Elias Barbosa’s journey in Mexico’s hospitality scene began 30 years ago, when he assisted at his father’s construction company. For decades, the pair played a part in the building and proliferation of all-inclusive resorts in Cancun and Riviera Maya.
That experience gave Barbosa a unique perspective on the region’s travel industry. And a few years back, he saw a hole in the market.
“We have watched all these brands come in, in the past [few] years — Palace Resorts, Hyatt, Secrets, Dreams, Iberostar — and we saw an opportunity,” Barbosa said. “So, we developed our own brand. It’s an all-inclusive experience, but instead of sharing it with over 1,000 other people, guests have all the luxury in their own villa.”
Barbosa is now managing director of the new Trobbu Boutique Collection, and its first property is set to debut next month in Tulum.
We spoke with Barbosa to hear more about Trobbu Tulum, and what clients can expect from a stay there.
Why was Tulum chosen as the first location for the Trobbu Boutique Collection?
If you review the Tulum area, you will see that there's not many all-inclusive resorts. So, we are filling a very important niche there. The destination is also really growing right now, with the Tulum airport now open.
Like a traditional all-inclusive resort, Trobbu Tulum guests have access to different types of cuisine, but they enjoy it from the privacy of their villa.
Credit: 2024 Bernardo Flores/Viva Photography
What does an all-inclusive villa experience look and feel like?
We give our customers the full experience. They can have different menus every night (Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Mediterranean), but in their own villa, so there’s more privacy. Villas sleep up to eight, so you can be there with family, friends, other couples. You receive all the luxury, but in your own space.
You receive all the luxury, but in your own space.
All villas at Trobbu Tulum have a private pool.
Credit: 2024 Bernardo Flores/Viva PhotographyVillas have their own private pool, and then the property has different areas. We have a pizza restaurant, a gym, a yoga area and a setting for live music. We also have a business center and a coffee shop. So, if you're coming for a week or for four days, our main expectation is that you enjoy the property itself, and then decide if and what you want to do outside of it.
How are those off-site experiences or tours planned for guests?
Something very important for Trobbu is that each villa has its own butler, who organizes all the activities for guests. And we have so many to choose from.
If you want to tour cenotes, the Tulum ruins, Chichen Itza or Coba, we can book that. We have ATV, scuba diving and kite surfing experiences. You can rent a yacht if you want to go to Cozumel. We can host a cacao ceremony, get you tickets for anything nearby, or make reservations for any restaurants you wish to try.
You can have a private chef in your own villa if you wish, and you can have a private chauffeur. We can schedule a trainer for the gym, or a yoga trainer. We have individual and couples’ massages. We can set up dinner on the beach, and we have different decorations for the villa based on the reason for the trip. So, basically, you get to have this full and personal experience through the butler in your own villa.
All villas at Trobbu Tulum offer three bedrooms and sleep up to eight guests.
Credit: 2024 Bernardo Flores/Viva Photography
Who do you think is the right traveler for Trobbu Tulum?
We created Trobbu for all types of travelers. This is also why Trobbu was built with three-room villas. Let’s talk about families first. If you have kids, and you're going to an all-inclusive resort, many times you have to book and pay for two rooms at least. At Trobbu, you book and pay for a full villa, and get the full experience with everyone together.
Now, let's talk about couples. If you're traveling with friends, you can have up to eight guests in the villa. We have something called “split and share,” which means that instead of paying the full fee for a reservation, you get to divide it between the guests you're traveling with. So that gets to be really affordable.
Now, if you have a bachelorette party, we have activities for that, plus decorations and custom T-shirts, Yetis, hats and more. Same for birthdays — we have a concierge team that calls you prior to arrival to see what the motivation of your trip is, and we can prepare everything you need.
Elias Barbosa is the managing director of Trobbu Group, which oversees Trobbu Boutique Collection.
Credit: 2024 Bernardo Flores/Viva PhotographyIt sounds like Trobbu Tulum is a great setting for intimate weddings, too.
Right. The whole resort is just eight villas total, and each sleeps up to eight guests, so imagine having a wedding at the resort and booking all the villas for your family members. That’s up to 64 guests.
With the opening just around the corner, how has booking demand been?
We are fully booked right now for January, which is incredible, and February is almost full. We can’t wait to have these guests at Trobbu Tulum.
And what destinations are next for Trobbu Boutique Collection?
Our next locations will be in San Miguel de Allende, Merida and then Mahahual in Riviera Maya. Mahahual is the biggest [cruise] port right now in the area. All of these will be the same concept as Trobbu Tulum: all villas and all-inclusive.
Commission for Travel Advisors
Trobbu Boutique Collection offers 10% commission on all bookings. There is a two-night minimum for reservations, and prices start at $900 (plus taxes) per night.
