By Michael Baginski/ It’s safe to say that many hotel renovations often come to fruition well after expected. That’s not the case with the Grand Sunset Princess in Riviera Maya, Mexico, a family-friendly, five-star all-inclusive that re-opened Nov. 1, well ahead of its advertised Dec. 20 timeframe.
As such, hastily arrived execs from the hotel called in Toronto to get the word out about the hotel’s early start on the winter season, having spent the past six months shuttered behind construction blinds.
During a presentation to the media at Sunwing’s Toronto office last week, Princess Hotels & Resorts’ commercial director Manuel Serrano said visitors to the hotel have enthusiastically declared it “a completely different hotel,” though the company’s director of sales North America, Nicole Perez, quickly added, “The outside of the hotel still remains like a Mexican hacienda” and retains its tropical charm.
“Everything inside was gutted and everything is brand new, but it keeps that warmth that had in the past – it wasn’t lost,” she added of the property’s first full refit since 2007.
Key renovation highlights
Inside the resort, the Grand Sunset now features fully upgraded rooms, refreshed dining and entertainment spaces, and new amenities like an ice cream shop and modernized pools:
- Rooms & Suites
- All 674 rooms were completely renovated across five categories
- Options include:
- Deluxe Junior Suites with tropical murals and free‑standing bathtubs.
- Deluxe Junior Suite Swimouts with direct pool access from private terraces.
- Exclusive Platinum Suites featuring ambient lighting and premium finishes.
- Dining & Bars
- Renovations touched buffet restaurants, à la carte venues, and bars.
- A brand‑new ice cream shop was added for guests.
- Updated décor and layouts create a more modern, vibrant atmosphere.
- Common Areas
- Lobby and main plaza redesigned for a more welcoming, contemporary look.
- Theatre refreshed for nightly entertainment.
- Pools and outdoor areas enhanced with stylish finishes.
- Ambience & Design
- Blend of modern elegance with tropical charm – keeping the Caribbean vibe while upgrading comfort.
- Use of premium materials, ambient lighting, and artistic touches throughout rooms and public spaces.
- Family & Activities
- Supervised kids’ club with plenty of activities.
- Variety of kid‑friendly food options.
- High repeat guest rate thanks to family‑friendly programming.
- Platinum Club
- Exclusive luxury section of the hotel that offers premium amenities, private areas, and personalized attention for guests seeking a high-end vacation experience.
- Laguna Villa Suites
- Guests in the adults-only “boutique” section of the hotel (including honeymooners) have 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.
Grand Riviera Princess
Notably, the Grand Sunset shares its footprint – and facilities – with the Grand Riviera Princess, which has now been closed for renovations and is scheduled to re-open May 1 (if not before) with upgraded room layouts catering to families up to five and multi-generational groups.
Sunwing Vacations
Jennifer Lucas Director, Product, for the Sunwing Vacations Group, notes that the Grand Sunset Princess is an exclusive resort for the company and sells extremely well in Canada.
“Canadians absolutely love this product, and we have a lot of repeat guests that book year after year,” she said. “We’ve long been anticipating these new renovations. I was down there three weeks ago in person and it looks fantastic.”
She further touted the great value of the Platinum Club, stating, “One thing I will says is that for an upgraded club type, it is absolutely worth the money. It’s not a huge extra on what you’re paying on a nightly rate and really is worth what you pay, because it’s worth all the extra amenities you do get. We sell a lot of it.”
Serrano agreed that one of Princess’s biggest selling point is quality for price. “Maybe you can find better hotels, you can find cheaper hotels maybe, but the relationship of quality-price of Princess (can’t be beat).”
Other key selling points, he added, are the hotel’s food and beverage offerings and the location – positioned directly on the white sand beaches of Playa del Carmen, 10 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen, 40 minutes from Cancún International Airport, and close to attractions like Xcaret Park and Quinta Avenida.
Serrano offered that another advantage of Princess – which also has properties in Punta Cana, Jamaica, and Spain – is its philosophy of maintaining a standard level of quality across its resorts, even if each one is different.
“The hotels are not cookie cutter, you’re not going to get the same thing from one hotel to the next,” said Perez. “The Mexico products reflect the authenticity of the country they are in. And the ones in the D.R., the same thing. You’re not going to have the same décor and facilities. It’s very unique.”
Jamaica update
Having opened a year ago, Princess Hotels & Resorts operates the adjoined Princess Grand Jamaica and adults-only Princess Senses The Mangrove, located between Montego Bay and Negril, both of which sustained mostly cosmetic damage from Hurricane Melissa and are temporarily closed for repairs.
Serrano says the Princess Senses is expected to re-open on Feb. 1, 2026, and Princess Grand Jamaica on March 1, 2026.
Travellers affected by the closures are able to postpone their stays or relocate to Princess’s Mexican properties or five resorts in the D.R.
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