As you may know, following the business combination with Sagicor Group Limited, Playa Hotels & Resorts now owns and/or operates four Jewel-branded resorts and one Hilton property, all located on Jamaica's coveted North Coast.
Joining Playa's well-established Jamaican collection, which includes Hyatt Zilara and Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, the five-resort acquisition makes Playa one of the largest resort owners and operators in Jamaica - both in total number of rooms and number of brands under management.
Exciting times for Playa, indeed!
In the last few weeks, we've received a ton of questions regarding what this means for travel agents and we wanted to make sure that all your questions (and concerns) are addressed!
Will Jewel Runaway Bay be closing for renovations?
The answer is NO. Jewel Runaway Bay along with Jewel Paradise Cove, Jewel Dunn's River and Hilton Rose Hall will continue to operate as usual, with no impact on the guest experience throughout the remainder of 2018. However, there ARE updates currently being made at Jewel Grande.
What updates are taking place at Jewel Grande?
All existing guest reservations have been upgraded to ensure that the guest experience remains uninterrupted. Once the project is complete, Jewel Grande will remain the only all-suite luxury resort on the island, offering one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites-ideal for multigenerational and leisure group travel.
The two main towers Sable and Silver are open for business as usual. The Sentry tower is closed for improvements and will become part of Hyatt Ziva in December 2018. Jewel Grande's 88-room Sentry Tower, which houses the junior suite category has been closed. The closure includes the kids club, teen club, and the gift shop, all of which have been relocated. While Sentry Tower's dining venues have also been closed, the remainder of the dining outlets on-property are open and available for guests to enjoy.
IsHyatt Ziva Rose Hall expanding?
The short answer is yes! Agents who have traveled to Montego Bay know that Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall and Jewel Grande are adjacent properties. The Sentry Tower (which once belonged to Jewel Grande) will reopen in the fall as part of Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall due to the demand of more spacious accommodations, increasing the resort's room count to 365.
The 82, 1 bedroom nearly 800 sq.ft. junior suites will reflect an updated design, color palette and new furnishings consistent with Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall. In addition to these suites, there are also 4, 2-bedroom suites and 2, 3-bedroom suites that will complete this tower. This intention of the update is that it will significantly increase your clients' accommodation options when traveling to Montego Bay!
What Summer Promotions are currently running?
Each property has their own summer offers in place and it varies by resort. Additionally, consumers can receive discounted rates and special promotions via Playa Perks, Playa's new loyalty program.
Do agents continue to register bookings through the existing "Aim for the Stars" program?
Travel agents can continue to submit their bookings through the Aim for the Stars program through the remainder of 2018. Playa's existing AgentCASH program will continue to run as normal throughout the remainder of 2018, as well. It is important to note that any bookings made through Aim for the Stars in 2018 will be valid for Playa Resorts' annual Spotlight Awards. The two programs will merge in 2019.
We couldn't be more thrilled to welcome our new resorts to the Playa Family. Still have more questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to myself or your local Playa representative. We are here to help your business prosper during these exciting changes
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