Pepe is a much-loved member of the Royal Resorts family and his friendly face, boundless enthusiasm, kindness and famous dancing skills bring a smile to the faces of members and guests at The Royal Sands.
Originally from the state of Veracruz, Pepe moved to Cancun in 1996 in search of better educational opportunities. He says, “My grandparents sent me here to finish school and when I had completed my studies I joined Royal Resorts. I have been with the company for over ten years now, working in the Social Activities team.”
“There are 17 of us in the Cancun Activities team, including Kids Club staff, and we are based at The Royal Sands, The Royal Caribbean and The Royal Cancun, he adds. Our job is to greet our treasured members and guests with a smile and make sure that they have a wonderful time. For me it always feels as though I am welcoming members of the family and making them feel at home.”
Pepe is renowned for his dancing talent and moves such as Michael Jackson’s famous Moonwalk, and guests who don’t usually play bingo will gather on the pool deck to watch him and his teammates dance. He explains how that came about.
“When I started work here I felt that some of the activities were a little flat and lacked chispa, a spark to make them even more fun. I am from Veracruz where music is all-important – it’s in my blood – and I love dancing. One day a colleague and I put some music on to liven the activities up a bit and I just started dancing. People liked it so we made it part of the activity and it took off. Some guests even join in now!” He adds, “Many of our members and guests who return year after year know me now and they’ll contact me before they come down to see where I am going to be so that they can join the salsa and zumba classes I give and see me dance.
“With the support of the company, I have been able to take yoga and dance classes and become a certified instructor; this helps us to improve and expand the activities we offer. He adds, “There is always something new to learn.”
Pepe’s day starts with giving the yoga class, he says, “This is my favorite; it is really rewarding to teach people who have never done yoga and then hear them say that they want to take it up when they go home. Aqua Fitness follows and sometimes 70 to 80 people will join us in the pool to exercise. Then it’s time for a dance class, followed by lottery and bingo, which has become an institution. We always try and do something different to entertain participants.”
“We invite people to join us on the beach for beach volleyball, soccer and other games such as boccie. This goes for the children too, we have more outdoor activities for them, from beach games to water balloon battles and also Mexican games such as piñata making.”
“I think that the Kids Club has been a great addition to the Activity Centers as it offers even more activities, theme days and specially trained staff to supervise the children. It is perfect for parents who want to play golf, do some shopping or relax at the Spa. They can do so knowing that their children will be looked after. If members are interested, they can ask us for information and the daily and weekly rates.
“My message to our members is that we will do everything we can to make sure that they have an excellent vacation, we want them to relax, forget about everything and just enjoy themselves. They are part of our family and I’d like to thank them for visiting us every year.
On the subject of what it means to him to work at Royal Resorts, Pepe had this to say. “Not long after I started work I had a serious accident and was badly injured. It was so amazing to see how people rallied round; the whole resort helped me during my recovery. To this day, the warmth and generosity of the people who work here is unrivalled and I will always be grateful for the support I have received from the company. Royal Resorts treats employees extremely well and we have access to a really good training program, benefits and opportunities.”