Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula Debuts Ultra Luxury European Plan Resort at ILTM Americas, Formerly a Private Retreat for Mexico’s President

Punta Nizuc, Cancun, Mexico (PRWEB) September 16, 2013

Located just twenty minutes from downtown Cancun and Cancun International Airport, Nizuc Resort and Spa is Mexico’s newest resort offering in a unique, untapped area of the Yucatán Peninsula. Punta NIZUC, formerly a private retreat for Mexico’s president, is a twenty-nine acre enclave that has been revitalized by the resort's superb staff, modern edge, and indigenous materials.

Designed by Denniston International, the property artfully maximizes the beauty of the landscape while maintaining the natural features on this secluded property. Developed by The Las Brisas group, the management team has carefully maintained the integrity of the natural beauty with a meticulous mangrove tree restoration project and intensive repopulation of local plants. The second largest reef in the world, the Mesoamerican reef, winds along the property’s coast.

DESIGN
Originally conceived by Denniston International, NIZUC Resort and Spa features open, airy spaces, clean lines, and tranquil reflecting pools. The property was designed with three distinct atmospheres to fit the needs of every guest: Ocean Suites, Residence Suites, and Garden Pool Villas, which cater to each traveler’s unique style and comfort.

At NIZUC, architect and interior designer Alejandro Escudero balances existing structures with soothing colors, organic fabrics, and layouts emphasizing the natural landscape. Escudero’s touch is evident in every facet of the resort aesthetic, from in-suite nature photography and artwork to the living green walls outside Café de la Playa. In creating NIZUC’s serene ambiance, Escudero turns to the environment for inspiration. Throughout the resort, he artfully employs glass and open space to frame the turquoise water and white sand, inducing a sense of tranquility. White linens set off fixtures in muted shades of gray and brown – perfect accompaniments for natural wood furniture made from Mexican Ziricote, Pucca, and oak trees.

Working closely with General Manager Louis Daniel, Escudero has achieved an intimate boutique hotel atmosphere on a grand scale. “When you go into a home, the mood is felt instantly,” says Daniel, who wanted NIZUC to have the distinctive atmosphere of a home with an attentive staff, chic yet comfortable furnishings, and a seamless design that looks natural and never forced.

“I wanted to make the resort feel unintimidating, not imposing, despite its size,” says Escudero. This was a significant challenge given NIZUC’s two hundred and seventy-four suites, six restaurants, and two lounges. The trick was incorporating small, distinctive details that give the resort a consistent yet surprising look; hand-knotted New Zealand wood rugs by Odabashian, mirrors framed in mangrove wood, and elegant stone from Michoacan, Mexico are just a few of the intriguing design touches that make NIZUC a unique and comfortable place to hang one’s hat.

Escudero also worked closely with the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City to replicate Mayan hieroglyphics and a mural from the Convent Agustino in the Mexican city of Malinalco. “Ultimately, the things we use as designers create a way of life, or in the case of a resort, an experience,” says Escudero.

ACTIVITIES
This isolated area of the peninsula features only one other resort, Club Med Cancun, making Punta Nizuc ideal for solitary strolls on the pristine beach. The clean sand is perfect for gathering shells and the water is ideal for relaxing swims. The sense of peaceful silence is palpable here – a stark change in atmosphere from elsewhere in Cancun; this is an experience of the Yucatán for the thoughtful traveler.

Guests can snorkel in the reef and delight in spectacular views of giant lobsters, barracudas, and manta rays as they swim through crystal-clear waters. Meanwhile, an hour and half away, the underwater museum, Museo Subacuatico de Arte, brings curious eco-travelers even closer to the reef. There, submerged life-size sculptures promote coral growth and are easily accessible to snorkelers and divers. Complimentary paddleboards and kayaks are also available at the resort.

NIZUC Resort & Spa’s premiere location makes it perfectly situated for daytrips. Just an hour away, guests can explore Playa del Carmen, a bohemian coastal town on the Riviera Maya, and just two hours away is Tulum, the serene walled city set atop dramatic cliffs and featuring some of Riviera Maya’s best-preserved Mayan archaeological sites. Travelers can also journey to Chichen Itza, a pre-Columbian city in the Northern Yucatán. This UNESCO world heritage site is full of ancient wonders like the Kukulkan Pyramid and the Astronomical Observatory.

KIDS
Winik's Kid's Camp offers a wide range of delightful activities for children ages 4-12 years, with an emphasis on both creative self-expression and physical activity. Daily themes, such as Eco-Warriors and Mini-Olympics, give exposure to art, culture, nature and sports. Active pursuits include trapeze lessons, yoga, dance, kids' fashion shows, games, and swims in the shaded children's pool. Parents can get involved in family activities, such as dance classes, treasure hunts, and interactive challenges based on TV shows like Master Chef and Amazing Race. Kids Camp is held daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and includes lunch.

DINING
Led by French Executive Chef Vincent Wallez, Nizuc Resort & Spa features six distinctive dining options helmed by a creative team of international chefs. Cuisine at NIZUC lends worldly sophistication to the Cancun dining scene.

“The most important thing is to make each dish with love and with heart,” says Bladimir García, chef of modern Mexican restaurant Ramona. García joins NIZUC after five years at high-end Riviera Maya resorts. Here, he elevates authentic regional Mexican cuisine with modern techniques, like his favorite dish on Ramona’s menu: a slow-cooked suckling pig with onion compote and roasted pineapple, which reminds him of traditional pork tacos.

At Ni, the resort’s Peruvian restaurant, fresh seafood takes center stage in Lima-native chef Wagner Perez’ simple yet surprising preparations. Cilantro and sweet potato update traditional ceviche recipes made with a daily catch of octopus or shrimp, and a comforting butter bread pudding dessert gets a jolt of Peruvian flavor with Pisco-marinated raisins. Minimalist Italian furniture lends this oceanfront eatery a breezy vibe that is perfect for group dining.

NIZUC’s Mediterranean restaurant, Terra Nostra, is led by chef Daniele Tonin of Vicenza, Italy. Italian tile floors and touches of mangrove wood give the sunny interior a whimsical air, and the scent of thin-crust focaccia and pizza waft from the wood-fire oven. Tonin believes that simple regional dishes like homemade pasta and seafood stew emphasize ingredients and technique: fresh seafood steams in a light lime and fennel vinaigrette, while tagliolini is tossed in a touch of squid ink. This philosophy makes Terra Nostra the perfect blend of both traditional and innovative cuisine.

When night falls and fiery cauldrons illuminate the resort, Indochine feels suitably decadent. This Asian-inspired restaurant bathed in golden lighting features dark wood and marble overlooking a dramatically-lit reflective pool. The menu is graced by the touch of world chef Arnaldo San, a Filipino native who spent many years training in Japan and Dubai. Fresh, aromatic ingredients like cilantro, mango, and tamarind enliven spicy Indonesian soups, Thai noodles, and sushi.

For brunch, Café de la Playa serves fresh-squeezed fruit juices, homemade pastries, and made-to-order tacos, omelets, and crepes. Casual lunches by the adults-only pool and beach are served at La Punta Grill, where garden-fresh salads, grilled steaks, and fish are specialties.

SPA
The 30,000 square-foot spa features two private spa suites for couples with pool and outdoor deck, as well as nine multipurpose treatment rooms and one Asian treatment room. Retreat lounges, full club-style locker rooms, steam room, sauna, cold plunge, and whirlpool are available. The spa focuses on spiritual and physical healing, combining local natural ingredients into the unique therapies developed by internationally acclaimed ESPA. Signature treatments include NIZUC Renewal, which employs healing stones and herbs in combination with natural sea salts and pure Mexican agave to purify the skin and release muscle tension. The Mayan Cacao treatment, a muscle-melting massage, features pure cacao oil to induce total relaxation. À la carte hydro, gem, and sound therapies are available, as well as yoga and pilates classes in the movement studio.

NIZUC Resort & Spa is the flagship property of the NIZUC Resorts & Spa brand, developed and owned by the Mexico City-based Las Brisas Hotel Collection. NIZUC Resorts & Spa is a luxury lifestyle experience defined by beautiful locations, contemporary Mexican design, outstanding facilities, culinary excellence and impeccable butler service. Nizuc Resort & Spa delivers highly personalized service imbued with discreet Mexican hospitality and offers 274 suites, 29 private villas, six world class restaurants, two exclusive beaches, a spa by ESPA, and a state-of-the-art events and conference center. The resort’s spectacular location on coveted Punta Nizuc provides guests with convenient access to all types of outdoor activities, archaeological sites, shopping and entertainment.

For information, updates and future package opportunities visit http://www.nizuc.com, contact your professional travel agent, or call 1-855-MY-NIZUC from the U.S. or 1-800-MY-NIZUC from Mexico.

The vision of the Mexico City-based Las Brisas Hotel Collection, NIZUC Resort & Spa is the flagship property of the brand’s new elite luxury resort line. Las Brisas Hotel Collection, Mexico's luxury hotel leader, operates five resort properties: Las Brisas Acapulco, Las Brisas Huatulco, Las Brisas Ixtapa, Las Hadas Manzanillo, and NIZUC Resort & Spa in Punta Nizuc, Cancun. The brand also operates three corporate properties: the Galería Plaza in Reforma, Galería Plaza Veracruz, and Hacienda Jurica in Querétaro. For information or reservations, please call toll free: 1-866-221-2961 or visit http://www.lasbrisascollection.com.