Princess Hotels & Resorts Grows Its Footprint in the Caribbean

Princess Hotels & Resorts offers its guests in the Caribbean world-class accommodations and a consistent service that guarantees the loyalty of customers who seek to repeat the experience in their different properties, Manuel Serrano, Caribbean Commercial Director, told TravelPulse.

Princess is a Spanish company, born in 1967, with 22 properties in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean. “It is an All-Inclusive family business, except in the city hotels that are more executive, more business-oriented, although without losing the tourist factor,” assures Serrano.

The brand has nine properties in the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and two more to open in Jamaica, with which they compete in a vital way having as its main characteristic the consistency in the attention to its guests. “One of our greatest virtues is value for money. An agent or a client is looking to go to a place that always ensures good quality,” Serrano says.

He explains that although Princess Hotels & Resorts is a company primarily focused on the family segment, it also has prestigious adults-only hotels. In both cases, the rate of repeat guests is exceptionally high, “which confirms that we are providing a good service.”

The Difference is in the Small Details
For this hospitality industry expert, their strength in front of an increasingly sophisticated competition in the Caribbean region (where they have been present for more than two decades) lies in the small details.

“Especially in the service – some may like the hotel more, others like the food, but the service differentiates us within a highly competitive segment. In the end, you remember the experiences you’re getting. If you paid for feelings and leave with them satisfied, that’s the end goal,” he says.

One of the strengths of Princess Hotels & Resorts is the varied gastronomic offer with a wide range of options and alternatives in its restaurants’ menus, where customers have access to many international culinary experiences.

Manuel Serrano says most of his customers in the Caribbean region come from the United States and Canada, given the geographical proximity, but also have a significant presence of European travelers. “We focus our efforts the most on the U.S. and Canadian markets. Travelers from these countries repeat much more easily than Europeans because, in many cases, we are three hours from their homes; it is a natural destination.”

Today, the properties of Princess Hotels & Resorts in the Caribbean are entirely renovated. “During the pandemic, our hotels were closed, and the company took advantage of that to invest in renovations. It was a big risk because we didn’t know how long it would last, and that was investing a lot of money in a moment of uncertainty, but the company was very smart in the long run. Renovations were done in the Dominican Republic, and after the pandemic, there was an opening of much-improved hotels.”

Manuel Serrano says that while service consistency is key in the hotel business, of which they are an example, it is also essential for travel agency customers. “When you give what the client looks for nicely, it will not change. He will continue to look for options within this brand of hotels or that travel agency to advise him,”.

The outstanding position in the market and the growing knowledge of the Princess Hotels & Resorts brand among customers have allowed them to extend their footprint in the region, so in the coming season, they hope to open two more hotels in Jamaica, a new destination in their business plan.

“Except in Cuba, where we are not present, in the great Caribbean destinations: Mexico (Riviera Maya), Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, we want hotels that are very visible, appreciated, and valued to be a leader company in our segment. We want to consolidate definitely in the Caribbean.”

Princess Hotels & Resorts is a brand that is very concerned about wellness, which is why it offers first-class facilities with spas where guests have access to many treatments, modern gyms, and large areas for sports.

“We are increasingly caring for people with sporting routines they can maintain during their holiday stay. In addition, we have healthy food in our buffets so that people can keep their diet more balanced. We also have open areas with large spaces where guests can disconnect to read a book or walk, for example.”

Serrano headlines that Princess Hotels & Resorts works to make guests feel at home.

“Since we are a family business, we want them to feel like we are part of their family. That’s our philosophy. We don’t want our guests to be in a cold hotel, but to feel comfortable, to have memories, and to be able to keep talking about them after leaving the hotel. Our ideal is for everyone who has stayed at Princess to come back and say that they got what they were looking for and even got over it.”