KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS WILL BE OPENING TWO PROPERTIES ON MEXICO'S RIVIERA MAYA by the end of the year, both in Karisma's Azul line. 
Azul View, which will be one of Azul's "Gourmet Inclusive" hotels, is set to open by October along the Bahia Petempich, about halfway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It will feature several different restaurants and lounges, swim-up cantinas, a Zen-inspired spa, meeting space and more, and should appeal to couples, families and wedding parties.
Jacuzzi Suites
The resort will have 438 suites in 12 different categories, including Jacuzzi Junior, Luxury Jacuzzi Swim-Up and Presidential. Its Family Jacuzzi Suites will sleep two adults and three children, or three adults and one child, on a queen-size bed, a double sofa bed and a single sofa bed. The bedroom area is private, and connecting rooms are guaranteed for larger families or groups. Some of the Jacuzzi Suites will have ocean views. Honeymoon Ocean Front Jacuzzi Suites will feature wraparound balconies.
Guest room interiors will be designed in contemporary Caribbean fashion. Standard amenities will include 32-inch plasma TV, DVD player, minibar (stocked daily), deluxe bathrobes, iPod docking station and marble bathroom.
Travel Agent also got the scoop on Azul Fives by Karisma, which is scheduled to open in December in Playa del Carmen. This hotel will offer 360 one-, two- and three-bedroom suites (of 1,125 to 1,900 square feet), each with LCD flat-screen TV and DVD player, minibar stocked daily, marble bathroom with rain shower and oversized balcony or terrace.
Azul Fives' Penthouse Suites and Presidential Penthouse Suites will have private rooftop decks, where guests will find a double Jacuzzi, large lounging area with a sectional sofa and coffee table, chaise lounges, a barbecue grill, an outdoor shower, a marble half-bathroom and a dining table with an umbrella. Weddings and professional get-togethers can also be held on the rooftop lounge decks.
In the Penthouses
The two- and three-bedroom Penthouse Suites, capable of accommodating up to eight guests, will have separate living rooms and fully equipped kitchens with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances. Two-bedroom Presidential Penthouse Suites, which will measure 2,500 square feet, will also feature a full bar, wine cellar, Jacuzzi and living-room Internet station.
Public spaces at Azul Fives will include restaurants serving a variety of gourmet cuisines (meal plans will be available), meeting rooms and a spa and fitness center.
Agents can contact Mandy Chomat, vice president of sales and marketing for Karisma, at 305-569-3008 or [email protected]. Visit www.azulhotel.com for more information. —JOE PIKE