Hotel Punta Islita, a 57-room resort in a quiet corner of Costa Rica, recently became a member of Marriott's Autograph Collection of independent hotels and resorts.
The affiliation with one of the world's largest lodging companies will generate bookings while enabling the property to maintain its independence, said Gustavo Segura, CEO of Grupo Islita, which operates the hotel on 300 acres in a secluded ocean cove along the coastline of the province of Guanacaste.
"Autograph provides us with a great opportunity to get better access to the marketplace while maintaining our mission," Segura said. "We continue to have control of our operations while tapping into Marriott's sales and marketing resources," such as its powerful reservations system.
In addition, guests who are Marriott Rewards members are now able to accumulate and redeem points for stays at Punta Islita, Segura said, and the company provides the hotel with operational support and makes it more accessible in the GDS, which he called "crucial."
In the first month of Autograph membership, Segura said that 750 reservations came in through the Marriott system.
According to Segura, 40% of the property's guests are booked by travel agents, and the resort is a partner with Virtuoso. In addition to rooms and suites, Punta Islita offers nine three-bedroom and 13 three-bedroom villas. Rates range from $203, double, including breakfast. There is a spa, formal and casual restaurants and two bars.
The mission of Punta Islita is "complete integration with the community," Segura said. Almost all of the staff is local, and the resort supports 22 micro-businesses, including craftspeople, fishermen, vegetable gardeners, an auto mechanic and even a restaurant in town where the resort encourages guests to eat.
"We offer a destination where it's difficult to tell where the resort ends and the community begins," she said.
Punta Islita offers activities including ziplining, kayaking, surfing and turtle-watching expeditions. The resort is a two-and-a-half hour drive from Liberia Airport or four hours from San Jose. Guests may also take a 40-minute flight to the resort's private airstrip.
Marriott's Autograph Collection comprises more than 60 properties worldwide.
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson said at an event in New York last fall about Punta Islita joining Autograph that through the affiliation,"we can provide guests with hotels that have a personality."
Autograph members include some of the smallest and largest in the entire Marriott system, from the 15-room Kessler Canyon in De Beque, Colo., to megaproperties like Atlantis Paradise Island and the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.
"What they have in common is a sense of personality and depth of experience," Sorenson said.
Visit www.autographhotels.com.