Now Sapphire has given its fans a preview of a new guest room category, the Preferred Club Master Suite Oceanfront. This Master Suite has a total of 1,040 sq. feet and includes a separate bedroom with king bed, a living room with a sofa bed, two 55 inch flat screen TV’s, an additional guest bathroom in addition to the main full bathroom, and a balcony with a Jacuzzi–with an oceanfront view.
FYI: Since I made this post, I’ve done more checking into the resort’s renovations and have found out it is a total gut job. Yes, everything is going. I’ve watched videos of the pools being decimated, another floor is being added to some guest room buildings, and seen computer generated pics of the lobby area which keeps none of the elegant charm that I loved about this resort. If you want more moment-by-moment info on this renovation, the best place to get it is on Facebook–ask to join the Riu Palace Riviera Maya page.
Here’s a new map of the Barceló Maya Grand Resort with the addition of the new adults-only section (Barceló Maya Riviera) which is scheduled to open Dec. 2019. 850 rooms, four pools, five restaurants, five bars, a new convention center, plus access to the rest of the entire resort. I’m going late Feb. 2020 and staying in a swim-up suite–can’t wait to see it and the rest of this great resort. I have my favorite hangouts which I discovered on my trip here July 2018, and looking forward to adding more favorites to my list!
AM Resorts (re. Secrets, Now, Breathless, etc.) is going to take over two Oasis brand resorts–Grand Oasis Sens will become Now Emerald Cancun, while Grand Oasis Tulum will become Sunscape Akumal Beach Resort and Spa. Renovations will be done and the rebranding is supposed to take effect June 1, 2019.
The plan is still on for the new adults-only section of the Barcelo Maya Grand resort to open either this Dec. 2019 or Jan. 2020. Those who visit the wonderfully informative site of Unofficial Barcelo Maya take note–there is a newer entry dated Dec. 2018 by Phil in Ottawa (look in the discussion section) that has recent pics of what the construction looks like. If you haven’t yet registered to post/respond in the discussion section, it is worthwhile to do so since you can then ask questions and get info from vacationers who have spent multiple trips going to this resort and are quite knowledgeable.
Riu fans take note–Riu Tequila is now reopen for business since its closure in April. There have been lots of major renovations including the pool areas; take a few moments and read the Riu blog post complete with pics. Click the link here.
Palladium Hotels and Resorts has renamed The Royal Suites Yucatan by Palladium; it will be called TRS Yucatan Hotel by Palladium. The rebranding will involve guest room renovations, guest rooms with a private pool, the addition of an infinity pool and Ibiza-style beach club, and new dining venues. Additional staff will be hired in order to provide a higher level of customer service. This part of the Palladium resort complex will remain adults-only.
Secrets Maroma continues to work on guest room renovations. Work began in May 2017 and will continue until Dec. 17, 2017. While the resort has tried to avoid booking guests into buildings being worked on, there have been a few isolated reports of people being placed near ongoing renovations. Guests are encouraged to contact the resort concierge for guest room building placement should there be any concerns about renovation noise.
Take a look at Royal Hideaway Playacar from a drone’s perspective–this was taken prior to the renovations, so a few outdoor spaces may look a tad different here than what the resort currently looks like (re. Deck and Grill outdoor space specifically). Have you been here since the completion of the renovations, and, if so, how does it compare?
I found a very nice video of El Dorado Maroma’s newest resort addition, the Overwater Palafitos. The video includes a glimpse into the extra amenities which come along with booking this suite category, such as the private lounge, spa, restaurant, and beach area. Take a look!