A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Retreat in Mexico

A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Retreat in Mexico

https://www.fodors.com/world/mexico-and-central-america/mexico/experiences/news/the-perfect-mexican-resort-for-wellness-loving-travelers


This five-star resort is reimagining the concept of all-inclusive.


I will be the first to admit, I’m a bit of a hotel snob.

When I think of all-inclusives, bland buffets, cringey entertainment, and sunburnt tourists guzzling booze at an inappropriately early hour typically flash through my mind. Then I arrived at Palmaia, The House of Aia, a five-star all-inclusive that flips the script entirely.

Situated on a jungle-fringed stretch of Mexico’s Riviera Maya coastline, where monkeys and iguanas roam alongside hidden cenotes, Palmaia isn’t just a prettier and more luxurious version of your typical all-inclusive – it reimagines the category entirely for a more wellness-oriented, culturally curious traveler.

Instead of plastic wristbands, the resort provides each guest with a wooden-bead bracelet that doubles as a room key. In place of stodgy buffet food and too-sweet daiquiris, its six distinctive dining venues provide nourishing plant-based dishes (the options at Charly’s Vegan Tacos Food Truck are good enough to impress the most ardent carnitas fan). Even the kids’ club, Awen, is special, utilizing the Waldorf education principles to encourage artistic expression, imaginative play, and connection to nature. When I took my daughter, there wasn’t a plastic block in sight.

If you’ve ever returned home from a busy, indulgent trip saying, “I need a vacation to recover from my vacation,” this resort is for you.

What wowed me the most, though, was Palmaia’s daily program of wellness activities and rituals. Every morning, our “Nomadic Guide” sent us a WhatsApp message outlining the activities on offer that day, from yoga classes and cacao ceremonies in the jungle, to watercolor workshops on the beach, and evening sound healing by candlelight. I could cherry-pick the experiences that spoke to me, curating a personalized health retreat that was entirely covered by the nightly fee. (For those who want to go deeper, additional wellness experiences, including the Temescal sweat lodge ritual, Mayan-inspired spa treatments, and one-on-one sessions with the resort’s wellness experts, are available to book at additional cost.)

While the philosophy of Palmaia, The House of Aia, emphasizes healthy living, it’s certainly not restrictive or overly virtuous. The menu lists suggested animal proteins under dishes in case you want to add one. Similarly, while the resort’s mocktail options are creative and delicious, each comes with a recommended spirit for those who, understandably, want a little alcohol on their vacation. Dancing with my husband and daughter at Eolo Beach Barmezcal cocktail in hand – while a DJ played vibey dance music was my favorite way to wind down the day.

Between the Michelin-star-worthy yet healthy food, the gorgeous location, our elegant two-bed suite, the unbelievably thoughtful service (staff even decorated and arranged a cake for our daughter’s birthday), and the smorgasbord of mind-body-spirit wellness activities, I felt like a new woman by checkout time.


Montage International is developing its fifth property in Mexico
 

https://hotelsmag.com/news/montage-valle-de-guadalupe-resort/?


Montage International, in partnership with Thor Urbana and Life Properties International, has announced the development of Montage Valle de Guadalupe, a luxury resort that will be located within the Bruma Wine Estate in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico. The resort is expected to open in 2028 and will mark Montage International’s fifth property in Mexico. Montage and Pendry are also also developing properties in Punta Mita and Mexico City.

“Montage International is pleased to partner with Thor Urbana and Life Properties to bring an incredible Montage experience to this exceptional destination,” said Alan J. Fuerstman, founder, chairman and CEO, Montage International. “Having previously worked with Thor Urbana on the development of Montage Los Cabos, we are thrilled to collaborate with them on another extraordinary resort. Valle de Guadalupe is one of the world’s most captivating wine regions, where rolling vineyards meet innovative culinary artistry, and we look forward to creating an immersive experience for our guests and residents to enjoy.”

Montage Valle de Guadalupe will feature 62 guestrooms and a limited collection of Montage Residences, each with the amenities of a fully stocked home. The resort will include a signature restaurant, lobby bar and lounge, pool bar and lounge, a Spa Montage and fitness center, 3,800 square feet of indoor meeting and event space, a 4,000 square foot wedding lawn, Compass Sports center, retail offerings, a residential club, and the Montage signature Paintbox program for children.

The resort is located about an hour from the U.S.-Mexico border, neighboring Bruma Winery and Fauna, ranked among Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants. Valle de Guadalupe hosts over 150 wineries that produce 90 percent of all Mexican wine and is home to multiple Michelin-star restaurants. Guests and residential homeowners will have access to a cult winery and residential destination within Bruma that emphasizes regenerative production and farming models.

“Our team is looking forward to partnering with Montage International for our second project together in the Baja region,” said Jaime Fasja, founder and Co-CEO of Thor Urbana and Life Properties International, whose high-impact luxury hospitality and mixed-use projects include many world-class brands. “Life Properties International was founded as a natural evolution of our work in luxury real estate development, expanding our vision into private residential club communities centered on wellness, culinary, culture, and hospitality. Valle de Guadalupe is a rare destination where land, wine, tradition, and innovation intersect, making it a natural setting for a project of this caliber and intention.”

Montage Residences will include Hillside Residences, Vineyard Villas and Private Wine Estates. Each home will reflect the culture, history and traditions of the Valle, with high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and open-concept indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Future plans for Montage Valle de Guadalupe include a curated wine club and vintner program, new restaurants, a community center with a chef’s garden and artisanal shops, the Bruma Wellness Center, an on-site equestrian facility, and a contemporary art collection with an Artist in Residency program. The broader Bruma destination is developed by Life Properties International, Thor Urbana and GFA Grupo Inmobiliario.


Wanting to try something new is a top justification for using non-go-to brands within the last year across a variety of travel verticals.

https://www.hotelinvestmenttoday.com/Forecasts/Why-travelers-are-defecting-from-preferred-airline-hotel-or-OTA?
By Phocuswright Research


NATIONAL REPORT – Fewer than half of travelers consider themselves to be highly consistent in their travel brand patronage, whether it be the exact providers they use or the booking sites they frequent, according to new research from Phocuswright. The mixed consistency levels also extend to preferred travel brands.

Almost two-fifths (39%) of those who flew on a recent leisure trip and 42% of paid accommodation users claim they gravitate towards one or two "go-to" brands in their planning according to Phocuswright. The remainder of travelers find themselves open to many brands, or they use the category so seldomly that they don't feel familiar with the brand landscape.

There are times when travelers have everything go right for them: Booking is convenient and transparent, customer service interactions are positive and services are delivered smoothly and without incident. A traveler will sing a brand's praises, perhaps leave strong reviews and still not use a brand the next time they have an opportunity to book with them.

For many travelers, novelty and intrigue are a critical part of the travel experience. It is important for brands to deliver consistent experiences around aspects of quality, such as strong customer service, cleanliness in hospitality environments or timeliness in transportation. Variability in these key markers of quality is generally unwelcome. But once the fundamentals are accounted for, there is a set of travelers who view variety across travel experiences positively—they want to switch up their experiences “just because.”

Wanting to try something new is a top justification for using non-go-to brands within the last year across a variety of travel verticals. It is one of the top five reasons for “defecting” from a preferred airline (20%), hotel (21%) and online travel agency (OTA) (25%).

This attitude is far more prominent among younger generations of travelers. Around half of Gen Z (49%) and millennials (50%), as well as 45% of Gen X claim that variety of travel options is more important to them than the value of using the same travel company consistently. These traveler cohorts may be the ones most known for brand hopping or for being the types of travelers whose loyalty is most hard earned.

It's the boomers and silent generation who are least likely to hold this attitude; only 22% of them would choose variety over consistency.





Gen Z, especially, is more likely (47%) to identify with the statement, “I will choose a new travel provider over one I have had a positive experience with before for the sake of experimenting with something new.” This view becomes distinctly less common among older generations with a particular drop-off between Gen X (32%) and boomers and the Silent Generation (13%). With less travel experience overall, Gen Z may approach the brand selection process with more openness and curiosity to understand what the landscape of travel companies can offer. But they may also seek new-to-them brands just because it makes the travel experience more enjoyable, not because a past brand experience was subpar.




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