MIAMI, Nov. 30, 2011-- Melia Hotels International's luxurious, all-inclusive Paradisus resort brand expands its portfolio with two new Mexican properties, Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda and Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla, opening today. Located in the prestigious Playa del Carmen enclave on Mexico's eastern Caribbean shore, the magnificent resorts are poised to become the area's finest all-inclusive properties.  The impressive facilities and signature amenities at both Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla include dramatic free-form pools, breathtaking artful landscapes, a YHI Spa, twelve restaurants and ten bars providing guests with pure freedom to escape and indulge in all the properties have to offer. Paradisus Resorts are sophisticated all-inclusive properties owned and operated by Melia Hotels International, one of the most successful hotel companies in the world

Paradisus debuts the brand's first adults-only resort with Paradisus La Perla.  The exclusive resort offers 394 elegantly appointed suites including 120 Royal Service Suites, two of which are Royal Service Presidential Suites.  Guests of the Royal Service area will enjoy adult oriented amenities including a private pool, bar and exclusive restaurant surrounded by palapas and Bali Beds in addition to a private beach.  Discreet but efficient butlers offer preferential reservations for specialty restaurants, spa treatments, activities and excursions.  The resort's 60 swim-up suites further privacy allowing guests to access the free-form pool directly from their terrace.

Paradisus La Esmeralda offers 512 luxury suites, including 56 swim-up suites, 122 Family Concierge suites and two Presidential suites, allowing for two and three-bedroom suite configurations.  From pre-arrival to the last day of vacation, the Family Concierge at Paradisus La Esmeralda exceeds all guests' needs by providing a private family check-in/out, "tear-free" in-room bath products, milk and cookie turn down services and exclusive family activities and excursions.  Family Concierge guests also have their own exclusive restaurant at La Esmeralda.

"Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla were designed specifically to cater to our guests' needs," said Alvaro Tejeda Schroeder, Senior Vice President for Melia Hotels International's Premium Portfolio of hotels.  "This is the latest example of how the Paradisus brand has further raised the bar in regards to the service we provide our loyal guests and the experience they have come to expect from our world-class resorts."

Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla share a common area referred to as El Zocalo, a term in Mexican culture which signifies a city's social center.  Here Paradisus guests can find several food and beverage options, YHI Spa, the "Palapa" Activities Center, a Theatre, a Ballroom and a total of 25,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and convention space featuring fourteen meeting rooms perfect for all special events.  Wi-Fi access is available in all rooms.

El Zocalo is home to a 20,000-square-foot YHI Spa and Health Club for guests seeking rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.  Awaiting guests at YHI Spa is a full service beauty salon, fourteen massage cabins, wet and dry saunas, signature hydrotherapy water ritual, state-of-the-art workout equipment, the guidance of experienced trainers and specialized workouts including couples training, group classes and personalized one-on-one wellness programs designed to meet guests' mind-body goals and maximize enjoyment during their stay at Paradisus.

Both Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla have access to El Zocalo's ten restaurants, offering exceptional food, exquisite presentation, extraordinary surroundings and five-star service.  With a variety of restaurants featuring cuisines from around the world, diners are treated to unforgettable culinary adventures complemented by premium brand beverages and an extensive wine list.  The ten on-property bars provide variety for guests to explore during their stay at the Playa del Carmen haven. The GABI Beach Club combines a casual-chic ambiance with elegant design, allowing the bar, restaurant and beach areas to come together in unique harmony.

While staying at Paradisus, guests are invited to partake in unique, complimentary Life Enriching Classes such as tango dance lessons, bike tours and wine tasting to take their experience to the next level.  Paradisus also provides guests with access to the most spectacular golf courses in the area.

Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla are integrated into the natural beauty of the area while maintaining the exquisite and environmentally sensitive mangroves.  Melia Hotels International's mission to protect the mangroves brought to life a scenic boardwalk for guests to enjoy, providing environmentally thoughtful access to picturesque backdrops and vistas.

"Each Paradisus resort is envisioned as an oasis of modern design and decor for the sophisticated traveler who wants it all," said Bernard Wyss, Area Vice President for the Paradisus Brand.  "The pairing of award-winning restaurant concepts with luxurious accommodations and exceptional service sets Paradisus as the gold standard amongst all-inclusive resorts."

Both properties were designed by Melia Hotels International's prestigious architect, Alvaro Sans, to work harmoniously with Playa del Carmen's climate, magnificent terrain and stunning coastline.  More a seaside palace than a resort, Paradisus' newest resorts share an impressive amphitheatre overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, offering intimate spaces as well as an open and expansive environment.

Paradisus Resorts are elegantly designed with attention to every detail in mind. Spectacular architecture, world-class cuisine and premium service achieve the goal of allowing guests to experience ultimate relaxation in a stress-free and upscale environment, with the luxury of not once having to reach for a wallet. All properties reflect their surrounding environments and are set amid lush tropical gardens, chic restaurants, lavish suites, award-winning spas, pristine beaches and oversized, stylish swimming pools.

Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla join two existing properties, located in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

ABOUT PARADISUS RESORTS
Paradisus Resorts is an all-inclusive luxury resort brand owned and operated by Melia Hotels International, (formerly Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts) one of the world's most successful hotel companies.  The growing brand currently has two hotels in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Paradisus Palma Real and Paradisus Punta Cana. Boasting unique room categories and luxurious upgrade options such as the adults-only Royal Service and family-only Family Concierge, the resorts are ideal for a wide spectrum of guests including couples, family vacations, destination weddings and business travelers. The properties in Punta Cana each feature The Reserve at Paradisus, an exclusive resort-within-a-resort concept where guests experience private check-in and stay in residential style accommodations, among numerous other services and amenities. In November 2011 the brand expanded its portfolio with two new properties in Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Paradisus La Esmeralda, a resort for everyone, and Paradisus La Perla, an adults-only resort. Paradisus Resorts will continue its growth with the opening of a brand-new property in Papagayo Bay, Costa Rica, scheduled to open in 2013. Follow Paradisus Resorts on Twitter, @Paradisus and Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/Paradisus.Resorts

ABOUT MELIA HOTELS INTERNATIONAL
Melia Hotels International was founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and is one of the world's largest resort hotel chains, as well as Spain's leading hotel chain. It currently provides more than 350 hotels and 87,000 rooms in 35 countries on 4 continents under its brands: Gran Melia, Melia , ME , Innside , Tryp by Wyndham , Sol and Paradisus . Its product and service portfolio is complemented by Melia Club, the only vacation club operated by a Spanish company.

In 2011, the family company founded by Gabriel Escarrer Julia, which operated under the name "Sol Melia" for decades, initiated a new stage in its development under the brand name that represents its present and its future: Melia Hotels International.