DALLAS— The latest Rosewood Hotels & Resorts venture, which includes a luxury hotel, spa and high-end residences in Punta Mita, Mexico, may just help put this up-and-coming destination on the map. La Solana, a Rosewood Resort, broke ground last month and is slated for opening in 2005. With 83 guestrooms, it will be the second luxury hotel to move into the Punta Mita area, located 30 minutes North of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. (Four Seasons was the first one.) According to John Scott, president/CEO of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the master planned, 1,500-acre coastal site has been in the works for several years and is the next chapter in Rosewood’s established operations in Mexico— the company marked its presence with the highly regarded Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico in 1997. “Clearly we have demonstrated that we can be very successful in Mexico. We think we understand why we have been successful here, and our guests are asking for more Rosewood locations. Punta Mita is a world-class destination and we are confident that with our dedication to style, service and luxury, La Solana will enjoy the unparalleled success Rosewood has achieved at our other resort in Mexico, Las Ventanas al Paraíso and our three Caribbean resorts, Little Dix Bay, Caneel Bay and Jumby Bay,” said Scott. Rosewood and development partners, Santa Barbara Partnership and DINE (master real estate developer of Punta Mita), will together build La Solana, which will consist of 83 guestrooms with individual plunge pools and terraces, as well as 57 privately owned villas, which will be nestled into the hillside overlooking the shoreline, offering stunning views of the pristine beaches and crystalline waters. In its entirety, La Solana will also offer an ocean-side spa, beach club, tequila bar, resort shops, children’s program, and superb fine dining restaurants, according to the company. “We see the high-end traveler continuing to travel, but to areas that are easy to get to. There is a trend toward North/South travel, instead of across the globe, and our Mexico and Caribbean properties are benefiting from that trend. So this new property really makes sense, especially since the airlift to Puerto Vallarta is great,” said Scott. He noted that Rosewood is working on another project in Mexico near Cancun, to take advantage of that area’s growing popularity as well. With La Solana, Rosewood and partners will “look to create a very intimate, secluded and romantic setting much like a true Mexican village.” The resort’s architecture and design, inspired by the ranch houses, plantations and country estates of traditional Mexico, will center around La Plaza, a small village-like cluster of buildings and shops built around an open square. Authentically Mexican, La Solana will be a tribute to ancient and modern Mexican artists and craftsmen, bold by design and organically hewn from local materials, according to the company. “We want to make sure La Solana reflects the location and culture of the area and will keep it a low density project, so it doesn’t overpower the environment,” Scott noted. As such, buildings will be one or two stores in height, leaving room for guests to enjoy the views of the surrounding area. Guestrooms at the property will be oversized, starting at about 700 square feet in size, and will be outfitted with a myriad of upscale amenities and features including private plunge pools. “We really are putting an emphasis on sense of place,” he said. “We are getting in early and will cater to a unique crowd.” While Rosewood and its partners did not disclose La Solana’s total project cost, Scott noted that the resort would be outfitted with the best materials to create a truly unique experience that caters to affluent couples and families looking to get away. Since the Four Seasons hotel in the area does also target business travelers, according to Scott, La Solana will look to carve out a slightly different niche i
