Sunwing & Princess Hotels showcase renovated Mexican properties at press briefing

Princess Hotels & Resorts has completed a comprehensive renovation of its Grand Sunset Princess resort in Mexico's Riviera Maya, reopening the property nearly two months ahead of schedule on November 1.

Nicole Perez, director of sales for North America, and Manuel Serrano, commercial director for the Caribbean and Mexico, presented details of the transformation during a media briefing at Sunwing Vacations' headquarters in Toronto on Wednesday (Nov. 19). 

Princess Hotels & Resorts is a Spanish hotel chain operating properties across Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Grand Sunset Princess originally opened in 2007, and this is its first comprehensive renovation.

While the interiors have been completely modernized, the exterior maintains the Mexican hacienda aesthetic that has appealed to guests. 

"Everything inside was gutted, and everything looks brand new, but it keeps that warmth that it had in the past," Perez said.

A comprehensive overhaul

The six-month closure delivered far more than a cosmetic update.  

All room categories received complete overhauls, from the 240 lead-in Junior Suites through to the premium Platinum Club accommodations and adults-only Laguna Villa suites. 

The renovations also introduced a new Platinum Suite Plunge Pool category featuring private furnished terraces with sun loungers and access to 11-square-metre private pools. 

Grand Sunset Princess now offers 872 total rooms across multiple categories, including 260 Deluxe Junior Suites, 62 Platinum Suites with terrace whirlpool tubs, 52 Deluxe Junior Suite Swim-Outs (ages 13 and up), 34 Platinum Suite Plunge Pools, 24 Laguna Villa Suites (adults only, 18-plus) and two Master Suites.

The Platinum Club maintains its elevated experience with exclusive access to a private lounge, beach area with waiter service, priority dinner reservations and premium brand pours.

The adults-only Laguna Villa suites feature outdoor showers, 24-hour room service, premium WiFi, hydrotherapy sessions and weekly culinary experiences.

Expanded dining & family amenities

The complex now features four main international buffets and six a la carte restaurants, including a new Brazilian rodizio steakhouse and an expanded Asian concept with teppanyaki, wok and Nikkei cuisines. 

The property also offers 14 bars, including swim-up wet bars and a 24-hour sports bar, plus a new ice cream shop operating from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Perhaps most significant for families is a new waterpark, designed to appeal to teenagers rather than just young children. 

"We’re really excited about this because we had small water parks previously, but now teenagers are going to have something available to do while staying with us,” Perez said. 

The property also features 12 swimming pools, eight for adults and four for children, some with indoor hot tubs.

Strong Canadian appeal

Jennifer Lucas, product director at Sunwing Vacations, emphasized the property's importance to the Canadian market. 

"It's exclusively for us and it's a great seller,” she said. “Canadians absolutely love this product. We have a lot of repeat guests that book Grand Sunset Princess year after year."

Lucas highlighted the Platinum Club's value proposition for advisors. 

"It's not a huge extra cost on the package, and it really is worth purchasing that," she said, noting that Sunwing sells a significant volume of the upgraded room categories because the incremental cost delivers substantial added value.

Grand Riviera Princess next in line

The adjacent Grand Riviera Princess closed November 1 for its own comprehensive transformation and is scheduled to reopen May 1, 2026, though Serrano suggested it may open earlier.

The Princess Family Club at Grand Riviera Princess also closed October 16th for renovations and will reopen in May 2026. 

All 144 rooms in that section will be reconfigured to feature one king bed for parents and three single bunk beds, accommodating families of up to five guests. 

The section includes 104 Family Club Deluxe Junior rooms and 40 Family Club Deluxe Junior Swim-Out rooms, with security doors at the entrance to the swim-outs for child safety.

The Family Club offers dedicated family amenities including a themed children's pool, exclusive buffet restaurant with childcare and shows, a Princess Family Club water park, mini club for children ages four to 12, teen club for ages 13 to 17 and a 24-hour coffee bar.

The Grand Sunset Princess and Grand Riviera Princess share all facilities and restaurants, operating as one complex with two separate reception areas. 

The properties are located approximately 45 minutes from Cancun airport. Both properties, along with the adjacent adults-only Platinum Yucatan Princess, offer exchange privileges, giving guests access to amenities across the complex.

Grand Sunset Princess is currently running at approximately 95 percent occupancy and Serrano says the guest response has been overwhelmingly positive, with returning visitors noting the dramatic transformation of the property.

“People who stayed with us before the renovation, they’re coming now and they are telling us it's a completely different hotel,” he said. “It's a different product.”

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