The first W Hotel in the Caribbean, and the world’s first all-inclusive W Hotel. Soon-to-open luxury all-inclusives in Barbados. And the first “ultra-luxury” hotel coming next year to Cap Cana.
Open Jaw this week sat down with top officials from Marriott Bonvoy to talk about new developments and trends in Mexico and the Caribbean.
Perhaps the most interesting project is the W Hotel, which is slated to open in Punta Cana next May as the first W in the Caribbean, and the first all-inclusive W Hotel on the planet.
There will be a strong emphasis on the arts and music, as well as amazing food and “cocktail artistry,” one senior Marriott representative explained. “There will be good vibes and the type of energy that W generally has. But the brand is going through a bit of a revamp. It’s not only about the party, it’s about how you connect with yourself and connect with other people, and more about wellness.”
Marriott got into the all-inclusive market a few years ago with seven properties. They’re now up to 33, including hotels in Mexico, Barbados, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Brazil and many other places. There’s also a much greater emphasis on luxury all-inclusive hotels.
“We’re increasing our footprint in the all-inclusive luxury space,” officials told Open Jaw. “This year we’re opening Almare on Isla Mujeres, the first Marriott luxury all-inclusive in Mexico.”
Almare is a boutique, adults-only property with 109 rooms that’s part of the Marriott Luxury Collection.
They’’ll also open Paraiso de la Bonita, a Luxury Collection Resort on the Riviera Maya next year, which is located on the exquisite grounds of the previous Zoetry property. There’s also a Sunrise Miches coming to the newly developed Miches area in the DR.
There are plans for an all-inclusive Marriott in Tunisia, and more could come for the Mediterranean, officials said.
One of the biggest bits of news are Marriott’s all-inclusive properties in Barbados, part of the Elegant Hotels group.
“The hotels in Barbados were really tired,” the Marriott representative said. “So, we’ve given them major renovations.”
Three will open in November on the so-called Platinum Coast of Barbados; Treasure Beach by Elegant Hotels, Waves Resort and Spa and The House by Elegant Hotels.
“They’ll all be Autograph Collection hotels and all-inclusive. The House in Barbados has just 34 rooms. It’s very small, so you have more personalized service. You feel like you’re at home. That’s why they call it The House.”
Marriott Bonvoy surveyed its members a few years ago and found that 67% of respondents were quite interested in all-inclusive hotels. It wasn’t a Marriott specialty in the past, but their aggressive move into the market shows there was a solid opportunity.
“Marriott’s always looking for new ways to grow and new ways to expand. So, all-inclusive was a natural move for the company. And we don’t see it stopping at all. We have boutique properties, and we have larger hotels with amenities for the whole family. We have an all-inclusive for every traveller.”
Another Marriott representative who doesn’t look after all-inclusive resorts said there’s tons of new product coming on stream.
“We have more than 10 brands in the region, and new ones coming in the luxury segment” she said. “The Dominican Republic is flourishing. Next March the St. Regis will open as the first ‘ultra luxury’ hotel in Capa Cana. It will be great for Canadians who like Cap Cana but maybe want a more posh experience. We’re also expanding other premium brands to other coastal areas.”
“The St. Regis brand is growing like crazy,” she said. “There are other brands coming to the Caribbean that are not in the region, and that opens the market for other types of travellers. That’s the beauty of our brand; there is from let’s say budget-travel friendly or solo travel to premium or corporate or luxury.”
Aruba will soon have a St. Regis hotel, which will be a sister property to the Ritz-Carlton Aruba.
“We find that people really want to visit Curacao, as well,” she said. “I think it’ s one of those lesser-known islands. People don’t know you can do so much; not just beaches and water sports like diving and scuba but the culture, the Dutch Caribbean flair, the architecture. I think they have 18 beaches, so you can go to a different one every day.”
Air lift is, of course, key. The representative noted that Air Bermuda has direct flights to the islands from both Toronto and Halifax. The only Marriott property in Bermuda right now is the St. Regis, but other hotels are in the pipeline.
Another hotel that’s coming is Salterra, a Marriott Luxury Collection resort and spa on South Caicos.
The demand for luxury hotels doesn’t seem to be diminishing, the representative said.
“The term luxury has been redefined. Sometimes luxury is spending time with your family. So, our properties are curating things for the entire family. We can put together a great itinerary; maybe it’s a catamaran trip or a cooking class with a chef.
“Maybe it’s not white glove luxury, but the experiences that will create lifetime memories.”
Marriott Bonvoy also is making a big push in wellness travel.
“At the Aruba Marriot we have a package called ‘desert bathing.’ You get a picnic basket, we take you to a nice part of the desert, and you can do meditation or stretching and then have lunch. After that we bring you back and maybe you can enjoy the spa.”
“I think the pandemic gave us that sense of people needing to be well inside and outside. People invest more into that way of life now.”
Multigenerational travel remains big, as well, officials said.
“Nowadays, guests don’t want to just bring their kids; they want to bring their grandparents, their grandkids. We’re seeing more families planning ahead so everyone can go. But sometimes it’s more impulsive.”
