"This is a Park Hyatt," Sam Kirby, the general manager of the highly anticipated Park Hyatt Riviera Maya, told TPG in a recent sit-down interview. "First and foremost, it's a Park Hyatt — it just happens to have an all-inclusive lens over the top."
Yes, you read that right: Park Hyatt is opening its first-ever all-inclusive property this year, set on the south side of Cancun. Now taking reservations for stays from early December on, the luxury-focused resort will feature 148 rooms and suites (each with an ocean view, outdoor space and "resort ambassador" to attend to any need or want), plus a slew of restaurants and bars, the Velara Spa, pools, programming and more.
It has the makings of any new luxury resort, but people keep asking: How do you take a brand as synonymous with luxury as Park Hyatt and make it all-inclusive?
"Everything you know about Park Hyatt remains to be true here," Kirby said when asked the burning question. "It's just the fact that you pay a higher room rate, but everything's included." It's the same Park Hyatt you've always known, but you can leave your wallet locked away in the safe.
"We’re not planning on changing the quality. We’re not planning on changing the service. The brand standard will be the same.”
What does an all-inclusive Park Hyatt look like?
But how do you bring that brand standard to a growing hospitality segment that's long been associated with abundance over quality? (Think: massive buffets, minibars stocked with a hodgepodge of drinks and snacks, and cookie-cutter entertainment that plays on a rotating weekly schedule.)
Park Hyatt Riviera Maya plans to flip the concept on its head: Rather than giving every guest the same everything, everything is included, but the experience is individualized. In fact, it'll start long before arrival when the team works with guests to figure out what they actually want to experience on vacation, and what they actually want and need during a stay.
"If you drink Coke, you probably don’t drink Diet Coke. So why are we loading everyone’s minibars with the same things?" Kirby said, adding that personalizing details as much as possible for guests is an approach designed to “make them feel recognized.” And in today's luxury hospitality market (especially for hotels with major loyalty programs), recognition is everything.
Beyond personalization, even the resort's base-level offerings are designed to exceed typical all-inclusive standards and uphold the Park Hyatt name.
"The food and beverage has to be spot on," Kirby explained, pointing to a top-shelf selection of included spirits, a robust list of wines from around the world and an executive chef with experience in Michelin-starred kitchens. Dining will also be a la carte, with premium upgrades available for guests who want particularly rare wines, spirits or ingredients (such as an ultra-premium steak).
Taking the friction out of luxury
What really sets the Park Hyatt Riviera Maya apart might be less about what's included and more about what's taken away: the friction that can come with staying at a traditional luxury resort. At this property, you won't have to worry about how quickly your $28 margaritas are adding up, or deal with checks after every meal. You'll be guaranteed a room with an ocean view — and you can even get laundry done without an extra fee.
"People have so many decisions to make all the time," Kirby said, adding that the Park Hyatt's goal is to create a place of "mental freedom" for guests. "It doesn't matter what you choose. You don't have to worry about it."
In that sense, Park Hyatt isn't necessarily trying to make an all-inclusive resort feel like a Park Hyatt. It's taking the Park Hyatt experience and stripping away some of the transactional elements that can get in the way of actually enjoying it.
"You walk in the door, now it's up to us," Kirby said.
All-inclusive meets true luxury
Park Hyatt isn't the only major luxury brand playing in the all-inclusive space. Marriott previously introduced The Luxury Collection into the segment, and last year opened the world's first W-branded all-inclusive resort. JW Marriott is also entering the space with its first all-inclusive resort, found in Costa Rica's popular Guanacaste region.
On Oct. 1, Hilton unexpectedly announced that the Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya and the Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya would shift into all-inclusive resorts effective immediately, marking Hilton's foray into the luxury-branded all-inclusive space.
For Kirby, the rush of luxury brands into the space reflects a much bigger shift in what "all-inclusive" means in the first place.
"I think the market's realizing that all-inclusive is not the same as it was or isn't as limited as it was," Kirby said. "All-inclusive [is] covering the market in the same way that the [traditional] hotels have done for a long time, from budget to luxury."
In other words, the days of "all-inclusive" automatically signaling a certain type — or caliber — of resort are quickly disappearing. The segment increasingly offers something for every kind of traveler, including those willing to spend big for the highest levels of luxury.
And if Park Hyatt can deliver on that promise, those travelers won't have to sacrifice luxury for the ease of an all-inclusive vacation. Now the question is: which brand is next?
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