Acquisitions & Hotel Openings

LaTour Hotels and Resorts Opens Celeste Beach Residences in Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico

SAN DIEGO - January 10, 2011 - LaTour Hotels and Resorts, which offers personalized luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties worldwide, has announced the opening of Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa, located in Huatulco, Oaxaca, the hidden jewel of Mexico.

The resort carries the first LaTour Signature Group private label, reserved for five-star properties and highlighting the pillars of the LaTour Signature experience: culinary, wine, wellness, entertainment and concierge.

“This oceanfront resort and private residence club was designed to carry the LaTour Signature brand and benefits immensely from the exclusive experience of veteran hotelier Tom LaTour,” said Sean Zimmerman, founding partner of SIA Living, the property’s sales and marketing partner. “Celeste will be the finest resort in the region.”

Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa offers a collection of two- and three-bedroom residences with an average of 2,384 square feet. The community is comprised of 21 luxury condominiums in seven buildings nestled in an intimate beach cove along the Pacific Ocean.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts has consulted on the property since its inception and manages Celeste’s homeowners association, concierge services, extensive residential services for owners, rental program and exchange opportunities.

“The goal of Celeste, as with every property managed by LaTour Hotels and Resorts, is to deliver extraordinary experiences for discerning guests who expect nothing less,” said Tom LaTour, CEO and chairman of LaTour Hotels and Resorts. “We believe the key to a great service company is integrity – not just towards guests, but also towards employees, partners and neighbors, creating an idyllic escape from the everyday world.”

Located in Huatulco, a city known for its rich traditions, modern amenities and ideal year-round weather, Celeste is situated in the coveted Tejoncito Bay, just steps from the beach. The property combines the luxury real estate with virgin beaches and unspoiled tropical landscape. Huatulco offers over 20 miles of coastline, nine distinct bays and 40,000 acres of National Park. Five of the nine bays are designated as a National Aquatic Park.

Drawing on these influences is the award-winning architecture firm HKS Inc., which brings more than 60 years of international experience in the architectural design of commercial, resort and residential properties. The design, construction and branding of the resort captures the essence of the region’s ancient culture through the use of natural stones, woods and textiles while adding luxurious touches.

Amenities and activities at Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa include a beachfront pool, a relaxation pool, spa, Palapa Bar and Grill, golf course privileges, boating excursions, eco tours, a wellness center, a fitness and yoga center and classes, a members’ wine lounge, wine program and in-residence chefs. The resort’s signature restaurant will be market-based, taking advantage of Oaxaca’s bountiful offerings from land and sea.

In line with Huatulco’s dedication to environmentally-friendly practices, Celeste has created one of the cleanest developments in Mexico through a low impact and eco-friendly master plan. Huatulco is the first sustainable community in the Americas and the third worldwide to be recognized by EarthCheck. EarthCheck is the largest environmental management system used by the travel and tourism industry for the benchmarking and certification of their operational practices. Hualtulco is also Green Globe certified.

The resort is donating a portion of unit sales to charitable organizations in the community to benefit residents, businesses and organizations. As well, the LaTour management team has incorporated its own sustainability and social responsibility programs.

In Mexico, LaTour also manages Delcanto, a condominium resort in Nuevo Vallarta; and Los Veneros Resort Residences & Beach Club, a resort community in Punta de Mita.

For more information on Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa, visit http://www.celesteresidencias.com.

About LaTour Hotels & Resorts A division of ResortCom International, LaTour Hotels & Resorts is headquartered in San Diego and San Francisco and offers customized, luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties. The company’s goal is to make the ownership experience as unique, tailored and memorable as possible through superior service, distinctive amenities, imaginative activities and an obsessive attention-to-detail.

Offering services ranging from conceptual planning through marketing, sales, staffing and operations, LaTour Hotels & Resorts specializes in managing new and existing luxury fractional, private residence club, hotel, mixed-use and condo resort developments. The global company currently operates properties in the United States, Mexico and Thailand with expansion plans throughout Asia, South America and Europe.

LaTour Hotels & Resorts offers two product lines: one delivers extraordinary, highly personalized vacation experiences at four-star urban and resort properties, and LaTour Signature Group private label is limited to five-star developments. For more information, visit http://www.latourhotelsandresorts.com

San Diego-based ResortCom International provides resort management, rental, reservations, travel and financial services to the vacation ownership, fractional and luxury resort industry. ResortCom, known as the top performer in global portfolio management, also includes Tapestry Resorts, a full-service hospitality management and solutions company. For more information, visit http://www.resortcom.com.

Sign up to receive more articles like this on the Hotel Newswire Daily Digest eNewsletter.