ST JAMES, Jamaica — Montego Bay will welcome its first all-inclusive Marriott Hotel in 2028 as the former Holiday Inn Resort is set to be converted into a 522-room Catalonia-controlled resort.

The announcement was made on Thursday in a joint release between Marriott International, Inc and Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, where it was revealed that Catalonia would also open an Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort in Zanzibar, Tanzania in 2027.

Catalonia acquired the former property known as the Holiday Inn Resort in May 2024. The property is set to become The Marriott All-Inclusive Resort in Montego Bay with several dining venues, nearly 13,000 square feet of meeting space and other amenities such as a fitness centre, tennis and pickleball courts. The converted property lists ten more rooms than when it was acquired in 2024.

“This agreement reflects leading international brands’ recognition of our operational excellence and the strength of our management model. It also aligns with the company’s expansion strategy, including collaborations that support our growth in strategic markets,” said Manuel Valenzuela, Catalonia’s chief commercial & operations officer, in the press release.

The move by Catalonia represents its first venture in Jamaica, which builds on its regional presence with five all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and four in the Dominican Republic. It also marks the entry of the Vallet family into Jamaica, which has other Spanish-controlled resort brands. These include the Riu Resorts by the Riu family, the Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts by the Piñero family and Iberostar Hotels & Resorts by the Fluxà family.

“These agreements represent a significant milestone in our all-inclusive strategy and demonstrate the strength of our relationships with experienced owners seeking to maximise value through Marriott’s globally recognised brands,” stated Laurent de Kousemaeker, Marriott chief development officer, Caribbean and Latin America (CALA).

This is the second newly announced Marriott property to be introduced to the tourism capital. Sandals Resorts International (SRI) Executive Chairman Adam Stewart announced last year that the Montego Bay Hip Strip would host the AC Marriott Montego Bay.

That 165-room resort is scheduled to open in 2027 as a lifestyle hotel under the European Plan (EP) model. Stewart also owns the AC Hotel Kingston, which opened in June 2019. Stewart is the executive chairman of the Jamaica Observer.

The Courtyard by Marriott Kingston was the first Marriott-branded hotel in Jamaica. That property opened in November 2015 at a cost of US$22 million. The property is managed by Caribe Hospitality Jamaica Limited, which is 35 per cent owned by Pan Jamaica Group Limited.