Riviera Nayarit is adding impressive hotel brands, stunning renovations, new airline routes and unprecedented entertainment and attractions, as it continues to grow into one of the world’s premier travel destinations. Travel and entertainment brands from around the globe are confident that Riviera Nayarit’s desirable 200 miles of Pacific coast and superb facilities make an ideal destination to collaborate and capitalize on the fame garnered from discerning travelers.

The popularity of the destination has led to the following exciting new developments to the region’s tourism infrastructure:

New Hotel Openings & Renovations:

One&Only Mandarina
One&Only will make its debut in Riviera Nayarit with the One&Only Mandarina. The property will offer 145 luxurious villas as well as separate private residential estates. The beautiful beachfront resort will embrace the surrounding forest, with villas individually and sparsely placed to encapsulate the marriage of sky, sea and lush flora and fauna.

A beach club and chic pool will feature private cabanas and a poolside café and lounge. A nearby family pool will offer the perfect setting for guests of all ages. Those wishing to experience the best views in Riviera Nayarit will be able to enjoy the spacious bluffside cabanas, which vary in elevation. The resort will also have an indulgent One&Only Spa and Fitness Centre. The resort’s Conference Center will provide the perfect destination for corporate meetings and retreats.

Matlali Hotel (La Cruz de Huanacaxtle)
Matlali, recently opened in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, is just a short 35 minute drive from the Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR). Nestled in its own nature preserve overlooking Banderas Bay, this boutique hotel was designed by famed beach resort architect Jaime Barba and features 40 villa-style accommodations, each with fully-equipped kitchens, spectacular ocean and mountain views, and separate living and dining areas. This property features a contemporary beach design with embraces playful colors and geometrically designed furnishings. Other facilities include Matawe Spa, infinity pools and a popular nightclub.

Eva Mandarina Beach Club, a local hotspot, is associated with the property. Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of Mexican delicacies from seafood ceviches and shrimp aguachile to traditional tacos with the local fresh catch of the day. Intriguing design elements such as yellow rubber ducks, vivid white bicycles adorning the walls and the club’s signature VW Beetle with neon graffiti attract snap-happy visitors. At night, Eva Mandarina becomes a social hub.

Grand Palladium Vallarta (Punta de Mita)
The Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa in Northern Banderas Bay has completed four years of renovations, bringing the property to the Grand Palladium’s Five-Star standard. Revamped guest rooms and lobby areas, expanded family amenities and new restaurants, as well as new wedding locations and travel club facilities highlight the biggest transformation undertaken at the property. Children will love the new kids’ pool replete with water slides and fountains. Afterwards the whole family can enjoy a show with the colorful cast of Play at Palladium with Raggs, the colorful singing dog that rocks out with his friends in a band.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit (Nuevo Vallarta)
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, a proud recipient of the AAA Five Diamonds award, recently commenced a gradual $20 million renovation investment that will be completed by 2016. The renovations will include improvements to their oceanfront Azul restaurant as well as the modernization of amenities, furniture and décor of their 131 Master, Parlor and Governor Suites in addition to two suites which accommodate guests with disabilities.

The properties’ world-class spa, selected as one of the Leading Spas of the World, will see new improvements and additions to their hydrothermal circuit, chromotherapy offerings, a bi-thermal and energetic shower as well as an ice fountain with peppermint to balance the health impacts of the sauna. The spa will also welcome a new organic design element, focusing on wood, bamboo and glass fixtures crafted by Mexican artisans.

Marival Resort & Suites (Nuevo Vallarta)
The Marival Resort & Suites are now offering restyled Mediterranean-inspired rooms.  Perfectly complimenting the lush surroundings of Riviera Nayarit, the warm colors and new furnishings will make every stay inviting and vibrant. Large glass balcony doors perfectly frame views of the Bay of Banderas where guests can see Humpback Whales seasonally and gorgeous sunsets daily. New oversized showers and remodeled bathrooms provide a luxurious way to start any day in this Mexican beachfront paradise.

AAA Five Diamonds Awards:         

The Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta is the newest and fourth hotel property in Riviera Nayarit to be recognized with an AAA Five Diamond award. Grand Luxxe now joins the destination’s three other properties at the highest level of the AAA Diamond Ratings System for restaurants and lodgings: The Four Season Punta Mita, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and the St. Regis Punta Mita

Grand Luxxe offers guests access to exclusive private beaches and pool areas, a Nicklaus-designed golf course with a Greg Norman championship course under construction, the luxury Spatium & Brio Fitness Centers, nighttime entertainment at the Santuario, an array of fine-dining or casual restaurant options and a boutique shopping experience at the newly opened La Plaza dining and shopping center.

New Attractions:

Cirque de Soleil (Nuevo Vallarta)
Cirque du Soleil, the globally acclaimed entertainment company, and Grupo Vidanta, a leading developer of world-class resorts and tourism infrastructure in Mexico, will partner to construct and operate a 300 acre, first-of-its-kind immersive theme park experience in Nuevo Vallarta. Built to inspire dreams and fantasy, the experience will include a water park, nature park and an outdoor evening show for as many as 3,000 to 5,000 spectators. Each experience within the entertainment park will be designed and performed by Cirque du Soleil artists. Construction is expected to be complete in 2018.

Artificial Reefs and New Boardwalks (Bucerías)

An inner harbor project in the beach town of Bucerías will complement the new marina with a boardwalk lined with new stores, restaurants and bars as well as an additional boardwalk constructed for coastal fishing.  Construction on these boardwalks will begin at the end of 2015.

Additionally, an artificial reef project, inspired by similar undertakings on the Pacific Coast of Asia, would be nearly 100 feet in length. It will be designed to attract more fish and amplify Bucerías’ coastal fishing reputation. These reefs would also be excellent for diving, as Riviera Nayarit has a robust and diverse fish population.

New Highway Infrastructure Development (Jala / Compostela):

The nearly 34 miles of new highway between Jala and Compostela will be ready for full use by summer 2015. Estimated to serve nearly 10,000 vehicles per week during peak transit periods, the highway will reduce travel time by 50 percent upon completion. This highway will eventually bring Riviera Nayarit’s beaches more access to cities such as Guadalajara and Tepic. 

In a unique integration, the highway project takes into consideration endemic wildlife and is designed to provide safe crossings during their migration in order to reduce the highway’s impact on the jaguar population in the region. Migration routes have been mapped by GPS collars placed on the jaguars in order to develop highway crossings at the most appropriate locations. Developments like these help to preserve the natural beauty and native wildlife that have put Riviera Nayarit on the global tourism map. Visitors to Riviera Nayarit will also be able to enjoy rest stops that overlook these paths and natural beauty as well.

New Airline Routes:

Southwest Airlines has received approval for flights from Houston to Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR), opening a convenient new way for visitors to enjoy Riviera Nayarit. It is expected that these routes will begin in October 2015. This new route will closely follow the additional new Southwest Airlines route from Santa Ana, California to Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) which will begin on June 7, 2015. These routes are a response to the growing demand of travel to Riviera Nayarit and the rapidly expanding capacity of the destination.

In addition, Alaska Airlines has placed an application requesting approval for flights on a new route between Santa Ana, California to Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) which will take flight three times per week. California continues to be a strong market for visitors traveling to Riviera Nayarit.

For more information on Riviera Nayarit, visit www.rivieranayarit.com