In addition to the numerous villas opened to currently existing resorts, plenty of noteworthy resorts opened in 2016. With a focus on Mexico and Central America, we highlighted three of the more distinct resorts in the region.
Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá, Colombia
When the Hotel Charleston Bogotá was purchased and rebranded as the Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá, it joined Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogotá as the second such hotel in Colombian capital.
More than half of the hotel’s 64 guest rooms are suites, including the 1,200-square-foot Penthouse Suite on the eighth floor. Each room comes with custom-made beds, and is decorated with furnishings and artwork crafted by Colombian artisans.
The chic Japanese restaurant Kūru, run by Chef Diego Soriano, is equipped with a charcoal Robata grill and a sushi counter. The 220-seat restaurant has indoor and outdoor space.
There’s also a 24-hour fitness center and a luxury spa with five treatments rooms, relaxation lounges, and steam rooms. Highlights of the spa menu include treatments with products by Biologique Recherche and the Colombian brand Loto del Sur. The signature treatment is the Emerald Body Wrap utilizing nutrient-rich mud from Colombia’s emerald-producing regions.
For events, the property will have 646 square feet of function space, including two new meeting rooms on the ground floor, plus a new boardroom and additional lounge space on the second floor.
Nekupe Sporting Retreand and Resort, Nicaragua
One Nicaragua’s newest retreats Nekupe Sporting Retreat and Resort, located in Nandaime, is set on a 1,300-acre nature reserve.
Throughout Nekupe’s nature reserve are over 158 species of plants, including over 14,000 planted trees. The plants and fauna in the region are sustained by reservoirs developed by local ecologists.
Continuing the environmental theme, Nekupe offers an abundance of nature-based adventures and experiences, which includes horseback riding, mountaintop yoga, tennis, skeet shooting, organic gardening, and cooking classes.
The design of the resort draws from Feng Shui inspiration mixed with Nicaraguan culture. Each program available and building at the resort was designed with sustainability and environmental responsibility in mind. For instance, the buildings use solar paneling.
For guests looking for a change of scenery, the resort is 30 minutes from the colonial city of Granada and one hour from the Pacific coast.
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| W Punta de Mita |
W Punta de Mita, Mexico
W Hotels Worldwide's recently opened the W Punta de Mita, the company's second hotel in Mexico, and branded it as a W Escape hotel, meaning the resort will focus on lifestyle and design with the modern leisure traveler in mind.
Just about every public, wall, and floor space is covered with references to the locations surf, historical, and spiritual culture. Upon entrance, a Huichol statue, standing nine feet tall, greets guests, while Lucha Libre masks are incorporated into wall designs, as are colorful animal masks.
The Living Room, W’s lobby, with three descending platforms, houses six large couches and a bar with LED-lit candles hanging from the ceiling as if they were church votive candles. Each unique guest room has a surfboard of punctured tin headboard and vintage photographs. Suites come with private patios or balconies, while the Ocean Escape Villas and Jungle Escape Villas are designed to highlight nature. The Extreme WOW Suite is over 4,400 square feet and boasts two bedrooms and a pool.
Dining options include: Chevicheria, a converted 1950s Chevrolet truck that which serves ceviche and craft beers; Spice Market, W’s signature Asian restaurant; Venazu, whose seating arrangements include a cabana and a hammock; and Mesa1, an island-dining space is for private groups only.
The 4,000 square-foot spa is designed to feel like a forest cave, where treatment rooms can be opened for group events or closed for individual or couples messages. Glass floors with fish ponds below, a natural spring water pool, and large fig trees growing through the deck complete the feeling of being in nature.
Also available to guests are plenty of non-motorized water sports, including surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, and kite-surfing.