Update (21/7/2020) - Karisma Hotels and Resorts has revealed that Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya will feature a water park with 10 slides and a theater with a capacity for 500 people! Its also rumoured that travel agents will start taking bookings for Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya in October 2020 for a Spring 2021 opening!
Update (10/20) - The resort will
reportedly be titled Nickelodeon Resort & Aqua Park Riviera Maya!
Update (23/4/2020) - Karisma Hotels and Resorts has revealed that the opening of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya has been delayed slightly, and is now set to open in 2021.
Update (11/5) - Karisma Hotels and Resorts has revealed that the opening of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya has been delayed slightly, and is now set to open towards the end of 2020. It's also been revealed that the resort will have a slime river.
Unfortunately, it's also been
revealed that a construction worker has been injured in an accident on the construction site of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya. The worker, who fell from a height whilst welding structure, has since been compensated 500 pesos.
Karisma Hotels and Resorts’ new Nickelodeon hotel in Mexico is now set to open in 2020. At the organization’s annual Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultants Awards (GIVC Awards),
Travel Agent spoke with Kelly Poling, Karisma’s senior vice president of marketing, to learn the latest on what guests and agents can expect from the new property. The 11th annual GIVC Awards took place at the El Dorado Royale Riviera Maya, a Spa Resort by Karisma from December 5 – 8.
Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya“When it opens it’s going to become our new flagship Nickelodeon hotel,” Poling says.
Situated next to Karisma’s Generations Riviera Maya property, the newbuild Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya will draw some design inspiration from its fellow family-friendly resort, Poling says. For example, its extra-large rooms will be configurable into one-, two- or three-bedroom suites to allow maximum flexibility for multigenerational groups, or families who wish to have a separate room for the kids. Every room will also have two bathrooms.
That said, the new hotel will also have plenty of Nickelodeon-themed features, as well.
“We’re making everything with Nickelodeon in mind,” Poling says.
SpongeBob's Pineapple House at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana
The popular SpongeBob SquarePants-themed Pineapple Villa from Karisma’s first Nickelodeon property in Punta Cana will be here. In a similar vein, there will also be a new, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed “lair” Penthouse, as well. All told, there will be four character-themed Penthouse suites on the resort’s roof, all of which will have infinity pool swim-up access.
Another key selling point: “All of our rooms will be oceanfront,” says Poling. Additionally, every room – regardless of floor – will have swim-up access. In addition to the four Penthouses, there will be 276 Pad Suites and Flat Suites. The rooms will be set across two six-story buildings, in a design reminiscent of the Generations property.
Another major difference from the Punta Cana property will be the resort’s water park, which, at 500,000 square feet, will be much bigger. “It’s five to 10 times bigger than the one in Punta Cana,” says Poling.
Dubbed “Aqua Nick,” the new water park will have activities ranging from a lazy river to waterslides, a splash park and an interactive water playground for toddlers to mini relaxation pools. The variety of activities will be one way that the resort appeals to kids of multiple age ranges.
“The water park will be organized into different ‘lands,’” says Poling, with a more toddler-friendly land and a land with more thrill-type rides for teens.
“I think the Nickelodeon characters can appeal to kids of all ages as well,” Poling says, citing more young-kid-friendly characters like the pups from
Paw Patrol and Dora the Explorer, as well as characters like SpongeBob, who can appeal to older kids.
The variety of activities could be a draw for repeat guests from the Punta Cana property, Polling hopes. “As children get older, they can ‘graduate’ to the Riviera Maya resort,” she says.
In terms of the resort’s culinary product, Poling says that the focus will be on experiential, social media-friendly venues and dishes.
“We know that people want to be able to see and capture amazing images, so we’ll have plenty of ‘Instagrammable’ dishes,” Poling says. “For example, at the Punta Cana property, we have the ‘Machete Burger’ – it’s so big, they have to cut it at the table with a giant machete. We’ll be carrying those types of things over to the Riviera Maya.”
All told the property will have six restaurants, including the Bikini Bottom fast-casual restaurant, the seafront Yacht Club, and the Mexican cantina Expadin, as well as four bars, including Bikini Bottom Bar, The Bar, and two swim-up bars. There will also be a Lobby Lounge that will aim to serve as a family-centric hub with music, entertainment and broadcasts of live sporting events. Much of the resort’s organic produce will be sourced from Karisma’s greenhouse, which is located next store at the El Dorado.
For more information about Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, visit
www.nickresortrivieramaya.com.
Also, via
Travel Weekly:
Karisma expanding with Nickelodeon, Margaritaville hotel brandsKarisma Hotels & Resorts is expanding its footprint in the Caribbean.
The hotel company, which has several resort brands under its umbrella, has already made quite the name for itself in the Mexican Caribbean as well as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. When it comes to expanding, it is showing no signs of slowing down.
"We own a massive stretch of beach property, called Sugarcane Bay, in Jamaica," Kelly Poling, senior vice president of marketing for Karisma, told me. I was on location at the Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant awards, Karisma's annual awards ceremony and marketing forum for its top-producing agents, held every year at El Dorado Royale just outside of Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
"We own a number of different plots," Poling said. The plan is to build "a complex of hotels, which will be a combination of Karisma-built hotels and others that will be built [separately] and that Karisma will manage."
Poling elaborated that this is the opportunity to build out the brands that Karisma is most focused on at the moment, Nickelodeon and Margaritaville, an All-Inclusive Experience by Karisma.
There is a Nickelodeon hotel in Punta Cana and one in construction in Riviera Maya, which will be located next to the Generations Riviera Maya property when it opens in 2020.
One of the first hotels to open in Sugarcane Bay, Jamaica, will be a Margaritaville. Poling said that the Margaritaville brand could be applied to almost any island on the Caribbean. "Jamaica is obvious," she said. "As it stands now, the first will open in Riviera Maya, but shortly thereafter it will open in Jamaica. We've looked at the entirety of the Caribbean that has hotel inventory, and we think that Margaritaville can be supported anywhere."
With that said, the plan is not to bring massive hotels to smaller islands. The primary reason that Karisma envisions Margaritaville on smaller islands is that the Margaritaville hotels are flexible, from small hotels of 100 to 200 rooms on up. "When we build in Jamaica and the Riviera Maya, the resorts will be large," Poling said. "But smaller islands with smaller room inventory are possible for a boutique offering."
As for Nickelodeon, the next one to open will be in Riviera Maya in 2020. This resort, with 276 oceanfront swim-up suites, as well as four signature Penthouses, will be the flagship property. It is being built from the ground up.
Karisma is looking at expansion opportunities for Nickelodeon all over Latin America, where Poling said brand awareness is strong.
###
Also from
Travel Weekly:
Karisma commits to Riviera Maya growthKarisma Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its presence in the Mexican Caribbean. At the company's 2018 Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant (GIVC) awards and marketing forum last week, I learned about the company's aggressive growth plans for the region.
Karisma's latest property, Xolumado Inspiration Village, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony during GIVC. The village, which had its soft opening this month and will have its official opening in January, was announced at last year's conference. Tucked in the jungle behind Generations Riviera Maya, Xolumado Inspiration Village comprises 41 villas within 2.5 acres of a jungle retreat.
Surrounded by gardens and pathways, Xolumado Inspiration Village has cottages in three suite categories: Serenity Suites, which have palm thatched roofs, open terraces, and Mexican and Asian-inspired decor; the Zen Garden Suite, with a private balcony; and the Tranquility Suite, which comprises two adjoining Zen Garden Suites. The property also has a pool, access to beach cabanas, and the Xolumado Restaurant BBQ & Bar.
The vibe at Xolumado is tranquility and relaxation, with daily yoga and meditation, and a Shhh Experience complete with sound healing, outdoor breathing exercises and massage lessons. There are also Spanish and Mayan classes, Mexican cooking classes, tequila and mezcal tastings, movie nights in the jungle, pottery painting, diving and wine pairings. Guests can also access Generations Riviera Maya, including its five restaurants, three bars, lounges, pool and beach.
Karisma is also in the process of constructing Mexico's first Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort Riviera Maya, which will open in 2020 right next door to Generations Riviera Maya.
Nickelodeon already has a property in Punta Cana, but this will be the brand's first for Mexico. "This will be the flagship Nickelodeon," said Kelly Poling, senior vice president of marketing for Karisma. "As great as the Punta Cana property is, this hotel from pencil to paper was always going to be a Nickelodeon and I think it will be the best in the portfolio."
The resort will have 276 oceanfront swim-up suites, plus four Nickelodeon-themed signature Penthouses on top of the two six-story buildings. Penthouses are being designed in accordance with Nickelodeon characters like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob Square Pants. All four penthouses will have infinity pool swim-up access, and sky-high oceanfront views of the property's white-sand beach.
But the piece de resistance of this property will be Aqua Nick, a 500,000-square-foot water park, and one of the largest water parks in Mexico. Activities will include a lazy river, waterslides, splash park, an interactive water playground for toddlers and mini relaxation pools.
At the heart of the resort will be Nickelodeon Place, where guests of all ages can mingle with characters like Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob. Within the Place is Club Nick, a hangout for kids; Plaza Orange, for music and games; and MainStage, a theater for entertainment experiences. A spa has kids' treatments, individual suites, couple's suites, a bridal suite, and outdoor treatment areas.
Restaurants will be part of the Gourmet Inclusive Experience, from the seafront Yacht Club to the Mexican cantina, Espadin. The Bikini Bottom gourmet corner is a fast, casual, midday meal venue, and guests will also have access to the restaurants at Generations Riviera Maya.
"Nickelodeon has extreme brand awareness," said Poling. "When looking at where to expand we did a study on the entirety of Latin America. Nickelodeon reaches 25-30 percent of kids in Latin America. It's a vast household name." Karisma has plans to expand the brand across Latin America, but Poling specifically noted looking at Colombia, Brazil and Argentina.
###
Also, via
Travel Pulse:
Karisma's GIVC Awards: A Breakdown of the Event, Plus Exclusive Nickelodeon News[...]
Nickelodeon’s Future PlansKarisma’s second Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts property will open in the Riviera Maya in 2020. Mandy Chomat, chief sales and marketing officer at Karisma, said the project was set back a few months for various reasons, including delays in securing permits needed for the hotel’s main attraction, the water park.
This will follow the successful debut of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, which Chomat said has been “booming” amongst both the U.S. Millennial market and the local Dominican Republic market since it opened in 2016.
Chomat said Karisma will officially be announcing the third location for Nickelodeon within the next six months, but told TravelPulse that Cartagena, Colombia could very likely be that destination.
Karisma already has three properties in Colombia, including two in Cartagena, all in the form of the company’s Allure Hotels, which are all high-end, boutique, EP properties. Allure Bonbon, by Karisma and Allure Chocolat are located in Cartagena, while Allure Cafe Mocawa is located in Armenia.
Rafael Feliz, chairman and CEO of Karisma, also added that Jamaica is also in consideration for the third location.
Although Nickelodeon will continue to have a growing presence in the Caribbean and Mexico, it appears the brand is heavily targeting Central and South American destinations.
“Let's just say we would love to have a Nickelodeon in every single country in Latin America,” said Chomat. “We are looking at every single country to see which ones would work and the best plans. We are always scouting land and always looking at places where we can get a lot of the domestic market in these locations.”
Feliz told TravelPulse that Peru, Brazil and Panama will all be scouted for possible Nickelodeon hotels. However, two Latin America destinations you might be able to cross off the list of potential Nickelodeon landing spots are Argentina and Ecuador, mainly due to obstacles the weather at each destination could pose for an outdoor resort, said Feliz. Feliz also told us Dubai is being looked into as a possible Nickelodeon destination.
Rienk de Jong, vice president of sales and marketing at Premier Worldwide Marketing / Karisma Hotels & Resorts, noted that many locals in the destinations Nickelodeon is eyeing do not have visas, making it even more likely that a heavy portion of Nickelodeon’s Latin America business will be domestic.
“Nickelodeon has a lot of brand recognition,” said de Jong, “and a lot of the destinations (in Latin America) have a lot of locals who don’t have visas, so they cannot travel to the U.S. for something like Nickelodeon.”
[...]
###
Also, via
La Verdad Noticias:
Chetumal.- Quintana Roo tendrá, en la Riviera Maya, uno de los parques acuáticos más grandes del mundo con un río lento, toboganes, área de juegos interactiva con agua para niños y piscinas de relajación: el Aqua Nick y que forma parte del primer Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort Riviera Maya de México.
En estos dos años de la conducción del gobierno de Carlos Joaquín, las inversiones siguen llegando, lo que representa más crecimiento económico, más empleos formales y mejor pagados, así como mayores atractivos, pues los parques acuáticos fomentan otros mercados turísticos.
La reorientación de las políticas públicas permite avanzar para conseguir que la economía de Quintana Roo se consolide como una de las 5 más importantes, para que sigan llegando las inversiones que permitan generar más crecimiento económico para dar servicios a la población que crece a ritmos de hasta el 30 por ciento anual.
Tal vez te interese: El crucero de lujo 'Celebrity Edge' llega a Cozumel.
Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort Riviera Maya de México forma parte de la firma Karisma Hotels & Resorts. Este resort contempla el Nickelodeon Place, donde los huéspedes de todas las edades pueden mezclarse con personajes como Dora la exploradora y Bob Esponja.
El resort tendrá 276 suites en la piscina frente al mar, además de cuatro Penthouses exclusivos con temas de Nickelodeon en la parte superior de los dos edificios de seis pisos. Los penthouses se están diseñando de acuerdo con los personajes de Nickelodeon como Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles y SpongeBob Square Pants.
Los cuatro penthouses tendrán acceso a la piscina de borde infinito y vistas panorámicas del océano hacia la playa de arena blanca de la propiedad.
###
Update (8/2/2019) - From TravelPulse:The Skinny on Karisma’s GIVC Event
We break down the highlights from the all-inclusive company's annual event for top producers.
If you weren’t one of the nearly 600 travel advisors to attend Karisma Hotels & Resorts’ 11th annual Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant (GIVC) awards, AGENTatHOME will fill you in on what you missed—and explain why this news should be on your radar.
The event drew some of the industry’s top producers to El Dorado Royale in the Riviera Maya for education, networking and honors.
Major Jamaica Expansion
Donnie Dawson, deputy director of tourism, sales, U.S. and Latin America for the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), was in attendance for the first time in the show’s history, a sign of Karisma’s recently increased business in Jamaica.
The biggest deal between Karisma and Jamaica in recent years came in the form of the Sugar Cane Jamaica deal, which over the next 10 years will add 5,000 rooms in seven hotels.
And as for new developments in its existing Jamaica hotels, the company recently announced the debut of an adults-only section at Azul Beach Resort Negril by Karisma.
Nickelodeon Riviera Maya
Karisma’s second Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts property will open in the Riviera Maya in 2020. Mandy Chomat, chief sales and marketing officer at Karisma, said the project was set back a few months for various reasons, including delays in securing permits needed for the hotel’s main attraction, the water park.
The property’s debut will follow the successful introduction of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, which Chomat said has been “booming” among both the U.S. Millennial market and the local Dominican Republic market since it opened in 2016.
The Colombia Connection
Chomat said Karisma will officially be announcing the third location for Nickelodeon within the next six months, but said that Cartagena, Colombia, could very likely be that destination.
Karisma already has three properties in Colombia, all from its Allure Hotels brand, which are boutique, EP properties. Allure Bonbon, by Karisma and Allure Chocolat are located in Cartagena; Allure Cafe Mocawa is located near the city of Armenia.
Although Nickelodeon will continue to have a growing presence in the Caribbean and Mexico, it appears the brand is heavily targeting Central and South American destinations.
“Let’s just say we would love to have a Nickelodeon in every single country in Latin America,” said Chomat. “We are looking at every single country to see which ones would work and have the best plans.”
Karisma CEO and Chairman Rafael Feliz told AGENTatHOME that Jamaica is also in consideration for the third location, and that Peru, Brazil and Panama will all be scouted for possible Nickelodeon hotels, as will Dubai.
###
From
REPORTUR:
Riviera Maya: hotel Nickelodeon no abrirá hasta finales de 2020El proyecto hotelero de cinco estrellas Nickelodeon, que se esperaba abriera sus puertas en el verano de 2018, no podrá abrir hasta finales del 2020, debido a la realización de una ampliación en las obras de su parque acuático, según informa la vicepresidenta de Grupo Lomas Travel, Samanta Frachey.
El proyecto de 276 habitaciones se construye en la zona norte del municipio, en los límites con el municipio de Puerto Morelos y cuenta con una inversión de 120 millones de dólares, que incluye la ampliación de este parque acuático. Se trata de un hotel temático con personajes de series infantiles como Bob Esponja, Las Tortugas Ninja y Dora la Exploradora.
Samanta Frachey ha señalado que se realizó una revisión de las obras del parque acuático que tendrá capacidad hasta para mil 200 personas. El hotel tiene el 60 por ciento de avance, el parque, no obstante, está al 45%, según informa Quintana Roo Hoy. Con la apertura de este hotel se prevé generar entre 600 y mil empleos directos, dependiendo de las estaciones y las temporadas.
El parque de agua, el más grande de la Riviera Maya, contará con cuatro series de toboganes: uno dedicado a los adultos, otra área especial para los niños, y dos ríos que son equivalentes a los que ya existen en la zona. Además de un río especial de slime. La propiedad tendrá todas las amenidades de un hotel 5 estrellas y cuatro diamantes bajo el esquema de todo incluido.
Por otro lado, cabe destacar que la marca Nickelodeon prevé desembarcar en Cartagena, Colombia, a finales de 2020, así como entrar en el mercado brasileño. Próximamente, también se abrirá el Margaritaville Island Reserve en Riviera Cancún, como ya informó REPORTUR.co (Karisma llevará la marca Nickelodeon a Cartagena).
###
From
USA Today:
Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, MexicoNo, it's not the first Nickelodeon hotel — but the Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya in Mexico expected to launch late next year aims to make a splash: It claims it will include one of the largest water attractions in Riviera Maya: About 500,000 square feet. Aqua Nick includes a lazy river, tubes, slides plus a kids-only interactive water playground.
Guests can enjoy oceanfront villas and suites at this all-inclusive resort, with Nickelodeon-themed adventures for kids and dining and bar experiences for parents.
The Nickelodeon Resort Riviera Maya is slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2020. The hotel is being developed by Karisma Hotels and Resorts, and the design collaboration is between The McBride Company, Arqtell and Nickelodeon.
Courtesy of Nickelodeon Resort Riviera Maya
###
From
El Universal:
Así será el hotel y parque de Nickelodeon que abrirá en Riviera MayaPlaneado para abrir en 2021, tendrá habitaciones con vista al mar y toboganesTodavía no se tiene una fecha exacta, pero se sabe que en 2021 abrirá sus puertas el Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort Riviera Maya, un alojamiento temático con inspiración en personajes como Bob Esponja.
Este hotel se ubicará en el municipio de Solidaridad, entre Cancún y Puerto Morelos.
En total, el Nickelodeon Hotel contará con 276 suites frente al mar, además de penthouses exclusivos. Las habitaciones serán una combinación entre diseño contemporáneo y decoración alusiva a los personajes principales del canal estadounidense. Pueden tener diversos atractivos, como acceso directo a la alberca principal o hasta piscina privada.
Por supuesto, el hotel ofrecerá encuentros con personajes como Bob Esponja, las Tortugas Ninja y los Padrinos Mágicos, tanto en desayunos familiares, actividades especiales y eventos bajo solicitud. Además, en el resort estará el llamado “más grande parque de atracciones acuáticas en la Riviera Maya”, de acuerdo con la cadena Karisma Hotels, a la cual pertenece; el parque incluirá toboganes familiares, juegos y albercas, en un terreno mayor a 46 mil 461 metros cuadrados.
Además de la diversión temática, habrá varias actividades para niños y adultos: yoga y futbol en la playa, clases de cocina, tours de kayak y cuatro albercas.
Para los adultos, la gastronomía será otro atractivo. El hotel promete siete restaurantes (entre ellos, un menú de langostas) y cuatro bares, uno de ellos especialmente dedicado al tequila. El plan será todo incluido.
En un hotel cercano de la misma cadena, Azul Beach Resort Riviera Maya, se ofrecerá el servicio de spa; hay tratamientos para niños y adolescentes de cinco a 17 años.
El otro hotel de Nickelodeon
Actualmente solo existe otro hotel temático dedicado a Nickelodeon. Se ubica en Punta Cana, República Dominicana.
Sobre todo, se ha vuelto famoso por su Pineapple Villa: un alojamiento para familias, en forma de piña para emular el hogar de Bob Esponja
Este hotel también tiene su propio parque acuático familiar.
###
From
De Interés:
Llegará en 2021 hotel Nickelodeon a MéxicoEs en redes sociales que se ha dado la supuesta noticia, de la apertura del acuario y hotel de Nickelodeon, asegurando que la sede será la Riviera Maya.
En las fotografías publicadas por karismahotels.com se puede ver que las decoraciones del lugar son completamente atractivas a la vista del público pues Bob esponja, Las Tortugas Ninja y Los Padrinos Mágicos son parte de la decoración.
La inauguración se tenía prevista para este año, sin embargo ante la contingencia por el Covid-19, se reprogramó para el próximo 2021.
Según la descripción que se da en la publicación, el acuario y hotel Nickelodeon cuenta con 276 suites, siete restaurantes, cuatro bares, cuatro piscinas y un spa.
###
From
Telediario Monterrey:
Así luce el hotel de Nickelodeon que abrirá en la Riviera Maya en 2021Poco a poco se empiezan a revelar más detalles del resort dedicado a caricaturas como 'Bob Esponja', 'Los Padrinos Mágicos' y 'Rugrats', entre otros.
ESPECIAL.- Tras años de espera, por fin se empiezan a revelar más detalles del Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort Riviera Maya, un lugar para pasar tus vacaciones acompañado de personajes de caricaturas como Bob Esponja, Los Padrinos Mágicos y Rugrats.
El alojamiento se ubicará en el municipio de Solidaridad, entre Cancún y Puerto Morelos y contará con cerca de 280 suites, seis restaurantes, tres bares, una piscina, un spa, un parque acuática con 10 toboganes y un teatro con una capacidad para 500 personas.
En el lugar, podrás encontrarte con botargas de sus personajes más queridos: Bob Esponja, Patricio, Calamardo, Timmy Turner, Los Padrinos Mágicos e, incluso, de las Tortugas Ninja.
Según información de algunas agencias de viaje, se empezarán a reservar viajes a partir del mes de octubre, para finalmente abrir sus puertas en la primavera del 2021.
[...]
###
