Marriott to Convert Shuttered Catalonia Property Into 522-Room Montego Bay All-Inclusive Resort

Montego Bay will gain another global hotel name after Marriott International agreed to turn the former Catalonia Montego Bay property into an all-inclusive resort holding 522 rooms, with doors expected to open in 2028.

The arrangement is one half of a two-part deal struck with Catalonia Hotels & Resorts of Spain, which also covers an Autograph Collection all-inclusive resort to be built in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Marriott says the seafront property, a short distance from Sangster International Airport, will hold 522 guest rooms alongside 13 places to eat, three swimming pools, a spa, a fitness centre, meeting space, courts for tennis and pickleball, a lazy river and beachfront stretching beyond 2,100 feet.

The hotel operated as the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort before its years as the Catalonia Montego Bay. It shut its doors after Hurricane Melissa and had already been lined up for extensive upgrading. Its return in 2028 will place it under Marriott's flagship brand.

Laurent de Kousemaeker, who serves as Marriott International's Chief Development Officer for the Caribbean and Latin America, called the two deals a meaningful advance in how the company is broadening its all-inclusive holdings. "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," he said.

He pointed out that the two companies are already tied together through Catalonia's ownership of the Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel, adding that Marriott welcomed the chance to carry that partnership into two leading leisure destinations.

In Jamaica's tourism capital, where a number of the world's biggest hotel names already run properties or are enlarging their footprint, the development is tipped to deepen Marriott's foothold.

The company reports that appetite for all-inclusive holidays keeps climbing. It currently runs 38 all-inclusive hotels spread across nine markets in the Caribbean and Latin America, with another 16 developments, amounting to roughly 5,600 rooms, sitting in the regional pipeline.

Manuel Valenzuela, Chief Commercial and Operations Officer at Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, said the deal signals his firm's faith in the Marriott brands while advancing Catalonia's push to grow abroad. "We are pleased to strengthen our relationship with Marriott International through these two significant projects," Valenzuela said. "This agreement reflects leading international brands' recognition of our operational excellence and the strength of our management model."

Guests at the Montego Bay resort will also be able to use Marriott Bonvoy, the chain's worldwide loyalty scheme, whose membership now stands close to 283 million.