On Location: Wyndham Alltra Cancun is a “new all-inclusive way to travel”

“We’re dreaming, not sleeping,” reads the “do not disturb” sign at the new Wyndham Alltra Cancun.

A dream is exactly what this new partnership between Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Playa Hotels & Resorts aims to be for its customers, as PAX learned on a recent press trip from Apr. 25-27 to celebrate the official launch of the Wyndham Alltra brand.

Playa Hotels is a specialized owner, developer and operator of all-inclusive resorts that owns and manages 22 hotels, while Wyndham is the world’s largest hotel franchising company with more than 9,000 hotels in 95 countries around the world, representing 23 brands.

Wyndham Alltra marks a milestone for the company as its first foray into the all-inclusive segment.

The 458-room Wyndham Alltra Cancun and the 287-room Wyndham Alltra Playa del Carmen are the first two resorts to rebrand as Wyndham Alltra properties.

A new kind of all-inclusive traveller

The brand name “Alltra” is a contraction of its mission to offer “all-inclusive travel for all.”

“We want all-inclusive to be available to everyone,” said Scott LePage, president of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Americas.

The partnership between Wyndham and Playa, which was initiated in the height of the coronavirus crisis two years ago, caters to the new, post-pandemic traveller.

“As we move forward, away from the pandemic, people now – more than ever – are seeking vacations where they feel safe, and the all-inclusive is leading the way,” explained Fernando Mulet, EVP, chief investment officer for Playa. “Wyndham is giving consumers an entirely new all-inclusive way to travel with the security of a brand they already know and trust.”

Dean Sullivan, SVP, sales and marketing for Playa sees Wyndham Alltra as a distinctive offering in the Cancun market thanks to its upper-midscale positioning, combined with Playa's signature "service from the heart."

“It’s all about a connection,” said Sullivan. “[Our staff] take a genuine interest in people’s lives.”

Sullivan believes the new brand also represents exciting new business possibilities for travel agents.

“It's now recognizing they [agents] have an opportunity for consumers that have never experienced an all-inclusive. There are a ton of people that have never considered all-inclusive – wouldn't have taken an all-inclusive – but now that Wyndham is in play, they're here. Or they will be here,” explained Sullivan.

Child’s play

Contrasting with the other new Wyndham Alltra property in Playa del Carmen, which is for adults only, Wyndham Alltra Cancun is “dedicated to families and fun,” according to LePage.

The beachfront resort is located in the city’s Hotel Zone, 21 kilometres away from Cancun International Airport.

Previously operating under the Panama Jack brand, the resort has undergone “primarily cosmetic” renovations as Sullivan described it, which focused mainly on rebranding the property.

Wyndham Alltra Cancun delivers on its goal of being a dream come true for little ones, who will find plenty to love about the property’s pirate-themed splash park, mini-golf course and waterslides.

The Camp Alltra kids’ club offers arts and crafts, beach games and other entertainment for children ages 4-12, while the #Hashtag teen club is equipped with arcade games, air hockey and Wii.

The resort’s contemporary rooms and suites also have families in mind, with most room categories able to accommodate more than three people via sleeper sofa or, in the case of the Family Junior Suite, bunk beds and trundle beds.

High chairs, strollers and baby carriers are common sights at the resort’s 11 restaurants and bars, which serve crowd-pleasing fare ranging from Mexican at Casa de Rosa and Italian at Viaggio to an international buffet at Ventanas.

The 24-hour Café México is a convenient spot to grab sandwiches or pastries when hunger strikes outside of the usual eating hours, while soft pretzels, doughnuts and popcorn at Cravings make for fun, fuss-free snacking.

No reservations are required at the a la carte restaurants and room service is covered in the all-inclusive package, offering great dining flexibility for families when needs change on the fly.

Kid yourself

Wyndham Alltra Cancun may be a dream for kiddos, but that doesn’t mean adults are left out of the fun.

While families typically hang out around the Main Pool with its kid-friendly splash park, adults can be found ordering drinks from Agave Bar and lounging around the Clover Pool.

Swings facing the resort’s white sand beach are the perfect spot for kids at heart to admire views of the Caribbean Sea.

Aura Spa invites guests to unwind with a hydrotherapy area – which is covered in the all-inclusive rate – that includes a steam bath, outdoor tub and sauna, or indulge in Mayan-inspired body treatments.

Guided wine and tequila tastings with a sommelier offer another chance to slow down and savour the moment.

Beachfront yoga and zumba, aqua aerobic, spinning classes and beach volleyball and soccer provide activity and entertainment during the day.

At night, guests can watch the sun go down over the lagoon at At Sunset restaurant then head to the buzzing lobby bar for live music and other performances (after-hours babysitting is available for a fee).

All about Alltra

“There is a real plan in place to grow this Wyndham brand quickly and rapidly,” said Sullivan, hinting that based on “Playas’ track record” we can expect these new properties to pop up in Mexico and the Caribbean.

“These two properties are the launching pad for what will be an all-inclusive brand that caters to a completely different niche of consumers – those that are loyal to the Wyndham brand,” added Sullivan, noting that future Wyndham Alltra properties could be a mix of new builds and rebrands like the resorts in Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Wyndham Alltra Cancun, Mulet also spoke of the property as being the first of many forthcoming resorts under the new brand.

“Today, 39 per cent of our pipeline of new development opportunities are in the upper-midscale,” said Mulet. “We have an aggressive plan to continue to increase Wyndham’s footprint in the all-inclusive market.”

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