Top destinations for incentive groups, the Caribbean & Mexico always have so much new. Here are a few fall highlights.
Club Med
Club Med, with properties throughout the Caribbean & Mexico—Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Guadeloupe and Martinique, as well as Cancun and Ixtapa—has taken aim at incentive groups. The Cancun property, for example., has its own separate entrance for VIP check in, and its own coral reef right off the beach. Groups can rent an activity, such as the watersports, and make it exclusively theirs. In the Bahamas, a group of 300 can buy out the property and have its own private island. The keyword is activity. “Our clients typically are not here just to lay on the beach,” says Club Med North America President and CEO Xavier Mufraggi. “They want to keep their wellness routine going while they’re here, or to learn something new.”
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa
On Grand Cayman, the first new property in a decade, the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, is celebrating its first anniversary as the brand’s foray into the luxury market—and an impressive one, at that. The 266-room hotel sits on 500 feet of Seven Mile Beach; its lobby is elevated 24 ft above sea level for ideal viewing. In fact, every detail has been given that level of thought, from the Turkish Hammam in the spa to the nine-seat Chef’s Bar in Avecita to the stylish yet playful interior design. In the lobby, which features 20-ft ceilings and local natural materials such as weathered wood and polished stone, guests are greeted by colorful prints from local pop artist Dready. There’s a dual appeal for the Millennial as well as the seasoned incentive attendee.
Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa
A new multimillion dollar renovation has planted the 495-room all-inclusive Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa firmly on the Caribbean’s meeting and incentive map. This tropical oasis has 44,000 sf of meeting space, an adjacent Cinnamon Hill Golf Course designed by Robert Von Hagge and even its own water park, which was also reimagined at the tune of $400,000. And the resort added 750 ft of beachfront to expand its white sand beach to 2,500 ft. With the right timing, it is open to buyouts from meeting and incentive groups.
Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
Fiesta Americana has completed a renovation of its classic Cancun property, lending the the Condesa Cancun a modern, yet warm, Mexican look and feel. Upgrades to more than 500 rooms include new bathrooms, TVs and improved Wi-Fi, and the Grand Ballroom has also been renovated. This is the most significant investment in the hotel, a popular group property, since it opened in 1989. New properties planned for Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Riviera Maya will combine the Live Aqua and Fiesta Americana brands into a single resort with meeting space in the center.
