The Beach House at Thompson Playa del Carmen has debuted a few blocks from the main hotel site on Quinta Avenida. The 92-room Thompson Playa del Carmen opened in November 2015. The Beach House adds 27 luxury guestrooms and suites in a private beach club setting.
Playa del Carmen is the brand’s second location in Mexico. The Cape, a Thompson Hotel debuted in mid-2015 in Los Cabos.
Thompson Playa del Carmen fills a market niche between mega resorts and funky boutiques, said sales and marketing director Alexis Kagan.
“There’s a reason we’re only 119 rooms, not 400. That’s because the guest staying with us wants a distinct experience. They want a combination of entertainment, amazing food and relaxation,” Kagan tells Travel Agent.
Nightlife is another signature feature, thanks to The Rooftop at Thompson Playa del Carmen. The 30,000 square foot expanse includes an infinity pool and swim-up bar, private cabanas, dining venues and a popular roster of events.
“The Rooftop is the crown jewel of the property and of the city actually. There’s nothing else like it. It’s the highest point in Playa del Carmen. We’re seeing a lot of interest in it for destination weddings, product launches and milestone events,” said Kagan.
The Beach House is much less frenetic, though still close to the heart of the downtown area. Every room or suite has a full or partial ocean view, steps away from the sand.
“It’s really ideal for families with kids younger than teens,” said Kagan.
Plans call for the introduction of wellness, fitness and interactive culinary experiences at the Beach House (there are two restaurants on site).
“Playa is still very authentic, with a Mexican small town feel. People from Cancun come here to unwind. There’s an amazing culinary culture here, plus an exciting music, art and fashion scene. In fact, we’re going to incorporate fashion, art and music into our programing,” said Kagan.
Kelly Turner knows quite a bit about incorporating art into a hotel project.
She’s a senior art consultant at Canvas, a division of the global design firm HBA. In August of 2014, HBA was hired for a soft renovation of Hilton Los Cabos. In October of 2014, Hurricane Odile made landfall, demolished 90 percent of the property. The soft renovation thus expanded considerably in scope.
Completed last fall, new features include an open design that frames the ocean views, a new bright color scheme and several redesigned bars and restaurants.
The art work is a new focal point, even for visitors who aren’t staying at the hotel.
“We were keen to have artwork that was incredibly interesting and exciting that honors the space and the location. The vision was a 21st-century take on Mexican arts and crafts. Because it was post-hurricane, renewal is a word we kept working with. The result you see now is something culturally relevant, inviting and joyous,” Turner tells Travel Agent.
A centerpiece of the project is a mural by artist Jet Martinez that evokes the ceramics and textiles of Mexico. The artist worked on it in residence, much to the enjoyment of hotel guests.
“There was one couple that came to check on the mural’s progress every day after their swim. People love the work. We received a lot of good feedback about him and thrilled for the property as well as for the artist,” said Turner.