Last month, I wrote about the Risks and Rewards of Booking a Brand-New Hotel. I decided to take a risk and book an all-inclusive hotel that is currently under construction. Has my risk already backfired on me?
Now Natura Opening Delayed
The all-inclusive hotel we booked, Now Natura Riviera Maya, just announced that the opening will be pushed back almost two months from December 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020. It seems silly to open on January 31 instead of February 1. But, I guess it sounds better to say that the opening has been moved from December to January instead of December to February.
This is the email sent to travel agents:
Dear Valued Travel Partner,
We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of an update regarding Now® Natura Riviera Cancun. Most unfortunately, the resort has experienced unexpected construction delays due to weather conditions.
Please know that construction is moving along as planned, however in the best interest of our mutual clients, we have made the decision to open the resort on January 31, 2020. We wholeheartedly look forward to serving our mutual guests upon the new grand opening date.
To reaffirm our commitment to our valued travel partners, travel agency community and future guests, we will be protecting any bookings affected by this change. With this in mind, we would like to share the below protection options to be executed via the channel originally booked:
*Associate Director of Sales for Now Natura Riviera Cancun will be reaching out to clarify which resorts guests will be re-protected at in destination. The focal point resorts for these stays will be at Dreams® Riviera Cancun, Breathless® Riviera Cancun, Secrets® The Vine Cancun and other similar AMResorts® branded properties offering the same elevated Unlimited-Luxury® vacation experience.
*Guests affected by this change will also receive a return certificate to Now Natura Riviera Cancun for a similar number of nights, persons and room type. Travel must occur between January 31, 2020, and December 20, 2020, and holiday blackout dates apply.
Alternatives and Return Vouchers
It’s not all bad news. The parent company, AMResorts, is transferring reservations to other nearby resorts within the company. The specific resorts mentioned all have 4 ½ stars on TripAdvisor.
Guests affected by the delay will also get a voucher for a free return stay at Now Natura to use in 2020. While this sounds great in theory, the voucher doesn’t include airfare. I’m curious how many people will actually use the voucher.
For most people, this inconvenience probably isn’t a big deal. I do feel sorry for the couples who had a wedding planned at the resort. They don’t need any added stress.
Did I Make a Mistake?
I still have a few more months buffer until another delay would affect my plans. I’m not too worried at this point. We still haven’t purchased flights yet since we’re using flexible points.
This does make me hesitant to book a new construction hotel in the first three months after opening, though. I’m talking about everywhere, but especially in the Caribbean or anywhere that is known for “island time”.
Should we start taking bets on the actual opening date of this resort? Surely it won’t be as delayed as Baha Mar in The Bahamas(3 years?!?!?)
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Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Is the Jan 31st date FIRM for Now Rivera Cancun? Need to purchase air.
@Cheryl I hesitate to call it a firm date. It’s always possible that they will postpone it further, unfortunately.
THIS, 4 STAR, RESORT MORE THEN LIKELY WILL NOT BE UP AND COMPLETELY RUNNING UNTIL APRIL, THEY HAVE A SOFT OPENING CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 1ST BUT DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH. THIS IS TYPICAL. IF, AND THAT’S A BIG IF, THEY OPEN ON 3/1 AND YOU HAVE A RESERVATION AROUND THAT TIME DO NOT EXPECT ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION TO BE FINALIZED. DO NOT EXPECT ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS TO BE UP AND RUNNING AND DO EXPECT MANY PROBLEMS. IF YOU DO NO EXPECT THAT THEN YOU ARE FOOLISH. I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE BOOK A BRAND NEW RESORT, ESPECIALLY A FORTH TIER AM RESORT, AND EXPECT IT TO ACTUALLY OPEN ON TIME. THEY NEVER DO. I WOULD WAIT AT LEAST 6 MONTHS FOR A BRAND NEW RESORT TO IRON OUT ALL OF THE KINKS ONCE THEY ARE 100% COMPLETELY FUNCTIONAL BEFORE BOOKING. IF YOU DON’T YOU WILL MORE THEN LIKELY BE VERY DISAPPOINTED, USE COMMON SENSE FOLKS.
@Diane This resort was originally supposed to open in November, so when I booked it would have already theoretically been open for 7 months. Now, it’s still moving people with March reservations, so I guess it’s planning on April opening.