Acting on plans for a rapid expansion over the next two years,
Palace Resorts bought four beachfront hotels in Mexico from Grupo
Sidek Situr, and has plans to build a new luxury all-inclusive
property in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic.
The new hotels are the Hotel Sierra Cancun, Hotel Continental
Plaza Playacar, Hotel Plaza Las Glorias Cozumel and Hotel Sierra
Nuevo Vallarta. The additions will bring the company’s total
portfolio in Mexico to 10. The Punta Cana property is not expected
to open until late 2005. Palace Resorts also operates Grand Beach
Palace in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This year has been a very important year for Palace Resorts,
said Roberto Chapur, president of the resort chain.
“After our recent expansion to the Caribbean with Grand Beach
Palace in St. Thomas,” he said, “we are continuing to strengthen
our all-inclusive resort chain in Mexico, and giving our clients
the opportunity to enjoy the quality of a Palace property in new
destinations in Mexico.”
The four hotels purchased from Sidek Situr will continue to
operate under the same names until the end of the year, when the
names will be changed as they are integrated into the Palace
brand.
All will be upgraded, but the Hotel Sierra Cancun, a 260-room
property in the heart of Cancun’s hotel zone, will see the most
work. All rooms and common areas will be totally redone to bring
the hotel up to five-star level, said Maira Briceno, sales and
marketing manager.
The hotel will likely be closed from August through December
this year while under construction.
Two other new hotels may also be closed during that period,
though renovations there will not be quite as extensive: the
185-room Hotel Continental Plaza Playacar, and the 174-room Hotel
Plaza Las Glorias Cozumel. Both are currently European plan hotels
that will be converted to all-inclusive by next year.
The 362-room Hotel Sierra Nuevo Vallarta is expected to remain
open. Briceno said details are still being worked out, but upgrades
there are likely to include a general freshening up of decor, the
addition of new amenities, expansion of the restaurant and a new
spa.
Palace has purchased land for a new resort in Punta Cana, which
will be similar in layout to the adults-only Adventura Spa Palace
property on the Riviera Maya.
Weddings will also continue to be a focus. This year, Palace
Resorts is also offering free wedding packages at the Moon Palace
Golf & Spa Resort, Xpu-Ha Palace and at the Adventura Spa
Palace (as well as Grand Beach Palace in St. Thomas). The package
includes a justice of the peace, champagne for guests at the
ceremony, dinner reservations for the wedding party, a candlelight
dinner for the bride and groom, a fruit basket and sparkling wine
in the room.
Additional services are available for a nominal fee. Superior
and deluxe wedding packages are also available, starting at $1,349,
in addition to the room rate.
800-635-1836
www.palaceresorts.com
