My Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront 2021 Review

Today I am sharing my review of the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront that I stayed at in July of 2021. As readers know, I am a huge fan of Hyatt properties and their rewards program and have stayed at many in Florida. This Hyatt in downtown Jacksonville caught my eye a few years ago, as it is the only Category 2 (aka only 8,000 points per night) Hyatt Regency in Florida. I had been eager to take advantage of this deal ever since and finally found myself here for a concert this past summer!

This Jacksonville hotel lived up to expectations in both price and convenience. It was an easy walking distance from the concert and was situated right on the river. It also only cost 8,000 points per night, while rates were going for $450 due to concert proximity. This made it even more of a deal than I imagined! However, I wouldn’t go out of my way to book a vacation here and I will explain more regarding my stay at this Hyatt in downtown Jacksonville below.

Location and Atmosphere

By far one of the biggest selling points of this hotel is location, as it is less than a mile from the TIAA Bank Field, where the Jacksonville Jaguars play. It is also situated on the St. Johns River and across the bride from the adorable San Marco neighborhood. If you are visiting for a concert or game, this is perfect for either walking or taking a cheap Uber to the stadium.

Unfortunately, that is where the perks of this location end. I was shocked to find that downtown Jacksonville has nothing going on during the weekends. I thought being in the center of downtown would be perfect for walking to restaurants and bars, but there were few options and many closed on weekend. This is much more of a commuter city area, so this hotel is ideal for those visiting with an event to attend.

As for atmosphere of this Hyatt Downtown Jacksonville, it was definitely nicer than your average Hyatt Place, but the interior is on the dated side. This downtown Jacksonville hotel does host conferences, so it feels like a convention hotel with lots of carpet and corporate decorations. I have no complaints for such a cheap rate, but again want to stress that this is more a hotel for utility than fun

Guest Rooms at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Jacksonville

My siblings and I stayed in a 2-queen bed room for our one night stay at this downtown Jacksonville Hyatt. The room was perfectly comfortable and clean for our stay. In fact, I slept wonderfully that night, although that may have had more to do with being tired from the concert than the comfy bed.

The biggest perk of the room was that this is one of the best downtown Jacksonville hotels with a riverfront view. We had an excellent view of the river and could even open the window surprisingly. The bathroom was also a lot bigger than others I have seen, with a large vanity. We were tempted to bring our dogs, but opted not to after finding a sitter. This Jacksonville Hyatt is pet friendly though, and the room would have had plenty of space for them.

Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Amenities

This downtown Jacksonville Hyatt offers your basic amenities like a pool, gym and office center. The pool and hot tub are on the roof, so it does have some cool views. However, it is way too small for a hotel of this size and every time I went by, it was so packed with people, I felt weird taking a picture. It is definitely not a luxurious pool area.

The gym on the other hand is pretty big and one would have no problem finding a treadmill or weights in the morning. There are even a few Peloton bikes!

This is not an amenity, but I do want to mention the elevators. We had no problems with them, and found them to be pretty fast during our stay for so many floors. We did leave the concert early and got back with no issue, but we talked with someone the next morning who said the line for the elevator took an hour after the concert! It really seemed like everyone staying here was here for the concert! Because of this, keep in mind that the elevator can get backed up during events. I would suggest requesting a lower floor if you are worried about this!

Dining Options in Downtown Jacksonville

This hotel has a grab and go market and two restaurants available for dining on-site. The market is pretty basic, with coffee, prepared sandwiches and snacks. Unfortunately, the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville breakfast is not free, even if you are a globalist. The Shor Grill is open from 6 AM to 10 PM and is a sit down with American options. There is also a Morton’s Steakhouse at the hotel, open for dinner.

As for nearby options, we had an excellent dinner at Bellwether, which was a ten-minute walk from the hotel. Other downtown Jacksonville options near the Hyatt include Super Food and Brew, the Bread & Board, and Indochine. Be sure to check the hours though, since a few of these were not open on a Saturday night when we were there!

I also recommend checking out the San Marco neighborhood. This is a 10-minute drive and features some excellent cafes and restaurants. I especially like Bold Bean Coffee, Good Dough Donuts, Aardwolf Brewing and V Pizza & Sidecar.

Know Before You Go: Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Downtown Review

If you are looking for a Hyatt in Downtown Jacksonville, then the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront is the best bet! This is by far the best hotel option if you are going to a concert or football game, especially if you are paying with points. If you are looking for a vacation getaway though, you might want to check out some other options here instead. For those who are visiting, here are some things to keep in mind for your stay at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville.

• The Hyatt Regency Jacksonville is a Category 2 Hyatt hotel and costs 8,000 points per night. On average, cash rates are around $200 per night.
• Parking in the garage costs $20 per night, or you can pay $30 for valet.
• There is no resort fee at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville.
• Amenities include a pool, gym and free Wi-Fi.
• Rooms sleep a maximum of four guests with two queen beds or 2 guests with one king bed.
• A maximum of two dogs can stay in one room for $100 for 6 nights and under.
• The hotel is in walking distance downtown Jacksonville and the TIAA Bank Field.