Parroting Success
The Margaritaville resort brand is bringing its carefree vibe to Orlando and Grand Cayman

Soon there will be even more locations where your clients can enjoy cheeseburgers in paradise while changing their attitude to match the latitude. Margaritaville – the brand that takes its name from Jimmy Buffett’s signature song and that aims to envelop guests in the carefree, island-inspired lifestyle conveyed by his music – will open two major resort properties in the next two years, with plans for several more.
The Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman – the brand’s first resort in the Caribbean – is slated to open in early 2017. During the first quarter of 2018, the first phase of the Margaritaville Resort Orlando will debut, giving the brand a hotel presence in one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations.
The openings continue a steady rate of growth for the hospitality portfolio of Orlando-based Margaritaville Holdings, which also includes vacation clubs in St. Thomas and Puerto Rico, apparel, footwear, grocery items, restaurants and bars (with outposts now on Norwegian Cruise Line ships), beer and spirits, and a SiriusXM radio station. Jimmy Buffett and his business partner, John Cohlan, hold the majority ownership stake in Margaritaville Holdings LLC, a privately held diversified brand management company. Each Margaritaville hotel and resort is privately developed and managed.
Margaritaville opened its first property – the gulf-front, 162-room Margaritaville Beach Hotel in Pensacola, Fla. – in June 2010. The property’s debut was followed by the Margaritaville Resort Casino, Bossier City, (La.), in 2013; the Margaritaville Island Hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in the Smoky Mountains in 2014; the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Fla., in 2015; and the Margaritaville Resort Biloxi (Miss.), in June.
The debut of the Hollywood Beach property was especially significant for the brand. In late 2015, the 349-room resort opened its doors, revitalizing the historic beachfront Broadwalk in the South Florida town with a $175 million new build property.
This high-profile resort helped set the stage for further growth, according to Tamara Baldanza-Dekker, Margaritaville’s chief marketing officer. “Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort has been a huge success and definitely helped to leverage awareness for other Margaritaville hotels and resorts,” she said. “We knew this property would be something very special, but even we have been surprised by the reception the resort has received from travelers from around the world. Though guests come from all over, our primary markets are the Midwest, East Coast, Canada, Latin America and the U.K.”
In addition to Orlando and Grand Cayman, Margaritaville’s hospitality pipeline includes sites in Nashville and Gatlinburg, Tenn.; New Orleans; Chicago; and the Caribbean. “We anticipate having 10 hotels and resorts open and operational by the end of 2018, with countless opportunities for growth on the horizon,” Baldanza-Dekker said.
So what can your clients expect when they stay at a Margaritaville property? Whether they’re in Pensacola or Pigeon Forge, they’ll find “a tropical escape for guests looking to drift away to paradise,” Baldanza-Dekker said. While “parrotheads” – dedicated Jimmy Buffett fans – are sure to enjoy the properties, their appeal extends to many more markets. Baldanza-Dekker notes that Margaritaville resorts can be booked for family vacations, romantic escapes, friends’ getaways and corporate meetings.
“Margaritaville resorts create and deliver a sense of fun and escapism,” she said. All resorts feature a “casual-luxe” design, with subtle maritime accents and colors reflecting the sand and sea. Buffett ’s lyrical touches are found throughout the properties. At the Hollywood Beach resort, for example, an electric-blue sculpture of a blown-out flip-flip and a chandelier of upside-down margarita glasses pay homage to the brand’s namesake song in the lobby.
In fact, music plays a major role in every property, and not just Buffett tunes. At Hollywood Beach, the hotel manages the band shell adjacent to the hotel, where bands perform for guests and locals alike several nights a week. Another common theme is the variety of food-and-beverage outlets offered. Though the specifics vary among the resorts, clients may find a Margaritaville restaurant or a LandShark Bar & Grill, named for Buffett ’s beer brand.
Baldanza-Dekker said that Margaritaville welcomes travel agents with discounted rates and fam opportunities, and that a company-wide travel agent program is slated to debut in 2017. “We believe agents are a valuable asset to have on our side as we continue growing our hospitality division, as they are a great way to share our vision and experience with travelers,” she said.
Some Specifics on Grand Cayman, Orlando Resorts
Here’s a look at some of the features and amenities of the two new Margaritaville resorts.
MARGARITAVILLE RESORT ORLANDO
Slated to open in phases beginning in the first quarter 2018, the resort is a $750 million new build development, occupying land near Disney’s Animal Kingdom that previously was home to the defunct attraction Splendid China.
The development will feature a 187-room Margaritaville hotel, 1,000 Margaritaville-themed vacation homes, 300 timeshare units, 30,000 square feet of function space, stores, a dining and entertainment district, 12-acre water park, wellness center, wooded fitness trails, a water taxi system, and a three-acre freshwater swimmable lagoon with sand beaches, cabanas and water activities.
MARGARITAVILLE BEACH RESORT GRAND CAYMAN
Set on the island’s Seven Mile Beach, the Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman (formerly the Treasure Island Resort) is expected to open in early 2017 after a multimillion-dollar renovation.
It will feature 286 guestrooms; three pools, including an activity pool with a waterslide, a main pool with a swim-up bar and an adults-only pool; live entertainment; retail shops; a fitness center; and flexible function space. Food-and-beverage outlets include the License to Chill Bar; the Banana Wind Café; a swim-up bar at the main pool; Spread, a charcuterie and wine bar; and the resort’s signature restaurant, YARA, a “global” steakhouse.
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