Amanda Morris of Playa
Hotels & Resorts
A wave of New Wave agents: Ray Surette; Paul
Chin-Aleong; Joyce Hanney; Vinny De Sousa & Barbara Cooper
Carl Henderson, TPI;
Justine Delaney, Vacations with Kids; Kien Nguyen & Alan Singh-Aimia, TPI
It was a small but appreciative group of agents who rose
early on Tuesday to breakfast at downtown’s Marriott Hotel and learn more about
Playa Resorts from the company’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable Amanda Morris,
BDM for Eastern Canada.
Amanda is becoming an expert at the early-rising thing: this
was 1 of a series of 15 such seminars in which she is updating agents about the
Mexican and Jamaican Hyatt all-inclusives and sister properties. The Playa
resorts include the Gran Caribe Cancun, The Royal Playa del Carmen and Gran
Porto.
There was definitely a lot of news about the Hyatts: Hyatt
Zilara and Hyatt Ziva - Zilara being adults only, Ziva being for
families, or as Amanda puts it so you’ll remember: “The little name is
for the little people.” Zilaras are located in the Riviera Maya and there’s a
property which is part Zilara, part Ziva in Jamaica at the former Ritz Carlton
resort. Other Zivas are in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Maya and Los Cabos.
What they all have in common are topnotch accommodation and
dining with as many as 15 restos and premium liquor service; Hyatt’s
Heavenly Beds; multiple wedding locations; no reservations needed in any of the
restos; sports bars in lieu of discos/nightclubs; free WiFi throughout –
including on the beach! – and, as clearly appreciated by these agents, NO
timeshare selling. Also, with a staff to guest ratio of 1 to 1, impeccable
service.
Here are some other cool factoids:
The Los Cabos property is in San Jose Del Cabo, and opened
just last month. Note: it’s not a swimming beach but there is the
hotel’s own water park.
The Hyatt Ziva in Cancun (right at the top of the “seven”
shaped island that is Cancun) is the former Dreams, but “every square inch has
been changed during the past 2 years it was closed” according to Amanda. “Even
the resident dolphins have a new home in their lagoon – and if your clients
want their room to overlook the lagoon, be sure the word ‘dolphin’ is in the
room category name.” The resort will feature even a 50’s themed diner and its
own on-site brewery!
