Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Review

If you’re looking for a hotel near Disney World with upscale amenities, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is worth your consideration. It’s an older hotel whose charm has only improved with age. In this review, we’ll explore the hotel in detail, previewing a few photos of our room, dining options, recreation, and transportation options.

Hyatt’s Regency Grand Cypress has numerous amenities. But perhaps the best part of the hotel is its extensive grounds. Anyone who enjoys relaxing by the pool, water sports, or extra outdoorsy things that will keep them busy will likely feel right at home at this hotel.

Of course, the most significant perk is the hotel’s proximity to Walt Disney World. It’s literally right around the corner from Disney Springs. You can leave the hotel and be on Disney property within less than five minutes. But this is not just a hotel where you’ll want to lay your weary head at the end of a long day in the theme parks. Those who stay here will want to plan at least one (more like two) resort days to take advantage of the amenities. I cannot wait to tell you all about it! Let’s get started.

Hyatt’s Regency Grand Cypress has a modern design. On the outside, it looks almost uninviting until you get close. It’s one of the most surprising hotels that I’ve had the pleasure of staying. Considering we critique hotels for a living, that statement doesn’t come lightly. It’s also essential to let you know that we selected this hotel to review and paid out-of-pocket for our stay.

First, let’s discuss location specifics. As mentioned above, the resort is less than a five-minute drive from Disney Springs. The hotel sits off the corner of State Road 535 and is about three blocks from Interstate 4. When you exit the hotel, you’ll turn onto 535 and then turn right at the next turn into Disney’s gates.

As far as the surrounding area, it is somewhat touristy. No worries, though. The Grand Cypress sits on over 1500 acres of primarily scenic, undeveloped land. You’ll feel like you’ve arrived at a tropical oasis in the desert. Like most hotels, the Hyatt is gated, and you must stop at the security gate to enter. However, after the initial check-in, you’ll receive a pass to come and go at your leisure.

On the morning of my visit, I checked out of another hotel and arrived at the Grand Cypress at about 10:30 a.m. The front entrance was a bit of a madhouse when I arrived. Granted, it was Labor Day and standard checkout time. Later, I learned that the hotel had hosted a large wedding party over the weekend in addition to the extra holiday traffic, so it was even busier than usual.

My first thought upon seeing the crowd at the hotel was shocking. I hadn’t anticipated so many people staying there. Little did I know I’d practically have the entire hotel to myself for the next few days. Despite the crowd out front, the check-in process was simple, and the hotel had a room ready for me immediately. It was before 11:00 a.m., which always gets bonus points with me.

After checking in, it took a few moments to find someone to help with my luggage. However, that was only because about 40+ groups were checking out when I was arriving. The bell service workers were running to keep up with everyone. A few moments later, my luggage was on a cart, and I was directed to drive to the back of the hotel to park.

If you have a car, you’ll want to drop your luggage off at the front of the hotel before parking. While the parking lot’s location adds to the resort’s aesthetics, it is not convenient for anyone trying to bring in luggage. If you only had one suitcase, it wouldn’t be terrible. But I could not have tackled bringing my luggage up to the room, and that’s coming from someone who typically handles their luggage.

That said, the walk from the parking lot through the hotel’s large backyard is more than pleasant.

After making my way to the towering hotel, I located the elevator. Five glass elevators sit toward the corner of the lobby. Looking up, you can see the hotel’s skylight ceiling, which floods the entire space with natural light.

This hotel is not for the faint of heart when it comes to heights. Or at least you’ll want to request a lower floor if you don’t want to be so high up. The building is eighteen stories high and consists of framed glass with incredible views of the city in one direction and Walt Disney World in the other.

My room assignment was on the tenth floor, and I had a view of the city in the distance.

While this view was pleasant, I would have considered a lake view had I known better. The lake view looks to Disney World in the distance. At night, you can see Disney fireworks from both Epcot and Magic Kingdom. However, I would only consider a room view upgrade if I planned to spend a considerable amount of time in the room. The pool view would have been pleasant.

Here is a photo of the room. This was a standard room with 360 square feet. We had a king-size bed, a sofa, and a separate work area.

The mattresses at the Hyatt Regency properties are plush Hyatt Grand beds. This bed provided one of the most comfortable nights of sleep I’d had in a while. I woke up feeling well-rested each morning.

A television, dresser, and a built-in desk sit along the opposite wall.

The desk area provided adequate space for me to do some work.

A QR code provided quick access to information about the hotel. We were also able to use it to order takeout from the resort’s primary table service restaurant. The restaurant would deliver the meal to your room for an extra fee. Or, they would text when your food was ready, and you could take the elevator down to pick it up. It was exceptionally convenient.

The room had a mini-refrigerator and a few open pull-out drawers for pantry items.

A coffee maker was tucked away in one of the dresser’s bottom compartments. Several coffee and tea options were available.

USB ports and outlets were available.

Perhaps, the best part of the room was the bath area.

The large walk-in shower featured elegant tile work.

The walk-in shower had a rainfall showerhead and a standard showerhead with a detachable element.

Branded-bath toiletries were available. I appreciated that they were a high-end product.

A ledge was installed along the back wall of the shower. Simple touches like having a place to put your personal items make a world of difference when you’re traveling. The only thing this shower was missing was a little bench seat along the back or an extra ledge so women could shave their legs.

The vanity was open and straightforward. If you’ve read any of our hotel reviews, you know we appreciate open spaces. You’re less likely to forget something when you can see everything.

A partially closed-off water closet sits to the left of the vanity. The entire bath had a sliding door that closed it off from the rest of the room. In the picture below, you can see how the closet door slides over to serve as the bathroom door when it is in use.

The closet contained standard items such as an iron, ironing board, an in-room safe, extra pillows, and blankets. We also had a step-out balcony, but stepping out was all you could do. There wasn’t enough room for a lounge chair.

Overall, the interior of Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has a modern aesthetic with touches of blues reminiscent of the ocean.

In some ways, it reminds me of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, only it’s much taller and doesn’t have a monorail running through it.

Lounge spaces offering spectacular views are scattered throughout the resort.

If you don’t upgrade to a lake view, you might enjoy lounging or reading a good book in one of these spots.

The center of the hotel offers a view of Walt Disney World. You might notice the white Cirque de Soleil tent at Disney Springs on the left-hand side of the picture below.

The lobby features tons of greenery, making for a pleasant contrast with modern design elements.

Speaking of the lobby, let me introduce you to Merlot, the lobby ambassador. He is a Green Wing Macaw who was born in 1998.

A hallway off the lobby is home to the Spa Soleil and Boutique right off the lobby. This was previously the Marilyn Monroe Spa, but the name changed not long after our stay. You can read more about the spa services here on the Grand Cypress website. On the opposite side of the lobby, a boutique gift shop offered higher-end travel items, resort wear, and other similar items.

Multiple dining options were available at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. We’ll briefly look at each one. The Market sits off the resort’s lobby across from the gift shop. This counter-service dining option was impressive. The location offered one of the most extensive variety of items I’ve encountered for a pantry-style store.

I took a few photos to provide an idea of what they had.

Dippin’ Dots came in multiple flavors.

Pre-packaged items were available, including these quiches and breakfast sandwiches.

There were other items like croissant sandwiches and cups of fresh fruit, parfaits, and veggies.

Everything in the bakery case looked delicious.

The Market serves Starbucks. You’ll find anything from regular coffee to your favorite espresso. Another case contained a variety of champagne, specialty drink items, fruits, sandwiches, and salads.

They even had a smoked salmon platter. You could pair it with a bagel from the pastry case.

Standard sandwiches included peanut butter with grape jelly or turkey with cheese.

Here is a photo of a few more of the drink selections. Indeed, there is something for everyone here.

Several snack items were available.

And a few staples like potato chips, popcorn, and pretzels.

Personally, I’m not a fan of premade sandwiches and salads. They remind me of picking up something at a gas station, not a high-end hotel. But I do know that we live in a fast-paced world, and some guests have no qualms about grabbing a sandwich to eat on the way back to the room. I just prefer my sandwich to be freshly prepared.

Ultimately, I feel that Hyatt’s Market appears to serve higher-quality food and that prices are reasonable, especially compared to other hotels. It’s also to be noted that the Grand Cypress has an additional counter-service dining option called On the Rocks, which offers a sizable menu. So you aren’t subject to only having pre-made items when it comes to picking up a quick meal.

The Lakehouse Restaurant and Bar is the primary table-service restaurant at the resort. This location serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also offer room service.

I enjoyed most of my meals at the Lakehouse during this stay and found it to be everything I expected in a hotel restaurant.

Lake House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In the mornings, they offer a full breakfast buffet. An additional continental breakfast is available. Hyatt Globalist members receive a complimentary breakfast, along with a few other perks. Kids can dine at a reduced cost.

On the day of my arrival, I had plans to visit Hollywood Studios and Epcot. It was going to be a busy day, so one of the servers gave me a menu and told me to order dinner on my way back to the resort. That evening, I ordered a grass-fed burger with fries, and it was a delicious choice. Sometimes, you just want a quality burger with salty fries at the end of a long day in the theme parks, and this was it.

On another evening, I tried the sushi bar. The chef customized the spicy seafood roll on the menu and substituted the tuna for salmon, as I had requested.

I was most looking forward to this strawberry salad. However, the Buratta cheese didn’t go well with the sweetness of the dish, and the dehydrated strawberries in the mix were pretty terrible. I might have done better with one of those premade salads.

On the Rock is the hotel’s primary quick service. It’s the large bar and grill near the pool. While you are at the pool, servers will come by from the poolside bar to take your food and beverage orders throughout most of the day. I enjoyed some time at the pool during this stay, and the service and food were great. But it’s worth noting that the service at the hotel was phenomenal. Everyone went out of the way to ensure the guests were enjoying their vacations.

Another place, The Lobby Bar and Grille, sits off the hotel lobby. I didn’t get a chance to take advantage of this location. But from my understanding, you could order Hemingway’s Classic Daquiri here.

A new restaurant was slated to open soon, Four Flamingos, a Richard Blais Florida Kitchen. Four Flamingos replaced the former Hemingway’s. I’m looking forward to returning to dine here in the future.

We’ll linger over the landscape as we make our way outside to discover the resort’s vast array of recreation opportunities.

I found an herb garden outside the lake house. Can you imagine the chef coming out in the morning and snipping fresh herbs to pair with the day’s catch or a special dessert?

Since the resort consists of 1500 acres, you’ll find multiple trails and paths to enjoy.

Statues adorned the gardens.

The pool at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is another one of the resort’s great attributes. Below is a photo of a portion of the pool.

I say portion because the Hyatt’s pool is massive—it’s more like two large pools. However, they are connected by a cave.

A rope bridge crosses the pool.

Here is the pool area closest to the hotel’s entrance. If you were to just stop here, you’d probably never know this whole other area exists. I witnessed several guests getting out of the pool and relocating after they went through the cave and saw the other side.

The cave area is probably more significant than it appears from the outside.

If you enjoy the shade, this is the perfect spot.

Don’t be fooled by the empty chairs. This is one of the most coveted spots at the pool.

The cave comes out into the pool area with the bridge.

For reference, the pool holds over 800,000 gallons of water.

Multiple whirlpool spas surround the pool.

One hot tub sits inside the cave. If you didn’t know, a hot tub is indeed the remedy to most aches and pains after a long day in the theme parks.

Cabana rentals are also available. We recently rented a cabana at Disney World and enjoyed it. It might be worth considering if you have a large party or will be visiting during a high crowd time.

The pool has 12 waterfalls and is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. No lifeguards are on duty.

Two waterslides are available; one has a 48″ height requirement, and the other is 44″.

The larger one appeared to be memorable. Unfortunately, I never got around to testing it.

A separate splash pad is available for the little ones. This is only a mere glimpse because the splash pad was in use when I was taking photos.

A Dive-In Movie is played at the pool each evening. A super-sized screen rolls out near the area where the water slide exits. Mulan, The Greatest Showman, Frozen 2, and Raya and the Last Dragon were all aired during our stay. I was impressed with the movie selections and encourage you to take a break one evening during your stay and participate in a movie night at the pool. It’s so pleasant.

Related: The Pool at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

There are recreational activities galore out by the lake, and they are all included in the resort fee. Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress’s resort fee includes the following:

• Round-trip transportation to Disney (Daily)
• Round-Trip Transportation to Universal Studios/Island of Adventure
• Scheduled Free Shuttles to Disney Springs
• 24-Hour Access to Stay-Fit Fitness Center
• Pickleball Courts & access to Pickleball paddles and balls
• Bike Rentals
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Sailboats, paddle boards, kayaks, and paddle boat rentals
• Daily scheduled activities
• Complimentary hot lava rock enhancement to any 80-minute massage, 50-minute facial, or 50-minute pedicure at Spa Soleil
• Ping pong table with access to paddles and balls
• 1 Mile & 3 Mile Mapped Outdoor Jogging Courses
• Basketball Court, ball included
• 2 bottles of water, daily
• Guest Room Wi-Fi
• Complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival for guests 21 and over.
• Nightly Movie at the Pool (weather pending)

Now, you know I’m not a fan of resort fees. Nevertheless, they are inevitable. However, when I thought about my stay at Orange Lake Resort a few months back, I remember feeling bombarded with upcharges in addition to the daily resort fee. Thankfully, the resort fee at the Grand Cypress includes recreational items.

Related: Orange Lake Resort Review

All paddleboats, kayaks, and other water rentals were free for guests to use. A few warning signs were posted for guests not to swim in the lake because of alligators and other potential wildlife.

Guests were taking advantage of the water sport activities.

Large containers of ice water were provided for guests during the day. I thought this was a nice touch.

Even the rock climbing wall was included in the resort fee.

And bicycles! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed my bike ride here.

I got up early one morning, before 8:00 a.m., to take some pictures. My plan was to ride a bike to the front of the resort to take photos for this review.

Unfortunately, the golf course has closed since this visit.

My first stop was at the front of the resort to take a few photos.

Since I was not ready for my bicycle tour to end, I decided to try another trail. The resort offers three jogging and biking trails.

So, I ended up on the opposite side of the lake behind the Grand Cypress.

This is where the Racquet Club is located.

They had 12 tennis courts and pickleball courts. Most of the courts were full.

I continued around the trail.

I ended up on a private road that led back to the highway. In the distance, I could see the Aerophile balloon at Disney Springs.

Next thing you know, I was back at the resort.

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has a tremendous gym for those who prefer to work out indoors. It’s located in the cave area by the swimming pool.

It is a sizable fitness center with aerobic machines, weights, a stair-climber, and Peloton bikes.

An arcade sits inside the cave next to the fitness center.

Laundry facilities were also provided. But it was more expensive than most places.

A load of laundry gets expensive after you buy soap, a wash cycle, and a dry cycle.

Overall, I enjoyed my stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. For the rate I paid, the value was worth it, especially with the extra recreational activities. Of course, you’ll want to consider the daily resort fee. Self-parking charges can also add up. The resort offers valet parking, which might be worth considering if you have to pay a daily parking charge.

We love this hotel and would happily return. Again, we recommend this type of hotel to anyone who will take advantage of the recreational amenities offered. If you’re visiting the Orlando area for a week and plan to spend most of that time at Walt Disney World, this might not be your best option.

A hotel like this is designed to offer that resort feel. It is an attraction, just like the rides in the theme parks. A stay here might consist of two days in the parks, followed by a resort day. Then, another day in the parks, followed by a morning at the nearby outlets and an afternoon at the resort, followed by another day in the parks.

When comparing this stay at the Hyatt to Disney Resorts, the pricing is similar to what you would pay for a moderate resort. However, the amenities at the Grand Cypress are comparable to those at a deluxe resort.

You’ll miss a few benefits of staying at a Disney Resort, like the 30-minute early theme park entry at the Disney Parks. However, of all the off-property hotels I’ve stayed at near Disney, this one falls into my top two favorites. It ranks well on our list of best off-site hotels near Disney World. Others include:

• JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Review
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando Review
• Wyndham Grand Orlando at Bonnet Creek Review
• Signia by Hilton at Bonnet Creek Review
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Review
• Drury Plaza Hotel at Disney Springs Review

Hopefully, this Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Review was able to provide you with the information needed to plan a stay here. I’m looking forward to staying here again!

What Do You Think?

Have you ever stayed at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress? Did you find this review helpful? Do you have any questions about staying here? Leave us a comment below with your thoughts and experiences.