In Mexico's Riviera Maya, the strip of fast-developing coastline south of Cancun, the 446-room IBEROSTAR PARAISO LINDO opened in November, followed by the December opening of an adjacent convention center designed to accommodate up to 1,000 people. The main ballroom has 15,683 square feet of space that can be divided into six rooms, with 42-inch plasma screens and a Dolby Surround Sound system. Two other all-inclusive Iberostar properties, the 424-room IBEROSTAR PARAISO BEACH and the 390-room IBEROSTAR PARAISO DEL MAR, are within a two-minute trolley ride of the convention center, affording planners access to more than 1,200 guest rooms, a dozen pools, and more than 18 restaurants. Iberostar now has 11 all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and plans to open two new hotels on the Riviera Maya in 2004 and 2005.
Sandals Resorts, a couples-only all-inclusive resort company, is merging two of its Jamaica properties, Sandals Ocho Rios and Grande Sport Villa Golf Resort & Spa, to create the 522-room SANDALS GRANDE OCHO RIOS BEACH & VILLA RESORT. The Grande Sport complex will close this May for an extensive $10 million refurbishment. Ultimately, guests will have a choice of beachfront rooms or secluded villas and suites with 90 private and semi-private pools. A “Stay at One, Play at Three” concept will allow guests at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios to enjoy the amenities of BEACHES BOSCOBEL RESORT & GOLF CLUB and SANDALS DUNN'S RIVER GOLF RESORT & SPA.
BEACHES NEGRIL RESORT & SPA in Jamaica opened the 6,000-square-foot Signature Spa in February and an 18,000-square-foot water park in May. Beaches Resorts is the family-oriented, all-inclusive brand in the Sandals Resorts group.
In southern Utah, on the eastern edge of Zion National Park, ZION PONDEROSA RANCH RESORT offers the all-inclusive experience for corporate groups. The resort, which shares about 10 miles of fence with the park, features views of the world-famous Zion Narrows. Guests are served meals in a ranch-style meal hall, and the resort's all-inclusive package includes all-terrain vehicle tours, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, rappelling, swimming and hot tub, and tennis. The resort's new conference rooms have high-speed Internet access and can seat 35 people.