Palladium Hotels & Resorts will invest $21 million to
upgrade the guest experience at its 12 Grand Palladium and Royal Suites by
Palladium properties in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico.
The company will spend $5 million of the total investment on
food and beverage offerings, including upgrades in steak quality, buffet
presentations, liquor and mini-bar snacks.
The number of staff members will increase 13%, to 8,243, at
the 12 resorts.
Bernard Wyss, recently named director of innovation and
product development, will oversee quality and service consistency at the
properties. His background includes experience at all-inclusive hotel groups
Paradis, Melia, RCD Resorts and AMResorts.
The company plans to invest in technology that will allow
guests to text the concierge directly from the brand's app. Investments also
will be used to increase WiFi bandwidth at each resort, install better sound
systems at the pools and update animation capabilities for performances.
Additional trolleys will be added to transport guests from
one property to another and to reduce wait times in the lobbies.
New pool bikes also will be installed.
"We are dedicated to improving our guests' experiences
in every way possible, so we are investing in upgrades that matter the most -- service,
food and beverage and technology," said Jacques De Paep, Palladium Hotel
Group's commercial director for North America.
He said that guest satisfaction at the upgraded properties
in Punta Cana, Montego Bay and the Riviera Maya soared after renovations were
completed, "so we are extending this investment in upgrades at all our
properties."
In addition, the Grand Palladium Riviera Resort & Spa in
Riviera Maya will be converted to an extension of the existing Royal Suites
Yucatan by Palladium to expand the resort's adults-only offerings. The
conversion will be completed in phases from June 1 through the fall.
The lobby at the current Grand Palladium Riviera Resort will
become the new lobby of the Royal Suites.
The renovated property will feature 454 guest rooms, 108 of
which will have swim-up pools. A new beach experience will offer an adults-only
beach club, a new infinity pool, four a la carte themed restaurants and a
cabaret a la carte restaurant with different shows.
Guests at the other Palladium resorts in the Riviera Maya
complex will not be affected by the construction during the renovation project.
Upgrades also are planned at the Grand Palladium Punta Cana
Resort & Spa, to be completed by the end of November.
Rodizio, the Brazilian steakhouse, will replace the current
Hemingway Bar at Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort & Spa. Additional teppanyaki
tables will be installed at Sumptuori restaurant, a new area will feature a
fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines, and El Bezique restaurant will be
redesigned with modern decor.
A new beach club will be added to the adults-only area of
the Royal Suites Turquesa in Punta Cana.