Blue Diamond acquires paradise

Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts, a division of Sunwing Travel Group, has bought the Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort, Casino and Spa. The resort is situated on Bavaro Beach, a s half hour drive from Punta Cana International Airport. The property has 1,029 guest rooms and suites, with all guests accommodated on an all-inclusive basis. The resort offers a choice of six a la carte restaurants, two buffet restaurants and ten bars. With immediate effect, the Blue Diamond team will take over the management of the resort, which will continue to operate as Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort through to April 30, 2013. At that time, the resort will be closed for a six month period to allow for changes and improvements to bring it in line with Blue Diamond’s “Memories Resorts” specifications. The resort will re-open in November 2013 as the 5 star-rated Memories Punta Cana Beach Resort and Spa. This acquisition is Blue Diamond’s second wholly owned and managed property, following the recent purchase of the ex-SuperClubs resort in Trelawny, Jamaica, currently undergoing a $40 million renovation before it reopens as “Memories White Sands Beach Resort & Spa” later this year. Stephen Hunter, president & CEO of the Sunwing Travel Group, said that: “With the increase in demand for Punta Cana and the scarcity of available rooms, the destination was the obvious choice for our next expansion of the Hotel Division. Already a popular resort on a perfect wide expanse of white beach, we have ambitious plans to differentiate the resort under our Memories brand next year.” Go to http://www.bluediamondresorts.com for more.