TORONTO — The holidays have come early for Sunwing Vacations customers, as Canadian favourite Grand Sunset Princess reopens ahead of schedule following a complete renovation.

Exclusive to Sunwing Vacations, the 674-room all-inclusive resort – one of four properties within Princess Hotels & Resorts’ sprawling Riviera Maya complex in Mexico – has completed its first full renovation since opening in 2007. Originally scheduled to welcome guests on Dec. 20, the resort reopened its doors early on Nov. 1 after six months of extensive work.

The renovation touched every corner of the restaurant, including the lobby, main plaza, buffet restaurants, bars, theatre and a new ice cream shop. During a trade media briefing yesterday at Sunwing Vacations’ head office in Toronto, Manuel Serrano, Commercial Director, Caribbean, Princess Hotels & Resorts, emphasized the depth of the work: “It’s important to note that when hoteliers say they are going to renovate, sometimes it means changing curtains or updating carpets. But this has been a full renovation from top to bottom. Past guests who are staying there now are saying it’s a completely different hotel, a brand new product.”

Nicole Pérez, Director of Sales, North America at Princess Hotels & Resorts, noted that despite the major refresh, the resort has retained its Mexican hacienda charm on the exterior, while the interiors have been fully modernized. “Everything inside was gutted and everything looks brand new. But the resort has kept the same warmth it had in the past – it has not been lost.”

All guestrooms and suites have been fully renovated, including the adults-only Laguna Villa Suites, popular among honeymooners. Laguna Villa Suite guests enjoy access to an exclusive lounge and pool, private check-in/check-out concierge service, premium drinks, bathrooms with outdoor showers, 24-hour room service, premium Wi-Fi, a hydrotherapy session and a weekly dine-around culinary experience.

A new room category has also been introduced, Platinum Suite Plunge Pool, while the Platinum Club, described as an “elevated experience inside the resort,” continues to impress with exclusive access to the Platinum Lounge, private check-in/checkout concierge service, access to an exclusive pool and beach area with waiter service, premium drinks and priority dinner reservations.

Sunwing Vacations’ Jennifer Lucas, Director, Product, Partner Development and Tour Operations, said the resort – already a top choice for customers – is expected to be even more popular with the new enhancements. “Canadians absolutely love this product. We have a lot of repeat guests who book Grand Sunset Princess year after year. They’ve been anticipating and waiting a long time for these renovations. I personally saw the resort three weeks ago and it looks fantastic.”

OTHER CLOSURES, SHARED AMENITES

On the same day that Grand Sunset Princess reopened, neighbouring Grand Riviera Princess, also with 674 rooms, closed for its own renovations on Nov. 1. It is expected to reopen on May 1, 2026, however, Serrano said work should be completed relatively quickly as the majority of common areas have already been updated.

The 144-room Princess Family Club Riviera, situated within Grand Riviera Princess but sold as its own resort, also closed for renovations on Oct. 16 and will reopen in May 2026 with upgraded room layouts perfect for families up to five and multi-generational groups. “Before the renovations, we weren’t able to guarantee that all clients would be put into rooms with three bunk beds. Now, all rooms will have one king sized bed for the parents and three bunk beds, plus all the amenities a family may need while on vacation,” said Pérez.

Rounding out Princess’ Mexico resorts is the adults-only, 472-room Platinum Yucatan Princess, which offers guests a more private stay while still accessing the amenities and dining options of the larger complex. Guests of Grand Sunset Princess, Grand Riviera Princess and Princess Family Club Riviera enjoy shared privileges at all three resorts (excluding Platinum Yucatan Princess).

Food and beverage offerings across the resorts have also been upgraded, with new Italian restaurant (complete with a wood-burning oven), a Brazilian eatery and an Asian venue encompassing teppanyaki, wok and Nikkei (Japanese and Peruvian fusion) concepts. There’s also a new 24-hour sports bar, snack bar, a new ice cream shop and an expanded water park designed to entertain teenagers and younger guests alike.

Serrano underscored the core selling points of the properties: “The three best-selling points for me are quality, price and the relation between the two. Second, food and beverage. And third, our location. These hotels are very close to Playa del Carmen, just 45 minutes from Cancun airport, and easily accessible to local attractions like Chichen Itza.”

A UNIQUE OFFERING

Princess Hotels & Resorts is a Spanish hotel chain with properties in the Canary Islands, Tenerife and Barcelona in Spain, as well as in Punta Cana, Jamaica and Riviera Maya. But unlike other chains that maintain the same look and feel throughout all properties, Princess prides itself on offering unique experiences and atmospheres at each of its resorts. Said Lucas: “Their hotels are not cookie cutter – each property is very unique and reflects the authenticity of the country they are in.”

Serrano agreed: “If you go to one Princess, we can guarantee that you won’t see the same structure at another Princess. But while every hotel is different, we maintain the same standards of quality and service throughout.”

JAMAICA UPDATES

Princess Hotels & Resorts operates two properties in Jamaica: Princess Grand Jamaica and the adjacent adults-only Princess Senses The Mangrove, both in Green Island between Montego Bay and Negril. According to Serrano, the properties sustained mostly cosmetic damage from Hurricane Melissa and are temporarily closed for repairs.

“We were lucky with just a few broken windows and balconies, so all in all, the properties are okay. We are planning to reopen the Princess Senses The Mangrove on Feb. 1, 2026, and Princess Grand Jamaica a month later on March 1, 2026,” said Serrano.

He noted that while the country is still assessing the impact, recovery is underway and some hotels have already resumed operations. To support affected travellers, Princess Hotels & Resorts is allowing guests to postpone their stays and is offering its properties in the Dominican Republic and Mexico as alternative options.

For more information, go to www.princess-hotels.com.