Press Release
April 24, 2001
ACAPULCO, Mexico -- In 2001, Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts will open its eleventh property in Mexico, the Paradisus
Riviera Cancun - The Ultimate All-Inclusive Village Beach Resort, 20 minutes south of Cancun's international airport,
unveil $8 million in renovations at the Melia Mexico Reforma, in Mexico City, and complete a $5.8 million upgrade
program at the Paradisus Cozumel All-Inclusive Beach Resort Golf and Country Club that includes a $12 million Nicklaus
Group-designed golf course.
``With 10 properties in Mexico, another resort underway and major upgrades, Sol Melia has secured its position
as one of the premier hotel companies in Mexico,'' said Evagrio Sanchez, President of Sol Melia's Americas Division,
during the 26th Annual Tianguis Turistico, Mexico's largest trade show and marketplace for wholesalers, tour operators
and travel agents from 40 countries. ``We offer something for every traveler - business or leisure - and continue
to surpass all expectations with our variety of hotel products. Year 2001 will be a flagship year for Sol Melia.''
The 500-room, five-star Paradisus Riviera Cancun - The Ultimate All-Inclusive Village Beach Resort will open in
fall 2001 on the beaches of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The resort will offer the best of Mexico and the Caribbean,
complete with premier service, cuisine and activities. The resort's ultra inclusive format will allow guests to
enjoy all meals, snacks, beverages, entertainment, sports facilities and amenities, complimentary and unlimited.
The resort will have six fine dining venues, four bars serving premium brands, a 9,000 square-foot ballroom with
capacity for 950 people that can be divided into four sections and a full-service spa facilities. ``The Paradisus
Riviera Cancun will be the crown jewel in Sol Melia's Paradisus brand, following the big success of Paradisus Punta
Cana and Paradisus Cozumel,'' added Emanuel Schreibmaier, Vice President of sales and marketing for Sol Melia's
Americas Division. ``It will incorporate in its design the natural beauty of the surrounding jungle, ocean and
Mayan ruins.''
The five-star Melia Mexico Reforma will complete an $8 million renovation in April 2001. ``This property has joined
the group of the leading business hotels in Mexico City by adding the newest, state-of-the art facilities and luxurious
accommodations,'' Sanchez continued. The project includes the refurbishment of all existing guest rooms and suites,
the addition of 34 guest rooms, five new meeting rooms that give the hotel a total of 25 salons and 38,346 square
feet of meeting space, lobby piano bar, refurbished European lobby and redecorated rooms. The property now has
488 renovated rooms, with 110 located on the ``Servicio Real'' floor where guests enjoy a private reception area,
express checkout, pillow menu, bar and butler service. A new restaurant, ``La Albufera,'' based on the famous Spanish
eatery of the same name, takes the place of the Oyster Bar. The Cafe Miro restaurant was renovated and expanded.
In August 2001, a new covered swimming pool, with an open terrace and beautiful view of the city's Historical Center,
and a complete spa will open at the hotel. The Melia Mexico Reforma was acquired in July 1999 and sits on Avenida
Reforma.
The 150-room Paradisus Cozumel All-Inclusive Beach Resort Golf and Country Club will complete major upgrades and
additions in 2001. New ocean view junior suites and a presidential suite have been added in the resort's tower
building. Deluxe rooms, formerly known as garden view rooms, were also upgraded with the addition of marble bathrooms
and tropical, garden interiors. The La Isla restaurant has been expanded with a new deck. The lobby and lobby bar
have been redecorated with exterior terraces, covered with palapas, which face the Caribbean Sea. By the end of
2001, the resort will add a new gymnasium, renovated theatre, game room, giant Jacuzzi, 12 honeymoon suites with
individual Jacuzzis and private wooden decks and improved facilities for the Cafe Paraiso Gourmet and La Iguana
restaurants.
The Paradisus Cozumel is located on one of Cozumel's best beaches and combines European elegance with Mayan architecture
and Mexican hospitality. Adjacent to the property will be the new Cozumel Country Club. The $12 million, Nicklaus
Group-designed facility will include a clubhouse, botanical gardens, access roads and 18-hole course. The first
nine holes will open in June 2001, the second nine will open in August 2001. The Paradisus Cozumel is part of the
Founder Membership Program that will entitle hotel guests to a 50 percent discount on greens fees from the date
of opening.
Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts is one of the world's most successful hotel companies with its four brands - Melia
Hotels, Tryp Hotels, Sol Hotels and Paradisus Resorts - with over 330 hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Sol Melia's 2001 expansion plans include new properties in Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico and throughout Asia
Pacific and Europe.
Individual reservations can be through a travel consultant or by calling toll-free 1-800-33MELIA (63542). Group
reservations can be made through a professional meeting and incentive planner or through Sol Melia's group desk
(CIMAS) by calling 1-888-33MELIA or via e-mail: Cimas@sol-group.com. Hotel information can also be obtained by
accessing Sol Melia at www.solmelia.com.
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Contact:
YP&B, Orlando, Fla.
Kathy Hernandez, Kim Carr or Julie Fernandez, 407/875-1111
or via e-mail at Kathy_Hernandez@ypb.com,
Kimberly_Carr@ypb.com or Julie_Fernandez@ypb.com