Punta Mita resort designed to attract high-end travelers

PUNTA MITA, Mexico -- Although the explosive growth of Mexican tourism has largely been driven for three decades by government efforts, the countrys most exclusive new development, Punta Mita, just north of Puerto Vallarta in the state of Nayarit, is the brainchild of private concerns.

Situated on a scenic, 1,500-acre peninsula 45 minutes northwest of Puerto Vallarta, Punta Mita is a high-end resort, recreation and residential project thats been under development by the Mexico City-based real estate concern, Dine, since the early 1990s.

Unlike mass-market efforts, such as Los Cabos, Huatulco and Ixtapa, that were spearheaded by federal tourism development agency Fonatur, Dine is positioning Punta Mita to attract wealthy travelers who, for the most part, have eschewed Mexico.

The destination is anchored by the Four Seasons Punta Mita resort, which opened in 1999, but the bulk of visible development -- including additional high-end hotels and private residences -- remained in the planning stages until underlying infrastructure had been completed.

Now, grounds been broken on two new luxury resorts; a dozen communities of rentable private homes, condominiums and villas; and the second of three championship golf courses.

The long-planned Rosewood La Solana Resort and Villas and a newly announced St. Regis Resort and Villas are due to open at Punta Mita sometime in 2007.

It takes a villa

In the meantime, work continues on the private villa component of the existing Four Seasons property, with three of four completed villas available for rent and another 60 under construction or in the planning stages.

Sales and rental agency Punta Mita Properties began marketing the private villas in July, offering the three Four Seasons villas as well as homes in Punta Mitas residential areas, such as Casa Paraiso and Casa Sol, in the Lagos del Mar development.

Villa rental rates -- which average $2,000 to $3,000 per day in low season and $3,800 to $4,400 in the high and holiday seasons  -- include airport transfers, pre-arrival grocery shopping, services of a houseman eight hours a day, activities and restaurant reservations, preferential tee times on the golf course, access to the Residents Beach Club and Four Seasons resort services, such as daily maid service.

Guests at the Four Seasons Private Villas also enjoy unlimited access to all resort facilities, such as the spa, pools and gym.

Punta Mita Properties currently handles all on-site villa reservations, but come October, the Four Seasons units will also be bookable via the resort chain itself.

The villa rentals are commissionable to travel agents, who have accounted for half of all business, at a standard 10% rate.

Theres a nice mix of bookings through the Web and travel agents, said Claudia Ortiz, residential concierge at Punta Mita Properties. The travel agents who book one season come back and book the next.

The Four Seasons Villas have proven popular already, Ortiz added.

Without doing any promotion, we rented more than 120 days in the first year, she said. We didnt even have brochures ready [and] were talking about deposits of $50,000; its been very mouth-to-mouth.

Average villa stays are a minimum seven days in high season and five in low season.

Whats on tap

What with an eventual four luxury resorts; scores of private homes for rent; one Greg Norman and two Jack Nicklaus golf courses; beach clubs, spas and fitness centers; and even a Mexican fishing village on site, Punta Mita is being touted by its developers as a vacation destination without peer.

Theres nowhere else in the world where one can find Four Seasons, St. Regis and Rosewood resorts in the same gated development, said Punta Mita Properties director of marketing Lynne Bairstow.

As Punta Mita grows and evolves, our proximity to the U.S., available airlift, high security and pristine condition will make us a singular spot. People have always thought of Mexico as a bargain destination -- and were still a tremendous value compared with Hawaii -- but our owners and guests really love the exclusivity and quality of Punta Mita.

And exclusive it is: Purchase prices start at $1.7 million to $5.2 million for private homes.

Two of the resorts on site -- the Four Seasons Residents Club and the St. Regis resort -- will also offer fractional-ownership arrangements.

Thats a very strong trend where you get ownership, but instead of buying the whole property, youre deeded just one-twelfth. noted Bairstow.

A lot of people want the security of a big name brand like Four Seasons managing their second vacation home, she added.

The 70-suite Rosewood La Solana Resort and Villas now under construction is designed to take things to another level, with each room a separate suite outfitted with its own private plunge pool.

Ground is due to be broken soon on the St. Regis resort on site of Punta Mitas original fishing village, which it will mirror with traditional, low-lying Mexican design.

At the same time, Dine will start the second Jack Nicklaus golf course, adjacent to the resort and the Lagos del Mar, El Encanto, Porta Fortuna and La Punta residential developments.

Other neighborhoods already built or under construction at Punta Mita include the Ranchos Estates Homes, Signature Estate Homes, Careyros Estate Homes near La Solana, Las Palmas de Punta Mita, Las Terrazas and Hacienda de Mita.

Farther down the road will come a fourth resort, a Greg Norman golf course, tennis and equestrian centers, a yacht pier and a small commercial center in the reconstructed fishing village next to Hacienda de Mita.

Punta Mita already is selling well, officials said.

Its all happening so quickly. As soon as inventory comes on the market, it sells, said Bairstow. We have a lot of repeat buyers who purchase something and then start looking around elsewhere on Punta Mita.

To contact reporter Kenneth Kiesnoski, send e-mail to [email protected].

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