PHOTO: The Hyatt Zilara Cancun. (Courtesy of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts)

Expect big things to come from Playa Hotels & Resorts, which last year opened Hyatt Zilara Cancun and Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos.  

As reported, Playa and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts joined forces to rebrand properties in Mexico and the Caribbean under two brands: Hyatt Zilara for adults only and Hyatt Ziva for families.

“We are on a very fast track,” said Kevin Froemming, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Playa Resorts Management, the operational unit of Playa Hotels & Resorts. “Our challenge isn’t lack of opportunity – it’s just picking the best ones.”

In November, Playa will open the Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara resorts in Montego Bay. The company is investing $83 million into the renovation of what was formerly The Ritz-Carlton. New public areas will be added, including a Brazilian steakhouse and a Moroccan-themed lounge called Fez.  “I believe it’s going to be the single nicest resort in all of the Caribbean,” said Froemming, who for 10 years served as president of Unique Vacations, the sales and marketing arm for Sandals and Beaches resorts.

On Dec. 1, Playa will unveil the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, which formerly operated as Dreams Puerto Vallarta. It, too, is undergoing a major renovation with 75 percent of the resort receiving facelifts, which include the addition of swim-up suites.

In the summer of 2015, Playa will extensively renovate Dreams Cancun, transforming it into the Hyatt Ziva Cancun. Renovations will include a new lobby and the doubling of the resort’s dolphin experience.

Froemming said Playa will only convert properties that have the ability to operate as five-star resorts. He said the company plans to open the Hyatt Ziva and Zilara brands in the Dominican Republic and is also eyeing Aruba, Panama and Costa Rica.

Because of its relationship with Hyatt, international expansion plans are also a possibility.  “We’re looking at places like Vietnam, Bora Bora and even Dubai,” he said. “We are on a very fast track.”

All things considered, Froemming believes that the Ziva and Zilara brands will distinguish themselves with service. “It’s one of our overall strengths,” he said.

Playa has tagged and trademarked the slogan The Evolution of All Inclusives. “What that means is that we believe that this is the next step in where all inclusives are going,” said Froemming.

Some of the bells and whistles of service include tequila sommeliers and chef dinners set in private dining rooms for seven-course meals. Resorts even feature Romance concierges, who “If you’re trying to do something special for your husband or wife, it will be night to remember,” said Froemming, adding that all guests have to do is call what Playa has dubbed Romance concierges and beach butlers.

Another product hallmark is the way in which staff says thank you to guests: They place their hands over their hearts. “It’s a way for them to show their appreciation for the guest and let them know that they know the job that they’re doing is very important to the people that are there,” Froemming said. “I’ve seen guests doing that back to our employees.”

Playa is also developing an app for mobile devices that will alerts guests to special onsite offerings and onsite amenities. The app will launch in tandem with the opening of the Jamaica properties on Nov. 1.  It will be rolled out at other Ziva and Zilara hotels shortly thereafter.

In the final analysis, Froemming believes that the success of the two brands hinges on its relationship with the trade. “We have over 8,000 agents that will be visiting our resorts over the next nine months,” he said. “It’s very important for us to get them down. Seeing is believing.”

In particular, Froemming noted that Playa plans to target home-based agents in a big way. “We want to reach out to that at-home audience and make sure that we’re engaged with them,” he said.

“On a personal note I would really like to thank the travel agency community for embracing this concept,” Froemming said. “It’s a crowded marketplace out there and the reception that we’ve gotten so far has been tremendous. It couldn’t have been done without our travel agent partners. The trade is it for us.”