News Releases

GRAND HYATT GOA, INDIA

Aug 1, 2025
Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa debuts in the Dominican Republic
This adults-only all-inclusive haven, part of Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection portfolio, is located on one of the Dominican Republic’s most pristine, untouched coastlines

CHICAGO, IL (August 1, 2025)Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announces the grand opening of adults-only, all-inclusive Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa, further strengthening Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection brand presence in the Dominican Republic. The opening marks the continued expansion of the Secrets Resorts & Spas brand, underscoring Hyatt’s commitment to offering seamless all-inclusive travel experiences that suit every traveler.

Tucked along the untouched shoreline of Playa Esmeralda in the Dominican Republic’s emerging Miches region, this new adults-only resort redefines romantic travel with a curated blend of privacy, indulgence, and immersive connection to one of the Caribbean’s most pristine natural landscapes. Still largely undiscovered, Playa Esmeralda is a place where dense rainforest spills into powder-soft beaches, and the rhythms of daily life are guided by nature. Off the well-trodden path, Playa Esmeralda remains a rare stretch of coastline that invites guests to experience the Caribbean in its most radiant form.

“We’ve created Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa to be more than an indulgent escape – it’s a celebration of romance, wellbeing, and the unique spirit of Playa Esmeralda,” said Angel Medina, general manager, Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa. “Every detail, from the design of our suites to textures, colors, and curated experiences throughout the property, is inspired by the richness of this region. We look forward to welcoming guests to experience this extraordinary destination and our unwavering commitment to exceptional service.”

A Serene, Adults-Only Caribbean Retreat

Set across a private, palm-lined stretch of Playa Esmeralda and surrounded by lush tropical scenery in Miches, one of the Dominican Republic’s best kept secrets, Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa features 500 elegantly appointed suites, each with a private terrace or balcony, with many offering ocean views, swim-out access, and furnished balconies. Inside, guests will find plush bedding, spacious bathrooms with rain showers and double vanities, and Pharmacopia Natural Bodycare bath amenities. Additionally, guests enjoy 24-hour room and concierge service and a full calendar of entertainment and activities that thoughtfully redefine the all-inclusive experience with every stay.

Preferred Club accommodations elevate the experience further, with personalized check-in and checkout, upgraded minibars, access to a private lounge, exclusive pools and beach areas, a pillow menu, and dedicated butler service. The Preferred Club Presidential Suite is the crown jewel of the oceanfront experience with an expansive layout, private kitchen, jet pool terrace, and panoramic sea views.

Flavors for Every Type of Traveler

Under the direction of Executive Chef Carlos Quijano, the resort’s eleven diverse dining venues and seven bars offer an array of culinary journeys, blending international influences with local inspiration. At the heart of the experience is Doña Altagracia, a signature restaurant that pays tribute to the Dominican Republic’s rich culinary heritage with elevated interpretations of traditional dishes like risotto with Dominican stewed goat and mofongo – masterfully crafted and rooted in tradition.

Relax & Rejuvenate

At the heart of the resort is the Secrets Spa, a world-class sanctuary of wellness and beauty led by Spa Manager Jenny Castillo, who began her professional journey in 2009 as a therapist at Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana. Treatments range from the Total Body Renewal Ritual to customized facials and vitamin-rich manicures and pedicures, with guests invited to enhance their experience by creating personalized scrubs and masks using locally sourced natural ingredients like coconut powder, brown sugar, rose petals, and concentrated aloe vera from the spa’s expansive pantry. The spa also features a hydrotherapy circuit, sauna, whirlpool, cold plunge, bridal suite, and the exclusive Master Spa Cabin – spanning 49 square meters with a 30-square meter terrace – offering full-service treatments in one luxurious setting.

For active travelers, the resort offers a full fitness center and a wide array of sporting facilities including tennis courts and beach volleyball courts, in addition to offering water sports, aerobics, dance and Spanish classes, kayaking, snorkeling, and introductory scuba diving lessons in the pool.

Beyond the Beach

Guests can explore the surrounding Miches region, one of the Dominican Republic’s most breathtaking eco-destinations, through a range of immersive excursions, including a mountaintop swing at Montaña Redonda, mangrove kayaking in Los Haitises National Park, hiking to the secluded Salto La Jalda waterfall, and seasonal whale watching in Bahía de Samaná. Visitors may have the opportunity to witness the release of sea turtle hatchlings on the beach, where hatchlings begin their journey to the ocean.

In collaboration with Promiches, a local organization that promotes the sustainable development of Miches, and aligned with Hyatt’s World of Care sustainability platform, the resort recently installed a protected sea turtle nest along its beachfront – recognized as a vital nesting area for sea turtles in Playa Esmeralda.

Meetings and Celebrations

Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa offers an exceptional backdrop for both romantic celebrations and corporate gatherings. With over 15,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space, the resort is ideal for destination weddings, executive retreats, and private occasions of all sizes.

Couples can exchange vows at one of three breathtaking venues, including a picturesque beachfront gazebo, and host their reception in the grand ballroom or under the stars. Dedicated wedding planners ensure every detail is flawlessly executed to perfection. The setting combines natural beauty with refined service, creating unforgettable moments from ceremony to celebration.

For business groups, the resort features eleven versatile venues, including the Miches Ballroom with capacity for up to 1,440 guests theater-style. Breakout rooms offer intimate spaces for workshops and executive sessions. Onsite planners provide personalized service, from team-building activities to curated dining, ensuring a seamless and productive experience in a setting designed to inspire.

Public Square

At the heart of Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa and the adjacent family-friendly resort, Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa, lies the vibrant Public Square, a shared, village-style hub filled with dining, shopping, and entertainment venues. This central social plaza fosters a lively atmosphere where guests can explore diverse options together. The sister properties share this space, allowing guests of Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa full access to Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa’s dining outlets, family-friendly amenities, and entertainment programming.

Coming Soon: Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa

With a planned opening of September 1, 2025, Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa will offer a parallel experience designed for families and multigenerational travelers, and ideal for destination weddings. With 500 suites, a waterpark, Explorer’s Club for Kids, Core Zone Teen Club, ten restaurants and seven bars, this new resort will provide inclusive amenities alongside beachfront fun.

Upon opening, guests of Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa will enjoy full access to the neighboring Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa, seamlessly expanding the experience across both resorts.

World of Hyatt members can earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa with the New Hotels Bonus Offer. For more information or to join World of Hyatt and book your stay, visit here.

To learn more about Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa, please visit the resort’s website or follow along on Instagram.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

For further information:

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of March 31, 2025, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,450 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 79 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Luxury Portfolio, including Park Hyatt®, Alila®, Miraval®, Impression by Secrets, and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®; the Lifestyle Portfolio, including Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, The Standard®, Dream® Hotels, The StandardX, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, JdV by Hyatt®, Bunkhouse® Hotels, and Me and All Hotels; the Inclusive Collection, including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Sunscape® Resorts & Spas, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts; the Classics Portfolio, including Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Destination by Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, and Hyatt®; and the Essentials Portfolio, including Caption by Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, and UrCove. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar® DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

About Secrets Resorts & Spas

Secrets Resorts & Spas offer a luxury, all-inclusive experience for adults looking to indulge in an extra measure of romance.  Elegantly appointed suites, pristine pools, and beachfront settings provide the ultimate backdrop for unparalleled pampering and romantic rendezvous. With Unlimited-Luxury inclusions, guests enjoy diverse gourmet à la carte dining, premium spirits, 24-hour room service, daily activities, and nightly entertainment. For more information, visit SecretsResorts.com. Follow @secretsresorts on Facebook, Instagram and X.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, general economic uncertainty in key global markets and a worsening of global economic conditions or low levels of economic growth; the rate and pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; global supply chain constraints and interruptions, rising costs of construction-related labor and materials, and increases in costs due to inflation or other factors that may not be fully offset by increases in revenues in our business; risks affecting the luxury, resort, and all-inclusive lodging segments; levels of spending in business, leisure, and group segments, as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; limited visibility with respect to future bookings; loss of key personnel; domestic and international political and geopolitical conditions, including political or civil unrest or changes in trade policy; hostilities, or fear of hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, that affect travel; travel-related accidents; natural or man-made disasters, weather and climate-related events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, floods, wildfires, oil spills, nuclear incidents, and global outbreaks of pandemics or contagious diseases, or fear of such outbreaks; our ability to successfully achieve certain levels of operating profits at hotels that have performance tests or guarantees in favor of our third-party owners; the impact of hotel renovations and redevelopments; risks associated with our capital allocation plans, share repurchase program, and dividend payments, including a reduction in, or elimination or suspension of, repurchase activity or dividend payments; the seasonal and cyclical nature of the real estate and hospitality businesses; changes in distribution arrangements, such as through internet travel intermediaries; changes in the tastes and preferences of our customers; relationships with colleagues and labor unions and changes in labor laws; the financial condition of, and our relationships with, third-party owners, franchisees, and hospitality venture partners; the possible inability of third-party owners, franchisees, or development partners to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; risks associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions and our ability to successfully integrate completed acquisitions with existing operations; failure to successfully complete proposed transactions (including the failure to satisfy closing conditions or obtain required approvals); our ability to successfully execute our strategy to expand our management and hotels services and franchising business while at the same time reducing our real estate asset base within targeted timeframes and at expected values; our ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; declines in the value of our real estate assets; unforeseen terminations of our management and hotels services or franchise agreements; changes in federal, state, local, or foreign tax law; increases in interest rates, wages, and other operating costs; foreign exchange rate fluctuations or currency restructurings; risks associated with the introduction of new brand concepts, including lack of acceptance of new brands or innovation; general volatility of the capital markets and our ability to access such markets; changes in the competitive environment in our industry, industry consolidation, and the markets where we operate; our ability to successfully grow the World of Hyatt loyalty program and Unlimited Vacation Club paid membership program; cyber incidents and information technology failures; outcomes of legal or administrative proceedings; and violations of regulations or laws related to our franchising business and licensing businesses and our international operations; and other risks discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including our annual report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which filings are available from the SEC. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of our forward-looking statements.  We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Media Contact:
The Point PR
SDPlayaEsmeralda@thepointpr.com

Alex Del Casale
Hyatt
alex.delcasale@hyatt.com