Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. plans to open a 401-room luxury
resort near Playa del Carmen as part of a 1,605-acre planned
community along the Riviera Maya.
The Fairmont Mayakoba, scheduled to open in 2005, will be
managed by Fairmont Hotels in an agreement with developer Obrascon
Huarte Lain, S.A., of Spain. Fairmont is also investing about $10
million for an equity interest of about 15 percent in the resort,
and will have the option of participating in an adjacent vacation
ownership complex.
“We are excited to be a part of this exclusive new resort
destination on the Mayan Riviera,” said William Fatt, Fairmont
Hotels chief executive officer. “Development of this resort is a
strategic move to build on Fairmont’s presence in Mexico, where we
have already established strong brand identity with our two
Acapulco resorts.”
Mayakoba is about 40 miles south of Cancun in the province of
Quintana Roo. The Fairmont resort will be comprised of 97 two-story
units set throughout the jungle along interior lagoons, including
33 one-, two- and three-bedroom casitas, some with ocean views.
About 30,000 square feet of meeting space is planned, and the
resort will include a Greg Norman-designed, 18-hole golf course,
one of two planned for the Mayakoba development. The Fairmont will
also include a 16,000-square-foot Willow Stream spa with 19
treatment rooms, three restaurants, a health club, tennis courts
and a 10,000-square-foot pool, as well as a children’s play area
and pool.
The Riviera Maya boasts the world’s second largest coral reef
and is a popular destination for scuba diving and snorkeling,
including the exploration of underwater cenotes, luminous caverns
that were once the source of fresh water for the Mayans.
In addition to the beach, golf and spa options, guests will also
have the opportunity to take nature tours through the resort
grounds, rich with mangrove trees and exotic flora and fauna, or to
visit the local eco-reserve Sian Ka’am.
The Fairmont Mayakoba will also be close to historical Mayan
sites, such as as Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza. Nightlife and
shopping can be found nearby in Playa del Carmen.
www.fairmont.com
