Impression by Secrets has two Mexican resorts plus global plans in place

The number of brands offered by Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection has now reached double digits, with the company proudly stating that the latest addition is its most upscale to date.

Carolina Bellina, senior director of Canadian sales for Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt, said the new luxury resort and spa brand Impression by Secrets brings the number of Inclusive Collection brands to 10. The first Impression by Secrets property — Impression Moxché by Secrets— opened in Playa del Carmen in December, while Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets opened in May.

“It’s ultra luxury,” she told Travel Courier. “It’s above Zoëtry. We have curated experiences for every guest. In Isla Mujeres you are arriving by luxury catamaran, which is fantastic, you’re having your mimosa, your wine. In the case of Moxché, there are three manmade cenotes. It’s a completely different type of luxury hotel.”

Bellina said the Inclusive Collection — which began life as AMResorts, offering resorts in Latin America and the Caribbean — “is now the world’s largest portfolio of luxury all-inclusive resorts delivering an immersive, elevated, and seamless experience with best-in-class resort brands.”

Bellina encouraged agents to book clients far in advance due to strong demand.

“The new brand was created to attract diverse groups of travellers seeking immersive, authentic, bespoke experiences that provide the conveniences of an all-inclusive resort,” said Bellina. “It’s the first-of-its-kind product designed to bring the highest level of luxury all-inclusive service and amenities to the Inclusive Collection, including personalized butler service, amenities and experiences for travellers aiming to create the ultimate getaway catering to their every need.”

Claudio Zboznovits, vice-president of international business development and global MICE for the Inclusive Collection, said its Hyatt affiliation gives it “the ability to operate globally,” thanks to Hyatt’s broad international presence and recognition.

“We were good at what we did, but we were an independent company. Now being a part of one of the major hotel companies in the world, a global company, it’s a shot of adrenaline, so we’re going to grow heavily into different markets, grow heavily into understanding luxury,” he explained. “It’s a good last name.”

Zboznovits noted that the Canadian market is the second largest market for Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection. “Outside of the US, it’s the number one market, it’s surpassing the UK, surpassing continental Europe,” he added.

The 125-room Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets is located on Isla Mujeres, found near Cancun, and welcomes guests by private catamaran to “exclusive, luxurious amenities that include a culinary program led by renowned Master Chef Paolo Parlanti featuring seasonal specialties, organic ingredients, and unique local flavours. With an elevated design and sustainable elements, such as eco-friendly building materials and solar panels for water heating, guests can bask in luxury with all of their desires met,” she added.

Alain Velazquez, sales manager from Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets, said Isla Mujeres is the first part of Mexico to see the sunrise and his resort has a number of intriguing features, including a waterslide that ends with users finding themselves in warm Caribbean Sea water, rather than a pool. The resort has distinctive interior design influences from the Mexican-Caribbean community of Tulum and architectural traits from the Mediterranean. “That’s why we call it Tulumterranean,” he added.

Meanwhile the 198-room Impression Moxché by Secrets is in a gated golf community in Playa del Carmen and features “stunning architecture, one-of-a-kind landscape, four uniquely designed pools, and impeccable culinary experiences focused on sustainably sourced, locally inspired menus curated by master chefs,” Bellina noted.

Notably, business development manager Brian Joseph pointed out that the resorts were built from the ground up and that Impression Moxché by Secrets is different from Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen. Joseph said these new resorts will appeal to agents with a luxury clientele despite being all inclusive resorts.

“All inclusive resorts are not necessarily a big push for luxury agents. This is not your regular all inclusive. Impression takes it up to another level,” he shared.

There are now 104 properties in the Inclusive Collection and the company plans to continue growing and expanding.

“After 20 odd years we have seen different business models and we’ve come up with this concept of ultra luxury,” he said. “We’ve learned and we’ve put all our eggs in one basket to test these two new products and we will bring them to the rest of the world — we will go global.”

As well, there’s further expansion in Europe with the recent opening of four resorts in Bulgaria and projects in destinations like Portugal nearly official. 

“We’re looking to grow, we’re looking to grow further in the Caribbean, the North American continent, Central America, Costa Rica, Panama among others — we already have South America with Cartagena and we’re looking to grow further — Asia/Pacific too, we’re putting in the pillars for the next steps,” he said. “Already in less than three and a half years, we’re the fourth largest hotel chain in Spain.”

The company also expanded into St. Lucia, with the opening of Zoëtry Marigot Bay St. Lucia and has additional projects underway.

“This has been a productive and remarkable year for Canada with many strong sales that are trending towards the 2019 level, including clients booking both in advance and in higher room categories,” Bellina continued. “Looking towards 2024, we continue to see the same trend as guests book in advance and are not taking the ability to vacation for granted.”

She also noted that May saw the Inclusive Collection launch Confidant Collective, an online platform to “support travel advisors’ success, including a newly designed website offering the best-in-class tools intended to serve as a resource to empower travel advisors to become experts on the Inclusive Collection portfolio.”

Confidant Collective highlights include Confidant Learning, an interactive online educational platform that encompasses all brands in the Inclusive Collection portfolio; and Confidant Rewards, offering travel advisors the opportunity to register, redeem bookings and earn more points the more they book.