Punta Mita Plus... - Imanta Resorts

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In conclusion, we are very glad that we had the opportunity to visit and review the property. Much is made of the butler service, but we can’t help but feel that while this may be relevant in a city environment, it just doesn’t work here. If you are brand loyal to St. Regis, then be our guest, but this is not the best hotel in Punta Mita. It’s also not representative of the brand and we don’t think that John Jacob Astor IV, who founded St. Regis in 1904, would be that happy with it either Do’s and Don’ts Do consider coming here if you have “Starwood Points” to use up. At least that way you won’t be too disappointed if the property doesn’t live up to your expectations! Do be careful if you want to swim in the ocean. Punta Mita is not known for great beaches, but the beach here had signs warning of sharks and the “protected” swimming area was full of jellyfish when we visited. Do visit the Remède Spa and the gym. The spa is excellent and was by far the highlight of our stay. The gym has everything you could ask for and was spotlessly clean whenever we visited. Don’t eat in for every meal. We were in Punta Mita for over a week and the only food we sent back was served here. Instead, make the effort and go out. You will be happy you did as there are far better restaurants within a 5-minute drive of the property. Don’t be surprised if there are various groups on property while you are staying here. They have to fill the rooms somehow and, unfortunately, incentive groups and corporate meetings are the order of the day. Don’t expect too much. This is average all around and while the staff do their very best to make you feel comfortable, we can’t help but feel they haven’t been properly trained to handle guest expectations. An example of this would be when we asked the front desk to mail a postcard for us. We were asked if we wanted to pay cash for the stamp or have it put on our bill. If we had given them 10, then okay. Out of fairness, when we received the bill, the stamp wasn’t included. Unfortunately, this kind of guest experience leaves a bad taste and will make the difference between possibly coming back again or crossing it off the list forever. St. Regis Punta Mita Resort Punta Mita, Mexico General Manager: Jean-Pierre Sorin stregis.com/puntamita 8 ARareWorld. October 2010 Punta Mita
Four Seasons Punta Mita The ultimate family vacation When Isadore Sharp, the founder of Four Seasons, visited Punta Mita for the first time 13 years ago, there was nothing here but a vision to create a luxury destination that would be sought after by those travelers seeking the very best. Four Seasons Punta Mita set the standard when it opened in 1999 and was the first Four Seasons in Latin America. Ten years later, it continues to be one of the most popular Four Seasons properties. But does it still live up to expectations and has it kept up with the times? We decided to visit and find out for ourselves. We arrived here from the St. Regis and the first thing we noticed was that there was life here and there were cars in the driveway. What a relief, but it begged the question, “Why were they here and not at the St. Regis? Was Four Seasons giving the rooms away or did they know something we didn’t?” Welcomed in that usual Four Seasons way, check-in was friendly and fast and we were soon on our way to our suite. Again, the 173 rooms and suites are housed in tile-roofed casitas of one to three stories. All guestrooms have ocean views and are decorated in a comfortable Mexican style with luxurious finishes that are all up to the usual high standard of Four Seasons. Yes, the bathrooms are 10 years old and some of the tubs are “short,” but they continue to feel good and we are sure they will be upgraded in the coming years. It’s amazing how quickly styles change and things appear to be dated. With that comment, we won’t be looking at ourselves in the mirror any time soon! As usual, we have our favorites and if you have your choice, we would highly recommend the onebedroom Oceanfront Suites for privacy and value. For the ultimate Four Seasons experience, choose the new five-bedroom Coral Suite. It’s private, beautifully decorated, and yes, it’s already booked for Christmas and New Years! Dining here is a pleasure and we could quite happily have been here for a week and never left the property. Aramara is the resort’s signature restaurant and features contemporary Asian cuisine (the space was also redesigned earlier this year). Ketsi is great for lunch and dinner, but our favorite Punta Mita October 2010 ARareWorld. 9
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