RIU resorts in Jamaica showcase destination
RIU Hotels & Resorts is confidently stating that those who stay in one of its growing number of Jamaican resorts won’t go home without having gained clear insights into the country they’re vacationing in.
The Spanish hotel company last year opened the Riu Palace Aquarelle in the coastal town of Falmouth, its seventh property in the country and Niurka Garcia Linton, director of sales for RIU in Jamaica, says her employer is determined that each resort reflects the part of the world it’s found in.
“We honour the destination and the culture,” she says. “When you go in the hotel you know which destination you’re in. Even if you stay in our hotel (for the entire vacation), you can safely say, ‘I have been to Jamaica.”
One of Riu’s Jamaican hotels is called the Riu Reggae, she notes, while Riu Palace Aquarelle bars include one called Marley — named after reggae legend Bob Marley — and another called The Ska, named for a musical genre that pre-dated reggae. Jamaican cuisine is available for guests and Jamaican dance and music is among nighttime entertainment options. RIU staff will share tips on Jamaican patois for curious guests.
RIU now has three hotels in Montego Bay, two in Negril, and one in Ocho Rios in addition to the Riu Palace Aquarelle, giving it 4,274 rooms in the country.
“RIU is a pioneer in Jamaica,” Garcia Linton says, adding it was the first Spanish hotel chain to arrive on the island.
The Riu Palace Aquarelle — part of RIU’s upscale Palace brand — has 753 guest units, including 26 family suites and 180 triple rooms, seen as attractive for groups of friends. Among guest units are swim-up suites, which have their own pools. Above ground swim-up suites are available, a first for RIU on the island. RIU has built a sizeable following in this country and works closely with Sunwing.
“RIU is known for affordable luxury,” Garcia Linton adds. “We have something for everybody.”
Publicist Janet Silvera labels Falmouth a historic part of the country that is seeing considerable tourism development. and is now sometimes referred to as Greater Montego Bay. “When you say Falmouth, people ask where it is but everybody knows Montego Bay. “Jamaica considers this area to be the new frontier for tourism,” Silvera adds of Falmouth, which has seen several resorts open recently.
RIU is upbeat about the Aquarelle, with Garcia Linton reporting that almost all of its rooms provide ocean views from their balconies. RIU will only choose an area that has an “amazing beach” when considering an oceanfront hotel, she adds. Riu Aquarelle guests will find six restaurants and five bars. The resort also features include a waterpark with slides, a weekly foam party, a gym, yoga classes, a kids club, water sports, and four swimming pools, prompting Garcia Linton to declare, “We are really a full all-inclusive.”
All-inclusive service is available 24 hours a day. Renova — which operates spas in numerous countries — is represented in the Aquarelle.
Garcia Linton says that RIU excels at nighttime entertainment, with Aquarelle guests able to attend the weekly White Party at the RIU Montego Bay, available for those staying at RIU resorts in that destination. The lively White Parties are held in a number of RIU properties and see participants sport white clothes while dancing and listening to varied forms of music.
December sees the RIU Ocho Rios begin hosting the parties, with guests at the Riu Palace Aquarelle and other properties invited to join.
“Nobody [other resorts] comes even close” to matching the entertainment level provided by the white parties, states Garcia Linton, adding that isn’t surprising.
“(RIU CEO) Luis Riu loves to DJ,” she reports. “He pays attention to everything but loves entertainment in particular.”
Garcia Linton is quick to add that RIU guests who don’t care for the party scene will easily be able to “find an area where you can chill.”
RIU states that it attaches great importance to sustainability, with, for example, rooftop solar panels at the Aquarelle providing up to 10% of the resort’s electrical needs and some restaurant guests dining on glass plates made from recycled wine bottles.
Meanwhile, Albert Puig Pascual of RIU’s communications department says RIU guests can be confident that their hotels will never be looking a little long in the tooth, noting that the company tends to renovate a hotel after it reaches the around the decade mark. On any given day, around 7,000 people will be upgrading RIU properties, he reports.
Puig Pascual also adds that RIU has high sanitary standards, citing the likes of chambermaids using different clothes to clean different types of room services, something that prevents cross-contamination. The differing clothes are stored in colour-coded cart pouches so hotel staff won’t confuse them.
Among tour operators offering the Riu Palace Aquarelle is Sunwing Vacations, with Lorraine Brisbois, Sunwing Vacations’ senior business development manager for the Greater Toronto Area and Southwestern Ontario, having recently visited it.
“Riu Palace Aquarelle offers a perfect blend of modern luxury and family-friendly amenities that make it an ideal choice for Jamaica-bound travellers,” Brisbois says. “The resort is located just 35 minutes from the airport, making it a great option for families with kids wanting a shorter transfer time. That said, the resort caters to all ages with its pool complex and waterpark. In terms of dining, there’s a wide variety of dining options and restaurants, ensuring every palate is satisfied. The property itself has modern, spacious rooms and property-wide WiFi access so guests can stay connected throughout their vacation. Fun fact: this is the first RIU property to incorporate solar panels.
