Plans afoot to close RIU Palace Montego Bay for major refurbishing

 

The property, which is considered the chain ‘only ‘elite category’ hotel in Jamaica, will undergo a full-scale redevelopment, which will see upgraded rooms, redesigned public areas, and enhanced dining facilities, which Sondem said reflects RIU’s long-term commitment to reinvest in its Jamaican portfolio.

 

“We are going to close at the end of August,” said Sondern, during a press conference, which was called to announce detail about the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations in Jamaica. “We are going to rebuild it, and we are going to make it the beautiful hotel that it deserves to be.”

 

According to Sondern, the refurbishment will be comprehensive, affecting both accommodation and public spaces within the resort.

 

“We are reopening on December 12 with completely new renovated rooms, and the general areas will be refurbished. We will change some of the restaurants, including our beautiful steakhouse, in addition to the restaurants we already have.”

 

Sondern further revealed that the upgrade will introduce more exclusive luxury features aimed at strengthening the property’s appeal in the competitive all-inclusive market.

 

“We will convert 10 rooms into rooms with swim-ups, where everybody will have their own pools in those rooms,” he explained. “There are other beautiful changes that we are going to make.”

 

RIU became a part of Jamaica’s tourism landscape in 2001 when it opened the Riu Palace, in Negril, which featured 400 rooms and introduced RIU’s signature all-inclusive model to the Jamaican market.

 

From that initial investment, RIU has grown steadily to become one of the largest international hotel operators in Jamaica with seven hotels across the island, which include properties in Montego Bay, Falmouth, and Ocho Rios.

 

“We have accumulated for the last five years US$287 million in refurbishment of our hotels,” said Sondern, who noted that further upgrades are already planned beyond the current project. “Already this year, we have another refurbishing coming up. Our plan is to continue improving and investing in Jamaica.”

 

The refurbishment is expected to reinforce the company’s luxury positioning within the Jamaican tourism market, particularly as competition intensifies in the upscale all-inclusive segment.