RIU THE
DAY: Spain-based accommodations chain Riu Hotels and
Resorts said it will open a new Palace-level property, its highest
grade of resort, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, in 2006. The new,
upscale Riu Palace Riviera Maya will join 14 other Palace
properties in operation worldwide and a 15th also under development
in Punta Cana, Domincan Republic. For more information, visit www.riu.com.
RAMP IT
UP: The all-inclusive resort kingpins at Club Med will
roll out The Ramp, a lounge for teen guests, at the chains Ixtapa,
Mexico, property by years-end. The Ramp, designed in part by the
Coca-Cola Co., features a skateboarding and rollerblading ramp; a
giant hammock; an open-air lounge with a state-of-the-art jukebox
and self-serve soda fountain; and more. The attraction is aimed at
guests ages 14 to 17.
MAS CLUB
MED: Club Med also announced plans to open a third Mexican
resort, most likely on the Yucatan peninsula, in the near future.
Club Med officials in Paris said the property, to be geared to the
upscale family market, could either be opened in an acquired,
existing Yucatan-area resort or built from the ground up. No target
opening date has been set. Visit www.clubmed.com.
FIT FOR
KINGS: The six all-inclusive Palace Resorts in Cancun and
on the Riviera Maya will offer guests staying three nights or more
through Dec. 23 a Palace Passport package. Qualified guests get
unlimited tours to Chichen Itza, Xpu-Ha/Tulum, Coba and other
attractions; one $50 voucher per person toward golf rounds; one $25
voucher per room toward car rental through Travesias Turisticas;
and one $15.00 voucher per person toward spa treatments. Nightly
room rates range from $300 to $500, depending on season and resort.
Four new Palace Resorts will open later this year, including
Cozumel Palace, Vallarta Palace, Playacar Palace and Le Blanc Spa
Resort, a new luxury brand for Palace Resorts. Call (800) 635-1836
or visit www.palaceresorts.com.