A Safe Escape: Mexican Paradise Reopens

As we come to the end of one of the most challenging years in history a glimmer of hope has arisen in the travel industry with Mexico opening its borders once again. For those jet setters chomping at the bit to escape internationally, a short flight from LAX to PVR is now on the table for those brave enough to book it. While the pandemic is far from over authorities have deemed it safe to travel once again now that new safety guidelines have been set in place. As the travel ban has been lifted the local and federal government have set forth rules and regulations that each hotel and resort must abide by to ensure the utmost safety for not only guests but also staff members.

Arguably one of Mexico’s top luxury resorts Four Seasons Punta Mita is back open and welcoming guests with their enhanced global health and safety program Lead With Care. Starting with a government mandate of 30% maximum occupancy makes the new rules and regulations easier to abide by with limited guests staying on property. Upon arrival, each guest is required to pass a health screening which includes a computerized temperature check along with the completion of a questionnaire regarding their health and recent travels. All guests are required to wear a mask or face covering when in public indoor spaces and when receiving in-room services. With these top-notch safety and health regulations in place and adhered to the Four Seasons Punta Mita solidifies its spot as one of the top resorts in Mexico.

A quick 45-minute shuttle north of Puerto Vallarta airport and you enter the gates of Punta Mita. As you drive through the perfectly placed forest of palm trees the sense that you have entered a tropical oasis is ever so apparent. 

The fully manicured landscaping gives way to a panoramic view of the ocean as you arrive at your destination. The open-air lobby of the Four Seasons Punta Mita invites you to paradise as you gaze out over the stunning backdrop of the majestic blue waters of the Pacific. Peering out into the crashing waves below there is a sense that you have discovered one of the most beautiful places on earth and that you are in for a vacation of a lifetime!

The Four Seasons Punta Mita offers its guests a wide variety of accommodation options depending on the type of stay they are looking for. Whether your visit is for business or pleasure there truly is something for everyone. This past year marks the 20th anniversary of the resort and to celebrate they incorporated a full redesign of their 177 guestrooms which brought new life to the already world-class vacation destination. Artfully redefined with warm natural woods and neutral textiles the rooms are finished off with strokes of blue and orange to highlight the sea, sun, and sky of the Riviera Nayarit sunshine coast.

Newly renovated modern Mexican casitas with intimate sitting areas and private terraces provide the ultimate luxury and come with a variety of view options. To fully take in the magic of Punta Mita an oceanview casita is the obvious choice.

For those looking for a little more room and privacy opt for a Plunge Pool Suite. These newly renovated suites offer spacious and modern touches with a living room, private terrace and your very own plunge pool to take in the stunning views that make Punta Mita world-renowned.

When traveling with the whole family book one of the properties on-site residences. These three to five-bedroom homes facing the Pacific Ocean make for the perfect family getaway offering one-level floor plans with your very own kitchen and private pool. The central location of the homes make it easy to access everything on the Four Seasons grounds but is far enough away for the ultimate private escape.

The resort also provides a range of four and five-bedroom villas that are set cliffside offering some of the most stunning sunset views on property. Each stand-alone villa makes for a secluded retreat with full-size kitchens, private pools and courtyards connecting bedrooms allowing for maximum privacy. These modern masterpieces range from 6,500 sq feet up to 13,000 sq feet allowing for ideal entertaining space. Each villa comes with a golf cart for easy access to every part of the resort.

It is easy to say that you will never find yourself bored while staying at the Four Seasons. From the moment you arrive, there is a long list of options put before you to ensure you have the trip of a lifetime. As you saunter across the meticulously clean grounds you notice the many ways that you will be spending your days ahead of you. Start your day at one of the three pool options to choose from as each location offers its own unique experience. Start at Nuna, the resort’s main pool which provides an infinity-edge perfect for sipping cocktails and gazing out at the shimmering ocean below. Don’t forget to bring your camera for those Insta-worthy pool shots. 

Tamai (which means “star” in the Huichol Indian language) is an adults-only pool and an ideal escape for a restful afternoon basking in the hot Mexican sun. This hidden gem boasts two main pools and two plunge pools, a whirlpool, a full bar and 10 private cabanas. Upgrade your fun in the sun surrounded by lush tropical foliage with a poolside cabana and bottle service. Each cabana features contemporary wood furnishings, including a daybed strewn with pillows, soft lighting, a 106-centimeter (42-inch) plasma television, DVD player, state-of-the-art sound system, wireless high-speed Internet, a telephone, private bar with refreshing juices, water and cooling eyeshades, and a variety of books. Place an order for lunch from the bar menu or the in-room dining menu or enjoy a variety of spa treatments can be arranged in the comfort of your cabana ranging from massages to manicures.

For a little excitement visit the Lazy River, grab a float and lay back as you breeze along with a cocktail in hand. The resort’s lazy river offers family-friendly fun for all ages.

Golf enthusiasts come to Punta Mita from all over the world for a chance to play the two incredible courses offered on property. With some of the most stunning backdrops you will ever see coupled with the challenge of Jack Nicklaus-designed courses you are truly in for an experience of a lifetime.

Bahia Golf Course features panoramic views of the Bahia de Banderas where golfers can enjoy challenging shots all throughout the course including a beachfront hole merely steps from the sand. Watch local surfers catch a wave as you drive your ball into the palm tree-lined fairways, it simply doesn’t get better than this! 

The Pacifico Course is home to the infamous “Tail of the Whale” hole number three and is worth the round all in itself. Take aim and try your heart out to land your ball on the world’s only natural island green (which can be the ultimate test for any golfer depending on the wind). This meticulously designed course offers golfers of all levels a round to remember with its many challenges and stunning views of the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

If golfing is not your game don’t worry, the Four Seasons Punta Mita offers tennis courts, basketball courts, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a luxurious spa, water sports including surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving and more! In the mood for some family fun game action? The resort’s game room comes fully equipped with ping pong, air hockey, video games, movies and more making sure each guest can be a kid at any age!

A trip to Mexico would not be complete without indulging in some of the country’s finest tequila. The Four Seasons offers an educational and fun tequila tasting/blending opportunity for its guests. Receive a full course on this highly underrated spirit from an expert complete with the perfect souvenir to bring home! The resort’s Tequila aficionado Enrique Alejos will guide you on the ways to identify, analyze and understand Mexico’s prized export to the point that you will leave the experience feeling that you are also yourself a professional in the art of tequila tasting. Each guest will learn how to smell and taste the different types (Blanco, Reposado, Anejo and Extra Anejo) and then blend their own concoction that they, in turn, get to bring home with them. 

Every March through December the property releases hundreds of Olive Ridley baby sea turtles into the ocean to aid in the ever-declining sea turtle population thanks to human negligence. A small nominal fee is charged to each guest that wishes to partake in this once in a lifetime experience. That donation is then put back into the conservation program of saving these majestic marine creatures through a non-profit called the Red Tortuguera A.C. which unites sea turtle camps and aides researchers in Jalisco and Nayarit. There is nothing more gratifying than opening a small box of baby sea turtles ready to be released and watching them bravely make their way into the ocean while the sun sets across the sky. It is truly a magical experience.

It can easily be said that the dining program at the resort is worth the trip all by itself. The culinary team of chefs work diligently day in and day out to ensure their guests’ needs are met beyond all expectations. From the first decadent bites at breakfast to the gourmet dinner for two with toes in the sand and everything in between you are guaranteed a first-class meal every time.

In the heart of the resort, Dos Catrinas the properties’ newest dining addition will catch the eye of any guest passing by. Fully renovated, renamed and redesigned during the celebration of the resort’s 20th-anniversary guests can expect the highest of culinary standards showcased here. With an imaginative menu created by Chef Jorge González and Chef Richard Sandoval, the establishment adds a modern and inventive twist on beloved Mexican fare and street food. The regionally-inspired menu presents traditional fare and Mexican street food with contemporary twists and innovative craft cocktails all designed to marry Mexico’s powerful past and future.  

This dual floored, 5400 sq foot open-air modern masterpiece serves up healthy breakfast options from Red Fruit Chia Pudding to the Pina Colada Parfait every morning along with a variety of Mexican and international specialties. Lunchtime favorites include fresh seafood options, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and of course authentic local dishes. Make sure to book dinner reservations as Dos Catrinas comes alive in the evening with live music, Mezcal tastings and upscale Mexican dining that will rival any restaurant in the area. Inspired by traditional Mexican cooking techniques, signature dishes on the dinner menu include savory Grilled Beef Tlayuda roasted with thin tortillas handmade in Oaxaca comprised of spicy macha sauce and sliced Carne Asada and melted cheese. The fun continues with the dessert menu, which offers decadent sweet treats such as crowd-pleasing Chocolate Lollipops from nearby Tabasco.

The resort’s signature “toes in the sand” dining experience Bahia by Richard Sandoval is one that cannot be missed during your stay. Make sure to have the concierge secure a dinner reservation just in time to watch the Mexican sunset melt into the northern tip of the Bay of Banderas. The skyscapes that reveal themselves all around the Four Seasons Punta Mita are breathtaking as there is a special relationship between the air currents, clouds and sunbeams that altogether make the most beautiful sunsets you have ever seen. Couple this eye-catching backdrop with an open-air beachside dining experience and you will find this to be quite an experiential meal. Executive Chef Richard Sandoval, a renowned US chef with Mexican heritage will wow you with daily menu offerings consisting of locally caught fresh seafood, poultry, steaks and vegetables that are cooked to perfection over a wood-burning grill. Bahia is also fully equipped with a variety of highly-rated Tequilas so make sure to ask your server to pair your courses accordingly.

The resort’s Asian-inspired restaurant Aramara which means (“sacred place by the ocean” in native Huichol) brings a menu of flavor bursting recipes that perfectly represent Chef Esther Sanchez. Born in Guadalajara Chef Sanchez studied at the Culinary and Gastronomy Institute of Mexico and this coupled with her vast experience working in top restaurants throughout the world is exactly why guests fill her restaurant day after day. A culinary genius in her own right Chef Sanchez uses contemporary Asian cooking techniques blended with the freshest of ingredients to put together an artistic presentation of Asian fusion dishes you won’t soon forget.

With the idyllic combination of everything that makes for the perfect getaway, the Four Seasons Punta Mita remains one of the top vacation destinations in all of Mexico. From the moment you enter the gates until the sad glance of this majestic resort in your rearview mirror, you are treated to the highest level of luxury. Couple this with the most beautiful beachfront resort you will ever lay eyes on and this is why Four Seasons Punta Mita is a place you will return to time and time again!

Make Punta Mita Your Forever Home

Year after year tourists from all over the world make the life-changing decision to move to this extraordinary compound. With eighteen astonishing residential communities and two world-class resorts, you could not ask for a better place to kick up your feet. With over nine miles of breathtaking coastline inside this high-end, gated community new residents will immediately feel at home. This ultra-luxurious 1500 acre vacation playground offers so much that the feeling of never having to leave becomes ever so real. With high-end shopping, endless water sports and arguably the best restaurants in Riviera Nayarit there is no need to leave your home once settled inside this community. Homeowners receive exclusive Club Punta Mita memberships that give them access to beach clubs, recreational trails, both signature Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses, tennis courts, a fitness center and membership-only events. For more information on how to turn your vacation into a lifetime getaway visit realestate.puntamita.com.