Hyatt Privé roadshow stops in T.O.; Inclusive Collection hints at third “Impression” resort

It was a meeting of the minds, with luxury in mind.

Gathering on the 17th floor of Toronto’s glam Park Hyatt, travel advisors met with key contacts from Hyatt’s luxury hotel portfolio on Monday (Feb. 24) at the Hyatt Privé Luxury Roadshow.

Hyatt Privé is Hyatt’s invite-only preferred partner program for hotels, travel advisors and travel agencies.

“It’s similar to other consortia programs where you get benefits and amenities from the hotel,” explained Karen Nakai, global sales director – luxury, lifestyle and leisure at Hyatt Hotels, speaking to PAX at yesterday’s event.

Hyatt Privé, which launched in 2018, unlocks exclusive perks for clients staying at select hotels, such as complimentary breakfast, potential room upgrades and bonus commissions for the trade.

Do agents have to apply to get into the club? Is access based on sales?

“A little bit of both,” Nakai said. “We have goals that we set for agencies. We look at their business and how it may complement the group of hotels that we have in the program.”

Which hotels, exactly? It starts with Hyatt’s luxury brands, which include Park Hyatt, Alila Hotels & Resorts, Miraval Resorts and Spas, Impression by Secrets and the Unbound Collection by Hyatt. But it may also include others.

The properties spotted on site yesterday, engaging with advisors and agency owners in a trade-show style format, included Park Hyatt Auckland, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Park Hyatt Dubai, Park Hyatt London River Thames, Park Hyatt New York, Park Hyatt Sydney, Park Hyatt Toronto, Il Tornabuoni, part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets and Impression Moxche by Secrets.

It marked the only Canadian stop on Hyatt Privé’s tour, which will visit 14 cities in the United States and Mexico over the next three weeks.

Yesterday welcomed a total attendance of nearly 90 travel advisors, who also participated in a cocktail and dinner event later in the day.

“A really great pairing”

Speaking on the latest trends, Nakai said the luxury travel advisors that she works with are continuing to book Hyatt’s hotels, but are changing up the destinations a little bit this year “for many different reasons.”  

“We consistently know they have clients that we can work with very closely,” she said. “[Advisors] work very hard to make sure they tailor different experiences for their clients, and so do our hotels. So, it's a really great pairing.”

Earlier this year, Hyatt evolved its brand architecture into five distinct portfolios – Luxury, Lifestyle, Inclusive, Classics and Essentials – to better serve the unique needs of its guests.

The Luxury Portfolio features fine places for refined tastes. These hotels are known for their unparalleled service, unmatched amenities and high design.

Within the portfolio, there are also all-inclusive hotels, such as the new-ish Impression by Secrets brand, a line of boutique, adults-only havens that are currently found in Mexico.

A common thread that runs through all of Hyatt’s luxury hotels, regardless of location, is their commitment to building relationships with travel advisors, said Nakai.

“That's why these hotels are here,” she said. “To build those relationships so they can support [advisors] and help them learn about their business…it’s about knowing that they have someone to call and talk to. Because that’s what our luxury advisors are asking for. They want to connect and create new experiences for their clients.”

Is a looming Canada-U.S. trade war having a significant impact on sales?

“Not in particular,” Nakai said. “I think we’re still trying to understand what’s happening. For us, we want to continue our consistent messaging. I don’t think our U.S. colleagues are going to stop coming [to Canada] to visit our travel advisor community because, again, it’s about building relationships.”  

For more on the Hyatt Privé program, click here.

A third Impression by Secrets?

Spotted in the crowd was Carolina Bellina, director of Canadian sales at Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, was there to promote Impression by Secrets.

There are currently two Impression resorts: Impression Moxché by Secrets in Playa del Carmen, which opened in December 2022, and Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets, which launched in May 2023.

Leaning into the realm of ultra-luxury stays, the all-inclusive Impression brand is all about personalization.

READ MORE: On Location: Jungle bliss – Agents unpack Secrets Tulum, and strategy, at Hyatt’s Confidant Connect Live

For example: when guests arrive at an Impression property, they don’t sign in at a check-in desk. Instead, they’re escorted directly to their suite, where an attendant completes the registration process.

In addition to offering “Endless Privileges” inclusions, the line promises “next-level” getaways complemented by a romantic ambiance, lavish suites with views, Michelin-level gastronomy and a heightened level of service.

Personal butlers, meanwhile, are deployed to take care of everything.

Bellina describes the experience as “another level of luxury,” telling PAX that there are plans to introduce a third Impression property, but only once the team finds the right location.

Another one in Mexico? “Not necessarily,” Bellina said, stopping there.

Making a good impression

While Impression by Secrets is still somewhat new to market, the response has been “amazing,” Bellina went on to say,

The property on Isla Mujeres, for one, is particularly gaining steam as more clients discover the thrill of boarding a catamaran and sailing to an idyllic island some 13 kilometers off cost of Cancun.  

READ MORE: Hyatt opens upscale Impression by Secrets Isla Mujeres

Some guests may also book a vacation that combines both Impression properties in Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen, Bellina said. 

“It’s another kind of experience,” she said. “Impression Moxché [in Playa del Carmen] is the masculine side of Impression, while Isla Mujeres is the feminine part. They’re each very unique.”

Impression also unlocks an upscale and authentic culinary experience. For example, on a recent FAM, Bellina discovered that she and her group were dining on ant eggs. “It’s a delicacy, and it was delicious,” she said. “It’s the things you can only taste in Mexico.”

As for how Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection is performing in Canada, Bellina said this winter’s sales are ahead of 2024 – “and 2024 was a great year for us.”

“It could be a sign of what’s going on between Canada and the U.S.,” she said, noting other possible factors, such as the weak loonie.

There are also tons of new options to choose from. Newcomers to Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, last year, included Secrets Tides Punta Cana (Dominican Republic); Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres (Mexico); Hyatt Vivid Grand Island Cancun (Mexico); and Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán Golf & Spa Resort (Mexico).

This year, meanwhile, will see the debut of Secrets Baby Beach (Aruba), Secrets St. Lucia, Breathless Puerto Vallarta; Secrets and Dreams Playa Esmeralda in the Dominican Republic, and Dreams Grand Island (Cancun).

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