Anna Is the Preferred Club upgrade worth the extra cost? All-inclusive resorts are expensive, and already offer so many amenities. How can you decide if the VIP experience justifies the price point?
When staying at a Dreams resort, the Preferred Club is an an upgrade you can apply to your booking that grants access to exclusive amenities, premium drinks, and private spaces. It’s a highly praised program within the World of Hyatt all-inclusive collection, but is it really worth the hype (and the cost)?
The brand-new Dreams Estrella Del Mar in Mazatlán, which just opened in 2024, is a gorgeous oceanfront resort with a massive golf course and a pristine beach. But as with most new resorts, there are some growing pains (translation: they’re still figuring their sh!t out). After visiting in the fall, we found that some of the Preferred Club perks aren’t exactly as advertised. The website’s unclear; Here’s what you need to know before booking.
Is the Preferred Club Room Upgrade Worth It? Here’s What You Need to Know
The Preferred Club booking will get you a better room. Here’s a summary of what those perks can look like.
Swim-out Rooms: First-Floor Perks & Trade-Offs
Premium Swim-out Rooms offer direct pool access from your patio, but keep in mind:
- The swim-out pools are only on the first floor and they’re shared with all first-floor rooms- they’re is no physical divider.
- They’re slightly elevated for privacy, so there is privacy from the activity on the pool deck and provides a view of the ocean.
- These are still some of the best rooms for privacy at this Dreams resort.
- Unlimited drink service not offered for those in the swim-up pools—there’s no way for the staff to hand off drinks.
Bathroom & Tub Features:
Preferred club rooms have a large soaking tub in the bathroom. In contrast, the instead the regular rooms have only a shower stall—which is spacious and very nice, but there’s no tub.
Some bathtubs are positioned in front of large windows for a dreamy soak with an ocean view—but people on the pool deck can also see you.
Upgraded Toiletries & Mini Bar: In theory, Preferred Club rooms come with premium toiletries and a better-stocked minibar… but in reality? One of us booked this upgrade and didn’t get any of these perks.
Outdoor Soaking Tub: Cool Feature, But Not Exactly Private
The preferred club rooms come with an outdoor soaking tub on the patio—and it’s pretty sweet. Imagine lounging in the bubbles while listening to the sounds of the ocean? Dreamy, right?
Unfortunately, these tubs are in full view of everyone, everywhere—so if you’re gazing at the stars, anyone can be gazing at you. If you’re looking for the best rooms at Dreams for privacy…it’s not these.
That being said, the pools close in the evening so there is less foot traffic under your balcony at night.
Want more privacy? Here’s how to get it:
- Request a room on the 3rd floor and up, that will likely protect you from wandering eyes.
- Ask for a room in the southern most building— furthest away from the busy pool areas.
Preferred club rooms have extra space, but you can’t tell
Preferred Club rooms at Dreams Estrella Del Mar are larger than standard rooms, but not by a noticeable margin. In reality, the regular rooms are already quite spacious. Really, the extra square footage is eaten up by the patio and the bathroom; the living space felt the same. To me, this extra space isn’t worth it because I don’t spend much time in the room.
Even if I was sharing a room with 4 women (I think 4 adults is the max guest allowance in this room), there would be plenty of space and mirrors in the room for everyone to get ready for an evening out at the same time. The extra space is the least valuable of all the preferred club perks.
One key perk of Preferred Club rooms is in-room breakfast service, which could be a huge convenience for families with young kids, strollers, and playpens. I know little kids can be a handful!
However, it’s unclear how this differs from the 24-hour room service that all guests have access to. If it means a wider selection or priority service, it could be valuable—but from our experience, the difference wasn’t obvious.
Is the Preferred Club Worth It for Exclusivity at Dreams Mazatlan?
One of the advertised perks of the preferred Club at Dreams Resorts is the promise of exclusive spaces and premium experiences. But at Dreams Estrella Del Mar, exclusivity isn’t as prominent with the preferred club upgrade as you might expect
Preferred Club Lounge: A Nice Perk, But Not Essential
Preferred Club members get access to a private lounge near the lobby, where you’ll find premium liquors at the bar and small snacks available in the afternoon. It’s a quiet space to relax away from the main resort areas. This may become a luxurious reprieve when the resort is operating at high capacity. For now though, the resort is chill; you won’t need to escape crowds and noise.
If you’re looking for a quick bite, the Coco Café is open to all guests 24/7, serving sandwiches, desserts, coffee, and pastries—so you won’t go hungry at Dreams Mazatlan, even without the preferred club upgrade.
Restaurant Access: No Exclusive Dining Options
At some Dreams Resorts, Preferred Club guests enjoy exclusive, high-tier restaurant access. However, there aren’t Preferred Club private dining options at Dreams Estrella Del Mar. All the restaurants are open to all guests, regardless of membership. That being said, the food at Dreams Mazatlan was really good, so who cares if you don’t get special restaurants.
One advertised perk was a private Preferred Club breakfast service at Oceana, but as of November 2024, it wasn’t being offered. It’s unclear whether this will be available in the future once the resort is fully operational. This highlights a common issue with new resorts—discrepancies between what’s advertised and what’s actually available when you arrive.
Want True Exclusivity? Expect to Pay Extra
While the Preferred Club itself doesn’t grant private dining perks, there is an option for a VIP dining experience. A section of Portofino’s, called The Cave—a private wine cellar—can be reserved for an exclusive dining experience, but it comes with an additional fee.
The Preferred Club Pool
- Adults-only: No kids, no noise, no cannonballs.
- Smaller & more secluded: Tucked into the northern corner of the resort, away from the main activity.
- Extra shade compared to other pools.
- Premium swim-up bar: Stocked with higher-end alcohol (except, it wasn’t open yet when we visited).
- Private cabanas: Two luxurious cabanas open directly to the ankle-deep wading area (can reserve for a fee).
- IT’S HEATED
Is It Worth It? Depends on the Season
In November, the Preferred Club pool was slightly heated or temperature controlled, which was a huge perk because the water was chilly despite the warm weather.
It gets windy in the afternoons and it’s not super comfortable to swim in the chilly pool—most people migrated toward the jacuzzis instead.
🚨 If you’re visiting in winter, this heated pool alone could make the upgrade worth it. But in the summer months, when water temperatures naturally warm up, the extra cost may not be justified. To be clear, this is the only perk I would play for.
How Does It Compare to the Other Pools?
- Main family-friendly pool – Has a shallow end for small kids (about 3ft deep), separated by an ankle-deep barricade, usually with partially submerged lounge chairs etc. It’s the same body of water, though, so let’s just say… there’s a non-zero percent chance of pee in the deep end.
- This is where the daily water activities and sports takes place
- Large infinity-style pool: Overlooks the beach, has a shallow perimeter with in-water lounge chairs, and includes another swim-up bar (not open in Nov, but plenty of drink service around the pools—shout out to Hector, who was amazing. He made our trip, so if you’re lucky enough to overlap with him during your stay, you must take care of Hector).
Final Verdict: Is the Preferred Club Pool Worth the Upgrade?
If you’re visiting during the cooler months, this is probably the best Preferred Club perk—having access to a heated, adults-only pool makes a huge difference. If you’re going in the peak of summer, when all pools are naturally warm, the exclusivity factor might not be enough to justify the upgrade.
Ultimately, if avoiding kids, noise, and potential pool accidents is your top priority, the Preferred Club pool is the strongest reason to upgrade. If you don’t mind a livelier atmosphere, the main pools are honestly very nice, and you may be better off saving your money.
