Tourism investors are banking on culture as a competitive edge, with a new luxury property in St James – Royalton Vessence Barbados – positioning Barbadian art, heritage and talent at the centre of its guest experience.
Speaking to reporters on a tour of the Holetown property, on Tuesday, following its soft opening a day earlier, Alejandro Rodríguez del Peón, global vice president of marketing and public relations for Royalton Hotels & Resorts, said the hotel was designed to immerse guests in the authentic Barbadian experience.
“We are extremely happy and excited to make Barbados our first place to open the Royalton Vessence brand,” he said. “It is about bringing the true essence of a country such as Barbados – the vision and richness of Bajan culture – to a hotel that is available for everyone.”
Alejandro Rodríguez del Peón, Global Vice President of Marketing & PR for Royalton Hotels & Resorts. (Photo Credit: Shamar Blunt/Barbados TODAY)
The company has ambitious plans for the property, with the goal of making it one of the premier hotels not only in Barbados but across the region, Del Peón said.
He revealed that early feedback has been encouraging, with interest coming from Royalton’s traditional North American market as well as regional travellers and Barbadians themselves.
“The response has been very positive,” he said, noting strong interest from guests in Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and other Caribbean territories.
The resort features 220 rooms across a range of categories, including swim-out accommodations, presidential suites and two expansive chairman suites, which Del Peón described as being “like a villa in an all-inclusive hotel”.
Alejandro Rodríguez del Peón, Global Vice President of Marketing & PR for Royalton Hotels & Resorts speaking to media in one of the hotels Chairman Suites. (Photo Credit: Shamar Blunt/Barbados TODAY)
Guests will also have access to a diverse culinary offering. While the property has five restaurants, Del Peón said it boasts 17 food and beverage outlets when bars, snack grills, grab-and-go locations and speciality dining options are included.
“The whole point is about bringing different cuisines, so it’s not the same thing,” he explained, pointing to offerings ranging from Indian and Mexican dishes to French fusion, Caribbean, Italian and steakhouse fare.
A key feature of the hotel, Del Peón stressed, will be a commitment to highlighting artists and artisans.
The property has been working with creatives to display their work throughout the resort, allowing guests to learn about the pieces, the stories behind them and, where available, buy them, he said.
“We want to show them as what they truly are, which are pieces of art,” he said. “If we want to bring the true essence of Barbados to the hotel and to the guests, it’s not only through our people, but through the architecture, the details, the art, the entertainment and the cuisine.”
The displays will rotate over time, he added, and encouraged artists interested in collaborating with the hotel to come forward.
The resort’s commitment to Barbados also extends to its workforce, Del Peón boasted, with approximately 98 per cent of employees being Barbadian.
“All of our focus has been to generate local employment,” he said. “Most of our employees are from here.”
Royalton Hotels & Resorts, the parent brand, operates a portfolio of all-inclusive properties across the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, and is part of the Blue Diamond Resorts group, a division of Sunwing Travel Group. The company has expanded rapidly in recent years, targeting upscale family, adults-only and experiential travel markets with a focus on modern amenities, branded concepts and destination-based experiences.
(SB)
