares were later sent to a member of our group.
This experience was followed by several additional issues:
* Spa voucher limitations: Upon arrival, we were given eight $25 vouchers to use when spending $100 or more. However, when attempting to redeem them, we were told they did not apply to certain treatments. When asked to see these restrictions in writing, none could be provided.
* Transfer miscommunication: We requested assistance from the hotel to arrange an earlier airport transfer as our phones would not work. I did this via the guest services section on the app. We had a short conversation, giving all of the necessary details and were later assured this had been handled, but when it was time to leave, the transfer company confirmed they had never been contacted. We made it to the airport with 1 hour and 15mins until our flight.
* Food concerns: While most elements of the dining experience were enjoyable- particularly the steak at the surf and turf restaurant- there were inconsistencies. Some dishes appeared to be reused across venues (for example, a soup served at lunch in the buffet was later presented as a different dish at the surf and turf restaurant - tasting identical), and sides were occasionally served cold.
Overall, while the staff’s friendliness and effort are commendable, the repeated issues- particularly around transparency, communication, and sales pressure- significantly impacted our experience. It is disappointing, especially given how highly we regarded our previous stay in Jamaica.
In saying this, this has not put me off Jamaica entirely. The country is amazing and I do wish to return, it just won’t be to Iberostar.
