New year, new you. Many resorts came into 2021 with brand-new looks or big plans coming later in the year. Here are six resorts with either fresh renovations ready to explore now or new looks in the works, planning to be ready for the leisure travel boom expected this year.
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Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel – Maui, Hawaii
Located oceanfront on Maui’s world-famous Kā‘anapali Beach, “Hawaii’s Most Hawaiian Hotel” welcomes guests with authentic Hawaiian hospitality. In 2020, the hotel announced the “Kealaula” property enhancement project, which was unveiled in early 2021. “Kealaula” translates to “the light of early dawn and the glow of sunset” and this project is dubbed as more of a renewal rather than renovation. Significant redesign to each of the 180 premium rooms in the Papakū South Wing (formerly known as the Kaua’i Wing) and the 84 enhanced rooms in the Kauhale Southeast Wing (formerly known as the Lāna’i Wing) now exude an earthy feel and have been upgraded and infused with modern design elements and features while still retaining a strong sense of Hawaiian culture. Each room features employee-made mea makamae shadow boxes that include “mākau” (fishhooks), “lūhe‘e” (octopus lure), “lei kūpe‘e” and “lei pipipi” (nerite lei) and “mea kaua” (weapons). Huihui, the hotel’s new signature oceanfront restaurant, functions as a gathering place. It also serves as a relaxing dining experience with unobstructed ocean views and an extension of the property’s canoeing programs with the eventual addition of a sailing academy. The 5,000-square-foot venue highlights the incredible accomplishment of Hawaiian navigation and features a unique space to house a new Hawaiian sailing canoe. With these transformative enhancements there is no question as to why Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel was recognized in HAWAI‘I Magazine’s 2020 eighth annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel ranked No. 1 on Maui across seven categories ranging from Best Hotel/Resort with Aloha Spirit to Best Buffet and Best Hotel/Resort Staff. Adding to its extensive list of honors, the hotel was also acknowledged across six additional categories for Maui including Best Hotel/Resort for Families, “Best Hotel/Resort Guest Services Program and Best Resort for a Wedding.
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Sunscape Sabor Cozumel – Cozumel, Mexico
On the captivating island of Cozumel, just off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is Sunscape Sabor Cozumel, an AMResorts property. From sunup to sundown, this is a diver’s paradise and the ultimate and unforgettable all-inclusive, family-friendly experience with crystal-clear water and just a short boat ride away from the second-largest coral reef system in the world. The ocean that surrounds the island is a big focus at the resort, so much so that there’s a full-service dive operator on-site, allowing guests to embark on scuba dive trips. The resort even offers an underwater wedding package which includes a dive trip for water-loving couples. AMResorts announced in early February that the property will undergo a significant investment of $2.5 million to completely renovate 48 guest rooms consisting of 24 deluxe tropical view, 12 deluxe oceanfront and 12 deluxe ocean view rooms.
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Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa – Los Cabos, Mexico
Set along the Sea of Cortez and surrounded by eight championship golf courses, Dreams Los Cabos Golf Resort & Spa embodies the elegance of traditional, colonial Mexican design. The 260 suites feature spacious bathrooms and private furnished balconies with breathtaking ocean views. It has never been easier to reimagine R & R and fun in the sun with its stunning swimming pools — whether you dive into the new-and-improved heated infinity pool with the whole family (did we mention there’s a waterslide?), which made its debut in February 2021, or take a dip in the adults-only pool to try out the personalized concierge and bar service at its two swim-up bars.
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Sandals South Coast – Whitehouse, Jamaica
Set on a 2-mile stretch of white-sand beach and located within a 500-acre nature preserve is Jamaica’s best-kept secret, Sandals South Coast, which revealed luxurious renovations in December 2020. This resort on Jamaica’s South Coast is a spectacular seaside sanctuary that offers lovers an escape from the world in the 112-room beachfront Dutch Village in the heart of the Caribbean. The new oasis, South Seas Rondoval Village, is home to the world’s first-ever signature Swim-up Rondoval Suites™ inspired by the ocean. The brand-new suites are situated on the longest swim-up pool in the Western Hemisphere at 17,040 square feet. Each suite features zero-entry swim-up access, spa-style bathrooms, high conical ceilings, a private patio and plunge pool, an outdoor Tranquility Soaking Tub™ for two, and Sandals Resorts’ new signature Serenity Swing for guests to relax on while soaking in the views. From all-new over-the-water bungalows, an overwater bar to a romantic over-the-water chapel, this adults-only resort brings guests closer than ever to the water and romance.
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Sandals Royal Caribbean – Montego Bay, Jamaica
A kaleidoscope of colors and cultures from Britain to Bali awaits at Sandals Royal Caribbean. This adults-only resort also announced a refresh in late 2020 with upgrades that included the renovation of 36 rooms across its Caernarvon and Arundel buildings. Located within the resort’s Caribbean Village and joining the innovative Sandringham building introduced in early 2020, the newly upgraded poolside rooms feature custom furniture, Tranquility Soaking Tubs™ for two, new spa-style bathrooms and more enhancements that modernize the luxurious rooms. Three restaurant concepts were recently introduced at this property: Spices is an authentic island restaurant experience with Pan-Caribbean favorites; Bombay Club offers authentic Indian cuisine; and La Tavola allows guests to share comfort, cuisine and camaraderie often found around every Italian table. Plus, developments to the South Pool and surrounding area include a new Jacuzzi, new cabanas with outdoor fans and lighting and a new outdoor shower. These enhancements add to the resort’s already cutting-edge architectural ambiance and its features like the intimate and lavishly designed over-the-water bungalows.
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Banyan Tree Mayakoba – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Stretched across 620 private acres of lagoons, tropical beaches and lush jungle on the eastern seaboard of the Yucatan Peninsula is Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s complex, which includes Andaz Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba and Rosewood Mayakoba. The Sands Beach Club, the unveiling of two-story, 2,385-square-foot overwater villas and addition of 34 new beachfront pool suites are part of a $50 million renovation scheduled to debut in August 2021. The Sands Beach Club has already become the highlight and heart of the property with an expanded oceanfront pool, restaurant, beachfront lounge, an interactive Rangers Club for kids and nearby beachside Banyan Tree Spa. The new beachfront pool suites measure between 1,740 and 3,155 square feet and feature interior patios, outdoor showers and whirlpool bathtubs, and a solarium with a heated, private plunge pool. One of the redesign’s most compelling characteristics is the way it capitalizes on the property’s natural landscape. Mayakoba means “village over the water” in Mayan and this property speaks to its translation, as it’s a breathtaking sanctuary for the senses and these enhancements make this the perfect place for relaxation, rejuvenation, romance and world-class dining.
Originally appeared in the summer 2021 issue of The Compass Magazine.
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