Kempinski Hotels Brainstorming Major Mexico, Caribbean Expansion

While Rodrigo Formoso, director of sales for the Kempinski Hotel Cancun, said Kempinski will “never get into the all-inclusive” business, he told Travel Market Report (TMR) he’d like to see Kempinski’s European Plan (EP) properties in more destinations known for all-inclusives like the Caribbean and Mexico.

“We wanted to bring a luxury EP to a destination known for all-inclusives,” he said about the new Kempinski Cancun, which opened in 2022 and represents the first Kempinski hotel in the Americas, aside from its Cuba property, “so we can put it on the map as a true luxury destination.”

And Formoso said Kempinski doesn’t plan on stopping with Cancun. While he noted that it’s in the “very early, preliminary stages,” he told TMR Kempinski is eyeing several top-notch Caribbean and Mexico destinations.

“The company is always open to expanding to the Caribbean and Mexico,” he said. “There’s been no solid discussions at this point, but we have some ideas.”

Such as?

“The company opinion for the Caribbean is looking into St. Barts, the Dominican Republic, and Mustique [in St. Vincent and the Grenadines],” said Formoso. “With Mustique, we will have to comply with construction codes. It would probably be a villa product, something that is in line with the rest of the island’s architecture.”

Formoso also said St. John’s, U.S. Virgin Islands and Anguilla are on Kempinski’s wishlist.

“Anguilla is a beautiful place and has a very high-end product,” he said. “We’d be a good fit there. They are very organized and have exciting festivals every year.”

And as far as Mexico goes?

“Mexico City, Los Cabos, and Riviera Nayarit would all make great fits for Kempinski,” he said.

And Kempinski could have an advantage in promoting its Mexico properties.

Posadas, the leading hotel operator in Mexico, announced a strategic alliance with Kempinski Hotel Cancun, a part of the European luxury hotel brand, to commercialize its 363 rooms in Quintana Roo.

This property will be available through Posadas’ commercial platform, adding a new option to the company’s wide range of destinations, which already totals 29,833 rooms in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

The hotel located in the hotel zone just 25 minutes from the Cancun International Airport and close to the city center, has a unique service called Lady in Red and Gent in Red, which exclusive ambassadors of the brand provide from the arrival of each guest, a personalized accompaniment service and knowledge of the local culture to design special moments for each visitor.

Kempinski Hotel Cancún is one of the four hotels of the brand that have this service worldwide.