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| The Swim-out Junior Suites at Sonesta Ocean Point Resort in St. Maarten |
There are many reasons why some of your leisure clients may prefer to stay at an adults-only resort or hotel, especially if they have no dependent children living at home. You may, therefore, wish to suggest such accommodations to your older clients. Eight out of 10 Matures took at least one vacation with a spouse or other adult, but without children, during the past 12 months, while nearly three out of four Boomers did the same, according to MMGY Global’s 2015 Portrait of American Travelers.
Bear in mind, however, that more than half of the Millennial travelers also took trips with another adult, while well over a third of them traveled alone. Xers were, overwhelmingly, the most likely to travel with children in tow; still, nearly half took trips sans minors.
For those customers who prefer a child-free environment for their coming vacations, there is no shortage of resorts that will accommodate them. Here are some of the latest developments on that front in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Hawaii.
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| Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas will have 244 rooms on 12 floors. |
The all-inclusive Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas resort is now accepting reservations for guest arrivals beginning October 1. The new 12-story, 244-room resort on Nassau Harbour is also offering Early Bird Savings of 30 percent off bookings made by July 31 with discounted nightly rates starting at $371 per room, per night, double.
Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors have been installed in the Harbour Deluxe Balcony and Harbour Premium Balcony rooms to let in natural light and take advantage of the resort’s waterfront setting. The three Harbour-front One-Bedroom Suites on the top two floors each measure 650 square feet and are about twice the size of the other guestrooms.
Resort amenities include four restaurants, a full-service spa and salon, a gift shop and a tour desk offering sightseeing options to the destination’s attractions. The 7,000-square-foot Warwick Sea Terrace, overlooking the marina, will have an outdoor seafood restaurant, which will be open to the public but, not covered in the all-inclusive rates. The terrace also has an arrivals’ dock, a fire pit and an expansive boardwalk with a waterside belvedere for destination weddings.
A new, five-star, all-inclusive resort for those ages 18 and above will open this summer on the shores of Arena Gorda beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Hotel Riu Republica will offer two super-sized infinity pools with large solarium terraces, a gym, a steam room and a Jacuzzi, all complimentary, as well as a wellness center with a beauty salon, hairdresser and massage service (for a fee). The hotel also has a nightclub and an evening program of live music and shows. Guests can join RIU’s entertainment program, which includes windsurfing, kayaking and snorkeling, as well as other sports such as water polo and handball. They can even take a diving test in the pool. Golf courses, tennis courts and an ecological reserve are nearby.
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| Sanctuary Cap Cana by AlSol has 174 suites, including several of the swim-up variety. |
Also in the Dominican Republic, the luxury Sanctuary Cap Cana by AlSol recently introduced its new adults-only (18 and older) concept. The resort has 174 suites, including several of the swim-up variety, as well as one- and two-bedroom villas; dining options ranging from seafood and steakhouse to pan-Asian and Northern Italian; wine tastings and cooking lessons; live music and beach parties; weekly Staff vs. Guests volleyball tournament; and transfers to and from the Jack Nicklaus-designed Punta Espada Golf Club. The tour desk can arrange excursions to Hoyo Azul Lagoon, zip lining, four-wheel-drive tours, boat rides and more.
The Viva Wyndham V Samana is another new adult retreat in the D.R.; for a firsthand report, see page 18.
The all-suite Sonesta Ocean Point Resort in St. Maarten is celebrating its second summer with two special offers. Guests staying two or more nights for travel now through December 22 can save 35 percent (promo code: SPRING), while those booking a minimum five-night stay can save up to 45 percent on Butler Suites (promo code: BUTLER). The sale ends on June 30.
In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a new look awaits summer guests at Casa Velas, the boutique sister hotel of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit. In celebration of its 10th anniversary in November, the property unveiled the results of a major renovation. A total of 38 suites received bathroom upgrades with marble countertops, glass shower doors and double sinks. The rooms were also outfitted with new terra-cotta floors, walk-in closets, wet bars and contemporary dressers. Most of the Grand Class suites also had Jacuzzis installed on their private terraces. The one- and two-bedroom Ambassador Suites have new mahogany bars in the kitchen. Revamped suites also are decorated with new art and paintings from leading Mexican artists.
This past winter, AMResorts, a subsidiary of Apple Leisure Group, opened Secrets Playa Bonita Panama Resort & Spa. Minutes from Panama City off the Pacific coast, the property offers oceanfront views and private balconies in each of its 310 rooms. In line with AMResorts’ other Unlimited–Luxury properties, Secrets Playa Bonita Panama offers top-shelf spirits served throughout the resort’s four bars; 24-hour room service; pool and beach wait service; and, a variety of gourmet dining options, including four à la carte gourmet restaurants, a buffet and a café. Spanning more than 10,000 square feet, Secrets Spa by Pevonia offers guests a wellness experience that combines hydrotherapy and indigenous treatments.
The five-star Hotel Wailea on Maui’s south shore offers couples two ways to save. Now through September 30, the Summer Special package includes a 16 percent discount off the suite of your clients’ choice plus a $50 breakfast credit for each morning of their stay. A two-night minimum is required. The resort also offers a free fifth night with every four consecutive paid nights. Another Hotel Wailea package, A Suite Getaway for Two, includes one night in an Ocean View Suite and four hours’ use of a two-passenger manual transmission Maui Roadster 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster reproduction equipped with a gourmet picnic basket lunch and a map showing Maui’s best drive-up beaches.