Dreams Las Mareas Leaving Hyatt: Some Guests Left High and Dry in the Process

Last week, news broke that the Dreams Las Mareas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, would exit Hyatt's All-inclusive collection. While this development is a shock in and of itself, how the hotel/Hyatt has handled this offboarding has caused a lot of commotion and anxiety for guests with upcoming stays and weddings. There's much to unpack here, so let's jump into it!

Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica Exiting Hyatt on June 30, 2025

Earlier today, I stumbled upon a Reddit thread and some Facebook posts indicating the Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica would be exiting Hyatt and closing down for a few months. Allegedly, the hotel's closing would allow for a renovation as the property transitioned to another brand. I was initially skeptical about whether this was true for a couple of reasons. First, I couldn't find any official word from anyone at Hyatt to confirm this development. Secondly, from all accounts, the hotel appeared to be a 'winner' in Hyatt's all-inclusive portfolio. The Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica opened in November 2014 to great fanfare and has received favorable reviews over the years. Thus, it's a surprise that this property, a lauded destination for many Hyatt loyalists, would be transitioning out of the portfolio relatively quickly. 

Still, I ran a few searches on Hyatt.com for a one-stay stay at the property for upcoming dates in May, June, and July. Accurate as claimed, the hotel was open for reservations in May and June but unavailable in July. For the July date I searched, I received a message instructing me to try other dates or select from nearby properties. 

Seeking to confirm this news with a reputable, independent outlet, I came across a piece published by Pax News referencing a letter from Irene Prado, A regional vice president at Hyatt. 

As you can see, the letter is classic corporate speak 101. While it does confirm the hotel's exit from Hyatt, it unsurprisingly leaves many questions unanswered. Luckily, social media would fill in some of the details.

A Shocking Lack of Accountability Here is Making a Disaster Scenario Somehow Worse

I spent about an hour reading several social media threads about this incident, and a few things stood out. 

1. Many would-be guests had imminent weddings planned at the Dreams Las Mareas, some as soon as mid-summer. It's safe to say that it will take some major effort to figure out an alternative on short notice.
2. The hotel may or may not close for some time after it exits the Hyatt portfolio. It's unclear if the hotel will be joining another brand and whether that would be immediate without a cessation of operations (possibly allowing some of the reservations/weddings to be honored) or if this would require renovation and rebranding.
3. The Dreams Las Mareas is absolutely **** the bed when actively helping out guests in this jam. One can argue strongly that the hotel's actions (or inaction) are worsening a bad situation.
4. Despite offering a full refund and the option to source alternative locations to replace the canceled plans, Hyatt can do much more to help these guests. 

I won't go into detail on these, but below, you'll find posts from many guests who have (had) confirmed wedding plans at the Dreams. The resounding theme is that the hotel and Hyatt are in the dark here. 

The hotel's disposition post-Hyatt life is not fully known yet, making this situation feel even more like a cluster. 

Finally, at least one report indicates the hotel actively avoids contact with guests whose reservations were canceled after June 30, 2025. If true, this is wild, incredibly insensitive, and quite brutal.

Hyatt Should Step Up to Help 

Accountability is a scarce commodity in this situation and now is a good time for Hyatt to step up and reach out to all the affected guests to work out individualized solutions. Now, there is nuance to this situation. As a destination property, the Dreams Las Mareas is bookable through several channels, and its rooms are sold in several ways, including bundled flight-and-hotel packages. Thus, each guest's best recourse is to start with the company through which they booked their stay at the property. 

For any guests who booked their vacation through Hyatt or worked directly with the hotel to plan their wedding as part of Hyatt's sales and events division, Hyatt should proactively reach out to work on a customized solution. 

For guests who planned to travel to Dreams Las Mareas for vacation, finding an alternative property elsewhere in the Caribbean / Latam area may be a suitable option, even if it has to be on other dates. That isn't the biggest lift for Hyatt. Perhaps some guests—those traveling in an adults-only party—might be well off at the Secrets Papagayo, another all-inclusive upscale Hyatt property in Guanacaste. Others may opt for a similar Dreams elsewhere. 

Life might be more challenging for guests with wedding plans, and Hyatt should be willing to get more creative. While full refunds (with no penalty assessed) have been offered, for folks who have already planned a whole wedding - including guests who in turn booked flights and started to make their travel arrangements - it's clear that any sort of rescue operation would be most successful with the whole effort of a large hotel chain using all its travel industry resources and know-how. Why not proactively reach out to all the guests who had wedding plans with a list of destinations that could accommodate their wedding party over those exact dates? Why not offer discounts on that new venue? Why not reach out to a contact at American Airlines (a Hyatt partner) to see if there are any discounted rates these wedding guests can use to rebook their travel?

Conclusion

The Dream Las Mareas will exit the Hyatt portfolio at the end of June 2025. The news of the hotel's plans has come rather abruptly, throwing the plans of many guests into disarray. As a popular property for destination weddings, many would-be newlyweds are now scrambling to find alternative locations to hold their festivities. It'd be great to see more effort from the hotel management team here, especially from Hyatt.