December 2017 Newsletter

The Revillagigedo Archipelago is a group of volcanic islands off the country’s south-west coast. With a protection zone of 57,000 square miles (150,000km), it has become the largest ocean reserve in North America. The move will mean all fishing activity will be banned, and the area will be patrolled by the navy. It is hoped the move will help populations hit by commercial fishing operations in the area recover. The park was designated by a decree signed by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. It will also forbid natural resources being extracted from the land or the building of new hotel infrastructure. The area, which is about 250 miles (400km) south-east of the country’s Baja California peninsula has been described as the Galapagos of North America, because of its volcanic nature and unique ecology. Sitting on the convergence of two ocean currents, the islands are a hub for open water and migratory species. It has hundreds of breeds of ocean wildlife, including humpback whales that use the shallow and coastal areas around the islands for breeding. Last year the Pacific Ocean site was named as a UNESCO world heritage area. María José Villanueva, the director of conservation of WWF in Mexico, described the move as an “important precedent” to the rest of the world, according to local media.

Nearly 17 months after announcing its expansion into the southern tip of Baja, Hakkasan Group is giving us a glimpse at the daylife and dining destinations to come to Los Cabos, Mexico. Among the most anticipated openings is the new Omnia Dayclub, Hakkasan’s first south of the border. The setup is familiar to Las Vegas clubgoers—a central pool with surrounding smaller pools, cabanas and VIP bungalows, however this Omnia is a beachfront venue overlooking the Sea of Cortez. Two restaurants debuting alongside Omnia include the previously announced Herringbone, the first international location from chef Brian Malarkey, whose “Fish Meets Field” concept already has established outposts in Las Vegas, Hawaii and California. The second restaurant, Casa Calavera, is positioned alongside Omnia and will feature a Mexican food and drink menu in a venue that acts as a “nod to the local culture” with interiors that feature “traditional Mexican calavera art and an authentic Dia de los Muertos theme at its core.”

Hilton is continuing its Caribbean expansion with a pair of major new projects on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Hilton has announced plans to open both a luxury Waldorf-Astoria and an all-inclusive Hilton in Cancun. Developed by Parks Hospitality, the properties are slated to make their debut in 2021. The neighboring properties will be set on 100 acres of Caribbean beachfront. The announcement comes a few days after Hilton opened its its new Curio-branded Mahogany Bay in Belize. The Waldorf Astoria Cancun will include 150 rooms and suites, with waterfront or mangrove-facing terraces and private balconies. The beachfront Hilton Cancun will include 600 guest rooms with panoramic views. The project will be located near Benito Juarez, about 10 minutes from Cancun International Airport.

Located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, the two small colonial towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo have become the hottest vacation destinations in Mexico in recent years. With wide, pristine beaches, lively nightclubs, glam resorts, and a farm-to-table food scene, the oasis of Los Cabos is drawing tourists in record numbers. As a result, the hotel scene is booming, with a clutch of new developments and renovations completed this year along the Tourist Corridor, including the sleek Chileno Bay, an Auberge Resort, and a stunning beachfront Solaz resort. A new crop of five-star brands are coming in 2018, including the Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, the Montage Los Cabos, 1 Hotel & Homes, and the first Nobu Hotel in Mexico. Foodies will want to make a reservation at Acre, a restaurant-farm from executive chefs Kevin Luzande and Oscar Torres, who are set to unveil 12 new treehouse guest rooms on site.