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Canada, USA, MexicoHyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa - Bonita Springs, Florida
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LUXURY RESORT • 454 ROOMS & SUITES Hotel Review written by Debbi K. and William D. Kickham, Esq., October 2008 Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa delights all your senses. It all starts the moment you enter the building. The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, in Bonita Springs Fla., diffuses the fragrance of mango-and-coconut throughout the lobby (the devices are hidden behind the couches) so that when you enter this wonderful hotel, you're surrounded by a delightful aroma. Memories are just waiting to be made here, in this stunning property located on Estero Bay. In fact, the state of Florida's first aquatic preserve was established right here on Estero Bay in 1966, the result of an increased environmental awareness among Florida citizens in the early 1960s. Today Estero Bay is a protected bay, where freshwater runoff from a vast 400-square-mile watershed mixes with salt water from the Gulf of Mexico. What does that mean for travelers? It means oceans of activities – an on-site water activities provider at the resort offers everything from eco-tours to sunset and shelling cruises. Or you just might kayak with a guide on Estero Bay. Perhaps you'd like to bird-watch or fly-fish instead. Us, we traversed the bay for a quick fifteen-minute shuttle to Big Hickory Island Beach on the Gulf of Mexico – an absolutely pristine private beach that's worth the quick trip. The sand was so powder-like and floury, we swore you could bake bread with it. ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS 454 guest rooms include 28 suites The resort, on 26 acres, surrounded by stunning conservation areas, houses 454 guest rooms that include 28 suites. Our room gave us access to the Club Floor where we enjoyed complimentary breakfast, sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres throughout the day, along with liqueurs and sweets. In our room were welcome amenities including robes, makeup mirror, Portico Eucalyptus bath products, an iron and ironing board, and a teamaker with complimentary Twinings teas. One thing we really appreciate about the Hyatt Coconut Point is that it's a Florida Green Lodge, with a “Two Palm” certification -- a program that establishes environmental guidelines for hotels and motels, to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution (www.floridagreenlodging.org). For example, the resort donates to local charitable organizations its unused toiletries, usable linens and other items. Since its initial certification in March 2004, the resort has reduced its water consumption by 28%, and has utilized the latest technologies to optimize the energy efficiency of their heating and cooling systems, such as ice storage air conditioning systems, and automated temperature controls in public areas. Believe it or not, the resort has also become the first hotel in Florida to offer the first environmentally friendly vodka into its food and beverage outlets -- a brand called 350 Vodka that's contained in recycled glass bottles, and made with recycled labels and water-based inks. Cheers! DINING The resort offers six restaurants and lounges. Cofe Nut, adjacent to the lobby, is a user-friendly coffee shop that also offers complimentary DVDs for your room. We had dinner one night in Tarpon Bay, an excellent restaurant whose signature is the crispy whole snapper (and we mean “whole” – the entire fish – all 2 ½ pounds of it) which is fried and offered with wok-seared vegetables and Ponzu sauce (for $36). “People come from the East Coast especially to eat it,” our server told us. The night we ate at Tarpon Bay they offered a four-course tasting menu for just $42, including shrimp cannelloni, olive-oil poached Atlantic cod, and orange panna cotta for dessert. But what we recommend, along with the eight types of ceviche offered, is the Specialty Catch A La Carte – 14 varieties of fish prepared grilled, pan-seared, blackened, fried or simply baked, with a choice of up to three sauces. Take your pick: there's soy white miso; banana-rum butter, and lemon-tarragon, to name a few. More than 100 wines are offered, included Sonoma Cutrer from “Russian River” Ranches; Santa Margherita, an Italian pinot grigio; and a Calistoga Cellars cabernet from Napa. Save room for dessert: the exotic array includes classic crème brulee, the chocolate lava cake (we could have inhaled one the size of Vesuvius); and a cheesecake tasting of four varieties. Calories, be damned! ACTIVITIES Complimentary bike rentals Climbing Wall Camp Coconut for Kids Fire Pit (Purchase S'mores ingredients for $15 per package at Cofe Nut) 18-hole Golf Course designed by Raymond Floyd 24/7 Fitness Center Three pools including 5,000-sq.-ft. lagoon 19,000-sq.-ft. spa If you're a golfer, the course here is not to be missed. It was the first resort in the States to receive Audubon International's Gold Signature Certification. What that means, said Joe Thompson, director of sales and marketing, “is that when you play golf here, you're really in nature – you're not surrounded by houses or condos.” It means that you're likely to see wildlife – birds, bobcats, alligators and much more. The Stillwater Spa is a gem. Here, you can be rubbed and scrubbed, and buffed and sloughed to your heart's content, thanks to a 19,000 sq.-ft. spa that even includes a Watsu pool. The silken service and cashmere care that Debbi experienced in the spa here are truly noteworthy. Deb's facialist, Jeri, gently administered a 10% alpha-hydroxy-acid rejuvenating mask that included massage with carrot oil, an iodine-free seaweed mask, and extraction. Soon, the spa will carry Epicuren -- one of Deb's favorite skincare lines – a specialty brand that never does any advertising, yet whose word-of-mouth status among A-list celebrities in Hollywood has elevated Epicuren to cult status. The spa also carries goodies such as Zents aromatherapy line, EShave for men, and Farmhouse Fresh. The better news? The fitness center is open 24/7 – good news for nightowls (like us!) who either like to do double sessions (yes, you heard that correctly) – once before and once after dinner. Spray bronzing and teeth whitening are also available. LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Sanibel Island Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum Useppa Island A wealth of water-based activities If you can bear to leave the Hyatt and its stunning pool area, there are 101 things to do in Lee County – everything from paddling the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail through protected waterways, to biking along Ten Mile Canal, to renting a catamaran and captaining your own adventure. We recommend taking a day trip to Sanibel Island, an area of Lee County that it is a favorite vacation spot for Floridians as well as visitors from across the United States and abroad. It’s about 45 minutes away from the Hyatt by car. Sanibel is known worldwide for its shelling and the associated posture referred to as the “Sanibel Stoop.” (Some fanatics attach flashlights to their heads, to be the first in the daily picks from the more than 400 varieties of shells found on the beaches.) When we first stepped onto the beach, we couldn’t believe the array and variety to be found – it was overwhelming. We learned even more from a trip to the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, which will tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about mollusks – but didn’t know to ask. The bathtub-warm 85-degree waters of the Gulf of Mexico also make swimming a must. Sanibel's main thoroughfare, Periwinkle Way, is Sunday-drive-picturesque, filled with interesting shops, art galleries and boutiques. Make sure to stop for homemade Italian ice cream at Pinocchio's. After spending some time shelling at the beach, we also recommend a day trip, from nearby Captiva, on Captiva Cruises, to Useppa Island, a private island that welcomes groups who are guests of Captiva Cruises for the afternoon. It’s fun to tour around, and to have lunch in the Collier Inn, whose guests in the past have included the Roosevelts, Rockefellers, movie stars and heads of state. Our guide, Chad Cadwell, the resident manager of the island, was the consummate host, taking us all over the island on a golf cart, and explaining why the wealthy CEOs who call Useppa their own private island want to keep it that way – their own “best-kept secret.” The island has no bridges, no cars, and no crowds. (www.useppa.com) Another option, if you're a nature-lover, is to take the tour of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge that's home to many exotic species of birds and plants. The two-hour tour that we took was a wonderful experience, and our guide was a walking encyclopedia of all the local wildlife. Later, for dinner, we can't say enough good things about Jacaranda Restaurant -- our delightful find on Periwinkle Way, which seats 200 and is always booming during high season in February, March and April. Owner Patrick Harder took great care of us, as did Chef Sander Bergstrom. The restaurant is famous for its black-bean soup with chorizo sausage, and we give it five stars just for its delicious sourdough bread that we mixed with pecorino romano and garlic-rosemary-infused oil, before our entrees. We also inhaled the tremendous sundried-tomato-and-balsamic dressing, which gives you a great indication of how much we also enjoyed our entrees. If you imbibe alcohol, the restaurant has an excellent selection of wine by the glass, mainly those from California, Chile, Austria, New Zealand, and Germany. After dinner, head straight to the bar to see the live entertainment – and try the Sanibel Ultimate Apple Martini with Ketel One vodka and sour apple liqueur. (www.jacarandasanibel.com) After, retire to your room at the Hyatt Coconut Point, sit on your outdoor verandah, and call it a day. No doubt, an excellent one at that. GETTING THERE AIRPORT: Southwest Florida International Airport – 12 miles away. HOTEL ADDRESS: Hyatt Regency Coconut Point 5001 Coconut Point Bonita Springs, Florida 34134 |