Meagan Drillinger
Last
year was a very good one for Mexico in terms of hotel openings and
developments, and it looks like there’s no slowing down over the next few
years.
Hotel
research firm STR Global is reporting that the Caribbean-Mexico hotel pipeline
continues to expand. The wider region showed 31,866 rooms in 185 hotels under
contract in the Caribbean and Mexico last year, a 10.2% increase in rooms under
contract compared with February 2015. The region also posted a 42.2%
year-over-year increase in rooms in construction. In total, the
Caribbean-Mexico region totaled 14,393 rooms in 80 hotels in construction for
the month of February, with Mexico leading the way with 8,343 rooms in 58
hotels in construction.
According
to Fatima Thompson, STR associate director of business
development, who covers Mexico, the Caribbean and U.S. Southwest for the
company, Mexico ranks first for hotels in construction and under contract in the
region.
Following
are some of the more notable properties in the works
south of the border.
•
Los Cabos will soon serve as the backdrop to Rancho San Lucas, a private resort community slated to open in 2017
with a Greg Norman-designed golf course, tennis center, all-suite resort and
dining and shopping options within a pedestrian village designed to look like a
traditional Mexican mercado. The 834-acre complex also will feature 12 miles of
beachfront. The project got going in January with construction starting on the luxury
Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas. The first phase of the development will debut
next winter with the Grand Solmar. There will also be real estate opportunities
available with 32 single-level estate homes and 36 luxury condos.
•
In 2018, the Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas will make its debut as part of the Costa Palmas resort
community, which will also feature a private marina and members-only beach and
yacht club. The 145-room resort will include multiple pools, indoor and outdoor
event and wedding facilities and five dining outlets as well as a Robert Trent
Jones II golf course, a spa and fitness facilities. The grounds will connect to
a yachting marina that will feature up to 200 slips to accommodate yachts up to
250 feet.
•
Starwood Hotels & Resorts will expand its presence
in Mexico with the opening of the Westin Monterrey in 2019. The Westin Monterrey
will have 180 guestrooms and suites as well as a fitness center, rooftop
swimming pool and the Heavenly Spa. There will be two restaurants, as well.
That
same year, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts will open its JW Marriott
Monterrey, a 250-room, LEED-certified luxury hotel. Included will be a rooftop
pool and bar, a 3,200-square-foot fitness center, Executive Lounge, two
restaurants, a lobby bar and more than 18,000 square feet of meetings and event
space.