All-inclusive resorts are upping the ante and offering high-end services that cater to clients who want a vacation with extra perks.
hyatt zilara/ziva
Over at all-inclusive, adults-only Hyatt Zilara and family-friendly Hyatt Ziva, clients looking for an indulgent escape can call the Hyatt Club Level home for their holiday. (I had the opportunity to stay at the Hyatt Club Level during a recent visit to the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta and the extra perks are well worth it.) This “hotel within a hotel” concept offers guests exclusive facilities and services such as butler service, plus a private lounge offering cocktail service throughout the day and evening, light breakfast, afternoon snacks, and evening canapes and sweets. But that’s not all of the extras guests get at this level. There’s also a private check-in area, accommodations (including spacious suites) with premium views, in-room petit fours and sparkling wine, nightly turndown sweets, a VIP in-room refreshment service and premium liquors, as well as complimentary in-room dining, domestic and international calls, and laundry service. When heading to the beach, Hyatt Club Level guests have access to reserved beachside cabanas as well as the same snacks and drinks served at the Hyatt Club Level lounge. At the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos rates for a Hyatt Ziva Club Ocean View Suite start at $598 per night dbl all-inclusive, while at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun (opening November), the Hyatt Ziva Club Ocean Front starts at $432 per night dbl all-inclusive. At the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, the Hyatt Ziva Club Ocean View Suite starts from $390 per night dbl all-inclusive (agents, take note: this one is a particular value. at only $90 more than regular guest suites).
occidental hotels & resorts
Guests headed to Occidental Grand Hotels (Barcelo, incidentally, has acquired Occidental) can opt for the boutique-style, five-star Royal Club, which offers exclusive amenities and services. They’ll have access to in-room WiFi and DVD player, a pillow menu, a private restaurant and lounge, concierge service, and a private check-in reception area, plus preferred seating at all a la carte dining venues. And let’s not forget the prime real estate—exclusive beach areas. Royal Clubs are featured at Royal Club Grand Cozumel Resort, Royal Club Grand Nuevo Vallarta Resort and Royal Club Grand Xcaret Resort. Call for rates.
the royal suites by palladium
For an adults-only escape, The Royal Suites by Palladium is a good option. These exclusive accommodations located within the Grand Palladium Resorts in Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit offer guests the privacy and attention of a small resort with access to all the amenities of the larger resort.
Both The Royal Suites Punta de Mita by Palladium in Riviera Nayarit—featuring 96 Royal Junior Suites and four Royal Master Suites with a living room, a private terrace with a hot tub overlooking acres of lush tropical gardens, and a private 1,000-ft. beach—and The Royal Suites Yucatan by Palladium—featuring 90 Royal Junior Suites, 18 Royal Suites, and 22 Royal Mayan Suites—offer guests adults-only restaurants, bars and pools. In addition, guests are pampered with butler service, 24-hour room service, complimentary WiFi, and access to the exercise room. A 24-hour private reception area provides guests with a lounge where they can access free international digital and printed press, coffee, snacks and premium drinks. The private beach area at The Royal Suites Yucatan, incidentally, features Bali beds and waiter service. Rates for a Royal Junior Suite at the Royal Suites Yucatan by Palladium start at $390 per night dbl, and at The Royal Suites Punta de Mita by Palladium, a Royal Junior Suite starts at $320 per night dbl; both rates are for the all-inclusive program.
amresorts
At AMResorts properties, including Breathless Resorts, Dreams Resorts, Now Resorts, Suncape Resorts and Secrets Resorts, guests can amp up their stay with either the Preferred Club or xhale Club (available at Breathless Resorts).
The Preferred Club, offered at Dreams, Now and Secrets, offers guests such amenities as a private Preferred Lounge, Preferred status and amenities, concierge service, daily continental breakfast in the lounge, afternoon hors d’oeuvres, desserts and fine liquors, complimentary newspaper in-room daily, complimentary Internet in-room, computer access in the Preferred Club Lounge, upgraded minibar service, and upgraded bath amenities.
At Breathless Resorts & Spas, it’s the xhale Club that ups the ante. Many of the services are the same as with the Preferred Club, such as personalized check-in and check-out with concierge service, but there’s also access to two xhale Club lounges, two private xhale Club pools, upgraded bath amenities, pool concierge and bar service, access to a private restaurant for breakfast and lunch, plus such items as a pillow menu, and hors d’oeuvres and
treats in the lounge.
iberostar hotels & resorts
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts offers the 646-sq.-ft. Priority Suites at the luxurious, adults-only Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso in the Riviera Maya. The Priority Location Ocean Front Suite has a private balcony with ocean view and priority oceanfront location on the top floor near beach and main pool, while the Priority Location Suites have garden or jungle views and priority location in main building on upper floor near restaurants. Suites come with complimentary WiFi; customizable minibar; 24-hour gourmet room service; and—this is where the priority really kicks in—concierge and butler service. Guests also have access to a pillow menu, bathrobes, slippers and nightly turndown service with aromatherapy, plus a complimentary round of golf per person per stay for those staying three or more nights. Guests also have complimentary access to the 32,000-sq.-ft. SPA Sensations’ wet area. In addition, guests of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso—the only Grand Collection property in Mexico—can visit the rest of the resorts throughout the complex (there are five in total, including the Grand Hotel property) and use the resorts’ amenities at no extra charge. Rates for the Priority Location Suites start at $320 pp per night and the Priority Location Oceanfront Suites start at $369 pp per night.
Billionaire Birthday Celebration
The Grand Velas properties in Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit cater to teens with the Billionaire’s Birthday package, which is filled with all the bling one could imagine for a grand celebration. The package includes private roundtrip transportation via jet from anywhere in the U.S., Mexico or Canada; private check-in with edible gold popsicles; welcome bags that include an Apple iWatch; a custom designer dress by Pineda Covalin; a spa takeover for a Gold Treatment; the resort’s Rent Your Rock program where guests rent jewelry such as a yellow canary diamond; a skydive or flyboard experience; an exclusive fireworks show; musical entertainment by a renowned DJ and performing artist ranging from Maroon 5 to Pitbull; a welcome dinner accompanied by a master mixologist who creates mocktails for the teens; and personalized catering by Celebrity Chef Mikel Alonso—the winner of “S. Pellegrino’s Top 50 Restaurants in the World.” The beach blowout bash, which features a sand sculpture to commemorate the celebration, accommodates up to 300 guests. When it’s time for bed, the resort’s 2-bedroom Presidential Suite is the teens’ home away from home, complete with daily en-suite breakfast for up to 10 friends.
Rates start at $2 million.
contact information
AMResorts: amresorts.com or amrewards.amragents.com
Grand Velas: rivieramaya.grandvelas.com/special-pkg/velas-resorts-billionaire-birthday-package or velasexperts.com
Hyatt Zilara/Ziva: allinclusive.hyatt.com or agents.playaresorts.com
Iberostar Hotels & Resort: iberostar.com; thegrandcollection.com or iberostar.com/en/travel-agents-hotels
Occidental Hotels & Resorts: occidentalhotels.com
The Royal Suites by Palladium: palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/brands/the-royal-suites or palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/profesionales
