[ON LOCATION] REGINA BARABAN
Attending a gala event at the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa, I experienced what this stunning all-inclusive resort has to offer meeting and incentive groups. The occasion was a celebration of the Palladium Hotel Group’s new alliance with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which added 14 all-inclusive TRS and Grand Palladium properties to Wyndham’s luxury Registry Collection. A festive reception at the resort’s spacious convention center patio, overlooking a lagoon and surrounded by lush vegetation, showcased some of the talented singers, dancers and acrobats who later entertained us at Palladium’s dazzling Chic Cabaret dinner show. Afterwards, we gathered back outdoors to dance off the gourmet fare. It was an evening to remember, and an example of the star quality Palladium can bring to incentive programs.
Palladium’s new affiliation with Wyndham is a big deal for the American MICE market, said Jesus Sobrino, CEO, Palladium Hotel Group, and Lisa Borromeo Checchio, chief marketing officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in an onsite interview. “We see demand picking up again for meetings and incentives,” notes Sobrino, “and joining forces with Wyndham puts us in front of the American market.” Palladium’s portfolio of all-inclusive resorts is especially appealing to incentive groups, he adds. Checchio agrees, noting that “as people have more confidence traveling out of the country, they feel comfortable about coming to Mexico and the Caribbean—and there’s so much excitement and energy for all-inclusive resorts.”
Having a Palladium presence at IMEX this year “allowed Wyndham to talk about the Registry Collection’s new Palladium portfolio of luxury resorts for MICE,” says Checchio. These properties, she says, offer not only all-inclusive pricing but also simplicity of travel and elevated experiences, all key for incentive groups.
The Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres is situated just 35 minutes away from the international airport in Cancun, in a beachfront location. Overall, the 50.6-acre campus feels like a self-contained and secluded resort village, with buildings connected by scenic canals. Accommodations include 660 luxury suites perfect for incentive attendees. Among the amenities are four pools, eight a la carte restaurants, 19 themed bars, a unique Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre, Palladium’s signature Chic Cabaret dinner show and the +51,000-sf Zentropia Spa and Wellness. Not to mention a long, lovely white-sand beach. During free time, attendees can stroll the landscaped walkways or hop on canal boats or open-air shuttles to visit the different resort destinations, including the adjacent adults-only TRS resort.
As part of MICE by Palladium, the Costa Mujeres resort and other Registry Collection all-inclusives offer modern conference space and dedicated event coordinators. The Costa Mujeres convention center is a handsome, light-filled building with 13,000 sf of meeting space including a large ballroom that accommodates up to 890 people theater-style, a lobby for welcome receptions and conference services, two offices, a business lounge and a breakout area with five meeting rooms.
palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/meetings-and-events.html