TUI BLUE Curaçao Opens October 20: Inside the New 297-Room All-Inclusive — and What First Guests Need to Know
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TUI BLUE Curaçao Opens October 20: Inside the New 297-Room All-Inclusive — and What First Guests Need to Know
A major new all-inclusive resort is about to open on one of Curaçao’s quieter stretches of coastline—but travelers arriving first should know they are signing up for something unusual: part Caribbean vacation, part soft opening.
Beginning October 20, 2026, TUI BLUE Curaçao will welcome its first paying guests to a new 297-room beachfront resort at Groot Santa Martha, on Curaçao’s less-developed western side.
There will be a private beach. Swim-up rooms. Oceanfront accommodations. An infinity-style pool. Unlimited drinks. Beachfront dining. Kayaks and paddleboards.
But there will also still be construction.
TUI BLUE has taken the unusual step of telling prospective guests exactly that.
The company currently describes October 20 as the start of a controlled opening phase, during which parts of the resort will operate while other facilities continue toward completion. Its latest construction update says rooms are being prepared, pools filled, landscaping installed and employees trained, while acknowledging that the eastern side is further along than the western side.
And there is an important distinction between the dates being advertised.
The resort will receive its first guests October 20, while a July opening notice formally moved its official opening date to November 1, 2026. TUI BLUE’s newer pages continue referring to October 20 as the beginning of the opening or pre-opening phase.
For travelers considering being among the first through the doors, that distinction matters.
This is not another Willemstad resort
The location may ultimately be more important than the hotel itself.
A large portion of Curaçao’s better-known resort development sits closer to Willemstad, Mambo Beach, Piscadera and Jan Thiel.
TUI BLUE went west.
Groot Santa Martha sits in the Banda Abou side of the island, where the geography becomes increasingly rugged and development is noticeably less dense.
Here, Curaçao looks different.
There are cactus-covered hills instead of urban streets. Small bays cut into limestone coast. Fishing villages replace shopping districts. And many of the island’s most celebrated beaches sit along this western corridor.
Caribbean Journal has described the TUI BLUE development as part of Curaçao’s hotel expansion toward the quieter west, emphasizing Santa Martha’s bay, dramatic landscape and proximity to tucked-away beaches.
TUI BLUE itself says the property is approximately 27 minutes from Curaçao International Airport, although actual driving time will naturally depend on traffic.
That makes this resort an interesting proposition.
It isn’t really competing with a city hotel in Willemstad.
It is positioning itself as a base for discovering western Curaçao.
What’s around TUI BLUE Curaçao?
This is where the location begins making sense.
West Curaçao contains several of the island’s best-known natural attractions.
Cas Abao Beach combines white sand and remarkably clear water with full facilities and reefs popular with snorkelers and divers. Playa Lagun occupies a narrow cove framed by cliffs and is known for reef fish, coral and frequent turtle activity. Farther west, Grote Knip is one of Curaçao’s most photographed beaches. And Christoffel National Park offers hiking around Curaçao’s highest terrain.
Willemstad, meanwhile, remains available for the day when you want restaurants, nightlife, street art and the UNESCO-listed historic centre.
This location also changes the kind of vacation I’d recommend.
I wouldn’t book TUI BLUE Curaçao and spend seven consecutive days inside the property.
Rent a car.
The resort can provide the easy all-inclusive base—breakfast, drinks, pools, beach and dinner—while western Curaçao supplies the actual adventure.
The rooms may be one of the biggest reasons to book
TUI BLUE has put substantial emphasis on its accommodation categories.
The basic rooms are already large by many Caribbean resort standards. A Partial Ocean View Room, for example, measures about 40 square metres, or roughly 430 square feet, and includes a nine-square-metre balcony, king bed or twins, sofa bed, rain shower, 55-inch television, Wi-Fi and USB charging. It can accommodate two adults and two children. TUI Blue Curaçao
Then things get considerably more interesting.
Swim-up rooms
The Ocean View Swim-Up Room remains approximately 40 square metres but adds direct access from the terrace into the pool.
Its terrace expands to approximately 11 square metres.
These rooms can accommodate two adults and two children aged 13 or older and face toward the Caribbean.
For couples, this is probably the accommodation category that will appear most frequently on Instagram.
Open the sliding door.
Walk across the terrace.
Get into the pool.
No elevator. No searching for loungers. No carrying a beach bag across the resort.
Oceanfront Swim-Up Junior Suite
The more romantic option is the Oceanfront Swim-Up Junior Suite.
TUI BLUE lists it at approximately 48 square metres, with an ocean-facing king bed, freestanding bathtub, rain shower, terrace, sun loungers and direct swim-up access.
The resort describes this category as adults-only.
That combination—oceanfront + adults-only + swim-up—could easily become the resort’s signature room.
Private-pool suites
There are also accommodations where the water belongs to you rather than being shared with neighboring rooms.
A Senior Suite with Private Pool is approximately 68 square metres with a separate living area, partial ocean views and private terrace.
The largest configuration currently advertised is a Two-Bedroom Suite with Private Pool, offering approximately 72 square metres inside plus a 32-square-metre terrace, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living space and a private pool. It accommodates either four adults or two adults with two children aged 13 or older.
That makes TUI BLUE unusually flexible.
The same resort can sell a fairly conventional family room, a couple’s swim-up room and something approaching a private Caribbean villa experience.
But here is what October 20 guests really need to know
This is the section I would read before booking.
TUI BLUE is not pretending the entire resort will be complete on October 20.
During the initial opening period, the resort says guests should have access to the Main Pool, Oasis Pool Bar, THEAs, IVO Restaurant & Beach, the beach itself, Grab & Go, Snack Court, Kids Playground and a temporary/pop-up spa experience.
Standard rooms and swim-up rooms are also expected to be operating.
Other areas are explicitly listed as not initially available.
Those currently include the Sunset Pool & Bar, Mesa Caribe restaurant, Culinarium restaurant, The Restaurant, permanent spa and gym, Games Room, Kids Splash Pool and completed lobby.
A temporary reception lounge will substitute for the main lobby.
That is a substantial distinction.
Someone seeing polished resort renderings might reasonably assume all three pools, all restaurants and the full spa complex will be waiting.
They won’t necessarily be there on October 20.
At least not all of them.
The hotel deserves some credit for saying so
New hotel openings are notoriously unpredictable.
A resort announces July.
Then August.
Then September.
Reservations continue being sold while guests discover on arrival that landscaping is unfinished, one restaurant is closed and construction workers are still drilling beside the pool.
TUI BLUE Curaçao hasn’t completely avoided that problem—the opening has already moved—but its communication has become unusually explicit.
Its official opening-update page tells travelers that construction remains ongoing, explains which areas are further along, and even advises guests who want a completely finished and settled resort to consider moving their stay later.
That’s important.
It allows October travelers to make an informed decision rather than discovering reality at check-in.
There is potentially an appealing side to being first.
The resort will be operating with fewer guests. Everything is new. Employees are eager. The beach won’t yet have years of traffic behind it. And early guests are effectively participating in the hotel’s first real-world test.
But travelers who become frustrated when a restaurant isn’t open or when construction screening appears in vacation photographs should probably wait.
What does the opening discount actually offer?
TUI BLUE is compensating early adopters with aggressive incentives.
Its current Opening Offer advertises 20% off stays between October 20 and December 1, 2026.
There’s also a broader Founding Guest promotion.
Under that offer, guests staying during the qualifying opening phase can receive 20% off the first stay, 15% off future stays for life, VIP check-in on later visits, possible complimentary room upgrades when available, a filled minibar on arrival and a Founding Guest keepsake. The current Founding Guest page describes qualifying stays through February 1, 2027.
That creates an interesting proposition.
You’re accepting some opening-period uncertainty today in exchange for a permanent discount if you become a repeat guest.
One detail is worth noticing: the resort currently has different promotional pages referring to slightly different opening-offer periods. The basic opening discount references December 1, while the Founding Guest program references February 1.
Travelers should therefore verify the exact terms attached to their reservation rather than assuming every offer is interchangeable.
What will the finished resort look like?
Once the phased opening is complete, the experience becomes considerably larger.
The planned resort includes a main pool, more peaceful adults-preferred Sunset Pool, spa pool, kids’ splash area, BLUE Spa and BLUEf!t gym. There will also be padel and multisport facilities, fitness and wellness classes, aqua fitness, aqua cycling and beach workouts.
The finished watersports program is expected to include complimentary kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, alongside an on-site diving and snorkeling centre.
That diving component is especially relevant here.
Curaçao reported more than 70 dive sites, including more than 38 accessible directly from shore, and was recognized as a leading Caribbean dive destination in 2026.
A resort on the quieter western coastline with its own diving operation makes considerably more sense than a giant property focused exclusively on pool entertainment.
What about the beach?
TUI BLUE describes its Santa Martha beachfront as a private white-sand beach, with loungers, umbrellas and towels included.
The resort says accommodations can sit as little as approximately 20 metres from the shoreline and promotes the bay for swimming, snorkeling and paddleboarding.
This is not the broad Atlantic-style beach associated with some Dominican Republic or Cancun mega-resorts.
Curaçao’s western coastline works differently.
Its best beaches frequently occupy coves and protected bays.
That creates the extraordinarily clear, generally calmer turquoise water for which the island is known.
And because TUI BLUE faces westward across the Caribbean, sunset should become one of the property’s natural selling points.
That explains the aptly named Sunset Pool.
Once it opens.
Food: the full resort will be much more ambitious than opening week
TUI BLUE’s complete dining program is designed around several restaurants and casual outlets.
Official Curaçao tourism information describes the finished property as having six restaurants, while the resort’s detailed all-inclusive material currently describes a collection of buffet, beachfront, Caribbean, tasting-menu and café concepts.
IVO Beach is perhaps the easiest concept to understand: beachfront lunch during the day, then grilled food and a more atmospheric dinner experience beside the water.
The Restaurant is intended to handle breakfast and dinner buffet service.
Mesa Caribe brings small plates and shared dishes influenced by Caribbean flavours.
Culinarium is positioned toward a more refined tasting/fine-dining experience.
THEAs handles coffee, pastries, smoothies and lighter bites.
Additional snack and Grab & Go concepts fill the gaps between meals.
Under the regular all-inclusive concept, guests are promised unlimited house drinks and a combination of buffet dining plus à-la-carte experiences.
But again, October is different.
During the earliest phase, TUI BLUE says dining will rely on the operating buffet facilities plus a changing pop-up à-la-carte concept while the remaining permanent restaurants are completed.
I’d actually emphasize that in your article rather than burying it.
Someone booking October 22 deserves to know they aren’t receiving the exact same restaurant lineup that someone visiting in 2027 should receive.
Families are welcome—but the resort also has adult-oriented spaces
This is not an adults-only resort.
TUI BLUE actively markets the property toward families, couples and honeymooners, and the hotel will include family rooms, children’s facilities and a playground.
But it isn’t being designed like a giant children’s resort either.
Certain swim-up accommodations carry minimum ages.
The Oceanfront Swim-Up Junior Suite is adults-only.
And the Sunset Pool is described as adults preferred, providing a quieter area within the wider property.
That hybrid positioning could work particularly well for couples who don’t necessarily require an adults-only resort but also don’t want every pool built around children.
Wellness will eventually be a significant part of the product
The final BLUE Spa is planned as a proper wellness centre rather than a treatment room squeezed beside the gym.
TUI BLUE’s wellness concept connects spa treatments with yoga, mindfulness, mobility work, breathing exercises and fitness programming. BLUEf!t plans sunrise boot camps, yoga-style sessions, beach workouts, aqua fitness, padel and other activities.
But the permanent spa and fitness centre are among the facilities not expected to be fully operating at the beginning of the October phase.
Early guests are instead being offered a pop-up spa, including temporary treatment spaces and in-room massages.
Again: potentially perfectly acceptable.
But different from what the finished-resort photographs and amenities list might lead someone to expect.
This isn’t being built on completely untouched land
There is another interesting part of the story.
The property occupies the site of the former Coral Cliff Hotel at Groot Santa Martha.
When construction formally began, local reporting put the project investment at around US$80 million and said it was expected to create approximately 400 jobs. Developers argued that redeveloping an existing hotel site reduced environmental impact compared with starting from completely undeveloped land.
The project has also promoted solar energy, water-management measures, local sourcing and employment in the surrounding Soto/Bándabou area.
That local economic dimension is worth watching.
Large Caribbean all-inclusives can generate legitimate criticism when much of the guest spending remains locked inside the resort.
TUI BLUE’s more isolated western location makes that tension particularly interesting.
Will guests remain behind the all-inclusive gates?
Or will the property actually send them into West Curaçao’s beaches, villages, dive sites and cultural attractions?
The latter would make the resort considerably more consequential for the surrounding area.
Should you rent a car?
I would.
Especially here.
If you’re staying at a central Willemstad resort, taxis can handle much of your trip.
At Santa Martha, having your own vehicle changes everything.
You can spend the morning snorkeling at Playa Lagun.
Continue toward Grote Knip.
Visit Christoffel National Park early another morning.
Stop at Cas Abao.
Drive into Willemstad one evening.
Then come back to an all-inclusive resort where dinner and drinks are already paid for.
TUI BLUE itself lists car-rental assistance among the services planned for the property.
That’s probably the version of the vacation I’d choose.
All-inclusive convenience without an all-inclusive prison sentence.
Who should book October 20?
The first weeks make sense for a very specific traveler.
- Someone adventurous.
- Someone who likes new hotels.
- Someone who understands that a bartender may still be learning the cocktail menu.
- Someone who values a quieter resort with fewer initial guests.
- Someone attracted to the 20% discount and Founding Guest benefits.
- Someone who plans to spend time exploring Curaçao anyway.
For that person, October could actually be fun.
You’re essentially seeing the resort before everyone else.
Who should wait?
If your dream vacation involves checking into a completely polished resort where every restaurant, pool, spa facility and entertainment venue is guaranteed to be operating at full capacity, don’t book October 20.
TUI BLUE itself has effectively said the same thing.
Construction and finishing work will remain in certain areas. Facilities will open progressively. Schedules may change. Parts of the property may be screened from guests.
I’d give the same advice to honeymooners whose trip needs to be perfect.
A honeymoon isn’t the ideal occasion to discover that the romantic pool you’ve been looking at online opens two weeks after you leave.
Book later.
October 20 or November 1: when does TUI BLUE Curaçao actually open?
This is likely to become one of the biggest Google searches surrounding the resort, so it deserves a direct answer.
October 20, 2026 is when TUI BLUE Curaçao plans to receive its first guests.
However, the resort’s July construction notice established November 1 as its official opening date, with October 20 beginning a controlled phased-opening period.
The most recent updates still refer to October 20 as the pre-opening/opening phase, with facilities continuing to come online.
So both dates can appear online without necessarily being contradictory.
For travelers, October 20 is the practical date that matters: you can stay there.
For someone asking when the completed resort officially launches, November 1 is the formal date previously announced by the hotel.
And even after November 1, travelers should check the resort’s opening-update page because TUI BLUE warns that facilities and schedules during October and November may continue being introduced progressively.
What the resort looks like right now
As of October 7, 2026, the newest detailed construction update published by TUI BLUE is dated September 28.
At that point, guestrooms were being prepared, additional pools were filling, landscaping was taking shape, facilities were undergoing testing and staff training was underway.
The resort said the east side was approaching final finishing work, while its western portion still required more progress.
Importantly, TUI BLUE has also begun publishing real construction footage rather than only architectural renderings.
The hotel even explicitly notes that its latest update contains real footage with “no AI and no renders,” a refreshing bit of transparency in an era when pre-opening hotel marketing can sometimes make it nearly impossible to distinguish finished buildings from computer-generated ones.
TUI BLUE also links to an official preview of the resort:
Watch the TUI BLUE Curaçao resort preview on YouTube
Is TUI BLUE Curaçao worth getting excited about?
Yes.
But probably not for the reason you’d expect.
Curaçao doesn’t desperately need another all-inclusive.
What makes this development interesting is where TUI has put it.
Western Curaçao remains one of the island’s great advantages.
The beaches are smaller and more dramatic.
The diving is excellent.
Christoffel rises behind the coastline.
The landscape feels increasingly wild as you travel farther from Willemstad.
And yet the large-scale resort sector has historically been concentrated elsewhere.
Putting a 297-room international all-inclusive brand at Santa Martha potentially changes the geography of tourism on the island.
That can be good or bad depending on how the development evolves.
More travelers will discover Banda Abou.
More jobs and visitor spending can reach western communities.
But increased tourism also puts pressure on places precisely because they remain quieter today.
That’s why TUI BLUE Curaçao is worth watching beyond its infinity pools.
The bottom line
October 20 will not be the day TUI BLUE Curaçao magically becomes a fully completed 297-room resort overnight.
It will be the day the first chapter begins.
The first guests will check into new rooms overlooking Santa Martha Bay.
Some will step directly from their terraces into swim-up pools.
They’ll drink beside the Main Pool.
They’ll eat on the beach at IVO.
They’ll explore western Curaçao.
And somewhere elsewhere on the property, workers may still be putting the finishing touches on the next restaurant, pool or spa facility.
That’s not necessarily a reason not to go.
It’s a reason to know what you’re buying.
For travelers willing to accept the quirks of a soft opening, the current discounts and Founding Guest benefits make October and November intriguing.
For everyone else, wait until the construction fences disappear and let those first guests test everything for you.
Either way, TUI BLUE Curaçao is one of the Caribbean’s most interesting resort openings of late 2026—not simply because it’s new, but because it brings large-scale all-inclusive tourism into a very different corner of Curaçao.
And by this time next year, Santa Martha Bay may feel considerably less undiscovered.
Highlights: TUI BLUE Curaçao at a glance
Official website: TUI BLUE Curaçao
First guests: October 20, 2026, during a phased opening
Formally announced official opening: November 1, 2026
Location: Groot Santa Martha, Soto, western Curaçao
Rooms and suites: 297
Concept: All-inclusive beachfront resort
Accommodation highlights: Ocean-view, oceanfront, swim-up and private-pool categories
Full resort concept: Multiple pools, restaurants and bars, spa, fitness, diving and watersports
Opening-period offer: 20% discount under current direct-booking promotions
Audience: Couples, honeymooners, families, divers and travelers wanting a quieter Curaçao base
The Curaçao Tourist Board currently describes the completed resort as a 297-room property with a private beach, multiple pools, six restaurants, wellness facilities and easy access to western Curaçao’s diving, hiking and beaches.
The 6,000-Person Wonder of the Seas Swinger Lifestyle Cruise
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Inside the Sold-Out 6,000-Guest Caribbean Lifestyle Cruise Taking Over Wonder of the Seas in November 2026
One of the largest lifestyle cruises ever organized is now just weeks away—and there isn’t a cabin left to buy.
From November 9 to 16, 2026, Wonder of the Seas will leave Miami for a seven-night Caribbean sailing unlike the ship’s normal Royal Caribbean vacations.
Instead of its usual mixture of families, children and vacationing couples, the entire ship has been chartered by Bliss Cruise for its Wonderland sailing, a couples-only, 21+ lifestyle event that organizers say will bring together more than 6,000 guests.
And as of September 2026, the cruise is officially 100% sold out.
Bliss is now directing interested travelers to a waitlist. Bliss Cruise
Often referred to online as a swingers cruise, Wonderland is more accurately described by its organizer as an adult lifestyle cruise. The distinction matters: participation in lifestyle activities isn’t mandatory, and Bliss markets the experience around couples choosing their own level of involvement.
But what is now being planned aboard Wonder of the Seas goes considerably beyond a normal adults-only cruise.
Newly published details reveal a 35,000-square-foot Solarium playroom, dedicated dungeon, open-air play area, more than 100 workshops, seven themed nights, dozens of entertainers and DJs and a clothing-optional resort takeover in Curaçao. Bliss Cruise
Two months before departure, here’s what we now know.
The Wonderland Bliss Cruise at a glance
Dates: November 9–16, 2026
Ship: Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas
Organizer: Bliss Cruise
Departure: Miami, Florida
Length: Seven nights
Guests: Bliss advertises 6,000+
Age: 21+
Format: Couples-only full-ship charter
Status: 100% sold out; waitlist available
Caribbean stops: Curaçao and Aruba
Sea days: Four
Theme: Wonderland
Special shore event: Clothing-optional Curaçao beach-club takeover
Bliss describes the charter as its largest lifestyle event yet. Bliss Cruise
Wonder of the Seas will become a completely different ship for one week
This isn’t simply a lifestyle group occupying a section of a normal Royal Caribbean cruise.
It is a full-ship charter.
That distinction changes almost everything.
Wonder of the Seas normally operates as one of Royal Caribbean’s enormous family-oriented Oasis Class ships. It measures approximately 1,188 feet long, 215 feet wide and 235,600 gross tons, with 18 decks and eight distinct onboard neighborhoods.
Those neighborhoods include places such as Central Park, Boardwalk and the Royal Promenade.
Royal Caribbean also says the ship contains more than 20 dining options, enormous entertainment venues, pools, hot tubs, waterslides, surf simulators, a zip line and its signature Ultimate Abyss slide.
For seven nights in November, however, Bliss effectively gets the keys.
The usual onboard experience is being transformed around a 21+ lifestyle audience with clothing-optional areas, themed nightlife, workshops, meet-and-greets and dedicated adult spaces.
It is now completely sold out
This may be the most important update since the cruise was originally announced.
Wonderland is sold out.
Bliss currently labels the November sailing “100% Sold-out!” and directs additional customers toward a waiting list. Bliss Cruise
That’s particularly notable considering the size of Wonder of the Seas.
Bliss isn’t trying to fill a 500-passenger boutique ship. It has chartered one of the largest cruise ships operating in the Caribbean.
The company says the 2026 Wonder charter became one of its fastest-selling charters ever, and demand has already persuaded Bliss to bring Wonder of the Seas back for another full-ship lifestyle sailing in November 2027.
That next cruise will follow a different Caribbean itinerary, visiting St. Maarten and St. Kitts & Nevis.
In other words, the giant-ship experiment is apparently not a one-off.
Curaçao has become one of the most interesting parts of the cruise
The Caribbean ports themselves could easily have been secondary to the onboard parties.
Instead, Curaçao appears to have become one of the major features of the 2026 sailing.
Bliss’s current itinerary lists Wonder of the Seas in Willemstad, Curaçao, on November 12 from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m.
That’s more than 15 hours in port, allowing guests to experience the city during both the day and evening.
And there is a much more unusual excursion available.
A clothing-optional Curaçao resort takeover
Bliss has announced a Playa Beach Club Takeover, described as a full-day exclusive takeover of a cliffside Curaçao resort.
According to Bliss, the event includes two pools with different atmospheres, a swim-up bar, live DJ, private cabanas, glamping tents and access to diving at the Alice in Wonderland reef.
The event is clothing optional.
That effectively extends the private-charter atmosphere off the ship and onto Curaçao.
For the island’s tourism industry, that is an interesting development in itself.
Instead of several thousand passengers simply leaving the cruise terminal and dispersing among normal excursions, part of this extremely specific travel market will participate in a private resort experience designed around them.
Then Wonder heads to Aruba
Bliss’s current itinerary lists Oranjestad, Aruba, for Friday, November 13, arriving at 7 a.m. and leaving at 4 p.m.
One thing travelers should notice: some older reservation and cruise-timetable pages still show Aruba and Curaçao in the opposite order.
The presently published Bliss Cruise itinerary shows:
November 12 — Willemstad, Curaçao: 8 a.m.–11 p.m.
November 13 — Oranjestad, Aruba: 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
Anyone actually sailing should therefore rely on their latest Bliss documentation rather than an older third-party itinerary.
The Solarium is becoming a 35,000-square-foot adult playroom
This is probably the detail that will generate the most curiosity.
Bliss says the Wonder of the Seas Solarium will be converted into an adult lifestyle playroom measuring more than 35,000 square feet. Bliss Cruise
The Solarium is normally one of the ship’s enormous glass-covered relaxation spaces.
For Wonderland, Bliss describes it as its flagship play area.
But that’s only one of several designated spaces.
The Attic becomes “The Dungeon”
The ship’s Attic venue is being converted into a dedicated adult dungeon.
A 4,000-square-foot additional playroom
The conference centre will become another play area of more than 4,000 square feet, designed for a wider range of guests and orientations.
An open-air playroom
Bliss is also creating an outdoor play area on the forward top deck, complete with a nearby bar and hot tub.
That makes this charter fundamentally different from merely holding a few private lifestyle parties inside an otherwise conventional cruise.
The physical ship is being repurposed around the event.
Seven nights, seven different themes
Bliss has also released the updated theme-night schedule.
The current lineup is:
- Monday: Down the Rabbit Hole — Wonderland
- Tuesday: Hollywood Glamor Formal Night
- Wednesday: Anything But Clothes
- Thursday: Steam Punk
- Friday: Glow Night
- Saturday: Fetish Night
- Sunday: Greek Gods & Goddesses
The organizer notes that the order remains subject to change.
The Anything But Clothes theme feels particularly designed for this itinerary, with the cruise spending part of the week among the Caribbean’s ABC Islands.
And the entertainment lineup is getting surprisingly large
The newest Wonderland information also reveals how much entertainment Bliss is attempting to program across a ship of this size.
Announced performers and entertainment include the Magic Hunks Male Review, Dollface Dames Burlesque, Boombox Heroes, Lumina Productions aerial performers, comedian Adam Grabowski and Karysma Latin Band.
Bliss has also announced a large DJ roster that includes Markus Schulz, along with Philly Phil, Du, Frisky, Tumbles, Damon, Absent Mynded, $ami G and Steven B.
That variety matters.
A ship carrying thousands of people can’t function like a small private party where everyone gathers in the same nightclub.
Wonder’s size allows several experiences to happen simultaneously.
Guests could theoretically be at a DJ event, live band, piano bar, seminar, pool event or show at the same time.
More than 100 workshops are planned
Lifestyle cruises aren’t exclusively parties.
Bliss says Wonderland will include more than 100 workshops and seminars led by over 10 presenters.
Topics are expected to range from relationship communication and wellness to adult lifestyle education and introductory kink/BDSM programming.
That educational component is one reason it’s more accurate to describe Bliss as a broader lifestyle cruise rather than reducing the entire trip to a “swingers cruise.”
Some passengers may participate heavily in lifestyle activities.
Others may primarily attend parties, meet people or travel with their partner.
The organizer emphasizes choice and consent as part of the format.
Consent isn’t optional
With thousands of adults participating in an event like this, boundaries obviously become important.
Bliss says every passenger must sign its Acceptable Behavior Policy before boarding the ship.
The fundamental idea behind lifestyle travel is that participation is voluntary.
Being aboard a clothing-optional or lifestyle-oriented cruise does not mean consent is implied.
That’s an important distinction for anyone curious about these sailings for the first time.
How expensive was the 2026 Bliss Cruise?
Because the cruise is sold out, these aren’t currently bookable prices, but Bliss still publishes its original cabin pricing.
At the lower end, an Interior Stateroom was listed from US$1,820 per person, before additional fees.
An ocean-view stateroom was listed from about $1,970 per person, while several balcony options started above $2,500 per person.
At the opposite end of the ship, things became dramatically more expensive.
The Royal Loft Suite was listed at $22,320 per person, plus additional charges.
Bliss says an additional $495 per person for standard staterooms and $595 per person for suites covers port charges, government taxes and prepaid gratuities.
And still, the ship sold out.
Why this cruise matters beyond the lifestyle community
The fascinating part of this story isn’t simply that thousands of swingers and lifestyle couples are going on vacation together.
It’s the scale.
For years, clothing-optional and lifestyle tourism in the Caribbean has been associated mostly with a relatively small number of resorts, private events and smaller group trips.
Wonderland takes that market and puts it aboard a vessel the size of a floating city.
It also demonstrates something potentially significant for Caribbean tourism businesses:
adult niche travel can move thousands of visitors at once.
Hotels in Miami host pre-cruise passengers.
Curaçao receives the ship for an extended port stay.
A local resort is being used for a private takeover.
Excursion operators, transportation businesses, restaurants, bars and tourism workers all participate in the economic chain surrounding the charter.
Regardless of what someone thinks about the lifestyle itself, this has become a real travel market.
There’s already another Wonder of the Seas lifestyle cruise coming
Perhaps the strongest evidence of that demand is what happens next.
Bliss has already scheduled Wonder of the Seas for November 8–15, 2027, this time sailing from Miami to St. Maarten and St. Kitts & Nevis.
The company says the success of the 2026 charter influenced the decision to use the megaship again.
Before then, Bliss also has shorter Caribbean lifestyle cruises scheduled for 2027, including sailings to Cozumel and Cabo Rojo/Grand Turk.
That suggests lifestyle cruising is evolving from occasional niche charter into a recurring Caribbean tourism category.
What happens when 6,000 lifestyle travelers arrive in the Caribbean?
That may ultimately be the more interesting question.
On November 9, Wonder of the Seas will leave Miami.
For seven nights, one of Royal Caribbean’s most recognizable megaships will effectively become a floating 21+ lifestyle resort.
There will be four sea days.
Seven theme nights.
More than 100 seminars and workshops.
Several dedicated adult play spaces.
A Curaçao resort takeover.
Aruba.
Thousands of couples.
And absolutely no remaining cabins.
For an industry that was once largely hidden from mainstream tourism, it’s difficult to imagine a more visible sign of how large lifestyle travel has become.
And when Wonder of the Seas returns to Miami on November 16, the experiment won’t be finished.
Bliss has already booked the ship again for 2027.
Highlights: The Wonderland Bliss Cruise at a glance
Official website: Bliss Cruise
Dates: November 9–16, 2026
Ship: Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas
Organizer: Bliss Cruise
Departure: Miami, Florida
Length: Seven nights
Guests: Bliss advertises 6,000+
Age: 21+
Format: Couples-only full-ship charter
Status: 100% sold out; waitlist available
Caribbean stops: Curaçao and Aruba
Sea days: Four
Theme: Wonderland
Special shore event: Clothing-optional Curaçao beach-club takeover. Bliss describes the charter as its largest lifestyle event yet.
Six Senses Residences Belize: Inside the $3.75 Million Overwater Villas Bringing Maldives-Style Living to the Caribbean
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Six Senses Residences Belize: Inside the $3.75 Million Overwater Villas Bringing Maldives-Style Living to the Caribbean
Owning an overwater villa has traditionally meant looking toward the Maldives, Bora Bora or other far-flung tropical destinations. A new luxury residential project in Belize is trying to bring that experience much closer to North America—and this time, the villas aren’t simply hotel rooms you can book for a week. They’re homes you can buy.
Six Senses Residences Belize is taking shape on Emerald Caye, a private island near Ambergris Caye and San Pedro, surrounded by some of the extraordinarily clear waters that have made Belize one of the Caribbean’s most recognizable diving destinations.
The development is limited to just 16 private residences, with current pricing beginning at US$3.75 million. The developer says the homes start at approximately 2,500 square feet, while its latest marketing describes larger three- and five-bedroom oceanfront villas offering roughly 4,400 to 7,600 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space depending on configuration. Six Senses Residences Belize
And this isn’t simply another collection of expensive beachfront houses.
The idea behind Emerald Caye is to combine private-island ownership with the services and amenities of Six Senses, one of the world’s better-known luxury wellness and hospitality brands.
A Caribbean version of the Maldives?
That comparison isn’t accidental.
Earlier marketing for the project described a collection of overwater residences alongside a resort featuring approximately 40 overwater bungalow suites, and Forbes reported when sales launched in March 2026 that the development was bringing a Maldives-style overwater residential concept to the Caribbean. Forbes
The project’s current residential website has shifted some of its terminology toward oceanfront and beachfront villas, but the central concept remains the same: homes positioned immediately against the turquoise water, surrounded by an island environment rather than a conventional resort development.
That distinction may actually make the project more interesting from a real-estate perspective.
Rather than purchasing a condominium inside a large hotel tower, buyers are being offered one of only 16 villas spread across a private island.
Where exactly is Emerald Caye?
Emerald Caye lies off Ambergris Caye, the island that’s home to San Pedro and serves as Belize’s primary Caribbean tourism hub.
The setting is a major part of the property’s selling proposition.
Six Senses says the development sits within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve area, surrounded by mangroves, beaches and the marine environment associated with the Belize Barrier Reef. Its official residences page describes the location as part of a 4,448-acre protected marine reserve.
Belize occupies an interesting geographic position for luxury real estate. Technically part of Central America, it combines mainland jungle, Maya archaeological sites and rivers with islands and Caribbean coastline.
And for North American buyers, getting there is considerably easier than reaching many of the islands traditionally associated with ultra-exclusive overwater villas.
San Pedro provides the gateway to Ambergris Caye, while residents can continue to Emerald Caye by boat.
The developer’s current site says owners will have access to complimentary luxury boat shuttles to San Pedro and Secret Beach, as well as a private pier and helipad.
What does $3.75 million buy?
At this level, buyers aren’t simply paying for square footage.
They’re buying scarcity.
There are only sixteen residences planned on Emerald Caye, according to the developer. The current starting price is US$3.75 million, with final pricing depending on villa size, orientation and location.
Architecturally, the residences emphasize large indoor-outdoor spaces, extensive views and natural materials rather than the polished marble-and-glass aesthetic commonly associated with Caribbean luxury condominiums.
Studio Caban designed the residences around the tropical climate, with Six Senses describing them as structures integrated into the existing vegetation to help preserve privacy and connect owners more directly with the landscape.
It’s luxury, but intentionally barefoot luxury.
The resort amenities may be as important as the houses
The rise of branded residences is changing luxury real estate throughout the Caribbean.
Instead of simply owning a vacation home, buyers increasingly want something closer to a permanently serviced resort experience.
Emerald Caye fits directly into that trend.
Current plans give residents access to two signature restaurants, a Six Senses Spa, a 1.5-mile sandbar, The Nest social lounge, a yoga pavilion, kids club and fitness center.
The wider project also includes Secret Beach, where Six Senses has described additional dining, recreation and watersports infrastructure.
This changes the ownership proposition considerably.
A traditional Caribbean villa may require an owner to coordinate security, landscaping, housekeeping, maintenance, transportation and property management independently.
A branded residence attempts to wrap much of that experience into one managed ecosystem.
Six Senses brings a powerful name to Belize
Six Senses is part of the broader IHG luxury hospitality portfolio, although there’s an important distinction potential buyers should understand.
The Emerald Caye developer’s legal disclaimer states that the residences themselves are not owned, developed or sold by IHG Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses or their affiliates. They are developed by CRDG LLC and operate using the Six Senses residential branding and hospitality relationship.
That type of structure is common within branded real estate.
Still, the Six Senses name matters.
The brand has become closely associated with wellness-oriented luxury resorts, nature-focused architecture and high-end experiential travel. Its global residential portfolio now includes or plans projects in destinations ranging from Belize and Mexico to Dubai, Greece, Portugal and the United States.
For Belize, attracting a brand at this level also adds another internationally recognizable name to a luxury tourism market historically dominated by smaller resorts and independently operated villas.
Owners can potentially place their homes into a rental program
There’s another component likely to attract second-home buyers.
Six Senses says owners have the opportunity to place their residences into a hotel-operated rental program, and some configurations have been designed with lock-off spaces that can allow a portion of a property to be rented separately.
That’s potentially significant.
A US$3.75-million island home that remains empty for much of the year represents a very different proposition from a residence that can participate in the resort’s rental inventory.
But buyers shouldn’t automatically translate the presence of a rental program into a guaranteed investment return.
Management fees, owner-use restrictions, operating expenses, rental splits, taxes, maintenance, insurance and occupancy can all materially change the economics.
Those details deserve as much attention as the infinity pool.
Why Belize is becoming more interesting for luxury property
For decades, the Caribbean’s ultra-luxury property market has been dominated by familiar names: the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, St. Barts, Barbados and increasingly the Dominican Republic.
Belize has generally occupied a slightly different niche.
Ambergris Caye built a strong market around diving, smaller resorts, villas and vacation rentals rather than enormous five-star resort complexes.
Projects like Six Senses Residences Belize suggest the country may now be moving further into the ultra-luxury branded residence market.
And the timing is interesting.
Luxury hotel brands are increasingly attaching residential components to resort developments throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. Knight Frank’s 2026 branded residence research similarly points to continued expansion of the model beyond major cities and into coastal and resort markets.
For developers, residences can help finance major hospitality projects.
For buyers, they provide access to a level of service normally associated with hotels.
For hotel brands, they create another way to maintain long-term relationships with wealthy clients.
Six Senses Belize sits directly at the intersection of all three trends.
But buying an overwater or island residence requires extra due diligence
A property this unusual shouldn’t be evaluated like a normal condominium.
Prospective purchasers should have an independent Belizean attorney establish exactly what property interest is being acquired, how any structures extending toward or over the water are legally treated, and what rights apply to the surrounding marine area.
Buyers should also understand the residential management agreement, Six Senses branding arrangement, insurance requirements, hurricane exposure, maintenance responsibilities, rental-program terms, resale restrictions and annual operating costs before signing a contract.
Pre-construction adds another layer.
The project remains a development rather than an established operating resort, with the developer indicating completion is planned for 2028.
That’s not unusual in branded Caribbean real estate, but renderings should never substitute for contractual due diligence.
Is this the beginning of a new category of Caribbean real estate?
That’s what makes Emerald Caye more interesting than its sixteen villas alone.
Caribbean luxury real estate has already moved from simple beachfront homes toward hotel-managed residences, resort condominiums, private clubs and branded communities.
Overwater ownership may be the next extension of that idea.
Hotels have proven for decades that travelers will pay extraordinary nightly rates to sleep directly above tropical water.
Turning that experience into something a buyer can actually own changes the equation.
If the concept proves successful in Belize, it wouldn’t be surprising to see other Caribbean developers explore similar low-density overwater residential projects where environmental regulations and local planning rules allow them.
For now, however, the supply is extremely limited.
Sixteen residences.
One private island.
And an entry price of US$3.75 million.
For anyone who has ever looked at an overwater bungalow in the Maldives and thought I wish I could own that, the Caribbean is suddenly offering an answer much closer to home.
Highlights:
Six Senses Residences Belize at a glance
- Official website: Six Senses Belize
- Location: Emerald Caye, near Ambergris Caye, Belize
- Residences: 16 private villas
- Starting price: US$3.75 million
- Setting: Private island within a protected marine environment
- Bedrooms: Current developer materials advertise three- and five-bedroom residences
- Size: Up to approximately 7,600 sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor living in current offerings
- Brand: Six Senses Residences
- Developer: CRDG LLC
- Architecture/design: Studio Caban
- Amenities: Six Senses Spa, restaurants, beach club, yoga pavilion, fitness center, kids club and social spaces
- Transportation: Private pier, boat transportation and helipad access
- Expected completion: Developer materials have indicated 2028.
Royalton Vessence Cancun: New All-Inclusive Resort Opening in 2027
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Key Insights
Royalton Vessence Cancun at a glance
- Opening date: March 1,1 2027
- Location: Cancun Hotel Zone, approximately Km 17.5 of Boulevard Kukulcán
- Concept: Adult-oriented, upscale all-inclusive
- Accommodations: 376 suites
- Restaurants: Seven announced for opening
- Bars: Five announced
- Beach: Direct Caribbean beachfront
- Pools: Oceanfront pools plus an oceanfront rooftop pool
- Special rooms: Swim-out suites and new Multi Bed Suites
- Premium category: Diamond Club™ available
- Spa: The Royal Spa
- Fitness: Moddo Fitness by Royalton FIT
- Activities: Art, painting, pottery, cooking workshops, tastings, live music and wellness programming
- Room service: 24 hours
- Wi-Fi: Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi
- Airport: Cancun International Airport (CUN)
- Transfer time: Approximately 20–25 minutes
- Airport transportation: Available for advance reservation
- Marriott affiliation: Autograph Collection All-Inclusive
Royalton Vessence Cancun: Inside Cancun’s New Art-Focused All-Inclusive Resort Opening March 1, 2027
Cancun is getting another major luxury all-inclusive resort, but Royalton Vessence Cancun isn’t trying to be another mega-resort filled with water slides, foam parties and nonstop activity. Instead, Royalton’s newest Mexican property is being designed around art, gastronomy, wellness, spacious accommodations and a more mindful interpretation of the all-inclusive vacation.
Reservations are now officially open for Royalton Vessence Cancun, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort, with the first guests scheduled to arrive on March 1, 2027. The 376-suite beachfront property will occupy a prime location in Cancun’s Hotel Zone and introduce Royalton’s relatively new Vessence concept to Mexico following the launch of Royalton Vessence Barbados.
For travelers already considering Cancun in 2027, here’s everything currently known about the resort—from rooms and restaurants to airport transportation, nearby nightlife, beaches, Maya ruins and the features that could make Vessence significantly different from other Royalton resorts.
Royalton’s latest August 2026 announcement confirms the March 1 opening date, 376 suites, seven restaurants, five bars, rooftop pool, spa, fitness centre, watersports and new Multi Bed Suite concept.
What exactly is Royalton Vessence?
Royalton Vessence isn’t simply a new hotel name. It is a newer resort concept within the Royalton Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
The word Vessence takes inspiration from the Latin concepts Veritas and Essentia—truth and essence. Royalton describes the idea as encouraging travelers to experience more of the personality and culture of the destination rather than spending their entire vacation moving between a buffet, beach chair and swimming pool.
That translates into an unusual mix of digital-detox spaces, art classes, culinary workshops, wine and spirit tastings, late-night swimming, local cultural influences and wellness experiences.
It is still a luxury beachfront all-inclusive—you will certainly find cocktails, pools and plenty of food—but the atmosphere appears deliberately calmer and more experience-focused than Royalton CHIC’s party-oriented positioning.
Royalton summarizes the idea around slowing down, reconnecting and experiencing the destination through art, design, food and sensory experiences.
Adult-oriented does not necessarily mean adults-only
There’s an important distinction here.
Royalton currently describes Vessence Cancun as “Adult-Oriented”, rather than consistently calling it an adults-only resort. When the Cancun property was first announced, Royalton specifically said the concept could suit families with older teens, groups of friends and couples, in addition to adult travelers.
That positioning also makes sense when you when look at the new Multi Bed Suites, connecting accommodations and rooms sleeping as many as four guests.
Travelers booking with teenagers or younger guests should nevertheless verify the resort’s final age policy before purchasing non-refundable travel, since detailed opening policies may continue to evolve before March 2027.
A surprisingly convenient location in Cancun’s Hotel Zone
One of Vessence Cancun’s biggest strengths could be its location.
The resort is on the Caribbean side of Cancun’s famous Hotel Zone around Boulevard Kukulcán Km 17.5, near several of the southern Hotel Zone’s major attractions.
Royalton’s newest opening announcement describes the resort as approximately 20 minutes from Cancun International Airport, while the property’s main website currently says approximately 25 minutes. Realistically, travelers should plan on around **20–30 minutes depending on traffic and airport.
That is considerably more convenient than resorts farther south in the Riviera Maya, where airport transfers can easily become a much larger part of arrival and departure day.
Does Royalton Vessence Cancun offer an airport shuttle?
Yes—but don’t automatically assume that transportation is included in every room rate.
Royalton has a dedicated Tours & Transfers page for Vessence Cancun where guests can arrange round-trip airport transportation. Options include private vehicles, limousines, shared buses and vans, with preferential pricing when booked through Royalton’s transportation pararch0
Royalton sometimes runs promotions that include complimentary airport transportation, so check the inclusions attached to your specific reservation. The safest assumption is that a standard reservation and an airport transfer are separatese unless your booking confirmation specifically says otherwise.
For a new resort opening, I would also strongly recommend arranging transportation before arrival rather than negotiating transportation after exiting Cancun International Airport.
The rooms: 376 suites with an interesting new idea
Royalton Vessence Cancun will have 376 suites, and the accommodations may actually be one of the resort’s most important innovations.
Every suite is expected to include Royalton’s signature DreamBed™, a balcony or terrace, high-speed Wi-Fi, rain shower, Smart TV, USB-C charging ports, individual climate control, ceiling fan, coffee maker, maker electronic safe and other contemporary amenities. Royalton also lists in-suite aromatherapy, an in-room spa component, 24-hour room service and a locally produced.
Current categories include:
Luxury Room
The entry-level accommodation combines a sitting area with a balcony or terrace and Royalton DreamBed. Maximum occupancy is listed as four adults.
Luxury Junior Suite
Guests wanting additional space can move up to a Luxury Junior Suite, including options with Ocean View or direct Swim Out access.
Swim-out rooms will probably be among the resort’s most desirable accommodations, particularly for couples who want pool access without relying on the main pool areas.
The Junior Suites can also accommodate up to four adults depending on configuration.
Luxury Presidential Suite
The Luxury Presidential Suite adds a separate bedroom and larger living space, including a living room, dining area and bar.
Ocean View and Swim Out versions are expected.
These larger suites can also sleep as many as four adults.
Luxury Presidential Two Bedroom Suite
For groups or families needing more privacy, Royalton is also planning a Two Bedroom Presidential Suite, combining two bedrooms with shared living areas.
Selected Presidential accommodations make particularly interesting use of Murphy beds, allowing sleeping areas to disappear and become more functional lounge space during the day.
That flexibility leads into one of Vessence Cancun’s most unusual new room concepts.
What are Royalton’s new Multi Bed Suites?
The Multi Bed Suite concept appears to have been designed for the way groups increasingly travel to all-inclusive resorts.
Instead of filling the room with conventional permanent beds, Royalton uses two full-size DreamBed mattresses integrated into a Murphy-bed-style system.
During the day, the sleeping area can transform into additional living space.
At night, the beds can be lowered again.
Combined with connecting accommodations, the system gives groups of friends, multigenerational families and travelers sharing rooms considerably more flexibility than a traditional two-queen-bed hotel layout.
Royalton’s August 2026 announcement also says guests staying in these accommodations will receive personalized butler service.
For a resort marketed partly toward groups of friends and travelers celebrating together, this could become one of Vessence Cancun’s strongest differentiators.
Diamond Club brings the familiar Royalton upgrade
Guests familiar with Royalton already know the name Diamond Club™.
Vessence Cancun will continue the concept.
Diamond Club accommodations are expected to add benefits such as:
Personalized butler service
Priority restaurant reservations
Personalized check-in and check-out
Preferred room locations
Upgraded room service selections
Upgraded minibar and liquor selections
Pillow menu
Upgraded bathrobes and slippers
Access to a private Diamond Club lounge
Exclusive pool areas
Preferential spa pricing
Whether Diamond Club is worth the additional cost will depend largely on the price difference when you book.
At a new luxury resort, however, the dedicated spaces, preferential service and restaurant assistance may be particularly attractive during busy periods.
Seven restaurants are planned
Food appears to be an important part of Vessence’s identity.
Royalton says the resort will open with seven restaurants.
Six named concepts have already been presented prominently in resort materials.
Essenza
Essenza will serve international cuisine and appears likely to function as one of the resort’s principal dining venues.
Rather than positioning the restaurant purely as a traditional all-inclusive buffet experience, Vessence is emphasizing atmosphere and culinary presentation.
La Scala Italian Trattoria
La Scala brings Italian cooking to the resort with a trattoria-inspired concept.
Expect familiar Italian dishes presented within a more upscale sit-down environment.
Hunter Steakhouse
Royalton regulars will recognize Hunter Steakhouse.
The brand’s steakhouse concept focuses on grilled meats and classic steakhouse dishes and has become a staple at many Royalton properties.
Kai Asian Cuisine
Kai will focus on Asian-inspired dishes, expanding the resort’s à-la-carte selection beyond European and North American options.
Catrinas Mexican Cuisine
A Cancun resort should have a strong Mexican restaurant, and Catrinas is expected to fill that role.
The restaurant gives Vessence an opportunity to connect the resort’s culinary offering with Mexican ingredients, flavors and traditions.
Room 21
Room 21 is expected to provide a more casual alternative, including options suited to later-night dining.
And when guests simply don’t want to leave their suite, Royalton says 24-hour room service will be available.
The August announcement refers to seven restaurants in total, meaning additional details or concepts may still be revealed as the opening approaches.
Five bars—including a rooftop overlooking the Caribbean
Royalton has announced five bars for the property.
Among the concepts already identified are:
Evo Lobby Bar
The main lobby bar will provide drinks and a social space near the centre of the resort.
Nabu Swim-Up Bar
Nabu will serve guests directly from the pool, preserving at least one classic all-inclusive tradition at this otherwise more subdued resort.
Tasting Lounge
This may prove much more interesting.
Vessence’s Tasting Lounge is designed around wine, spirits, cocktails and small plates.
That fits naturally with the resort’s focus on gastronomy and experiential programming rather than simply offering another conventional sports or lobby bar.
The Rooftop
Then there’s the rooftop.
The resort plans an oceanfront rooftop pool and bar area with panoramic Caribbean views.
During the day, it should provide another place to swim and relax.
As evening approaches, the same space is expected to transition toward social programming, cocktails, music and nighttime events.
For an adult-oriented resort, this could become one of Vessence Cancun’s defining spaces.
Art isn’t just decoration here
One thing genuinely separates Vessence from most Cancun all-inclusives: guests are supposed to make art, not simply look at it hanging on the walls.
A key component is a creative space called The Studio.
During the day, the open-air Studio is intended for activities such as:
Painting
Pottery
Culinary workshops
Hands-on creative sessions
Cultural activities
As evening arrives, the space can shift toward live music and social programming.
The resort is also planning cooking classes, tastings and experiences inspired by Mexican culture.
That’s important because many resorts advertise themselves as being inspired by their destination while providing very little meaningful interaction with it.
Vessence appears to be trying to build those interactions directly into its daily programming.
How authentic and substantial those activities ultimately feel will only become clear after opening.
But on paper, the concept is promising.
Wellness goes beyond a normal hotel gym
The wellness side follows the same philosophy.
Instead of treating fitness as a room filled with treadmills, Royalton is introducing Moddo Fitness by Royalton FIT.
Programming is expected to include activities such as:
Yoga
Tai chi
Expressive movement
Guided fitness sessions
Traditional gym workouts
The fitness centre will still include conventional exercise equipment, but the emphasis seems broader than simply working out.
Then there’s The Royal Spa.
Treatment options are expected to include Swedish massage, deep-tissue massage, sports massage, hot-stone massage, aromatic treatments, reflexology, couples treatments and BABOR-based rituals.
For travelers choosing Vessence specifically because of its wellness positioning, the spa and Moddo program may be considerably more important than the resort’s nightlife.
Pools, beach and watersports
Vessence Cancun will sit directly on the Caribbean Sea with access to one of Cancun’s famous white-sand beaches.
The resort plans multiple oceanfront pool areas, alongside the rooftop pool.
Certain suites will also have direct swim-out access.
Cabanas and relaxation spaces are expected around the main pool and beach zones.
Guests looking for more activity will have access to non-motorized watersports, adding another option without transforming the resort into a high-energy family waterpark.
That distinction seems deliberate.
Vessence isn’t eliminating activities.
It’s simply positioning them within a calmer resort experience.
How much will Royalton Vessence Cancun cost?
Prices vary significantly according to dates, room category, Diamond Club status and promotions.
As one example from reservations available during our original research, a June 6–13, 2027 stay for two adults showed a resort-only price of approximately US$3,064 for seven nights, or roughly US$438 per room per night.
That was only a snapshot.
Opening-year pricing can change dramatically, and airfare, transfers, premium room categories and packages can completely alter the final vacation cost.
It is therefore more useful to treat that price as an indication of positioning rather than a permanent nightly rate.
Vessence appears to be targeting the upscale all-inclusive segment, rather than trying to compete primarily on price.
Is Royalton Vessence Cancun a Marriott hotel?
Yes—but with an important nuance.
The property’s full name is Royalton Vessence Cancun, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort.
Autograph Collection is Marriott International’s portfolio of distinctive independent-style hotels.
Rather than requiring every hotel to look and feel identical, Autograph Collection properties are generally intended to maintain their own identity.
Royalton operates the resort, while the Autograph Collection affiliation connects it with Marriott’s broader ecosystem.
For travelers who already use Marriott frequently, that affiliation may make Vessence considerably more interesting than an independent Cancun resort.
However, travelers should verify the exact Marriott Bonvoy earning, redemption and elite-benefit conditions attached to their booking, particularly with all-inclusive properties where program rules can differ from traditional city hotels.
What can you do near Royalton Vessence Cancun?
The location around Km 17.5 puts guests close to several attractions without requiring them to leave Cancun’s Hotel Zone entirely.
Museo Maya de Cancún and San Miguelito
One of the easiest cultural excursions is the Museo Maya de Cancún.
The museum explores Maya archaeology and history and sits alongside the San Miguelito archaeological site.
It’s an unusually convenient way to see genuine Maya ruins without committing an entire day to a long-distance excursion.
El Rey archaeological site
The nearby El Rey ruins provide another archaeological option within the Hotel Zone.
The site is much smaller than Chichén Itzá or Tulum, but that is also its advantage.
You can experience part of the region’s pre-Hispanic history without spending hours on a tour bus.
Aquaworld and MUSA
Travelers interested in the water will find Aquaworld nearby.
Excursions may include snorkeling, diving, boating and visits associated with MUSA—the Museo Subacuático de Arte, Cancun’s famous underwater museum.
That makes the resort’s southern Hotel Zone location especially convenient for travelers planning marine excursions.
La Isla Shopping Village
For shopping, restaurants and entertainment, La Isla Shopping Village is farther north along Boulevard Kukulcán but remains easily accessible by taxi or local transportation.
It’s one of the Hotel Zone’s major commercial destinations.
How far is Coco Bongo from Royalton Vessence Cancun?
And then there’s the question some Cancun travelers inevitably ask:
How far is Coco Bongo?
Coco Bongo Cancun sits around Km 9.5 of Boulevard Kukulcán, within the Hotel Zone’s main nightlife district.
Vessence Cancun is around Km 17.5.
That puts the two roughly 8 kilometres apart along the Hotel Zone, although actual driving distance can vary depending on access points and traffic.
This isn’t something I’d recommend walking.
A taxi, arranged transportation or another authorized ride is the sensible option, particularly late at night.
That distance may actually work in Vessence’s favor.
Guests can access Cancun’s famously intense nightlife when they want it without sleeping directly in the busiest nightlife area.
You can spend the evening at Coco Bongo and then return to a considerably calmer beachfront resort.
Vessence may appeal to travelers who find traditional all-inclusives repetitive
This is probably where Royalton’s strategy becomes clearest.
Cancun doesn’t need another generic all-inclusive resort.
There are already hundreds of hotels competing on beaches, pools, restaurants and unlimited drinks.
Vessence needs a reason to exist.
Art workshops, culinary experiences, pottery, tasting sessions, wellness programming, flexible Multi Bed Suites, rooftop swimming and more deliberate cultural programming give it one.
That doesn’t mean every guest will suddenly spend their vacation painting pottery or practicing tai chi.
Many will still spend six hours beside the pool with a margarita.
And that’s perfectly fine.
The difference is having more meaningful alternatives available when you want them.
Should you book a resort before it opens?
There is one major consideration anyone looking at Vessence Cancun needs to remember:
as of 2026, this is still a pre-opening resort.
The first guests aren’t scheduled to arrive until March 1, 2027.
That means there are currently no legitimate post-opening guest reviews.
Nobody can yet tell you whether restaurant service is excellent, whether check-in runs smoothly, whether the beach looks exactly like the renderings, whether the rooftop atmosphere works, or whether every announced facility will be operating perfectly from day one.
That is normal for a new resort.
But travelers should distinguish between confirmed specifications and actual guest experience.
Web pages, policies, room descriptions and pricing can also evolve before opening.
Anyone booking well in advance may therefore want to prioritize a rate with reasonable cancellation or modification conditions.
Early adopters get the excitement of experiencing something new.
They also accept some uncertainty.
What do the official photos show?
Most imagery available before opening consists of official architectural renderings and development previews.
They provide a useful indication of the design direction: contemporary architecture, natural textures, open spaces, tropical landscaping, pools facing the Caribbean and a rooftop designed around ocean views.
But a rendering isn’t the same thing as a finished hotel photograph.
As construction progresses toward the March 2027 opening, travelers should expect Royalton to release more photographs and eventually real images of completed rooms, restaurants, pools and public areas.
Those will provide a much better indication of how closely the finished property matches the original concept.
Who should consider Royalton Vessence Cancun?
Based on everything announced so far, Vessence could be particularly attractive for:
Couples who want a sophisticated all-inclusive without moving fully into a party-resort atmosphere.
Groups of friends who can take advantage of Multi Bed Suites, connecting rooms, rooftop programming and nightlife elsewhere in Cancun.
Wellness-focused travelers interested in yoga, movement, spa treatments and a calmer vacation rhythm.
Food and drink enthusiasts attracted by tastings, cooking activities and multiple à-la-carte restaurants.
Creative travelers who actually like the idea of painting, pottery and hands-on workshops during vacation.
Marriott travelers who want an all-inclusive experience connected to the Autograph Collection ecosystem.
And potentially families with older teenagers, depending on Royalton’s final age policies for the resort.
The bottom line
Royalton Vessence Cancun could become one of Cancun’s more interesting new all-inclusive openings of 2027.
Not because Cancun needs another luxury resort.
It doesn’t.
What makes Vessence potentially different is the way Royalton is combining things that normally exist separately.
There’s the convenience and predictability of an all-inclusive resort.
But then there are art studios, pottery, culinary workshops, wine and spirit tastings, wellness programming, late-night swimming, rooftop experiences and a stronger emphasis on Mexican culture.
There are traditional luxury suites, but also new Multi Bed accommodations designed to adapt to groups.
There’s a quiet, wellness-focused positioning, yet Coco Bongo and Cancun’s nightlife remain only a short ride away.
And there’s direct Caribbean beachfront while Cancun International Airport is roughly 20–25 minutes from the resort.
For travelers who love the simplicity of an all-inclusive vacation but increasingly find the traditional formula repetitive, Royalton Vessence Cancun may be exactly the kind of evolution the category needs.
The biggest unknown is simply execution.
Until guests actually arrive after March 1, 2027, nobody can know whether the final experience will live up to the concept.
But based on what’s currently announced, Royalton Vessence Cancun is shaping up to be a resort worth watching—and potentially one of the more distinctive new options in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.
Puerto Rico Backs Luxury Cabo Rojo Development
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Puerto Rico Approves US$2 Billion Luxury Coastal Development
Puerto Rico has given the green light to Esencia, a proposed US$2 billion luxury coastal development in Cabo Rojo that could reshape a large stretch of the island’s southwest coast. The project is being promoted as a master-planned community with upscale homes, hotels, golf courses, green space, a private school, an equestrian center and renewable-energy features. Supporters see it as a major economic opportunity for the region, while environmental advocates warn that the plan raises serious questions about water, coastal habitats and long-term sustainability.
Puerto Rico Approves $2B Cabo Rojo Vision
Puerto Rico’s approval of the Esencia project marks one of the island’s most ambitious luxury development decisions in recent years. Planned for Cabo Rojo, a municipality known for its beaches, salt flats, wildlife refuges and dramatic coastal landscapes, the project carries an estimated price tag of US$2 billion. Its backers describe it as a high-end, carefully designed community that could bring investment, jobs and global attention to the island’s southwest.
The development is expected to be built as a master-planned coastal destination rather than a single hotel or residential complex. That means the project would combine housing, hospitality, recreation, education and open space into one large integrated plan. For Puerto Rico, which continues to balance tourism growth with infrastructure limitations and environmental pressures, the approval is significant.
Cabo Rojo has long been cherished by Puerto Ricans for its quieter pace compared with San Juan and other heavily developed tourist zones. The southwest coast is often associated with natural beauty, local seafood, birdwatching, beaches and family tourism. Because of that, any large luxury project in the area is bound to attract attention—not only for its economic potential, but also for what it could mean for the identity and ecology of the region.
The government’s backing suggests confidence that Esencia can move forward within Puerto Rico’s planning and permitting framework. Still, approval does not end the debate. Environmental organizations and community advocates continue to question whether a development of this size can truly coexist with sensitive coastal ecosystems, limited water resources and the realities of climate change.
What Esencia Promises on the Southwest Coast
Developers have presented Esencia as more than a luxury resort. The vision is a complete community with residences, hotels, recreational amenities and services designed to appeal to affluent buyers, visitors and families. The project’s location in Cabo Rojo gives it a strong selling point: access to one of Puerto Rico’s most scenic coastal regions, away from the more congested tourism corridors of the northeast.
A central part of the project’s promise is economic development. Large construction projects can generate jobs during the building phase, while hotels, maintenance, landscaping, security, hospitality and retail operations may provide longer-term employment. Supporters argue that the southwest has not received the same level of tourism investment as other parts of Puerto Rico and that Esencia could help diversify the island’s visitor economy.
Developers have also emphasized sustainability, including renewable energy and extensive green space. In modern luxury real estate, environmental branding is increasingly important, especially in coastal destinations where buyers and guests expect natural beauty to be preserved. Esencia’s backers appear to be positioning the project as a model for upscale development that integrates landscaping, conservation-minded design and cleaner energy systems.
However, promises of sustainability will likely be judged by implementation rather than promotional language. Puerto Rico has seen intense debates over land use, coastal access, energy resilience and public infrastructure. For many residents, the key question is whether Esencia will meaningfully benefit local communities or primarily serve wealthy outsiders seeking exclusive properties in a prized coastal setting.
Luxury Homes, Hotels, Golf and Green Space
The planned components of Esencia include luxury residences, hotels, golf courses, an equestrian center, a private school and large areas of green space. Taken together, these features suggest a development aimed at high-net-worth residents, second-home buyers, vacationers and families looking for a private, amenity-rich environment. It is not simply a tourism project; it is a lifestyle community.
Luxury homes are likely to be one of the project’s main economic engines. Coastal real estate in Puerto Rico has drawn increasing interest from investors and mainland U.S. buyers, particularly in areas offering tax incentives, tropical scenery and access to the U.S. market. In Cabo Rojo, this could raise property values, but it could also intensify concerns about affordability and displacement if surrounding communities experience price pressure.
Hotels would expand the region’s capacity to host visitors and could help establish Cabo Rojo as a more prominent luxury destination. While the area already attracts tourists, its hospitality infrastructure is smaller than that of San Juan, Dorado or Rincón. A major resort component could bring new restaurants, services and international marketing, but it may also increase traffic, water demand and pressure on beaches and roads.
Golf courses and equestrian facilities add to the upscale character of the plan, but they are also among the features most likely to draw environmental scrutiny. Golf courses can require significant land, irrigation and chemical management if not designed carefully. The inclusion of green space may help soften the project’s footprint, yet critics will want to know how much land is truly conserved, how it will be managed and whether public access is preserved.
Environmental Questions Still Shadow the Plan
Environmental concerns remain at the center of the controversy surrounding Esencia. Cabo Rojo is ecologically important, with nearby coastal habitats, wetlands, salt flats and areas that support birds and marine life. Environmental groups worry that a project of this scale could alter drainage patterns, disturb habitats, increase runoff and place additional stress on fragile ecosystems.
Water is one of the most pressing issues. Puerto Rico has faced recurring challenges involving drought, aging infrastructure and uneven water distribution. A luxury development with hotels, residences, golf courses and landscaping could require substantial water resources. Even if developers use conservation systems, recycled water or efficient irrigation, critics are likely to demand clear evidence that the project will not strain local supplies.
Coastal resilience is another major concern. Puerto Rico is vulnerable to hurricanes, storm surge, erosion and sea-level rise. Building near the coast requires careful planning, especially as climate risks become more severe. A project marketed around coastal beauty must also confront the long-term reality that shorelines are changing and that development can sometimes reduce natural buffers such as dunes, wetlands and vegetation.
The debate over Esencia ultimately reflects a broader question facing Puerto Rico: how should the island pursue economic growth without sacrificing the natural resources that make it unique? Supporters see the project as a transformative investment in the southwest. Opponents fear it could become another example of luxury development moving faster than environmental safeguards. The answer will depend on transparency, enforcement, community engagement and whether sustainability claims are matched by measurable protections.
The approval of the US$2 billion Esencia project in Cabo Rojo is a defining moment for Puerto Rico’s southwest coast. It offers the promise of investment, jobs, luxury tourism and new amenities, but it also brings serious concerns about water, ecosystems, public access and climate resilience. As the project moves forward, its success will not be measured only by the homes, hotels or golf courses it builds, but by whether it can respect Cabo Rojo’s environment and deliver lasting benefits to the people of Puerto Rico.
Beyond the Traditional All-Inclusive: INNSiDE by Meliá Plans Two Distinct Punta Cana Hotels for 2027
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Key Insights
- Location: Former Carambola Beach Resort, Davis Bay, northwest St. Croix
- Development type: Comprehensive renovation and rebranding
- Planned inventory: 150 all-suite accommodations
- Guest positioning: Premium family-friendly resort for ages 12 and older
- Owner and redevelopment funder: VICI Properties
- Operator: Club Med
- Brand: Club Med Exclusive Collection
- Estimated total investment: At least US$77 million, including acquisition and redevelopment
- Restaurants: Three planned dining concepts
- Bars and lounges: Four
- Major amenities: Infinity pool, spa, yoga, pickleball, beach volleyball, water sports and guided excursions
- Employment commitment: 200 full-time jobs
- Current opening target: Late 2027
Beyond the Traditional All-Inclusive: INNSiDE by Meliá Plans Two Distinct Punta Cana Hotels for 2027
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown and INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay were announced as a combined 476-room expansion, introducing Meliá’s lifestyle brand to the Dominican Republic. One project turns toward Punta Cana’s growing urban centre; the other was announced for Arena Gorda Beach. Current developer materials, however, indicate that the final configuration may be evolving.
Punta Cana’s international reputation was built primarily along the coastline, where large all-inclusive resorts place rooms, restaurants, pools and entertainment within self-contained beachfront properties.
Meliá Hotels International’s next move takes a different approach.
The Spanish hotel company plans to introduce INNSiDE by Meliá through two new-build projects aimed at different sides of the destination: an urban, lake-oriented property in central Punta Cana and a leisure development associated with the Arena Gorda and Cana Bay area.
Announced in December 2024, INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown and INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay were originally presented as a combined 476-room development scheduled to open in 2027. The hotels are being developed by Spain’s Vivantia Homes and were described as Meliá’s first franchised properties in the Caribbean.
The projects are significant not because they replicate Punta Cana’s existing resort formula, but because they attempt to broaden it. INNSiDE is positioned as a lifestyle brand where accommodation, social spaces, work, wellness and local culture overlap. The two Dominican properties are intended to serve leisure guests, business travellers and visitors who want greater access to the destination beyond a traditional resort compound.
A franchise-led expansion for Meliá
Meliá is not presenting the projects as company-owned resorts.
They are being developed through a franchise relationship with Vivantia Homes. Current Vivantia materials describe the properties as condo-hotels or luxury aparthotels, with units made available to individual investors and second-home buyers. Vivantia says Meliá will supervise the brand experience while Aimbridge provides professional hotel management.
Under that model, an individual may own a suite or apartment, use it during permitted periods and place it in the hotel’s rental program when it is not personally occupied.
For guests, the property should function as an INNSiDE hotel. Behind the scenes, however, the units may have multiple individual owners. This makes consistent design standards, maintenance, service and inventory management particularly important.
For Meliá, the franchise structure provides an asset-light expansion model: the company can extend its brand, distribution platform and loyalty ecosystem without owning the underlying real estate.
The original plan: 290 rooms downtown and 186 by the beach
Meliá’s original announcement divided the development into two clearly differentiated properties.
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown was announced with 290 rooms in the central urban area of Punta Cana, close to commercial districts, residential developments and daytime and nighttime entertainment.
INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay was announced with 186 rooms on Arena Gorda Beach, a long stretch of coastline in the northern Punta Cana and Bávaro resort area known for water sports, palm-lined sand and turquoise water.
Both hotels were described as being within a relatively short distance of Punta Cana International Airport.
The contrast was deliberate: one property would connect guests with the destination’s emerging urban life, while the other would offer a more conventional coastal vacation environment.
Current developer information provides substantially more detail—but it also raises questions about whether parts of the original plan have been renamed, reorganized or expanded.
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown
An urban and lake-oriented alternative
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown is intended to operate in the commercial and entertainment centre of Punta Cana rather than directly on the coast.
The original 290-room announcement positioned the hotel for travellers who want access to restaurants, retail, nightlife, residential communities and local services. That gives the property a fundamentally different role from the large beach resorts farther north along Bávaro and Arena Gorda.
It may also appeal to short-stay visitors, business travellers, remote workers, small meetings, pre- or post-resort stays and travellers who plan to explore the destination independently.
Oasis Lake and Oasis Lake II appear to form the 290-room project
Vivantia’s current development portfolio provides what appears to be the clearest explanation of the Downtown property’s physical structure.
The developer markets two adjoining or related condo-hotel projects at Caribbean Lake Park:
- Oasis Lake, with 80 apartments;
- Oasis Lake II, with 210 hotel suites.
Together, those projects total exactly 290 accommodations, matching the room count in Meliá’s original INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown announcement. Vivantia explicitly identifies both developments with the INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown hotel operation. This strongly suggests that Oasis Lake and Oasis Lake II represent two components or phases of the same announced hotel, although Meliá has not released an updated fact sheet formally confirming that interpretation.
Oasis Lake: the first 80 apartments
Oasis Lake is being marketed as an 80-unit eco-chic condo-hotel designed by Axis Arquitectura.
The architecture is described as drawing inspiration from Tulum, with contemporary forms, natural textures and extensive integration between indoor and outdoor spaces. Planned amenities include private pools, a gastrobar and coworking facilities.
The property is situated beside one of the natural lakes within Caribbean Lake Park. Developer materials advertise access to the wider park’s recreational infrastructure, which includes pools, water-based activities, a water park, Batú restaurant and the Maroca nightlife venue.
The precise terms of access have not been published in a final hotel fact sheet. Guests should not assume that every independently operated park attraction will be included in the room rate.
Oasis Lake II: 210 suites and extensive common areas
The larger second component, Oasis Lake II, is planned with 210 hotel suites.
Vivantia describes the project as a contemporary and sustainability-oriented aparthotel facing the largest lake within Caribbean Lake Park. Plans call for more than 15,000 square metres of common areas and services, along with access to water activities, dining, nightlife and coworking spaces.
The project is also designed under a condo-hotel structure. Vivantia says owners will be able to occupy their suites during permitted periods and generate rental income through the hotel program when they are away.
The combination of 80 apartments in Oasis Lake and 210 suites in Oasis Lake II could allow the Downtown hotel to offer different accommodation types, from conventional short-stay rooms to larger units suitable for extended visits. Final room categories, occupancy limits and kitchen facilities have not yet been released by Meliá.
What will guests find at the Downtown hotel?
Meliá’s announced program for the two Punta Cana hotels includes:
- A principal restaurant;
- A café;
- Grab-and-go food and beverage service;
- A wellness area;
- A swimming pool;
- A modern gym;
- A cinema;
- Creatively designed meeting rooms;
- Healthy beverage options;
- Yoga sessions;
- Bicycle tours;
- Events and exhibitions involving local artists.
The meeting rooms, coworking facilities and grab-and-go dining are especially relevant to the Downtown location. They support the brand’s effort to combine business and leisure rather than treating work facilities as a separate, formal conference department.
The cinema is one of the more unusual elements in the original announcement, although its size, programming and operating model have not been disclosed.
A hotel connected to a wider entertainment district
Caribbean Lake Park is being positioned as more than the physical setting for the hotel. Developer materials present it as part of the guest experience, with recreation, dining and nightlife surrounding the accommodation.
That could give INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown a resort-like range of activities without placing everything inside one hotel building. It also creates an important distinction: some attractions may be operated by third parties and could have separate admission policies, age restrictions or fees.
A final hotel fact sheet will need to clarify which park facilities are included, which receive preferred access and which remain separately ticketed.
INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay
The property Meliá originally announced for Arena Gorda Beach
Meliá’s December 2024 announcement described INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay as a 186-room hotel positioned on Arena Gorda Beach.
The location would place the hotel in Punta Cana’s established northern resort corridor, surrounded by beaches, golf, water sports and existing tourism infrastructure. Its original positioning was more coastal and vacation-oriented than that of the Downtown property.
Renderings released with the announcement showed a contemporary lifestyle property with tropical landscaping and open-air public spaces. Those images are architectural visualizations—not photographs of a completed hotel.
Current developer materials use a different name and room count
Vivantia’s current portfolio introduces an important uncertainty.
Instead of using the original INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay name consistently, the developer refers to an INNSiDE Punta Cana Bávaro operation connected with its Oasis Bay developments in Cana Bay.
The principal Oasis Bay project is currently marketed with 172 luxury apartments, while a second phase called Oasis Bay II adds another 30 apartments. These numbers do not correspond with the original 186-room announcement and should not simply be substituted for it.
The public materials do not explain whether:
- The original 186-room Punta Cana Bay hotel was redesigned;
- Oasis Bay represents only one component of a larger hotel;
- Oasis Bay II is a subsequent expansion;
- Some units are residential inventory outside the hotel count;
- Or INNSiDE Punta Cana Bávaro is a revised name for the previously announced Punta Cana Bay property.
Until Meliá releases an updated development fact sheet, the precise final inventory remains unresolved.
Beachfront or near the beach?
The location descriptions also require careful wording.
Meliá’s original announcement placed the 186-room hotel on Arena Gorda Beach. Vivantia’s current Oasis Bay information describes a Cana Bay location associated with golf and private beach-club access. The developer also states that the principal Oasis Bay accommodations are approximately 1,500 metres from the beach.
These statements may reflect different phases, parcels or definitions of the larger project, but they should not be blended into an unsupported claim of direct beachfront access.
Until an updated site plan is available, the most accurate description is:
The original INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay was announced for Arena Gorda Beach, while current Vivantia materials place the associated Oasis Bay condo-hotel development in Cana Bay with access to a private beach club.
This distinction matters to travellers. Directly walking from a room to the sand is a materially different experience from taking a shuttle or travelling approximately 1.5 kilometres to a beach club.
Inside the 172-unit Oasis Bay development
Vivantia describes Oasis Bay as a collection of 172 apartments designed by Axis Arquitectura.
Planned amenities include:
- Three private swimming pools;
- A gym;
- A sauna;
- Mini-golf;
- Coworking facilities;
- A skybar with barbecue service;
- Access to golf;
- Access to a private beach club.
The development combines resort amenities with residential and investment functions. Units are being marketed to buyers who may use the apartments personally and place them in the INNSiDE-operated rental program when absent.
The range of residential unit types has not been translated into an official hotel room-category list. Guests will eventually need to know which apartments are available through Meliá, what services are standardized and whether housekeeping, food and beverage, beach transportation and resort access are included in every rate.
Oasis Bay II adds another 30 apartments
Oasis Bay II is being marketed as a second phase with 30 apartments facing the Cana Bay Beach & Golf environment.
Vivantia says most will have private pools and views toward the sea or golf landscape. Residents and hotel guests are expected to have access to the amenities of Oasis Bay’s first phase.
Once again, it is unclear whether all 30 apartments will be counted as part of the hotel’s permanent room inventory. Condo-hotel projects can include units whose owners participate in the rental program and others that remain primarily private residences.
The final sellable room count may therefore differ from the number of physical units constructed.
What both INNSiDE hotels are expected to share
Despite their different settings, Meliá announced a common lifestyle program for the two properties.
Both are expected to include a restaurant, café, grab-and-go service, wellness facilities, a pool, fitness amenities, a cinema and design-oriented meeting spaces. Programming is intended to include yoga, cycling, healthy beverages, cultural events and displays by local artists.
The concept is designed around a less formal boundary between work and leisure. A guest might use a coworking area in the morning, attend a meeting in the afternoon and move into a dining, art or social environment without leaving the property.
This fits the broader INNSiDE identity, which Meliá presents as a flexible lifestyle brand for both urban and vacation destinations.
These hotels have not been confirmed as all-inclusive
One of the most important editorial distinctions is what Meliá has not announced.
The original development release did not identify either INNSiDE Punta Cana property as an all-inclusive hotel. It mentioned a restaurant, café and grab-and-go service but did not specify an all-inclusive board plan, buffet program, unlimited beverages or included activities.
The projects should therefore be described as lifestyle hotels, aparthotels or condo-hotels—not as all-inclusive resorts—unless Meliá later announces a specific meal plan.
This sets them apart from much of the company’s existing Punta Cana portfolio and could make them more attractive to guests who want to explore restaurants and attractions beyond their hotel.
What the condo-hotel model means for travellers
Vivantia’s sales material emphasizes the investment opportunity: individual owners may occupy their units and earn income through hotel rentals when they are not using them.
For travellers, the arrangement can offer larger accommodations and residential features. It can also create operational questions:
- Will every unit follow exactly the same interior design?
- Will all accommodations receive identical maintenance and housekeeping?
- Which units will be available through Meliá’s booking system?
- Will some amenities be limited to owners or specific buildings?
- Will hotel guests have guaranteed access to the beach club, golf facilities or Caribbean Lake Park?
- Which services will carry additional fees?
Meliá’s brand supervision and Aimbridge’s reported management role are intended to provide consistency, but the final hotel policies have not yet been published.
Two properties for different Punta Cana experiences
The Downtown and Bay projects should not be treated as interchangeable hotels.
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown is the more unconventional proposition. Its lakeside setting, coworking areas, entertainment access and urban location position it for travellers who want a broader view of Punta Cana than a beach resort ordinarily provides.
The property associated with INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay or Bávaro is oriented more strongly toward beaches, pools, golf and residential-style accommodations. Its appeal will depend heavily on the final beach-access arrangements and the degree to which the hotel integrates its different Oasis Bay phases.
For a group travelling together, the two projects could serve entirely different needs. A business traveller or remote worker may prefer Downtown, while a leisure guest prioritizing golf and beach-club access may choose the Bay development.
Are the hotels still opening in 2027?
The most recent public project information reviewed continues to associate the hotels with a 2027 opening target.
However, neither Meliá nor Vivantia has announced a specific opening month, reservation launch or first available stay. Vivantia’s current pages classify Oasis Lake, Oasis Lake II, Oasis Bay and Oasis Bay II as being in the marketing stage.
The wording used in publication should therefore remain:
Scheduled or expected to open in 2027.
The hotels should not be described as accepting reservations until a live booking page or official sales announcement is available.
What still needs to be confirmed
Several important elements remain unresolved as of July 28, 2026:
- The final opening month for each property;
- The definitive name of INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay or INNSiDE Punta Cana Bávaro;
- Whether the official Bay inventory remains 186 rooms;
- How the 172-unit Oasis Bay and 30-unit Oasis Bay II phases relate to that count;
- Whether all units will participate in the hotel rental program;
- The exact location and method of beach access;
- Available room categories;
- Restaurant names and menus;
- Meal-plan options;
- Included versus supplementary amenities;
- Final meeting-space capacities;
- The date reservations will begin.
These gaps do not mean the projects are inactive. They indicate that the public-facing development information is still evolving and that investor-marketing materials have moved ahead of the final hotel fact sheet.
A different direction for Punta Cana
The two INNSiDE properties represent a broader change in how Punta Cana is developing.
The destination is still adding large beachfront all-inclusive resorts, but it is also gaining lifestyle hotels, condo-hotels, branded residences, urban entertainment districts, coworking environments and accommodations designed for more independent travel.
Meliá’s strategy appears to recognize that not every future visitor will want the same type of Punta Cana vacation.
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown is designed around the city, lakes, work and entertainment. INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay was announced around the beach, while current developer plans emphasize Cana Bay, golf, residential-style units and private beach-club access.
Their success will depend on more than design and branding. It will depend on whether Meliá and its development partners can clearly explain what each hotel is, where it is located, what a stay includes and how the condo-hotel ownership structure will affect the guest experience.
The concept is compelling. The next essential step is clarity.
INNSiDE Punta Cana projects: confirmed facts
INNSiDE Punta Cana Downtown
- Original announced inventory: 290 rooms
- Setting: Central and urban Punta Cana
- Developer: Vivantia Homes
- Current associated developments: Oasis Lake and Oasis Lake II
- Current developer inventory: 80 apartments plus 210 suites
- Architect: Axis Arquitectura
- Property model: Condo-hotel/aparthotel
- Reported management: Aimbridge under Meliá brand supervision
- Opening target: 2027
INNSiDE Punta Cana Bay
- Original announced inventory: 186 rooms
- Original announced setting: Arena Gorda Beach
- Developer: Vivantia Homes
- Current associated identity: INNSiDE Punta Cana Bávaro/Oasis Bay
- Current developer inventory: 172 apartments in Oasis Bay and 30 in Oasis Bay II
- Current location description: Cana Bay, with golf and beach-club access
- Property model: Condo-hotel/aparthotel
- Opening target: 2027
Club Med Breaks Ground on St. Croix, Reimagining Historic Carambola for a 2027 Return
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Key Insights
- Location: Former Carambola Beach Resort, Davis Bay, northwest St. Croix
- Development type: Comprehensive renovation and rebranding
- Planned inventory: 150 all-suite accommodations
- Guest positioning: Premium family-friendly resort for ages 12 and older
- Owner and redevelopment funder: VICI Properties
- Operator: Club Med
- Brand: Club Med Exclusive Collection
- Estimated total investment: At least US$77 million, including acquisition and redevelopment
- Restaurants: Three planned dining concepts
- Bars and lounges: Four
- Major amenities: Infinity pool, spa, yoga, pickleball, beach volleyball, water sports and guided excursions
- Employment commitment: 200 full-time jobs
- Current opening target: Late 2027
Club Med Breaks Ground on St. Croix, Reimagining Historic Carambola for a 2027 Return
The redevelopment of the former Carambola Beach Resort will bring Club Med back to U.S. territory with 150 suites, premium all-inclusive service and a significant package of public incentives. The larger question is whether the project can preserve the character of Davis Bay while delivering the jobs, cultural integration and local economic benefits promised to St. Croix.
Steel-pan renditions of the United States and Virgin Islands anthems opened the ceremony. Then hotel executives, investors and public officials stepped onto the sand at Davis Bay and turned the first ceremonial shovels.
The July 15, 2026, groundbreaking marked the beginning of a new life for Carambola Beach Resort, one of St. Croix’s best-known coastal properties. When it reopens as Club Med St. Croix, currently expected in the fourth quarter of 2027, the resort will also mark Club Med’s return to U.S. territory after an absence of approximately five years.
But the development is more than another Caribbean hotel opening. It combines the restoration of an architecturally distinctive 1980s resort, the arrival of a major international all-inclusive brand, an investment of at least US$77 million and a 30-year package of economic-development incentives tied to employment, local residency and cultural-programming commitments.
A historic resort enters a new era
Club Med St. Croix is not being built on untouched beachfront. It is a comprehensive redevelopment of the former Carambola Beach Resort on the island’s northwest coast.
Originally developed in 1986 as part of the RockResorts portfolio, the property was shaped by the conservation philosophy associated with philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller. Its low-rise buildings, hardwood, native stone and steep shingled roofs were intended to sit within the Davis Bay landscape rather than dominate it. The resort occupies a setting between a crescent-shaped beach and the tropical vegetation rising behind it.
Club Med says the redevelopment will preserve the spirit and natural character of that original design while elevating the property to the standards of its Exclusive Collection, the company’s most refined resort category.
That distinction matters. Club Med St. Croix is being positioned above the company’s standard premium portfolio, with more personalized service, spacious accommodations, lower-density planning and a greater emphasis on design and destination-specific experiences. At the time of the groundbreaking announcement, Club Med described it as only the second Exclusive Collection property in North America.
Who owns the future Club Med St. Croix?
The ownership structure is more complex than a traditional hotel acquisition.
VICI Properties, a real-estate investment trust best known for owning hospitality, gaming and entertainment properties, acquired the former Carambola resort. VICI then entered into a long-term triple-net lease with Club Med and agreed to finance the redevelopment. Club Med will operate the completed resort under its own brand but will not own the underlying real estate.
Under a triple-net lease, the hotel operator generally assumes responsibility for property expenses such as maintenance, insurance and applicable taxes, while the real-estate company retains ownership of the asset. For VICI, St. Croix adds a new type of leisure property to its portfolio. For Club Med, the arrangement provides a route back into the U.S. market without requiring the company to purchase the resort property itself.
Reconciling the project’s different investment figures
Several figures have been used to describe the development, and they do not all measure the same thing.
VICI’s property information describes an approximately US$55-million renovation. Documents from the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority provide a broader accounting: approximately US$21 million to purchase the real estate and improvements, plus another US$56 million for redevelopment, producing a total investment of at least US$77 million. The project’s economic-development application also commits the applicants to a minimum capital investment of US$62.8 million in the benefited business.
The safest journalistic description is therefore:
Club Med and VICI are advancing an approximately US$77-million acquisition and redevelopment, including about US$55 million to US$56 million in planned renovation work.
This avoids treating the acquisition cost, construction budget and minimum qualifying investment as though they were interchangeable.
A 150-suite resort for guests aged 12 and older
Club Med St. Croix is planned as a 150-key, all-suite resort with a low-density layout inspired by the island’s rainforest, coastline and natural landscape.
The property will be family-friendly, but not oriented toward young children. Club Med says it is being designed for guests 12 years of age and older, placing it between a conventional family resort and an adults-only retreat. That positioning could appeal to couples, families travelling with teenagers, active multigenerational groups, weddings and incentive programs.
Detailed suite categories have not yet been released. Club Med has not publicly confirmed the number of standard suites, premium suites, connecting accommodations or signature units, nor has it announced opening rates.
The company has said that the suites will combine contemporary technology with materials and design references drawn from St. Croix’s natural environment. Because this is a redevelopment of an existing 150-room resort, the final design will have to balance the original building configuration with Club Med’s current accommodation standards.
Three dining concepts and four bars
The resort’s culinary program is expected to include three principal dining concepts:
- A signature restaurant;
- A beachfront restaurant or dining venue;
- A café with convenient grab-and-go service.
Four bars and lounges are also planned across the resort. Club Med says the food-and-beverage program will combine international cuisine with Caribbean influences, although individual restaurant names, menus and chef partnerships have not yet been announced.
The limited number of restaurants relative to some much larger Caribbean all-inclusive complexes reflects the resort’s more intimate, 150-suite scale. The success of the culinary program may depend less on the number of outlets than on how effectively the restaurants integrate Crucian products, recipes and culinary talent.
Club Med and local officials have said the development is expected to work with Virgin Islands farmers, artisans, excursion operators and service providers. Those relationships could give the resort a stronger sense of place while allowing more visitor spending to circulate through the local economy.
An infinity pool, spa and active-resort program
Planned amenities include a new infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea and a full-service spa. Club Med has also identified pickleball, beach volleyball, yoga, non-motorized water sports and guided outdoor excursions as components of the guest experience.
This activity program is consistent with Club Med’s historical positioning. The company has long combined accommodation, meals and entertainment with organized sports and social activities. At St. Croix, however, the company is also promising experiences connected to the island’s culture and landscape rather than an entirely self-contained resort program.
No final list of excursions has been published. It remains to be seen how the resort will work with local operators and whether activities will include experiences related to St. Croix’s marine environment, food, agriculture, music, history and protected natural areas.
Club Med’s return to the United States
Club Med St. Croix will be the brand’s only operating resort in U.S. territory when it opens under the current plan.
The company’s previous U.S. property, Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port St. Lucie, Florida, ceased operating under the Club Med flag in September 2022 after more than 40 years. The St. Croix project therefore represents both a geographic return and a significant repositioning—from a large sports-oriented Florida resort to a smaller, more upscale Caribbean property in the Exclusive Collection.
The U.S. Virgin Islands also offer a practical advantage for the domestic market: U.S. citizens travelling from the mainland United States or Puerto Rico do not require a passport. Non-U.S. citizens remain subject to the applicable requirements for entering U.S. territory.
The economic promise: 200 direct jobs
Club Med and VICI project that the completed resort will create approximately 200 direct jobs, accompanied by at least as many indirect opportunities connected to suppliers, transportation, agriculture, excursions and other services.
The applicants have formally committed to employing 200 full-time workers, with that employment level expected to be reached by December 31, 2028.
Club Med has publicly said that approximately 80% of the direct jobs are expected eventually to be filled by local talent. The economic-development agreement, however, provides a more gradual and enforceable schedule:
- At least 65% of employees must be U.S. Virgin Islands residents from the opening through December 31, 2028;
- The resident share must reach at least 75% by the end of 2029;
- The standard 80% residency requirement must be met by the end of 2031;
- At least 20% of management, supervisory and technical positions must be held by U.S. Virgin Islands residents.
That distinction is important. The frequently cited 80% local-employment figure is a longer-term target, not necessarily the required staffing composition on opening day.
The agreement also requires the resort to provide formal notice of employment opportunities to former Carambola employees within the first year after reopening.
A substantial public incentive package
In exchange for its investment and employment commitments, the project received approval for 100% of the incentives authorized under the Virgin Islands Economic Development Commission program for 30 years.
That should not be simplified into a claim that every part of the business will be entirely tax-free. The decision excludes certain revenues, including retail sales, concessions and rental activities not owned and operated by the beneficiary. The resort will also be required to collect the applicable hotel room tax.
The agreement attaches other obligations to the incentives. These include maintaining a hotel brand comparable in quality to Club Med St. Croix, observing resident-employment requirements, complying with territorial labour standards and incorporating cultural programming into the resort’s operations.
The approved cultural commitments encompass food, visual arts, music, entertainment, education, excursions and community engagement. These requirements give the territory a mechanism to evaluate whether the resort’s promised connection to St. Croix becomes part of daily operations rather than remaining only a marketing theme.
Local suppliers, training and cultural representation
Club Med representatives have discussed working with local farmers, businesses and the University of the Virgin Islands to develop supply chains, apprenticeships and hospitality-career opportunities.
Detail Theory Studio, a St. Croix-based company, has also been identified as providing local design support to the project.
These relationships could become some of the development’s most consequential elements. A resort can create hundreds of jobs while still importing a large share of its food, materials, expertise and entertainment. The economic impact will be greater if the property purchases locally, gives residents paths into management positions and presents St. Croix’s culture through Crucian voices and businesses.
The project’s progress should therefore be measured not only by construction milestones and future occupancy rates, but also by supplier contracts, workforce training and the proportion of supervisory positions held by island residents.
Preserving the Carambola legacy
Club Med says the redevelopment will protect the property’s historic roots and relationship with the surrounding landscape.
The original Carambola design was closely tied to Rockefeller’s approach to resort development: buildings should be integrated with nature, use local or natural materials where possible and avoid overwhelming the coastline. Club Med has referred to a low-density plan and architecture inspired by St. Croix’s rainforest and island environment.
Still, important architectural details have not been disclosed. The company has not publicly specified which buildings will be preserved, which will be substantially reconstructed or how much of the original material will remain.
Until detailed plans are released, the project is best described as a comprehensive redevelopment that intends to retain the spirit of Carambola—not as a strict historical restoration.
Sustainability certifications are targets, not completed achievements
The development is targeting BREEAM and Green Globe certifications.
BREEAM is associated primarily with the design and environmental performance of buildings, while Green Globe evaluates sustainability practices within tourism operations. Club Med has used both frameworks at other properties.
At this stage, neither certification has been awarded to Club Med St. Croix. The accurate wording is that the project is pursuing or targeting certification.
The resort’s environmental performance will eventually depend on measurable decisions involving energy, water, waste, construction materials, coastal resilience, landscaping, food procurement and marine activities. Certification results and operating data will provide stronger evidence than the current development promises alone.
When will Club Med St. Croix open?
Club Med and VICI’s principal public target is the fourth quarter of 2027.
A local report following the groundbreaking referred to construction being completed and the resort becoming operational by the third quarter of 2027. No exact opening day, reservation launch or inaugural season has been announced. The safest publication language is therefore “expected to open in late 2027.”
As with any major Caribbean redevelopment, the schedule could be influenced by construction conditions, permitting, procurement, weather and the final certification process.
A resort that will be judged beyond its opening day
The return of a prominent international hotel brand gives St. Croix a significant new development story. Club Med St. Croix could restore an important beachfront property, expand the island’s accommodation inventory and introduce the territory to travellers who already know the company’s all-inclusive resorts elsewhere in the Caribbean.
Yet the project’s most important results will not be visible in a rendering.
They will be found in the number of Virgin Islanders hired and promoted, the contracts awarded to local businesses, the treatment of the Davis Bay landscape and the degree to which Crucian culture is represented by the people who live it.
The groundbreaking began the construction story. The more meaningful test will begin when the first guests arrive.
Lopesan Opens Three Connected Resorts in Punta Cana in a US$350 Million Expansion
The Million Dollar Blog, 2026, 2027, New resort, New Resort 2026, New resort in Punta Cana, Resort opening
Key Insights
- One destination, three resort identities: Lopesan opened three interconnected hotels designed for different traveller profiles while sharing many restaurants, pools, entertainment venues and services.
- A major Caribbean investment: The US$350-million development adds 1,035 rooms to Lopesan’s Punta Cana portfolio.
- Caoba Lagoon is the centrepiece: The largest property has 554 rooms, a 127-metre lagoon pool, cenote-inspired areas and ten waterfalls.
- Serenity Bay targets adults: This 239-room adults-only resort offers a quieter atmosphere, exclusive pools, bars and dining spaces.
- Splash Cove focuses on families: The 242-room family resort features connecting accommodations, two water parks, a wave pool and multigenerational activities.
- The Boulevard connects the experience: Guests can access a shared entertainment district with restaurants, bars, shopping, nightlife, a theatre, casino and family attractions.
- More development is coming: A large convention centre is scheduled to open in 2027, expanding the complex’s appeal for weddings, conferences and incentive groups.
- Important editorial clarification: The resorts’ restaurant and pool totals overlap because several amenities are shared. They should not be added together as entirely separate facilities.
Lopesan Opens Three Connected Resorts in Punta Cana in a US$350 Million Caribbean Expansion
opesan Hotel Group has opened Lopesan Caoba Lagoon Resort, Spa & Casino, Lopesan Serenity Bay Resort, Spa & Casino and Lopesan Splash Cove Resort, Spa & Casino in Playa Bávaro. Together, the three all-inclusive hotels add 1,035 rooms to a connected destination designed for couples, adults, families, groups and multigenerational travellers.
On July 7, 2026, Lopesan Hotel Group announced that it had welcomed the first guests to three new all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, marking the company’s largest Caribbean expansion to date.
The simultaneous debut of Lopesan Caoba Lagoon Resort, Spa & Casino, Lopesan Serenity Bay Resort, Spa & Casino and Lopesan Splash Cove Resort, Spa & Casino represents an investment of more than US$350 million. The three properties contain a combined 1,035 rooms and join the existing Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino within the company’s broader Playa Bávaro destination.
What makes the development unusual is not simply its size. Rather than opening three unrelated hotels, Lopesan has created three distinct resort identities within one interconnected all-inclusive campus. Guests select the atmosphere that best suits their trip—an expansive lagoon-centred resort, a quieter adults-only retreat or a family resort built around water and recreation—while retaining access to many of the restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and public spaces distributed across the larger complex.
Three hotels designed as one destination
The project is structured around a segmented-resort model.
Caoba Lagoon serves as the development’s principal all-ages resort and architectural centrepiece. Serenity Bay creates a more private adults-only environment within the same destination. Splash Cove concentrates on families, water attractions and multigenerational travel.
That structure allows Lopesan to serve substantially different markets without building three completely isolated guest experiences. A couple staying at Serenity Bay can retreat to an adults-only pool and dining spaces, while still visiting The Boulevard for restaurants, cocktails or entertainment. A family can book Splash Cove for its water-oriented facilities and connecting accommodations while remaining part of the same larger destination as relatives staying at Caoba Lagoon.
The three new resorts also expand Lopesan’s existing presence in Punta Cana. Together with Lopesan Costa Bávaro, the company now operates four differentiated resort experiences within its Playa Bávaro campus. Some major amenities—including The Boulevard, Om Spa, the casino, entertainment venues and selected restaurants—function as shared infrastructure for this wider destination rather than being duplicated separately inside every hotel.
Water and landscape define the architecture
Lopesan developed the new destination in collaboration with HKS Architects and the firm’s hospitality design division, ROAM.
Water is the central organizing element. Lagoons, waterfalls, pool environments, cenote-inspired spaces, tropical landscaping and open-air circulation are used to connect the different buildings and guest areas. Lopesan describes this approach through its “Flow” philosophy, emphasizing movement between architecture, nature, recreation and social spaces.
The most visible expression of the concept is the 127-metre lagoon pool at Caoba Lagoon. The resort also incorporates cenote-inspired design elements and ten waterfalls, creating a landscape in which the aquatic features function as both recreational facilities and architectural landmarks.
This water-led design extends into Splash Cove’s family facilities and Serenity Bay’s quieter pool environments. The result is not one central pool surrounded by three hotels, but a network of aquatic spaces intended to create different atmospheres across the destination.
Lopesan Caoba Lagoon Resort, Spa & Casino
The centrepiece of the new development
With 554 rooms, Lopesan Caoba Lagoon is the largest of the three new properties. Lopesan markets it as a five-star, all-inclusive resort for all ages, combining extensive leisure facilities with restaurants, bars, pools and future conference infrastructure.
The hotel is intended to serve the broadest range of travellers within the development: couples, families, solo travellers, groups, conference participants and guests who prefer a large resort with numerous activities concentrated around a central aquatic landscape.
Its defining feature is the 127-metre lagoon pool, complemented by three cenote-inspired pools with waterfalls. Lopesan’s current property page lists access to eight pool environments, including the main lagoon, cenotes, a beach-club pool, a wave pool and two water-park areas. Because facilities are shared across the connected campus, these hotel-level counts should not automatically be interpreted as eight completely independent pools reserved exclusively for Caoba guests.
Rooms and suites at Caoba Lagoon
The resort’s 554 accommodations include rooms overlooking tropical gardens, water attractions or pool areas, as well as connecting rooms, swim-up categories and larger one-bedroom suites.
Many standard junior suites measure approximately 55 square metres and include a furnished balcony or terrace. Swim-up junior suites are listed at approximately 56 square metres, while connecting configurations combine two junior suites to provide additional space and privacy. Larger one-bedroom suites measure approximately 107 square metres and separate the bedroom from the living area.
The swim-up rooms provide direct access from the private terrace to a semi-private pool environment. Connecting accommodations pair a king-bedded room with a room containing two queen beds, making them particularly relevant to families and groups that want to remain together without sharing a single sleeping area.
Dining at Caoba Lagoon
Lopesan lists eight restaurants and ten bars in Caoba Lagoon’s principal hotel offering. The restaurant portfolio includes seven themed concepts and an international buffet.
Among the principal concepts are:
- Thai, centred on Thai flavours, coconut, herbs, citrus and charcoal-grilled preparations.
- Lima, combining Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients in a Nikkei concept.
- Indra, dedicated to Indian cuisine, including tandoori preparations, curries and biryanis.
- Kahlo, presenting Mexican dishes such as tacos, enchiladas and slow-cooked recipes.
- Sotto Terra, an Italian concept featuring pasta, pizza and traditional techniques.
- Brassa Nova, an adults-only Brazilian rodizio restaurant.
- Pavilion, the resort’s principal international buffet.
- Additional restaurants at The Boulevard, including La Bohème and Yolo, are incorporated into the wider guest experience.
Caoba Lagoon also includes the expansive Aura Bar, designed around a large tropical vertical wall, in addition to pool bars, lobby bars and shared establishments throughout the complex.
Lopesan Serenity Bay Resort, Spa & Casino
An adults-only resort inside the larger destination
Lopesan Serenity Bay is the adults-only component of the new development.
The resort contains 239 rooms and is positioned as a quieter, more private alternative to the activity-oriented environments elsewhere in the complex. Lopesan markets it as an all-inclusive, five-star property with adults-only facilities, wellness-oriented spaces, dedicated dining and a private pool environment.
Its principal advantage is separation without isolation. Serenity Bay guests have an adults-only home base but can still access many of the restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and nightlife options available throughout the larger Lopesan campus.
The official property page lists nine restaurants, eleven bars and access to nine pool environments. These figures include shared facilities located at Caoba Lagoon and The Boulevard, rather than nine restaurants and nine pools constructed solely within Serenity Bay.
Rooms designed around privacy and calm
All 239 Serenity Bay rooms include a balcony or terrace.
Entry-level junior suites are approximately 55 square metres, with king-bed and two-queen-bed options available in selected categories. Accommodations can overlook tropical gardens, pool areas or other parts of the resort landscape. The portfolio also includes swim-up suites, connecting configurations and larger one-bedroom suites.
The design uses warm neutral colours, natural materials, clean lines and relatively open interior layouts. Serenity Bay’s accommodations are not isolated villas; they are contemporary hotel suites within a larger integrated building and resort environment.
Exclusive adults-only dining
Serenity Bay adds several adults-only venues to the shared culinary program.
Enclave is an adults-only à-la-carte restaurant focused on international cuisine, local ingredients and contemporary preparation. It is included in the hotel’s board plan but requires reservations and a dress code.
The Garden serves as an adults-only international buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Although intended for Serenity Bay guests, Lopesan’s current dining page lists its physical location within the Caoba Lagoon section of the complex, illustrating how the two hotel identities share infrastructure.
Calma Bar, positioned beside the Serenity Pool, is reserved for adults and emphasizes a quieter poolside atmosphere with cocktails, soft music and a more intimate setting.
Serenity guests can also use numerous shared dining venues, including Brassa Nova, Lima, La Bohème, Yolo and Pavilion, subject to restaurant-specific access rules, opening schedules and reservation requirements.
Lopesan Splash Cove Resort, Spa & Casino
Lopesan’s new family-focused resort
Lopesan Splash Cove is the family and multigenerational component of the development.
The resort has 242 rooms and is designed around water attractions, family accommodations, sports, organized activities and entertainment. Lopesan markets it as an all-inclusive, five-star family resort within the Playa Bávaro complex.
Its official property page lists eight freshwater pool environments, including two water parks and a wave pool. These attractions are supported by sports programming and shared access to family facilities within The Boulevard.
Accommodations for families and groups
Splash Cove’s room inventory includes junior suites, water-park-view rooms, swim-up accommodations, accessible rooms, connecting rooms and larger one- and two-bedroom configurations.
Many junior suites measure approximately 55 square metres, while swim-up rooms are approximately 56 square metres. Connecting configurations provide two linked sleeping spaces, and larger suites offer separate living rooms and additional bedrooms for extended families.
The design responds to a practical challenge common in family travel: keeping parents, children and extended family members close while still allowing different sleeping arrangements and degrees of privacy.
Water-park-view rooms place families near the most active areas of the resort, while swim-up categories provide direct pool access. Guests seeking a quieter location should confirm the precise room position before booking, particularly when choosing between water-park, pool and tropical-view categories.
Restaurants and family dining
Splash Cove’s principal offering includes eight restaurants and ten bars, although many of those venues are shared with Caoba Lagoon and The Boulevard. The resort’s official gastronomy page displays a larger collection of establishments because it includes shared restaurants, buffets, bars, pool bars and clubs accessible across the complex.
Its dining access includes international and themed cuisine, with restaurants such as Lima, Indra, Sotto Terra, Kahlo and Pavilion forming part of the larger resort program. Some venues have dress codes or require reservations, while Brassa Nova remains restricted to adults.
The Boulevard: the social centre of the Lopesan campus
Connecting the new resorts with Lopesan Costa Bávaro is The Boulevard, an open-air dining, shopping, entertainment and nightlife district.
Lopesan describes the space as more of a resort town centre than a conventional hotel lobby or amenity wing. Its facilities are distributed across approximately 30,000 square metres and include restaurants, cafés, cocktail bars, shops, a casino, a theatre, a nightclub, a sports bar, a wine bar, an English-style pub, bowling and arcade facilities.
The July 2026 opening announcement lists an 820-seat theatre as part of the connected campus. A separate Lopesan consumer page describes a theatre configuration of 790 seats, so publishers seeking an exact capacity should confirm the current seating plan directly with the company. “Approximately 800 seats” is the safest wording when the configuration is not material to the story.
The casino occupies approximately 1,200 square metres, according to Lopesan’s current information, and offers slot machines and table games such as poker, roulette and blackjack.
Dining and beverage establishments at The Boulevard include La Bohème, Yolo, Bávaro Coffee, Iceberg, the English Pub, Baco Wine Bar, Teatro Bar and other venues. The district also contains the Chía nightlife space and the Titan Gym Bávaro fitness facility.
For younger guests, the shared campus includes Vibe, intended for guests aged 13 to 17, and the Panchi Kids Club, with programming for children aged 4 to 12. The Boulevard also provides access to Splash Island Waterpark, bowling and arcade entertainment.
One important clarification about the spa and casino
The words “Spa & Casino” appear in the official names of all three new resorts. However, this does not mean Lopesan has constructed three completely separate spas and three separate casinos.
The official website presents Om Spa by Lopesan and The Boulevard casino as shared destination amenities accessible through the wider campus. Travellers should therefore understand the three hotels as having access to spa and casino facilities within the connected resort rather than expecting a dedicated full-scale spa and casino inside each individual hotel building.
Om Spa, fitness and wellness
The shared Om Spa by Lopesan covers more than 2,900 square metres.
Its facilities and treatment program include hydrotherapy, massages, body treatments, wraps, facials and personalized wellness services. The spa is presented as part of the overall Lopesan Bávaro destination and is accessible from the different resort experiences.
Spa treatments should not automatically be assumed to be included in the base all-inclusive rate. Lopesan’s board conditions state that premium services and exclusive experiences may incur supplementary charges. Guests should confirm the cost of hydrotherapy access, massages and beauty treatments for their specific booking category.
The campus also includes Titan Gym Bávaro and a variety of organized sports and recreation. The exact schedule, equipment access, classes and age requirements can vary, making the resort application or current guest-services information the most reliable source during a stay.
What the all-inclusive plan actually covers
Lopesan describes the three resorts as all-inclusive, but that term does not mean every restaurant, treatment, activity or premium beverage is automatically included without conditions.
The published board terms include breakfast, lunch and dinner at buffet restaurants, access to a selection of à-la-carte restaurants with prior reservations, and national and international alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in designated areas. Some premium services and exclusive experiences cost extra.
Restaurant-specific rules remain important. Selected venues require reservations, dress codes or adult status. Opening days and hours differ by restaurant, and cross-resort access does not necessarily eliminate those conditions.
The connected model therefore gives guests a broad choice, but it should not be described as unrestricted access to every establishment at every time.
Why the published restaurant and pool totals overlap
The property pages list:
- Eight restaurants and eight pools for Caoba Lagoon.
- Nine restaurants and nine pools for Serenity Bay.
- Eight restaurants and eight pools for Splash Cove.
Those numbers should not be added together to claim that the three hotels contain 25 completely separate restaurants and 25 completely separate pools.
Serenity Bay’s dining page, for example, identifies some included restaurants as being physically located at Caoba Lagoon or The Boulevard. Splash Cove’s dining page does the same. Pool inventories also include shared lagoon, cenote, beach-club and water-park environments.
The most accurate description is that each hotel provides access to a defined portfolio of restaurants, bars and aquatic facilities within the connected Lopesan destination.
A major convention centre is still to come
Business events and group travel form an important part of Lopesan’s expansion, but the development’s largest new meetings facility was not presented as fully operational on opening day.
Lopesan’s current events page labels the Lopesan Convention Center as opening in 2027. Plans call for 16 rooms, a direct connection to the resort, independent access and outdoor event space.
The company’s July opening release says the centre is designed to accommodate more than 2,000 attendees across its meeting and event program. Lopesan’s detailed facility page lists a capacity of up to 1,900 people in the Caoba Ballroom, which appears to represent the maximum for the principal ballroom rather than the total number of guests distributed across all indoor and outdoor spaces.
The Convention Center will position Caoba Lagoon for conferences, incentive travel, weddings, product launches and large group programs, with direct access to The Boulevard and the resort’s wider dining and entertainment infrastructure.
Until that facility opens, articles and promotional material should avoid implying that all future meeting spaces are already available.
The opening-day experience
To mark the July 7 debut, Lopesan created a ceremonial program for its inaugural guests.
According to the company, the first arrivals received personalized airport greetings, private transportation, resort welcomes, a “Blue Lagoon” cocktail toast, ribbon-cutting activities, in-room culinary amenities and messages from resort management. Certain first guests travelling from the United States also received a certificate for a complimentary three-night return stay.
These activities were launch promotions rather than permanent inclusions in the standard guest experience.
Employment and economic impact
Lopesan says the three-resort expansion created approximately 700 jobs during its initial opening phase. The company expects the number of positions to exceed 1,100 when the complex reaches full operating capacity.
The new rooms, restaurants, bars, aquatic facilities, entertainment venues and future convention business expand the company’s demand for hospitality, culinary, maintenance, entertainment, events and guest-services personnel in the Dominican Republic.
Lopesan has also stated that the three hotels are pursuing the same AAA Four Diamond recognition already obtained by Lopesan Costa Bávaro. That designation is an objective, not an award that the three new resorts had already received at the time of opening.
What this development changes in Punta Cana
The most consequential part of the opening is its product segmentation.
Large all-inclusive resorts traditionally try to accommodate every traveller within a single property. Lopesan has instead divided the experience among three identities while maintaining shared infrastructure.
In practical terms, this could be particularly attractive to weddings, incentive groups and multigenerational parties. Different members of the same group can select an adults-only, family-oriented or all-ages environment without staying in completely separate destinations. That is an inference based on the resorts’ respective positioning and their shared access to The Boulevard, dining and entertainment.
The model also lets Lopesan concentrate expensive amenities—such as the spa, casino, theatre, nightlife district and future Convention Center—in shared spaces instead of replicating them three times.
For guests, the benefit is variety. The trade-off is complexity: the resort map is larger, some restaurants are located outside the guest’s home hotel, age restrictions apply in certain venues, and the exact meaning of “included” depends on board conditions, reservations and room category.
What travellers should verify before booking
As of July 27, 2026, Lopesan has announced that the three hotels are open and have welcomed their first guests. However, the Convention Center is explicitly scheduled for 2027, and the availability of restaurants, entertainment and room categories may evolve during the opening period.
Travellers should confirm five points before reserving:
- The home resort. Caoba Lagoon accepts all ages, Serenity Bay is adults-only and Splash Cove is primarily family-focused.
- The room location. Water-park, pool, tropical, connecting and swim-up categories can provide substantially different experiences.
- Shared-venue access. A restaurant may appear on a hotel’s dining page while being physically located at Caoba Lagoon or The Boulevard.
- Reservations and supplements. Selected à-la-carte restaurants require advance booking, and premium services may cost extra.
- Future facilities. The Lopesan Convention Center is scheduled to open in 2027.
A new all-inclusive district within Playa Bávaro
Lopesan’s Punta Cana expansion is more than a conventional three-hotel opening.
Caoba Lagoon, Serenity Bay and Splash Cove have been designed as separate accommodations within one larger resort ecosystem. Each property has its own identity, audience and atmosphere, but the destination depends on shared restaurants, aquatic environments, beach-club facilities, nightlife, wellness and entertainment.
At the centre is Caoba Lagoon, with its 554 rooms, 127-metre lagoon pool, cenote-inspired spaces and ten waterfalls. Serenity Bay adds a 239-room adults-only retreat, while the 242-room Splash Cove delivers water parks, family accommodations and multigenerational programming. Together, they add 1,035 rooms to Lopesan’s Punta Cana portfolio.
With more than US$350 million invested, a large shared entertainment district and a Convention Center scheduled for 2027, the development establishes a substantially larger Lopesan presence in Playa Bávaro—and introduces a resort model built around choosing one hotel while experiencing a much broader destination.
Marriott Plans a 522-Room All-Inclusive Resort Conversion in Montego Bay
The Million Dollar Blog, 2026, 2027, Montego Bay, New resort, New Resort 2026, New Resort in Jamaica, Resort opening
Insights
Marriott International’s new 522-room all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, announced July 23 and expected to open in 2028.
The groundbreaking of Club Med St. Croix, a 150-suite resort scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027
Marriott Plans a 522-Room All-Inclusive Resort Conversion in Montego Bay in 2028
A major transformation is planned for one of Montego Bay’s established beachfront resorts, with Marriott International and Catalonia Hotels & Resorts preparing to introduce a new 522-room Marriott Hotels all-inclusive property in 2028.
A new Marriott all-inclusive resort for Montego Bay
Marriott International has signed an agreement with Catalonia Hotels & Resorts to convert the former Catalonia Montego Bay into a large-scale Marriott Hotels all-inclusive resort.
The agreement was signed in Barcelona on July 22, 2026, and announced the following day. The resort is scheduled to open in 2028, although Marriott has not yet announced a specific opening month or reservation launch date.
Rather than being constructed on an undeveloped site, the project will transform an existing resort property located on the beach near Sangster International Airport. This distinction makes the project a major renovation, conversion and rebranding rather than an entirely new-build hotel.
What will the new Marriott resort include?
Plans call for a 522-room all-inclusive resort with an extensive collection of restaurants, recreational facilities and event spaces.
The property is expected to offer 13 dining venues, three swimming pools, a spa, a fitness centre, tennis and pickleball courts and a lazy river. Marriott also plans approximately 12,917 square feet of meeting and event space, positioning the resort to accommodate weddings, incentive groups, conferences and larger social gatherings.
One of the development’s most valuable features will be its extensive coastline. The property occupies more than 2,130 feet of beachfront, giving the future resort direct access to one of Montego Bay’s established resort areas.
From Holiday Inn to Catalonia and now Marriott
The property has already undergone several changes in identity.
Catalonia Hotels & Resorts announced its acquisition of the Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay in May 2024. At the time, the resort contained 512 rooms, four restaurants or grills, four bars, two swimming pools, a spa, tennis facilities, mini golf and approximately 500 metres of white-sand beachfront.
The resort also included the Rose Hall Club, a 52-room adults-only section with access to exclusive facilities. Catalonia subsequently began investing in renovations intended to modernize the rooms and public spaces.
The Marriott redevelopment will increase the announced inventory from 512 to 522 rooms. It will also expand the food-and-beverage offering, add another swimming pool and introduce amenities such as the lazy river, pickleball courts and more extensive meeting facilities.
Renovation work began before the Marriott agreement
Physical improvements at the resort were already underway well before Marriott’s July 2026 announcement.
SAMPOL, an international engineering and infrastructure company, announced in June 2025 that it had been contracted to undertake a complete technical refurbishment of the hotel’s rooms and common areas. The stated scope included new or upgraded electrical installations, air-conditioning infrastructure, telecommunications systems, plumbing and sanitation.
Catalonia also advised travel partners that more than 200 rooms would be renovated, together with selected amenities and the adults-only pool area. These renovations were initially associated with the Catalonia brand and should not automatically be treated as the complete scope of the future Marriott conversion.
The property later closed following damage associated with Hurricane Melissa. Catalonia currently states that restoration work has begun and that the hotel remains closed indefinitely. The new Marriott agreement now establishes 2028 as the target year for the property’s return under its new international brand.
A branding partnership rather than a Marriott acquisition
The agreement does not appear to represent an outright purchase by Marriott International.
Catalonia is expected to continue owning and managing the resort, while Marriott contributes its internationally recognized Marriott Hotels brand, global distribution capabilities and Marriott Bonvoy platform. This type of arrangement allows an experienced resort operator to retain control of the asset while benefiting from Marriott’s brand recognition and worldwide customer base.
Upon opening, the Montego Bay resort is expected to participate in the Marriott Bonvoy travel ecosystem, connecting the property with Marriott customers and loyalty-program members around the world.
What remains unknown
Several important details have not yet been announced.
Marriott and Catalonia have not publicly confirmed the property’s final consumer-facing name, room categories, restaurant concepts, architectural team, total investment, opening season or date on which reservations will begin. They have also not published a complete set of current construction-progress photographs.
The announced 2028 opening should therefore be treated as a development target. Major resort conversions can be affected by construction conditions, hurricane restoration, permitting, procurement and final brand-approval requirements.
A significant new chapter for the Montego Bay property
The future Marriott resort will not simply introduce another hotel to Montego Bay. It will give a long-established beachfront property a substantially different identity, expanded amenities and access to one of the world’s largest hotel distribution networks.
With 522 rooms, 13 dining venues, three pools, a lazy river and more than 2,130 feet of beachfront, the project is positioned to become one of Montego Bay’s most closely watched resort transformations ahead of its planned 2028 opening.
Video of the New Marriott Catalonia Montego Bay
Five Major Openings to Watch in 2026 and Beyond
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Marriott International’s new 522-room all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, announced July 23 and expected to open in 2028.
The groundbreaking of Club Med St. Croix, a 150-suite resort scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027
Caribbean Resort News: Five Major Openings to Watch in 2026 and Beyond
The Caribbean resort landscape continues to evolve as major international hospitality groups invest in new all-inclusive concepts, luxury retreats and large-scale beachfront destinations.
This week’s most important development stories include a future Marriott Hotels all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay and the official groundbreaking of Club Med St. Croix. These announcements follow several other significant 2026 developments in Cancún, the Riviera Maya and Punta Cana, where hotel groups are introducing increasingly specialized experiences for adults, families, wellness travelers and luxury guests.
Here are five of the most important new Caribbean and Mexican Caribbean resorts to watch.
Marriott plans a major all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay
Marriott International and Catalonia Hotels & Resorts announced on July 23 that the former Catalonia Montego Bay property will be converted into a Marriott Hotels All-Inclusive Resort.
Expected to open in 2028, the beachfront resort will introduce Marriott Hotels’ flagship brand to one of Jamaica’s best-known vacation destinations. Plans call for 522 rooms, 13 dining venues, three swimming pools, a spa, a fitness centre, tennis and pickleball courts, a lazy river and approximately 12,917 square feet of meeting space.
The property is located near Sangster International Airport and is expected to offer more than 2,130 feet—or approximately 650 metres—of beachfront. Although the opening remains several years away, the project is significant because it illustrates Marriott’s continued expansion into the all-inclusive segment through partnerships with experienced regional resort operators.
As of July 2026, Marriott reported 38 operating all-inclusive properties in nine Caribbean and Latin American markets, with another 16 properties representing approximately 5,600 rooms in development.
Club Med breaks ground on its return to U.S. territory
Club Med and VICI Properties have moved forward with the redevelopment of the former Carambola Beach Resort on the northwest coast of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Publicized on July 20 following the resort’s groundbreaking ceremony, Club Med St. Croix is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2027. The project will transform the historic beachfront property into a 150-suite resort within Club Med’s high-end Exclusive Collection.
The planned resort will feature three dining concepts, four bars and lounges, an infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea, a full-service spa, pickleball, beach volleyball, yoga, non-motorized water activities and guided outdoor excursions. It will cater to adults, couples, groups and families travelling with children aged 12 and older.
Club Med also intends to preserve elements of the property’s original architecture and landscape. The former resort was designed during the 1980s according to conservation principles associated with Laurance Rockefeller, incorporating native stone, hardwood and buildings designed to blend into the surrounding Davis Bay landscape.
Club Med St. Croix is expected to create approximately 200 direct jobs, with the company estimating that about 80% could be filled by local workers. The redevelopment is also targeting BREEAM and Green Globe environmental certifications.
Amàre Cancun will join Curio Collection by Hilton in October
Travellers will not have to wait until 2027 or 2028 for every new opening. Hilton and Fuerte Group Hotels announced that Amàre Cancun Adults Only All-Inclusive Resort, Curio by Hilton is scheduled to open on October 31, 2026.
Located on Boulevard Kukulcan, approximately 24 kilometres from Cancún International Airport, the resort will contain 429 rooms and suites in two adjacent buildings: a 20-storey main tower and a six-storey secondary tower. Each tower will have a rooftop pool, while every guestroom is planned to offer an ocean view.
The adults-only resort will include nine restaurants, nine bars, a coffee shop, three outdoor pools, a spa with nine treatment rooms, a fitness centre and nearly 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Its culinary and entertainment programming will combine Mediterranean influences with Mexican and Latin American ingredients, art and music. Hilton has also announced rotating exhibitions by Mexican and Latin American artists, entertainment led by resident DJs and live performers, and dining concepts developed with Michelin-starred chefs.
The property already operates under the Amàre identity and will complete renovations and brand-integration work before joining Curio Collection by Hilton. It is therefore best described as a major conversion and brand debut, rather than an entirely new-build resort.
Park Hyatt Riviera Maya prepares a luxury all-inclusive debut
Hyatt is preparing to bring the Park Hyatt brand to a secluded stretch of the Mexican Caribbean between Cancún and Puerto Morelos.
Scheduled to open by the end of 2026, Park Hyatt Riviera Maya will be located within AMAI, a private coastal development reached through a mangrove landscape. The relatively low-density resort will offer 148 guestrooms and suites, including accommodations with private or plunge pools and a 2,300-square-foot penthouse.
Unlike the large-scale buffet-oriented model historically associated with some all-inclusive properties, Park Hyatt Riviera Maya is being positioned around personalized service and entirely à-la-carte dining. Its culinary program will include seven venues focused on Mexican cuisine, seafood, international influences, Mexican coffee, wine and premium spirits.
Each guest will be assigned a Resort Ambassador beginning before arrival. Planned amenities include a beachfront pool with private cabanas, an open-air spa garden, daily wellness rituals, indoor and outdoor event spaces and preferred access to El Tinto Golf Course.
The project demonstrates how established luxury hotel brands are adapting the convenience of an all-inclusive stay to a quieter, more residential and service-intensive resort model.
Lopesan opens three connected resorts in Punta Cana
One of the region’s largest recent openings has already welcomed its first guests.
On July 7, Lopesan Hotel Group officially opened three interconnected resorts in Punta Cana: Lopesan Caoba Lagoon Resort Spa & Casino, Lopesan Serenity Bay Spa & Casino and Lopesan Splash Cove Spa & Casino.
Together, the properties add 1,035 rooms to Lopesan’s Dominican Republic portfolio and represent an investment of more than US$350 million.
The three resorts have been designed for different audiences:
Lopesan Caoba Lagoon is the largest, with 554 rooms arranged around a 127-metre lagoon pool, cenote-inspired architectural elements and 10 waterfalls. It will also include a convention centre capable of accommodating more than 2,000 participants.
Lopesan Serenity Bay is an adults-only retreat with 239 rooms, quieter pool areas and dedicated restaurants, while retaining access to the entertainment, nightlife and dining options of the larger complex.
Lopesan Splash Cove is a 242-room family resort featuring a wave pool, water-park attractions, sports and multigenerational entertainment.
The properties are connected through The Boulevard, an open-air pedestrian district with restaurants, cocktail bars, shops, nightlife, an 820-seat theatre and a casino. Lopesan expects the complex to support approximately 1,100 positions once it reaches full operational capacity.
A new generation of Caribbean all-inclusive resorts
These openings reveal a broader transformation taking place across the Caribbean resort industry.
Rather than treating all-inclusive resorts as a single category, hotel groups are creating distinct products for adults, families, luxury travellers, wellness guests, groups and loyalty-program members. Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt are also expanding through conversions and partnerships with established resort owners, allowing them to introduce their global brands into mature Caribbean destinations more quickly.
At the same time, larger developments such as Lopesan’s Punta Cana complex are functioning almost like self-contained resort districts, with multiple hotels, convention facilities, entertainment venues, restaurants and public gathering spaces in one integrated destination.
For travellers, the result is a wider choice of resort experiences. For the hospitality industry, these projects demonstrate that the Caribbean remains an important testing ground for new luxury and all-inclusive concepts.
Opening dates are announced targets and may change because of construction schedules, renovations, regulatory approvals or operational decisions. Dates should be reconfirmed with the resort company before publication or booking.