Playa’s Mulet on expansion, all-inclusive market

This story first appeared in Travel Weekly

A powerhouse player in the all-inclusive space, resort owner, operator and developer Playa Hotels & Resorts has a portfolio spanning more than 20 properties across Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The company, however, is known not only for its growing footprint but also its partnerships with hospitality heavyweights like Hilton, Hyatt Hotels Corp. and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Christina Jelski spoke with Fernando Mulet, executive vice president and chief investment officer for Playa, to get an update on what's next when it comes to all-inclusive expansion and innovation.

Christina Jelski: How has Playa managed to carve out its niche in the fast-growing all-inclusive sphere?

Fernando Mulet: There have been so many announcements about brands coming into the all-inclusive space or wanting to be in the all-inclusive space, but when it comes to executing in our region, it’s easier said than done. Well, we’ve been doing this for years with Hyatt, then after that with Hilton and recently with Marriott, launching the first Luxury Collection all-inclusive resort, the Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic.

We are probably the only company that has this level of proven track record working as a multi-branded platform, and I think we continue to position ourselves as the preferred expert operator of branded all-inclusive resorts. We’re approved as a preferred operator for five global brands: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham and soon IHG Hotels & Resorts.

Jelski: What can we expect to see from Playa on the expansion front?

Mulet: There are openings that we’re working on, including some deals that we signed last year, totaling roughly 1,500 rooms. And we continue to focus on co-creating new brands with our partners and bringing new brands into all-inclusive. This year, we’re opening the first Kimpton all-inclusive on the Riviera Maya, and it will be the first property we manage for IHG. Also, we have three Wyndham Alltras in operation today and have one that will open this year in Samana, a destination in the north of the Dominican Republic. And last year, we signed another Wyndham Alltra in the Dominican Republic, in Punta Cana.

Jelski: All-inclusives have generally upped their game when it comes to food and beverage. What is Playa doing to further push the F&B envelope?

Mulet: We continue to evolve. At the Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, which we opened in the Dominican Republic in 2019, we’ve continued to elevate the product as we go, opening a new restaurant and entertainment venue called the Blind Butcher at the end of last year. When we came up with this concept, we were thinking maybe the way to innovate here is to create a dinner show.

And this is also our first speakeasy-style concept. You walk into a 1950s-style butcher shop and then there’s a big fridge that opens up, and that’s the entrance to the restaurant. There’s music and there’s dancing, and some parts of the show happen on stage, and others happen around the dining venue. And there are different levels of energy, so you can still enjoy some conversation. It’s a special experience that has an extra cost, and it’s been very successful so far.

Jelski: Will you be expanding this concept to other Playa-managed properties?

Mulet: We’re continually doing multiyear renovations to keep our product fresh and competitive, and we would definitely consider adding restaurants like this and upgrading our F&B in general. If we think we can add a Blind Butcher kind of experience, we will definitely look into it.