It was that time of the year ago, hopping on a plane to fly somewhere sunny for the annual Top Agent retreat. This year, we were hosted by the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall resort in beautiful Jamaica, only about 15 minutes from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. It was my first time at the Hyatt Zilara, an adult only, all-inclusive resort belonging to the Playa resorts family. I certainly hope that it isn’t my last! This resort was perfection and I had no complaints other than an odd shortage of certain towels on our last night, quickly rectified by the housekeeping staff.

A huge benefit of this resort is that it is connected to the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, a family-friendly all-inclusive property. So, we had access to more restaurants, another pool, more shops, etc. I have to say, traveling without the kid meant that we largely stayed on the Zilara side and enjoyed our adult time. The infinity pool was super relaxing, except for the foam party… Let’s just say the bubbles were flying and the whole event was quite the spectacle from afar (of course.) Much more tame than I was expecting but truly a blast to watch.

Our room was on the third floor and huge with a spacious bathroom and super comfortable king bed. The balcony overlooked the Ziva pool and some swimout rooms… those always look so divine.

Alas, a travel agent’s vacation is never truly a vacation and site inspections filled the good part of our first full day. These are always super useful for me because I truly believe that you need to see a brand and property to really be able to match it to the ideal client. There are things about resorts and room types that you just can’t possibly know about or realize unless you see them in person. Even if that means baking in the sun all day and touring multiple resorts in a long weekend.

We visited the Jewel Paradise Cove, adult only resort and I was impressed by the low-key atmosphere and the unbelievable kind and attentive spa staff. I’m a fan of a good spa treatment so I always like to see how the resorts vary (and oh my, do they ever!) when it comes to offerings, the therapists, and overall comfort. This particular treatment works with water in conjunction (or in place of) the therapist’s traditional hand massage, for guests that either don’t like or can’t have a hand massage for whatever reason.

We also stopped by Jewel Runaway Bay while we were in the area, a family-friendly resort that also doubles as an excursion for Disney Cruise Line (and others) guests when in port in Falmouth. This resort is best known for its waterpark and snowcones (with or without the alcohol!) The kids club here looked amazing too – I’ve never seen one with as many activities and options for the little ones to enjoy. They had seemingly everything a child could want to keep them entertained while their adults played.

After lunch at Jewel Runaway Bay, we headed to the Hilton Rose Hall resort and then to the Jewel Grande resort. Both are family friendly all-inclusive properties as well but very different. The Hilton Rose Hall has a typical Hilton hotel feel while the Jewel Grande very much has the vibe of high-rise condos. I was shocked to see that washer/dryer combos come standard in many of the rooms at Jewel Grande, that’s virtually unheard of at an all-inclusive resort.

The Jewel Grande’s spa blew my mind, such a tranquil place and really in tune with the current techniques and treatments. They had a full Himalayan salt room with heated loungers and heated steps to relax while soaking in the good vibes from the salt. Whether the salt treatment is proven science or not, the feeling was quite nice and I’d love to spend an hour or two in there. There were several other agents who booked treatments to return the next day!

Before we knew it, it was time to board the plane and head back to Virginia. Boo.  It’s always a bummer to head home but nice to know that my bags don’t have to stay unpacked for long…

Amber