Lates News

For the first time ever, Forbes Travel Guide’s 2019 Star Awards includes Royal Hideaway Playacar in its“Recommended Hotels” category, highlighting its extraordinary location, stunning design, exquisite culinary offerings, relaxing spa, and much more.

Forbes Travel Guide, renowned as the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas, has just announced the winners of its 2019 Star Awards. Since 1958, this prestigious award has showcased the best luxury hotels in the world, which are analyzed and qualified under an extensive list of strict parameters within the Star Rating system. This year, Royal Hideaway Playacar is honored to be included in the category of “Recommended Hotels, ”further solidifying the property’s status as one of the very best adults-only and all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya. “We’re extremely proud to be recognized this year by Forbes Travel Guide in their distingused2019 Star Awards,” said Yuridia Domínguez, Director of Sales & Marketing at Royal Hideaway Playacar. "The resort’s entire team deserves kudos for making Royal Hideaway Playacar an unforgettable place for an adults-only, all-inclusive vacation”.

According to Forbes Travel Guide, some of Royal Hideaway Playacar’s most outstanding aspects include: 

• A convenient oceanfront location alongside one of the Riviera Maya’s most beautiful beaches. 
• A lush garden area, which is full of canals and bridges that lend the spot a very romantic atmosphere. 
• The resort’s six swimming pools, many of which boast incredible views of the Caribbean Sea. 
• The elegant British-inspired design of its villas and the Mexican-style décor of its beautifully appointed rooms and suites.
• The resort’s diverse gastronomic offerings which include six à-la-carte restaurants, as well as a unique “Chef’s Table” experience that gives 12 diners the chance to interact with charismaticMichelin-Star Executive ChefAlejandro Sánchez while he prepares different courses. 

• Relaxing treatments offered at the property’s spa — the icing on the cake of an unforgettable vacation experience.

Royal Hideaway Playacar boasts the AAA-Five Diamond award distinction and is also a member of Leading Hotels of The World. 

Occidental Vacation Club, a full service, all-inclusive timeshare company, has expanded the experiential portion of its multi destination Club to include an optional Yacht Club Membership. The Yacht Club Membership is offered as an addition to First Club and Grand Level members and includes a 4-6 hour cruise from Punta Cana, Riviera Maya area or Aruba.

The vacation package experience starts with a relaxing ride to the marina in a private SUV. Onboard, members are welcomed by a professional crew who waits on them hand and foot, treating each guest like a member of royalty.  The cruise includes a variety of snacks and beverages in addition to which, and may also include special requests from those on board ranging from a chilled bottle of champagne to ocean fresh chilled shrimp or even local octopus a la Cézanne.

“Some items at available upon special request, but even the basic services are truly elegant” says Vice President of Marketing Marcel Olivares Occidental Vacation Club, a vacation ownership company known for its attentive service. “The membership is currently available in Mexico, Aruba and Dominican Republic where aside from surreal beaches and many historical places, you have an endless source of activities to choose from,” he continues.

“Members who already enjoy the all-inclusive options at OVC and still opt for the higher level yacht club vacation experience are primarily those who choose the finer things in life. Occidental Yacht Club is a way of making a lasting impression to people who matter to you” he added.

 Riviera Maya, Aruba and the East Coast of Dominican Republic are all abundant in natural beauty.   Guest choose destinations that may include any of a dozen secluded beaches, natural parks or hidden wells, making it a truly unique experience.

To see and hear about the Occidental Yacht Club experience, see some member videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Xr0WCpZ9U. 

Sports enthusiasts also may select to also enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing. The Yacht Club Membership allows participants to explore the wonders of the ocean from the depths of the sea or pulling a giant swordfish from the water. Occidental Vacation Club provides everything needed to enhance the experience from state of the art equipment to professional guidance and help to choose the perfect location.

            “We at Occidental are continually looking for various ways to provide more value for our members, and one way we do this is by giving them more experiential choices. We are known for outstanding level of service, and with our Yacht Club Membership, Occidental's members can expect the same,” said Luis Namnum, President of OVC.

Cuando Occidental Vacation Club, una división de Occidental Hotels and Resorts, recibió la codiciada calificación de la Corona de Oro de RCI para 10 de sus resorts, decidieron celebrar. Y celebrar que tienen. Durante el mes pasado, los miembros y el personal de los clubes vacacionales han sido invitados a festividades, ya que RCI ha otorgado el reconocimiento oficial a propiedades altamente promocionadas en el grupo OVC.

El término Gold Crown resort está reservado para los resorts de vacaciones / tiempo compartido más altos dentro de la red de intercambio de Resort Condominiums International (RCI). En la mayoría de los casos, RCI Gold Crown Resorts beneficia a los miembros con el mayor poder comercial dentro de la red de intercambio de RCI. Además de otras calidades de clasificación, la designación final de la Corona de Oro se logra solo a través de Comentarios de Invitados reales con calificaciones de puntos que deben ser más altas que 4.4 de 5.

RCI es un proveedor global de servicios de viajes de placer para empresas y consumidores, y el líder mundial en intercambio de vacaciones. En la actualidad, RCI cuenta con aproximadamente 3.8 millones de miembros en todo el mundo, que disfrutan de unas vacaciones de ensueño en los más de 4000 complejos afiliados de RCI.

Los resorts vacacionales incluidos por RCI para esta designación más alta fueron: Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana, Occidental Allegro Playacar, Occidental Allegro Cozumel, Occidental Grand Cozumel, Occidental Grand Flamenco Xcaret, Occidental Grand Nuevo Vallarta, Occidental Grand Aruba, Occidental Grand Papagayo, Occidental First Club Allegro Playacar, y Occidental First Club Allegro Cozumel.

Luis Namnum, presidente de Occidental Vacation Club, estuvo presente junto con RCI y otros ejecutivos del club para compartir la alegría más reciente en Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana y Occidental Grand Flamenco Ixcaret. Dijo que “recibir este premio es un gran honor. Nos enorgullece estar afiliados a RCI y nos complace dar la bienvenida a los miles de miembros que intercambian su tiempo para descubrir nuestros resorts en el paraíso. El premio también beneficia a NUESTROS miembros, ya que el reconocimiento coloca a nuestros miembros en una posición aún mejor para intercambiar, ¡si desean abandonar nuestro paraíso todo incluido por alguna razón!

Además de la oportunidad de mezclarse con ejecutivos de alto nivel, las fiestas de celebración de los miembros estuvieron llenas de música, bailes, bebidas tropicales para adultos sin parar y entretenimiento de primer nivel.

"No solo estamos ubicados en áreas tropicales espectaculares con mucho sol y diversión, también trabajamos arduamente para que todos los aspectos de nuestras vacaciones con todo incluido sean agradables para los visitantes de todo el mundo", dijo Namnum

Occidental Vacation Club, a division of Occidental Hotels and Resorts, has announced the opening of the “First Club” at Occidental at Xcaret Destination, in Mexico.

Situated within an ecological and historical preserve less than an hour from Cancun International Airport and 10 minutes from the renowned Playa del Carmen,  the all-inclusive Occidental at Xcaret Destination boasts spectacular grounds, a pristine coastline and unparalleled service and amenities. The resort incorporates winding river channels, free-form pools and a private beach with powder-soft white sand on a quiet cove. The Occidental Grand Xcaret features 11 international restaurants and 10 bars.  

Many of Occidental Vacation Properties offer the concept of The First Club which provides upgraded services to Club Members. Visitors to Occidental properties where there is a First Club on the property may take advantage of some First Club upgrades at check-in, although some restrictions apply and are limited to First Club Members only.   Special privileges include preferred accommodations, private members’ lounge, gourmet breakfast as well as a Members-only barbecue, private pool, beach and Jacuzzi®.  The First Club also has its own dedicated concierge, exceptional room amenities and the right to upgrade a unit at any non-First Club property in the Allegro Vacation Club. 

Luis Namnum, President of Occidental Vacation Club says that upon arrival First Club members are welcomed by the Concierge and greeted by name.  “The specially appointed suites are equipped with every conceivable comfort and luxury you could imagine, including Snorkeling Gear or Fishing Rods. The Members-only Lounge is available for Gourmet Breakfast, Premium bar, or just a classy ‘hangout joint’ with good music,” he says.  “So nothing interferes with members’ ‘beach-sleeping’, First Club members have access to a Private Jacuzzi® Pool with Butler services --just in case they have an emergency need for a Piña Colada!”

According to Sr. Namnum, it is not just the special amenities like the butler service on their private beach and the high-speed internet connection that First Club members relish.  It is the personalized service.    “Although all Occidental guests receive excellent treatment, we pay special attention to those that choose to upgrade to First Club,” he says.

In addition to Occidental at Xcaret Destination, Occidental First Club Resorts include Barceló Aruba, Occidental Punta Cana, Occidental Papagayo, Occidental Cozumel, Allegro Cozumel, Allegro Playacar, and Occidental Nuevo Vallarta.  The Occidental at Xcaret Destination is one of five Occidental Grand Level Properties with signature amenities and the small details that emphasize exclusivity and comfort.

All 11 Occidental Vacation Club vacations include unlimited meals and snacks, á la carte dining in specialty restaurants including unlimited alcoholic beverages;  sports (including tennis on a lighted court, water polo, aqua aerobics, and kayaking where available), use of the fitness center and more. Daily entertainment and a supervised Kids Club (ages 4 – 12) are also part of the package, as well as nightly shows and live entertainment and all taxes and gratuities.

Following up on the Occidental Vacation Club growth plans, a new sales room opened at the Barceló Tucancún Beach.  With Barceló Hotels and Resorts’ acquisition of Occidental Hotels and Resorts and the Occidental Vacation Club last August, the Spanish hotel company enters the timeshare/vacation club segment of the hospitality business for the first time.

Occidental Vacation Club began operations in 1993 with the vision of offering an attractive and different product to the vacation club market.  It has continued to innovate with a different approach to reaching out to potential clients focused on an "enhanced vacation experience" through which it offers its more than 26,500 members a personalized stay, special club check-in and check-out, high quality service and amenities, spacious rooms, and exclusive club areas like the First Club Lounge, Arena Beach Lounge, available at some resorts. At the moment, the Club has two levels of membership, the First Club and Grand Level, with plans to add an even higher level, like a Boutique-style hotel, within the resorts.

The new sales room will be functioning at the Barceló Tucancún Beach with a Project Director and five sales representatives in charge of welcoming hotel guests introducing them to the features that make the club so special as well as giving them an on-site tour at one of the near-by resorts so they will be able to see it all first-hand.

Barceló Hotels and Resorts is considering important renovation plans for the Occidental hotels, with a possible investment of somewhere between $120 and $150 million, while at the same time reviewing the brand structure of the Occidental properties and how it blends with the existing Barceló Hotels and Resorts portfolio.

December 5, 2014 (SANTO DOMINGO, DR) –While the U.S. was busy with Thanksgiving, Occidental Vacation Club (OVC) was putting the final touches on fresh new renovations to its exclusive First Club Lounge. Grand re-opening festivities took place this week—just in time for holiday travelers to enjoy.

With $1.4 million in renovations being poured into the spectacular resort, the First Club Lounge is now modernized, colorful and exceptionally comfortable. The refurbishments have expanded both the reception and waiting area, where First Club Members arrive to enjoy a welcome beverage and private, attentive First Club Concierge check-in services.

Always serving premium beverages, the bar area is now much larger than previously with the addition of a generous seating area with tables to enjoy a quiet, quick breakfast or snack, away from the hustle and bustle of the plentiful and busy buffet. First Club Members will now delight in the recent addition of a homey living room-style area complete with big screen TV and comfortable couches.

Just outside the expansive picture windows with views of the blue Caribbean First Club members can relax in a Jacuzzi®, hanging chairs, poolside beds and an outdoor lounge.

“It's completely new, and it reflects exactly what the First Club is: comfort, relaxation, service and fun,” said Luis Namnum, President of Occidental Vacation Club (OVC). “The new First Club area is terrific place to hangout, listen to music, and meet up with new and old friends over a tropical cocktail or two.”

OVC, a division of Occidental Hotels and Resorts (Madrid) includes resorts in Aruba, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Colombia and Mexico. With nearly 25,000 members and 23 properties, the organization is heralded for being one of the first to bring all-inclusive resorts into the timeshare arena.

“We are proud of the special vacation experiences we create for our First Club members through exceptional features and amenities such as this totally reimagined First Club Lounge,” continued Namnum. “It’s a great feature for our members. We look at the First Club as a haven where members can savor premium liquors, wines and delicious snacks, enjoy soft music from the entertainment center, or share a conversation with friends.”

Namnum says that other OVC resorts will see changes as well, with a new Beach Club, Infinity Pool and First Club enhancements at Allegro Playacar and plans for renovations at Grand Punta Cana’s Royal Club as well. “Our goal is to bring all of our properties to higher standards, providing our members with exceptional amenities and benefits,” Namnum said.

Occidental Vacation Club (OVC) Members have taken the initiative to put together their own Facebook Page to share everything from operational questions (“Can someone help me understand bonus time?”) to membership perks.

OVC itself maintains its own blog site www.occidentalvacationclub/sharethejoy which is chock full of Club, Caribbean and general travel information. As good as it is, it still can’t compete with the vibrant members only Facebook Page.

The page was started by Angela Simonelli Yost, an OVC member from Oakhurst, New Jersey who explains she “started this page several years ago, long before OVC entered the world of social media.”

She says “I wanted to connect with other members to exchange information. I wanted to hear from my ‘peers’ about the resorts, the staff, the units, etc... I wanted a better understanding of how to maximize my benefits and enjoyment of the … investment that I had just made.”

Now the page has taken on a life of its own, with a member administrator and OVC employees jumping in to clarify details from time to time. The “man in charge” on a day-to-day basis is Michael Barca from Lindenhurst, New York, who, along with founder Angela, is responsible for growing the membership on the page. In fact, since April 2012 the number of members has increased by nearly 200% with more being added on a daily basis. Angela says that “for the last nine months Mike’s knowledge of timesharing and OVC has been a cornerstone of our successful page.”

Cindy Harper, who has been a member for 15 years and hales from Sibley, Iowa says the FB page is one of her favorite things about the Club. “I've met and become friends with so many members. From what I hear all the OVC resorts are wonderful. We seem to kind of be in a rut, and return to the same resorts every year. I have 3 favorite resorts, Xcaret, Allegro Playa and my newest Allegro Cozumel. I can't say enough about all of them.”

If you read through the posts you’ll see that most agree with member Priscilla Day Haynes who says “we love the hospitality. We always feel like we are the "only" special guests in the entire resort even though we know other club members are vacationing at the same time!”

Recommendations vary from “so you are going to Coz? Allegro or Occidental? You will love it, all the way around. One of the Maître D’ Ladies, used to greet us every breakfast and dinner, and walk us arm and arm to our table, so very welcoming and warm” to help vacationing with an aging parent who is physically challenged: “resort is small not a lot of walking your mom should be able to get around without any trouble. It is a beautiful resort and the first club staff are great. We did the Puerto Vallarta city tour not a lot of walking mostly on the bus.”

The real time, spontaneous testimonials can range from humorous (“I swore I wouldn’t upgrade from First Club to Grand Level, but couldn’t help myself”) to shout outs to employees: “Madeleine Mason, Daniel Guedea & Karina are wonderful! Love when Danny says, ‘Welcome home!’ Freddie, the bartender at the swim-up bar is one of our favorites!” Others reinforce why they purchased a membership in the first place: "Family bonding time is PRICELESS! My daughters, who normally hang out with their friends, rather than each other, become joined at the hip while on vacation. It's all about having fun and making wonderful memories.”

Reading the comments on the Facebook OVC First Club Member page makes most anyone want to take a vacation. From candid photos of smiling families to grinning concierge staff, the power of social media is clearly evident. This is clearly the true meaning of a Club, where people have something in common and share the experience together.

The club has 11 resorts located in Aruba, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic, and Mexico. It has recently affiliated 18 Club La Costa properties in Europe to enhance the vacation experiences of its more than 23,000 members. The all-inclusive clubs feature limitless meals and snacks, á la carte dining in specialty restaurants including unlimited alcoholic beverages; sports (including tennis on a lighted court, water polo, aqua aerobics, and kayaking where available), use of the fitness center and more. Daily entertainment and a supervised Kids Club (ages 4 – 12) are also part of the package, as well as nightly shows and live entertainment and all taxes and gratuities.