Our Stay at Hyatt Regency Sarasota Florida

 Once again we were at our favorite Hyatt Regency in Sarasota, Florida.

Hyatt Regency Sarasota ←click link

We once more had to fight heavy traffic, coming from the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando. See previous post...

But here we are!

At 15:50 I stepped out on our balcony and made this photo from the Sarasota Bay and to the right you see the Van Wezel performing arts building.

First time EVER that we were at the very front and center of the Hyatt Regency.

Next day on December 30, we went for a walk through the Sarasota Bay area.

This is the front of the hotel and our balcony is hidden behind the 2nd palm tree from center.

We were on the 6th floor (out of 10) in room 614.

Behind the glass sections are glassed in seating areas—no balcony and not open.

We had that in February of 2022.

In February there was a huge fence around here—due to construction. Now there were beach chairs for a beautiful view of the John Ringling Causeway Bridge towards Saint Armands Circle on Lido Key.

Since February also this playground got finished.

The Ibis Playground...

We continued our sunny walk along the Bay towards the Van Wezel performing arts building...

Me standing at the Bay waters with a rather dramatic sky.

It sure was a lovely day with highest 27°C or 80.6°F

Peering over the menu at the Currents Restaurant on our first day we discussed with friendly waiter George several dinner options.

He arranged with the Chef for taking out pork chops for us and having them prepared in a healthy way—for me at least, for the next evening.

On the menu it was ALE BRINED PORK CHOP with cauliflower puree | rainbow chard | black cherry demi

The only thing wrong was that they served mine with mashed potatoes instead of cauliflower puree and I'm not allowed to eat potatoes in any form due to their high potassium levels for my kidneys...

But the pork chop sure was good not being ALE BRINED and so was the black cherry demi—very special taste!

Our New Year's Eve walk.

Pieter standing here at the place where you can slide with your kayak into the water...

Just in jeans and his Burberry shirt—so mild and no more wind.

Love this area called the Mangrove Bayou Walkway

There are many live oaks on the parking lot of the Van Wezel performing arts building and also very tame squirrels!

Once again I had to take a WeFie in the gold reflecting glass door of the Van Wezel building...

Van Wezel with a dramatic sky resulting in dense fog the next morning on New Year's day.

We ended the year 2022 with a bowl of GULF COAST SEAFOOD CHOWDER...

That was delicious with some bread on the side.

On New Year's Day, we once more went for a walk and fed the tame squirrels some nuts.

We also had a great swim in the afternoon.
Only on our first afternoon we did lie at the pool, just to relax... 

It is said to be heated to 86°F or 30°C but it felt rather cool when getting into the water but with the sun above us, it was great!

Our Hyatt Regency room 614 had the BEST shower/tub we've ever experienced.

Having both had back aches, it was a great massage and warming.

We walked after that...

Doves were sitting on the electrical wiring above us.

Zoomed in on both doves...

They started roosting for the evening, just like the water fowl that we again observed in the Mangrove.

You can see pictures in the links below from previous posts.

This time we did NOT visit any friends like we did during previous stays.

Also for not disrupting their family plans during the holidays and we both enjoyed a truly relaxed stay of four nights here. No driving involved but reading, cross stitching (trying to finish a project started in 2007... and on New Year's Eve we watched the darling movie of The Bear (1988) ←click it) that I'd found on a blog. We had this on video but gifted it to Mom & Dad to play on their Multi system VCR (gifted by us as well as a gifted Multi system TV). Mom LOVED it so much and so did my young nieces and nephews.

Pieter and I watched this fond movie once more.

It is filmed in British Columbia, Canada and such beautiful nature!

What a blissful 4 free nights on Pieter's accumulated Hyatt points these were!

Booked already on October 20...

On Monday, January 2 of 2023 our wonderful Hyatt stay ended as we had to check out.

Driving once again through very heavy traffic jam.

This entire trip was like that—coming and going.

By 6:30 PM we arrived home in the dark and our kitties were oh so happy!!!

Related links:

From Lakeland, to Sarasota via Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida | previous post by me

Nature Trail Walk at The Bay Park in Sarasota, Florida | previous post by me

Lunch with a Dear Writer Friend in Osprey, Florida | previous post by me

{Award Nights at Hyatt Regency in Sarasota, Florida} | previous post by me

{Sarasota, Florida - Hyatt Regency} | previous post by me

{Sarasota Bay, Florida - Great Egret} | previous post by me

{Sarasota Bay, Florida - Anhinga} | previous post by me

Our Stay at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida

On December 26, I drove with my Pieter South on Interstate 75, towards Orlando, Florida...

Feeling good for having managed to get in the car after having been so sick for almost one week.

Even had to vomit after drinking more than 3 sips of water.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort ←click link.

The traffic was horrible—standing still and the final stretch took us 2 hours more and arriving in the dark.

From the car I had to call and change our dinner reservation at the Four Flamingos Restaurant.

Not so good for arriving in the dark and driving full 8 hours instead of the calculated 6 but we were there!

Checking in and leaving our luggage still in the car, we went to the restaurant.

We opted for one Florida Seafood "Moqueca" with 

Jerk Spiced Cauliflower and it came with Coconut Steamed Rice

For me it is difficult to find some low potassium, low protein, low phosphorus food...

The small potato halves, inside the "Moqueca" I left for Pieter to eat.

But it was delicious!

Now we had our valet guy bring the car so we could unload and go to our room 1804 at the top floor. But this time we had no pool view like in 2003 on exact the same day—December 26 when we were there for 2 nights!

We were back again with Daughter Anita and her then fiancée on December 18, 19 and 20 of 2004 while visiting Kennedy Space Center, Epcot and Seaworld with them.

From there we went to Coconut Point, another Hyatt Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida towards Naples, FL.

And both of us once again for two free nights on April 26 and 27 in 2005.

It sure felt great for having this confirmation from October 20, 2022—otherwise no chance to find a room during the Christmas season.

We used Pieter's Hyatt points for free nights this time.

Our room with King Bed had a sunny balcony and view toward Orlando...

On December 24 it was very cold in Dublin, Georgia –10°C or 14°F and still several days of frost coming.

Here it was cool as well but we went to the pool on December 27, and it was a lovely heated pool!

What we both LOVED about this Hyatt Resort that you really are on vacation—no rush!

Other Hyatt Place and such, at times have breakfast till maximum 9:00 AM.

Here it is from 7:00–11:30 AM so we could make it leisurely into a kind of brunch.

Breakfast was at the Lakehouse Restaurant each morning and this is the view through one of its windows.

This I took from another window and it actually shows the huge lake.

You can canoe, sailboat, hydrobike and cayak.

From our brunch we walked to the area where they keep the bikes so we knew what they got and after Pieter took his nap, we would go biking. 

Look at that blue sky and Pieter is seen in his Royal Stewart tartan plaid shirt.

Just snapped this photo of the Hotel, from the Lake side—where the bikes were...

Water fowl standing right next to you...

And yes, that hydrobike would have been a fun activity as well!

We walked past the pool on this sunny day—where we swam the afternoon before...

When I'd gotten out of the water I noticed that my 22 karat gold toe ring was gone—after having worn it for 30 years!

I peered at the bottom and said to Pieter, one never finds that back!

Then Pieter spotted two Hyatt employees, and he talked to the gentlemen.

They said, well for that we got our vacuum cleaner and we will find it!

I'd swam into that cave the afternoon before (even though it was a lot colder in there!) and as we walked past this enormous lagoon–style pool around 11:40 AM we went back to our room.

Walking on our 18th floor and center right you can see one of the elevators going up.

The Christmas tree dwarfed...

A very interesting center part with metal pipes and glass roof top.

The Christmas tree with lots of Poinsettias...

Than at 12:26 Pieter took this photo of me—holding my 22 karat gold toe ring in my hand!

It just got delivered by two men that had indeed vacuumed it up in less than an hour since Pieter talked to them—WOW! 

What great courtesy in true Hyatt style!

Close to 2:00 PM from our balcony showing you our view.

And a photo from the balcony, showing you the lake...

We soon would be biking there, within the boundary of the Grand Cypress 535...

Pieter on his bike and the contrasts are far too strong with that sunshine and shade.

I just walked out of the shade for taking a picture of the Hyatt Regency from here.

Palm trees and lots of live oaks.

Pieter captured me and his own shade...

Hard to avoid in such weather!

My Campbell Soup cap shielded me from the sunshine.

Here we biked at the entrance side of the Hyatt Regency at the front of this huge 779 room hotel.

Beautiful grounds—so well kept!

See our Relive video: BIKING HYATT RECENCY GRAND CYPRESS RESORT

Our 3rd and final dinner had come...

Time in Paradise passes fast!

We again went to the Four Flamingoes Restaurant.

This time we both shared a Surf & Turf

Half Lobster but we did have some very special high quality Filet without the Bacon with the Coconut Au Poivre and we went again for the Coconut Steamed Rice.

Walking past this fire pit on our way back from the Four Flamingos Restaurant, to the lobby...

A closeup view of the Christmas tree and the poinsettias.

And our final brunch...

My waffle with maple syrup and fresh berries and Pieter went for the continental (cold) buffet each morning.

We had received a one hour extension till noon and now we had to check out and also were able to cash in our anniversary Hyatt eGift Card of $ 100.

EVERYTHING here during this stay was just GRAND.

Now, I drove off to the Hyatt Regency in Sarasota...

Stay tuned.