What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 15 June 2015

Welcome to another week we've gone all South American here at Cloud 9 Towers this week as we continue our look at some of the new hotels popping up around the globe. Down Mexico way, you need to keep a scorecard to keep track of what has opened,what's still to open and what's still being planned!  There's a lot going on so let's take a look! 

A couple of years ago, the former Cancun Palace was reflagged as the Hard Rock Hotel Cancun which was quickly followed by the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta (the former Vallarta Palace) and then the Aventura Cove Palace and adjacent Aventura Spa Palace will become the Hard Rock Riviera Maya.
 
Hilton opened its first all-inclusive resort in Mexico, the 259-room Hilton Puerto Vallarta with five restaurants and a tapas lounge.

The AAA Four-Diamond All-inclusive Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort is conveniently located just seven minutes south of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) and only 12 minutes north of the colonial charm of the city center – the well-known Malecon. The resort is in the heart of the hotel zone and located between the cruise port and the most modern and newest malls in the area and the all-inclusive Puerto Vallarta Resort experience encompasses breakfast, lunch and dinner daily (buffet and a la carte); snacks in the pool area; 24-hour room service; limitless domestic and international beverages, including house wine (by the glass); and an in-room mini-bar restocked daily. 

Also new,  AMResorts will introduce its all-inclusive Secrets and Sunscape brands in Cozumel,beginning with the 174-room Secrets Aura Cozumel, formerly the Sabor Cozumel Exclusive and Aura Cozumel properties, which were combined into one Secrets.The only adults-only resort of its kind on picturesque Cozumel, Secrets Aura Cozumel combines all of the amenities of Unlimited-Luxury® with an unparallelled island vacation experience. It looks fabulous!

Additionally, the area has also seen the boutique El Ganzo property open its doors in Los Cabos; the adults-only Secrets Puerto Los Cabos offers 500  as well as the 157-room Hotel Hyatt Palace for business travellers.

Las Alcobas which opened in March also looks rather lovely! Find your home away from home among swaying palm trees, white stucco and sleek, ultramodern facades. At the vibrant Las Alcobas, they pride themselves in providing luxury service and state of the art amenities in a warm setting.  Ideally situated in Polanco, Mexico City’s bustling business, commercial and entertainment district, they are a balmy respite in the heart of the city. They are at your service, for all your needs to ensure your stay in Mexico is pleasurable, whether for business or leisure.

The shape of things to come?

The W Kanai Retreat Riviera Maya was set to open in July 2015 and will be the fifth W Retreat worldwide, joining W Maldives, W Bali, W Koh Samui and W Vieques Island. Nestled on the eastern coast of Mexico’s magnificent Yucatan Peninsula, the hotel will be located within an exclusive beachfront community surrounded by the natural beauty of the Mayan Rivera’s lush lagoons and pristine mangroves. The 180-room Retreat is being designed by acclaimed architect Richard Meier. W Kanai will be the centrepiece of the Kanai Resort, which will include four other hotels (including a St Regis) and a Beach Club. However, it looks like this has been put back to the start of 2018 now, so we'll keep an eye out for updates! 

We do know however, that the Westin Santa Fe Hotel, a modern retreat located in the trendy Santa Fe business district is now open for business! Guests are just steps away from the BBVA Bancomer Convention Centre and Centro Santa Fe—one of the largest shopping malls in Latin America. Ideal for business events and social gatherings, the hotel offers more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio, Heavenly Spa by Westin™ and Market Kitchen keep guests fit, refreshed and energised throughout their stay. And finally, their 259 spacious guest rooms and suites will elevate your spirits the moment you arrive. Discover an incredible night’s sleep on their signature Westin Heavenly® Bed, soothe your senses in the marble bath, and enjoy beautiful views of the city and valley.

Our final Mexican hotel opening is the Andaz Mayakoba which was due to open mid-2015, but has been delayed until May 2016! Andaz, a recently created hotel chain and the second luxury brand of the Hyatt chain, has taken over operation of this avant-garde and contemporary complex that is currently at a construction stage, where the latest technologies are being applied to interior decorating and the management system. The Andaz Mayakoba Hotel’s installations will include, amongst others, a spa, events and meetings room, beach club and two international restaurants.

Its opening date is scheduled for 2016 and it will become the third resort in the world under this brand, after the Hawái and Papagayo Hotels (Costa Rica). The Andaz is one of the most rapidly growing hotel brands in the world, and the most prestigious of those included in the luxury lifestyle segment, and we're looking forward to seeing it!

Even further south, in Brazil, we were introduced to the new Hilton Barra Rio de Janeiro Hotel which has just opened its doors for business. Boasting two ballrooms and five flexible meeting rooms, a complimentary 24-hour business center, contemporary A/V technology and a professional events team; this modern hotel in Rio de Janeiro is the ideal venue for a variety of successful conferences, spectacular weddings or training sessions for up to 700 people.

Unwind in an elegant and spacious guest room or suite, equipped with amenities designed to help you relax and stay productive. Check emails with WiFi, browse channels on the HDTV and refresh in the stylish bathroom. Energize with a workout in the complimentary 24-hr fitness center, which is equipped with the very latest Precor equipment. Take in splendid views over the lakes of Barra da Tijuca as you swim in the inviting rooftop pool.

Finally this week, we go slightly North of Brazil, to Colombia where we will see the Sheraton Cartagena Hotel open in December!  Altogether, 17 new hotels are expected to open in Cartagena alone by the end of 2015 with Starwood, FourSeasons and Intercontinental leading the way

With this in mind we can feel a Colombia feature coming on in a future blog so we'll say adios, have a great week!