Blue Diamond Resorts

If you’ve never heard of Blue Diamond Resorts before, there’s a reason why! They take all the millions of dollars they would put into advertising and invest it in their properties instead – and boy it shows!

Truth be told 80% of their business comes from travel advisors – so it really is myself and other travel professionals out here sharing the word that keeps them running at near full capacity each night. It truthfully is one of my favorite resorts to visit and I am excited to say that they have even more new properties coming on board in 2021!

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Vonda Keeler, Sales and Account Development Manager for Blue Diamond Resorts and below I have put together a great overview of the properties in the Blue Diamond brand to give you an idea what they are all about. As always this is just a broad overview so be sure to contact your Travel Guru with any questions!

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Brands: There are actually seven different brands that fall under the Blue Diamond umbrella – and even if you have never heard of Blue Diamond – I am pretty certain you are familiar with some of the names below. All of their brands are all-inclusive – except one – as noted below.

  • Royalton Luxury Resorts and Hideaway at Royalton: So, don’t let the word luxury scare you! The Royalton – a luxury family friendly all-inclusive has amazing prices! And it is totally family friendly. Here you can expect to see lots of children enjoying the pool and beach, participating in their kid’s club or visiting their yummy ice cream shop! On the flip side of this family friendly resort is the Hideaway property – which is the adult only side of the Royalton. Here you will find the adult only pool, beach area and restaurants – BUT – you will still have full access to everything on the Royalton side. This makes them fabulous for destination weddings, family reunions and other multi-generational trips.

For those of you that have already done Mexico and the Dominican Republic the recently opened Royalton Grenada (opened in March of 2020) is a great option. Grenada is a safe-to-explore destination and Jet Blue has direct flights from JFK!

There’s also the Royalton Antigua which features over-the-water bungalows that are priced thousands less than any other over the water bungalows in Caribbean! With crystal clear water and white sands – the Royalton Antigua offers the best price for all you bargain shoppers out there!

You can find these properties in Grenada, Antigua, Cancun, Dominican Republic Jamaica, Cuba, and Saint Lucia. NOTE: Your Travel Guru’s favorite is the Royalton CHIC Punta Cana Resort & Spa with its Vegas vibe and neon purple lighting throughout the rooms!

  • Memories Resorts and Spas: Memories are also family friendly all-inclusive properties and you will find they are a bit more casual than the Royalton – and thus offer a better price point as well. One of the coolest features of the Memories Resorts is that they have their own waterparks! And they are one of largest of the outside water parks throughout the Caribbean. The best part? Unlike other resorts they are for guests of Memories ONLY – meaning they do not sell day passes to cruise ships nor allow locals to frequent it – making it less crowded for you to enjoy. You can find these properties in Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
  • Grand Lido: The Grand Lido Negril Au Naturel All-Suite Resort is an adult only nudist all-inclusive property. Or as I refer to it – adult risqué!  This luxury property created just for nudists is secluded from other properties and offers fantastic views of gorgeous Negril.

It features a spectacular pool as well as a bar and grill for food and drink. Guests at the Grand Lido can also use the restaurants at the nearby Royalton Luxury Resort and Hideaway at Royalton sister properties – but must wear clothing once off property (of course).

  • Starfish Resorts: These properties are what Vonda describes as barefoot luxury  – more for the “I don’t need entertainment at night or need 24-hour room service –  I just want to sit on the beach with a cold drink in my hand” type of traveler. These are family friendly all-inclusive and you can find these properties in St. Lucia, Tobago, Antigua, Barbados and Cuba.
  • Mystique by Royalton: The Mystique brand are the only brand that are NOT all-inclusive in the bunch. They are considered European Plan – which simply means no food or beverages are included in the price. This is a great option for you explorers out there who won’t be at the property all day and will be eating elsewhere on the island.

The Mystique Holbox by Royalton is another of your Travel Guru’s favorites. Situated on Isla Holbox – or the Island of Holbox – it is an amazing place to get away. It’s a two-hour transfer from Cancun but so very worth it!  You can also find this brand in St. Lucia.

  • Planet Hollywood Hotels and Resorts: Many of you are already familiar with the name Planets Hollywood thanks to the chain of restaurants. However, these are family friendly all-inclusive properties are not necessarily affiliated with the restaurants – but they still have the cool movie memorabilia sprinkled throughout them. Basically, the entire theme is to make you feel like a movie star while you are staying there – red carpet and all! They even have a kids club called STARS Kids Club.

Planet Hollywood Cancun – situated on the stunning beachfront of Costa Mujeres is opening in January 2021.  For this property you would fly into Cancun and get transferred to Costa Mujeres. It will feature an Adult Scene as well that is adults only – but which allows you to visit the family friendly side just like at the Royalton / Hideaway properties.  By the way – everyone is saying Costa Mujeres is THE new hotel zone in Mexico – this beach front is absolutely beautiful!

The other Planet Hollywood is the Planet Hollywood Costa Rica which was the first one to open a year and a half ago is doing great and winning all kinds of awards!

Activities: Rest assured – there are plenty of options to keep you busy at all of the Blue Diamond Properties. Each is staffed with an activities director who plans activities for all age groups ensuring that no one is ever bored. And of course, each property has its own fitness center and all non-motorized water sports are included.

Wellness: These resorts are made for wellness – and we just don’t mean they have spas! From the food to the views to the team itself – you’ll be surrounded in wellness at Blue Diamond Resorts.

Safety: Safety first at all Blue Diamond Resorts! You will find both security cameras and plenty of security staff on all properties making them very secure. As for COVID concerns – these huge, spacious properties lend themselves to social distancing.

Miscellaneous: As Vonda stated – being a newer company, Blue Diamond Resorts was able to take what people were saying about what they wanted and needed in an all-inclusive property and incorporate into their brands. For instance – most of us can attest to the fact that the food makes or breaks an all-inclusive – all Blue Diamond properties use USDA Grade or higher steaks and have a quality beverage service. The accommodations also feature all the comforts of home – from high-thread count sheets to typically two queens as opposed to the two double beds you normally see at other properties.

Updated COVID-19 Information: As each property resides in a different destination please check with the Office of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health in the destination you are interested in visiting for up-to-date entry requirements.

For the CDC’s most up to date information on COVID-19 click here. And for the most up to date COVID protocols at Blue Diamond Resorts click here.

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For more details on the fabulous Blue Diamond Resort properties, their price points (Hint: Mexico is typically the more budget friendly of the destinations) and more – contact your Travel Guru! Oh, and if you need a payment plan to fund your travel adventure – we got those too!

Namaste!

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