After the opening and reception of its first guests at the Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana, on November 1, Patricia Álvarez Lebrón, regional sales director for Latam, the Caribbean and the DR of Karisma Hotels & Resorts, told arecoa.com that the receptivity of the customers to the new product has been excellent.
She explained that the goal to close 2021 is to exceed 80% of occupancy, “which would be difficult with a new product, but at the same time we remain very optimistic to achieve these numbers.”
She stated that by 2022 they hope to exceed the occupancy achieved in 2021, and if the 80% is met, they hope to reach 90 and 95%.
“The receptivity of customers to the new product we offer has been very good and we are very optimistic about the occupancy that the hotel will have since its opening in the last months of the year and we look forward to a very good 2022,” she added.
Álvarez Lebrón indicated that the Margaritaville brand is very “strong” in the United States and Canada, so tourists from those markets have been the first to book to see the new property in the DR.
“International customers look where there is a Margaritaville so we have many reservations because they want to see what is new that the brand brings to the country,” she said.
In addition, she said that it is expected to attract tourists from the Latin American market ( Panama, Colombia, Guatemala, among others …) and Brazil.
“As Europe is opening borders, we also hope to have this market, although we will see it more from January 2022,” she said.
The director further explained that wholesalers have been very receptive to the new property in terms of the local market. “We have received a lot of support in terms of promoting the hotel and we are very satisfied with their collaboration.”
Concept and Amenities
The hotel board recalled that the hotel complex of 228 suites and 40 villas, made with an investment of US $ 160 million, offers a balance between comfort and luxury, with a nautical-inspired decoration that evokes relaxation, tranquility, and the tropical experience of the Caribbean.
She explained that guests have 13 types of luxury rooms to choose from, including the Swim-Up Suites and the Honeymoon suites facing the sea and the exclusive villas, and the iconic “Jimmy Buffett” suite located in the penthouse. The rooms have a private balcony with furniture and views of the Caribbean Sea or the lagoon-style pool in the area of the villas.
Among the recreational spaces is the Entertainment Village, which houses seven of the property’s ten food and beverage locations, offering music, entertainment, gourmet cuisine, and mixology during the evening hours.
The hotel also has The Boathouse restaurants, the Frank & Lola’s Italian trattoria, as well as the JW Steakhouse, the Mon So Wi Asian restaurant, and the Rum Runners – Pool Club, as well as the Punch, It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere Bar and the SOS Swim-Up Bar.
The five-star resort also has the St. Somewhere Spa by Karisma, the Fins Up! Fitness Center is open 24 hours a day, the Sports Hub for practicing sports activities, the Parakeet Kid’s Club for the little ones, and the Sky Wedding where cozy events can be held.
After the detailed and varied offer of hotel amenities, Álvarez Lebrón explained that Margaritaville is a brand that comes with a created concept.
“What we have done is form a new concept called Island Reserve with the union with Karisma and then raise the bar. It is about looking for everything that allows the client to enjoy their experience in the way they want, because the idea is not that all clients have to do the same, since the current client seeks to live new and different experiences,” she emphasized.