At first, it seemed like a bit of a hassle staying in Punta Mita
rather than in Puerto Vallarta. I had just finished a fantastic
dinner in downtown promoted by the Gourmet Festival that overlapped
the equally impressive Film Festival both held annually in November
and did not look forward to the schlep back to the hotel. But I
walked out of the restaurant into the street, which teemed with
film-going, restaurant-hopping tourists swarming souvenir shops and
knew I just wanted to relax.
At the Four Seasons Punta Mita 40 minutes later, I found myself
standing alone on a flawless white-sand beach, far away from any
sign of staggering Saturday-night tourists, camera flashes and
honking traffic.
I took in my new surroundings. I now shared the beach with a
napping iguana, and as he slept I watched waves roll in with flecks
of electric blue light on the foamy surf. The serenity was exactly
what I needed after the hectic pace of the festivities in town.
Punta Mita is a sanctuary just outside one of the world’s most
popular travel destinations, Puerto Vallarta. The resort is set on
9½ miles of pristine beach and 1,500 acres of indigenous flora and
fauna. Fortunately, the Four Seasons is aware of what they
have.
“We’re blessed with a location that offers fantastic views,
gentle, cooling breezes and great beaches. And we take full
advantage of our setting with complimentary “yoga on the rock” to
start the day, romantic dinner on the beach, and of course our
guests love the ceviche and cerveza on the beach anytime of day,”
said Four Seasons general manager Christian Clerc.
The Four Seasons further promotes Punta Mita’s scenery by
embracing local history with amenities focused on offering guests
regional culture. The Cultural Center shares information on a wide
variety of local history and customs, art and tequila tasting and a
highly recommended temazcal experience.
The Four Seasons also employs local anglers to net the catch of
the day, inviting visitors to hand-select their lunch or dinner
with the aid of hotel chefs from freshly caught fish and
crustaceans displayed on special ice-filled boats.
The Four Seasons is not the only property to embrace the beauty
of Punta Mita. Travelers can look forward to two new resorts coming
to the area in the near future. Rosewood Resorts expects to open La
Solana in 2006. The high-end hotel chain’s initial offering
includes 70 separate guestrooms with a 14-room, full-service spa.
Several dining options will consist of an al fresco main
restaurant, an ocean grill and spa cafe. Other confirmed highlights
at La Solana include swimming pools, on-site retail and specialty
shops and, for those looking to stay a while, 58 residential villas
will be available at the resort.
Another resort chain to confirm plans to build in Punta Mita
includes a new St. Regis resort. Although there are few specific
details about the property, Starwood expects to break ground with
the luxury branding, which will also incorporate a residential
element.
“This premier collection of luxury hoteliers is unique in any
one location setting Punta Mita apart as one of the most exclusive
residential resort communities,” Punta Mita marketing and
operations director, Lynne Bairstow, noted. “We are very excited
about the future here.”
To take advantage of an environmentally diverse and rich area,
which sits along the northern tip of Banderas Bay, Punta Mita
projects long-term development goals calling for future totals of
five boutique resorts, three championship golf courses and numerous
residential opportunities. Punta Mita also provides comfortable
year-round temperatures, similar to Hawaii, averaging around 85
degrees in the summer and 75 degrees in the winter.
Four Seasons fans can look to new additions in 2006.
Preparations include a new lap pool with a large deck featuring
rentable cabana-like structures fitted with flat-screen
televisions, a sitting area and stocked mini-bar. Agents should
look for commissionable and more flexible golf and spa
packages.
As always, The Four Seasons protects its wholesalers with “rate
integrity,” guaranteeing agents that they will not be undersold.
The Four Seasons offers 10 percent commission.
www.fourseasons.com
