Puerto Rico’s Wyndham Grand Tries Hand at All-Inclusive Plan
Many resorts that are not fully all-inclusive are testing the concept by offering an all-inclusive option.
A case study of one property's decision to test such a plan illustrates the extent to which guest demand drives these decisions, even in Puerto Rico, an island that has long been a holdout on all-inclusive resorts.
The Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, a 400-room resort on the northeast coast of Puerto Rico, introduced an all-inclusive option on Sept. 1 to run through Dec. 20, when the resort will decide whether to make it permanent.
Danny Williams, general manager, said the idea had been under discussion for about five years, and that "customer requests and demand prompted the move."
"I've had many opportunities to talk with guests who are interested in having this option available because they said it would help with budgeting the vacation costs," he said. "Many had stayed at other all-inclusives elsewhere and liked the concept. We knew that for the Caribbean, the all-inclusive is a desirable product, and we decided this was a good time to test it."
All-inclusive rates start at $429 per room, per night, as opposed to $149 per room, per night. In addition to meals and drinks, the all-inclusive program includes complimentary tennis at the resort's 13 courts and one free round of golf per day at Wyndham's two golf courses.
The Rio Mar's five a la carte restaurants are included in the all-inclusive program, but guests must pay a surcharge at the two signature dinner restaurants.
Williams said one of the biggest benefits of the all-inclusive rate is that it includes taxes and resort fees, which together are about 28.76 percent of a typical bill.
Tips are not included and are at the discretion of guests.
Employees and staff at the Wyndham Grand spent five weeks in training to learn the program, according to Sharlene Brenkus, director of sales and marketing, who said she hoped the program would be "a successful offering for the resort and for Puerto Rico."
The all-inclusive program pays 10 percent commission.
Source: Travel Weekly
