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| Sonesta Ocean Point Resort in St. Maarten now offers personalized service from experienced butlers in 25 of its top suites, including Sunset Suites shown here. |
Service upgrades, a new brand identity and a look at some big doings down the road, plus some rewarding news for agents, top the recent developments on the all-inclusive resort front. Here is a sampling.
Sonesta Ocean Point Adds Butler Service: The luxury all-inclusive, adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point Resort in St. Maarten recently launched butler service in 25 of its top suites, including the Rooftop Suites, Sunset Suites and Luxury Penthouses. Inclusive of the nightly rates, and unique to Sonesta Ocean Point Butler Suites, is exclusive access to a private wine selection, in addition to convenient and discreet personalized service from experienced butlers rated by the International Butler Institute and trained by certified instructors.
The butler service will extend to every part of the guest’s stay, from packing and unpacking luggage, laundry services, dinner reservations with preferential seating, booking of tours, activities and spa treatments, even arranging a romantic dinner for two in-suite, on the private patio or beachfront. The guest’s personalized luxury experience commences even before arrival, where they can contact the butler team to provide special requests, dietary needs and arrival time. Upon arrival, a cell phone is provided allowing them to relay requests directly to their butler.
Goodbye “SunSpree,” Hello Upgrades: In Jamaica, the Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay is updating its brand identity, including the dropping of “SunSpree” from its name, following a $15 million renovation. In addition to new signage throughout the resort, guests will also notice upgrades and improvements within guest rooms, the expansive oceanview lobby, the onsite Sol-Mer Spa & Beauty Salon, and each of the property’s four restaurants offering a variety of cuisines including seafood, Japanese, Caribbean and Italian.
Couples in particular should take note of the resort’s new RoseHall Club Adult Concept, a special section of the property reserved strictly for grown-ups. It builds upon the foundation of the pre-existing adults-only pool, adding an elegant lounge, premium amenities and services and blocks of rooms to create a child-free oasis within the property.
Zoetry Is Coming to Aruba: The Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba is no stranger to all-inclusives, but it’s mostly of the three- or four-star variety, and there is still a huge market for that. However, the island can now look forward to that trophy all-inclusive to prove that its product is evolving with the times.
The signing of Zoetry Isla Di Oro Aruba by the Apple Leisure Group subsidiary, AMResorts, will bring the award-winning Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts brand to Aruba for the first time and expand Apple Leisure Group’s rapidly growing footprint to its eighth country. The resort will be one of the first properties in the Caribbean to have overwater bungalow-style accommodations, offering a unique experience to guests visiting the region.
The 126 suites will overlook a secluded inlet affording views of the water and surrounding tropical landscape. The resort, owned by developer/hotelier Franz Sydow and an international investment group, will start construction in 2015 and welcome guests in the summer of 2018.
Occidental Offers Rewards to Agents: Occidental Hotels & Resorts, which has hotels in the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America, has announced it will participate in the taRewards program. Each month partner suppliers and destinations of taRewards offer the chance for travel agents to enter and win prizes such as FAM trips, iPads, gift cards and more. In addition, travel professionals can enter to win a four-night stay for two at adults-only, all-inclusive Royal Hideaway Playacar in Riviera Maya.