Meliá Hotels International has opened the first all-inclusive, adults-only property in Colombia: the Meliá Cartagena Karmairí.
Being all-inclusive “is our main differentiator but also a challenge to communicate the introduction of a new hotel concept to consumers,” says Maria Carolina Padilla Varon, the hotel’s corporate marketing manager. Other all-inclusives in the country cater to families.
The hotel, located in the Manzanillo Del Mar, has 147 guest rooms, including nine with the brand’s Level VIP service.The hotel has three F&B outlets – Merkado Restaurant, the Level’s Fish House Restaurant and Terraza Elixyr – along with a poolside bar and a beach club with a tapas menu, opening soon. The standout space is the spa, Padilla says. “It includes treatment rooms, sensorial showers, a sauna, Turkish bath, a water circuit, ice fountain and thermal beds.”
Natural elements are important to the design: Merkado is surrounded by water, and the property features pedestrian paths and viewing areas to highlight the surroundings. The hotel uses clean energy, recovery of greywater, low-consumption and LED lights, control of air conditioning in guest rooms and solar panels to generate hot water.
“Designed as a relaxing wellness retreat, we want to target today’s modern traveler who’s looking to explore an urban landscape or a natural enclave on the Caribbean cost,” Padilla says. “Our guests are a mix of local (national), foreigners, couples and groups of friends that enjoy the outdoors, are looking for a different experience in a location where they can take a break, relax and have fun, with an overarching focus on wellness.”
The hotel is aiming for 55.7% occupancy with an average rate of $US136. “In five years, we hope to reach 68% occupancy with an average rate or $US159,” she said.
Tribute goes tented: Marriott Internationals’ Tribute Portfolio opened Natra Bintan, on the island of Bintan in Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago. A total of 100 safari-themed tents are set up on more than 40 square meters, each a garden and outdoor patio, four-poster bed and air conditioning, an LCD television and Wi-Fi.
The site is on the Crystal Lagoon, the largest man-made seawater lagoon in Southeast Asia, and is accessible by ferry. It has an all-day dining restaurant, outdoor bar and lounge. Prices current start at about US$125.
Boutique in Boston: The Whitney, a new 65-room boutique hotel, opened in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. The property was developed by Related Beal and is operated by Hersha Hospitality Management. Named for Henry Melville Whitney, a prominent industrialist who once owned the site, it was designed by Boston-based Hacin + Associates in a classic brick townhouse style.
Amenities include complimentary beverages, fruit and local baked goods on each floor. Peregrine is the hotel’s coastal Mediterranean-style restaurant; there’s an interior courtyard with a fire pit and fountain, and a studio gym for guests. Prices start at about US$470.