Luis Fernandes Named CEO of VILA VITA Portugal
JUNE 17, 2009 - VILA VITA Portugal, the anchor of which is the five-star VILA VITA Parc luxury resort, has named international hotelier Lu'is Fernandes the CEO.
"VILA VITA Parc is widely known in Europe as Portugal's finest resort, combining timeless elegance, style and personalized guest experiences in a sensual and lush seaside oasis," said Fernandes. "Now we are going to introduce VILA VITA's enchanting Portuguese hospitality to the United States and elsewhere."
His top priority in taking the reins of VILA VITA Portugal is to spearhead the repositioning of VILA VITA Parc as an international, ultra-luxury resort. Among the other components of VILA VITA Portugal - both part of the diverse guest experience at VILA VITA Parc - are Herdade des Grous, a country estate recognized for its award-winning wines, and Arte Na'utica, one of Portugal's best seafood restaurants located at a nearby beach club.
Fernandes comes to VILA VITA with two decades of worldwide experience in operating top luxury properties. Most recently, he was executive vice president of hotel operations for Kor Hotel Group, where he oversaw the launch of the Tides and Viceroy brands. Previously, he was the managing director of Las Ventanas al Para'iso, A Rosewood Resort, located in Los Cabos, Mexico, where he oversaw innovative guest services and amenities that made Five Diamond Las Ventanas one of the world's most heralded resorts.
Fernandes also has served in executive positions with acclaimed properties in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America including: The Dharmawangsa, in Jakarta, Indonesia, where as managing director he positioned it as the country's top hotel and the social hub of the elite of Indonesian society; the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa; The Copacabana Palace; and the Hotel Al Khozama in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
"The Algarve is Portugal's paradise destination - offering everything from stunning natural beauty and gourmet cuisine and wines to year-round climate and world-class beaches and golf - yet it's little known in the United States," explained Fernandes, who is launching VILA VITA Parc's first marketing campaign in the U.S. "Exposing Americans to more information about the Algarve and the authentic guest experience at VILA VITA Parc will ignite interest in the destination and bring a growing number of visitors from the states to our resort."
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