W Punta De Mita opens
W Hotels, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, has announced the opening of W Punta de Mita in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit. Owned by Fideicomiso Los Veneros, the hotel is part of the multi-use oceanfront development, Los Veneros, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.
“We are delighted to introduce our new W Escape to Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit, a world-class destination for surf and sun, as we continue to grow the brand’s presence in this region,” says Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide.
“W Punta de Mita brings a playfully stylish addition to this Mexican hot spot, and we are confident that with the brand’s unique lifestyle programming and cutting-edge design it will become a must-visit destination to the new generation of jetsetters.”
Designed by ASET/AOMA in collaboration with Oakland-based design firm Mister Important Design, the hotel is inspired by the local bohemian surf culture. The design of the hotel conveys colourful Mexico: the blues of the bay and the coast surrounding Puerto Vallarta; traditional patterns of the Huichol people (indigenous people of Nayarit); images of traditional Mexican celebration; sunsets over the beach; and handcrafts with ancient roots.
The hotel offers 119 stylishly designed guest villas, including one 4,460ft2 Extreme Wow Suite, inspired by the Mexican flag. All villas and suites feature artisanal Mexican tiled floors and headboards fashioned from either surfboards or punctured tin, replicating the design found in local churches. A cluster of casitas called Ocean Escape Villas resemble a pre-Hispanic fishing village of the past. Meanwhile, Jungle Escape Villas feature private balconies allowing for intimate views of the surrounding natural beauty, including the bright red trunks of the papelillo trees and hanging vines of the forest.
A fleet of colourful Tuk Tuks, with artwork customised by Sayulita-based studio Revolución Del Sueño, whisk travellers from the main entrance to the welcome area and Living Room (the brand’s take on the hotel lobby), as well as around the grounds. Natural features – including ancient fig trees and natural springs – are showcased throughout the hotel’s design, including the reuse of spring water in the reflection pools and within the spa.
The mosaic “Camino Huichol” walkway – comprising over 750,000 individual tiles, with the colours and scenes within the design inspired by the indigenous Huichol people – guides guests through the hotel and onto the centre walkway of the wet deck, finally jutting out over the beach.
Living Room is inspired by a traditional Palapa, one big open space with no walls to divide the area, and is anchored by a rectangular bar that replicates an altar. Above the Living Room bar is a sacrificially-inspired chandelier consisting of 450 LED lights, designed to look like church votives.
W Punta de Mita offers five dining spaces. Mesa1 is situated on an island in the middle of a spring-fed lake and can accommodate only one seating daily. Guests eat on a Parota tree trunk dining surface, and arrive on stepping stones that emerge from the water then disappear once everyone has been seated. Influenced by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s travels throughout Southeast Asia, Spice Market evokes a Pan-Asian oasis with a tropical twist, while Chevicheria is located on the beach near the Wet Deck, and serves ceviche and craft beers from a converted 1950s Chevrolet 3800 truck. Finally, Venazu offers guests authentic Mexican cuisine with must-try dishes, and fosters a lively atmosphere evocative of a Mexican town during their weeklong fiesta.
Jorge Giannattasio, Chief of Latin America Operations and Global Initiatives, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, comments: “Starwood has been aggressively expanding its presence in Latin America and is on track to reach 100 hotels this year. Mexico is an important market for our company, and we are excited to continue to grow and introduce this new W Escape experience to the country.”
