The Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun is a newer all-inclusive resort that opened up in 2021. I recently stayed there over the 2024 Thanksgiving week, and in this Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun review, I'm giving my honest take on this resort.

This Hyatt Ziva is located about 20 miles south of Cancun, so a heads up that if it says 'Riviera', it's usually not located in the city or main hotel zone but rather further out along the cost. My husband and I arrived at night. After taking a turn off the highway, we found ourselves on a rough road leading to the cost where the resort is. Unfortunately, whoever was in charge of maintaining this road didn't prioritize fixing potholes. At one point, we thought we might be stuck after our driver hit a massive pothole. Considering that, it wouldn't surprise me if drivers took turns opting out of rides to and from this resort.

We finally made it to the Hyatt Ziva, and it's definitely a fancier resort. The lobby area where you're dropped off is upstairs, and then downstairs is where you'll find the amenities and the entrance out to the pool. Check in was pretty easy, but we did have to wait a bit for the bellhop to bring up our luggage. Personally, I'd rather the bellhop bring it up with you, but that's just me.

Initially, we were only given one room key because the resort was so busy that they didn't have extras. We had to wait until the next afternoon to get one. If you're staying with another person, it helps to have an extra room key, so I hope the Hyatt Ziva prioritizes ordering more room keys for guests in the future. Our trip was just under a week, starting two days before Thanksgiving and ending the Monday after it.

Pros: What I Like About the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun

• Good food - Overall, I'd say the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun had a solid assortment of foods. You've got lots of different options to choose from, including Mexican, Asian, Mediterranean, French, American, and Italian.
• Nice staff - Mexico is top tier when it comes to hospitality, so it was no surprise that the folks working here were absolutely lovely. Shout out to Timo, one of the servers by the pool!
• The rooms - Our room was exceptional! It was not only huge, but had a massive bathroom space complete with a jacuzzi and a large balcony that had a cozy sofa on it.
• All-inclusive - Unlimited food and drinks? Sign me up! I rarely go to all-inclusive route anymore, but it was a nice perk not having to reach for my purse every time I wanted to order something.
• The waterpark - This was one of the unique things about the resort that I really enjoyed. They have an actual waterpark area that includes a play area for young kids as well as four big water slides (though only three were in use when I was there). Best of all? There was hardly any wait, so you could ride them as many times as you'd like. 

Cons: What I Didn't Like About the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun

• Guests hoarding pool chairs - This drove me absolutely nuts. As early as 7:00 a.m., people started saving pool chairs. Eventually, we decided if we wanted something halfway decent, we'd have to do the same. But it was so frustrating since we never got a space near an umbrella. 
• Few umbrellas - Speaking of umbrellas, there's a small handful of them around the pool, and if you want to sit beside one, you'll need to wake up near the crack of dawn. I wondered if the lack of umbrellas was to entice people to pay extra for their cabanas.
• No beach - This was one of the most depressing beaches I've ever seen. It's basically a sliver of sand filled with rocks and/or seaweed. Plus, don't expect those turquoise waters here; we didn't see that.
• Poor entertainment - For a five-star resort, this place didn't have the kind of entertainment I was hoping it would. Sure, they offered karaoke, live bands, and occasional 'shows', but nothing substantial. I've seen other resorts with a larger entertainment staff that included dancers and they performed in nightly themed shows similar to the type you might see on cruise ships. I don't know if resorts are trying to move away from this or it's just this one. 
• The location - As I mentioned, the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun isn't in Cancun proper, so if you want any type of nightlife, you'll have to uber or taxi to Cancun or Playa del Carmen. Considering how bored I felt at night, it would have been nice to at least have somewhere to walk around.
• Restaurant wait times - Things were likely a little chaotic with the resort being very busy, but I didn't think they organized restaurant seating well. Often, there was a long line for the specialty restaurants, and you couldn't make a reservation to help alleviate these issues.

Who Should Stay at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun?

• Families with kids
• Couples who want to just lounge around
• Travelers who like the idea of just spending the week only at the resort 

Who Shouldn't Stay at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun?

• College and young friend groups who want more of a party vibe
• People who want to be able to explore more on their own

Salem and Halloween go hand-in-hand. The small Massachusetts town just north of Boston has been infamous for the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Despite the real-life tragedy of the time, modern-day Salem has embraced that history, finding ways to both honor the victims and celebrate their spooky lore. And of course, there’s no better time to experience a spooky city like this than October. 

As you can imagine, the October/Halloween season is like Salem’s Super Bowl. They go all out while crowds of people from all over descend upon this tiny town.

Salem is actually quite easy to get to if you’re staying in Boston. From Boston’s North Station, you take the Newburyport line and get off at Salem. Tickets are $16 roundup, and it’s about a 40-minute ride. In my case, I had pre-booked a Salem walking tour that started at 10am, and the trains were slightly behind. I ended up making it just in time (literally running from the Salem station to the tour’s meeting point). If you have any timely reservations, I recommend giving yourself more time and checking the train schedules that morning since they were behind for us. 

Speaking of tours, I reserved a spot on the 10:00 a.m. tour of the “History & Hauntings of Salem” with Witch City Walking Tours. I actually recommend this particular tour if it’s your first time since it covers both the history of the town, as well the witch trials and some local spooky stories. Our meeting point was 32 Derby Square, which also happens to be the town hall featured in Hocus Pocus. 

Along with the town hall, we saw the statue of Samantha from Bewitched, Salem’s “Witch House” from the 1600s, the Ropes Mansion (Allison’s house in Hocus Pocus), Chestnut Street (beautiful federalist style homes and where Hamilton Hall is, which is named after Alexander Hamilton), Charter Street Cemetery, and the memorial for those who died during the witch trials. 

Our tour guide, Aurelia (I hope I spelled that right!), was absolutely fantastic. She grew up in the area, which made it even better to hear from a true local. The tour was about 2 hours long and $37. I would recommend it in a heartbeat. Worth every penny! That said, book it well in advance, especially if you plan to be in Salem on the weekend. The same goes for any other exhibits or shows you want to see. Book everything in advance.

Just as it was the day before in Boston, it was another sunny, fall day without a cloud in sight. This probably didn’t help the overwhelming crowds there either. Salem in the fall is picturesque, but the crowds are insane and kept getting worse later into the day. There were lines everywhere – even to get in stores. Restaurants? Forget about it. That said, there are food stands all around too, which did not have crazy long lines.

I loved how festive everyone was. People dress up in elaborate Halloween costumes for tips; I saw everyone from Beetlejuice and Jack Sparrow to Ghostface and, of course, the Sanderson Sisters). But visitors also dress up too. They really get into the Halloween spirit there.

After meandering around the city following the tour, I eventually made my way to the Gallows Museum; I had booked a ticket to their main show for $16. These shows run every 30 minutes, and they don’t have timed slots. Rather, you just need to get in before 5:45 (**double check time). That said, there whole setup wasn’t well-run. There were like five  different lines and no one knew where to go. I think timed slots and more people outside to corral the visitors would probably help.

The theater is tiny but could fit a good amount of people. Unfortunately, I soon discovered how badly people do not know how to behave during a live theater performance. This guy toward the front kept talking and making noises the whole time, to the point that he was talking over the actor on stage. Worst of all? Nobody in his party or the staff there told him to pipe down. I eventually had to leave in the middle of the show because it just ruined the experience. Honestly, considering how it was run and that the staff didn’t step in, I wouldn’t recommend this one. Kinda kicking myself for not booking the Salem Witch Museum instead...

While seeing Salem in October was a bucket list experience for me, I think you also miss out on a lot because there are so many people. Instead, I’d recommend going that first week in November, immediately after Halloween. This way, it’ll still be fall but the crowds shouldn’t be nearly as crazy. 

At this point in my life, I can say I’ve been to my fair share of major U.S. – from New York and LA to New Orleans, Chicago, Miami, and more – they all have their unique charms. But I hadn’t yet found that city that I felt could also be a fantastic place to live. Enter: Boston.
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Boston was actually on the list of places I wanted to see back in 2018 when I was living in New York. I had made it to Philadelphia and Washington D.C. but never had the time to get to Boston.

However, Boston was still on my bucket list and after living in LA again, I was craving true autumn weather, so I figured seeing Boston in October would be a great idea. Of course, you can’t really go Boston in October without also seeing Salem, which is about a 40-minute train ride north. So my plan was to do a long weekend, with half my time exploring Boston and the other half in Salem.

To help save some money on lodging, I stayed at the HI Hostel in Chinatown, a centrally located spot with easy access to the subway and walking distance to other parts of town. After arriving Thursday night, my plan was to see Boston all day Friday, go up to Salem Saturday, and back home Sunday. 

As far as weather goes, I don’t think I could have picked a better weekend to be there. It was in the 60s and sunny, which made the city sparkle even more. I started my Boston adventure early in the morning by walking over to Boston Common, a well-known park in the city. Even as early at 8:00 a.m., the city was buzzing. I watched as local Bostonians brought their dogs to the off leash area of Boston Common, with the dogs surprisingly oblivious to the squirrels running around nearby. As someone who has a dog who loves to chase squirrels, I kept thinking how she’d go nuts at the sight of so them.

Right by Boston Common, you’ll find Beacon Hill, a historic neighborhood filled with gorgeous brownstone buildings and gas lamp street lights. I slowly began to image a dream life with my husband where we lived in one of those brownstones and on weekend mornings we'd take our dog to go get coffee and play in the park nearby. Ahh, the life!

I soon snapped back to reality as I made my way to the Freedom Trail. This is a route in the city where you can see different historical buildings. I recommend starting at the visitor center in Boston Common since they also have a bathroom there you can use for free. 

Along the Freedom Trail, I saw the Massachusetts State House, the cemetery were John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adam are buried, and the Old State House. Eventually the Freedom Trail took me across the bridge to Charlestown, another beautiful neighborhood with picturesque homes similar to Beacon Hill but these were more vibrant in color. Charlestown was also where the Freedom Trail concluded at the Bunker Hill Monument just outside the residential area. The Bunker Hill Monument actually looks identical to the Washington Monument. Fun fact: you can walk up to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument for free, but there’s no elevator so make sure you’ve got the stamina for it. At nearly 300 steps high, it was definitely a work out. And here I thought all those LA hikes had me in shape for stuff like this…

I do recommend going to the top if you can because you get great views of the city and harbor. Inside, it feels reminiscent of climbing to the top of an old castle or church in Europe. This is also a good spot to go the bathroom; their museum is across the street, and you can walk in to use the bathroom if you need to.

I then walked back over the bridge to Boston’s North End neighborhood, which is also known for their Italian restaurants. The North End was also where I saw the Paul Revere House. It was $6 cash to get in, but they have a $10 minimum for credit card purchases. So if you just go by yourself, make sure to bring cash. I didn’t even up going in since I didn’t have cash on me, but I enjoyed seeing the outside of the house at least.

From there, I walked to the USS Constitution, a recommendation from my cousin, Lena. It’s an old ship from the Revolutionary War era and is free to visit. They even had present-day military members on the ship.

I then took the subway to Harvard Square. I loved how easy the subway was to navigate in Boston. Plus, it's clean and you don’t have to pay again if you change lines. Harvard Square encompasses Harvard University but also the surrounding dining and shopping in the area. Harvard is the oldest university in the U.S., and the campus is certainly very pretty. 

After experiencing some slight intimidation at being surrounded by all the academics, I took the subway to Newbury Street, a popular shopping area in Boston. While I can appreciate a good shopping trip, I only brought a backpack, so the only thing I bought there was dinner.

I don’t know if I’ll actually get the chance to live in Boston, but whatever they’re doing there seems to be working well because it’s a really great place. It was walkable, felt safe, and was kept really clean. But perhaps what made it even more appealing was going there in the October. This Angeleno got to experience a true New England fall, and it did not disappoint.