NASSAU, The Bahamas—The Chairmen of Baha Mar and Meliá Hotels International signed an agreement for Meliá to operate the all-inclusive Meliá at Baha Mar, in the luxury leisure development Baha Mar. The $3.5 billion investment, comprised of 1,000 acres with more than 3,000 feet of ocean front, is just twelve minutes from Nassau International Airport. Meliá’s extensive experience and international footprint have been key qualifiers for the expanding Spanish global group to be selected as part of this ambitious and revolutionary project.
Baha Mar, one of the most important transformation projects currently taking place in the Caribbean, will now include five hotels, private residences, gaming, golf, shopping, entertainment, and natural attractions that embody an authentic Bahamian experience. In addition to Meliá at Baha Mar, the portfolio of Baha Mar properties will feature other prestigious international brands including Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, Mondrian, and Grand Hyatt, all anchored by its centerpiece, The Baha Mar Casino and Hotel.
The destination will offer more than 2,900 hotel rooms and residences, overlooking the beach. Resort amenities include the 100,000 square foot casino, an 18-hole, 72-par Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, and ESPA spa, and more than a dozen pools. A dedicated on-site convention center will be the cornerstone for the approximately 200,000 square feet devoted to meeting and conventions facilities.
On December 1, Meliá will take over the operation of the Meliá Nassau Beach Resort. The Meliá Nassau Beach Resort, featuring 694 rooms and multiple spaces for meetings and conventions, will be executing a renewal plan that will be completed by December 2014, without any interruption to the guest experience. The refurbishment plan is focused on upgrading and adapting the hotel to Meliá’s brand standards. Upon completion of renovations and simultaneously with the opening of Baha Mar, it will be renamed Meliá at Baha Mar. Highlights of the refurbishment will be new restaurant concepts, updated pools, and an enhanced lobby area.
“Meliá brings a wonderful, upscale name with global recognition and exceptional values to our brand portfolio at Baha Mar,” said Sarkis Izmirlian, Baha Mar’s chairman and chief executive officer. “The company’s expertise in the European, Latin American and Russian markets will further support Baha Mar in attracting a worldwide clientele. In addition, Baha Mar will be proud to offer Meliá’s all-inclusive resort experience, which is a leader in one of the fastest-growing segments in vacation travel.”
“The addition of the new Meliá Nassau Beach and the prospect of the future Meliá at Baha Mar being part, within a year, of one of the most ambitious hotel and leisure projects in recent decades, is a new source of pride for our brand,” said Gabriel Escarrer, chairman of Meliá Hotels International. “Opening our first hotel in the English-speaking Caribbean, complementing our presence in the best vacation destinations around the world, is also a major achievement for Meliá Hotels International.”
