MIAMI—UNICO HOTELS, a new aspirational adults-only, all-inclusive hotel brand designed to reflect each property’s locale and native culture, has officially launched. The nomenclature will play on the latitude and longitude of each location with the first hotel, 20° 87°, an UNICO Hotel located in Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, scheduled to open in Q1 2017.
Signature guest experiences consistent in each hotel throughout the UNICO Hotels brand will include an in-room gallery with art to purchase from local artisans and an “Experience Room” where guests select their own beach gear and personalized in-room amenities sourced from local craftsman. Food and beverage offerings will include on-site distillery or brewery incorporating flavors and ingredients from the region, as well as an annual rotating chef restaurant concept, with a focus on emerging talent and flavors. Embracing a more local approach, UNICO Hotels will offer all guests a unique “Host” for their stay, replacing the traditional butler service. From arriving in a custom-scented lobby where guests are introduced to the Guest Experience App—which features information on each week’s activities—to gastronomy and libation mixology that foster a sense of regional celebration, every touch point and interaction has been crafted and curated with an extraordinary list of unique features and options.
“UNICO Hotels will shatter the preconceived notions and expectations of what the all-inclusive category currently offers,” said Frank Maduro, vice president of marketing. “Stepping outside of the box of traditional branded hotels, UNICO Hotels will captivate consumers looking for more than just an all-inclusive vacation.”
Rather than relying on tradition and heritage, UNICO Hotels aims to embrace contemporary culture and connect guests to the real version of each destination, as it is today. The hotel staff will embody the brand’s muse, “The Proud Local,” allowing guests to experience a genuine love and emotional investment in each region from a true local’s perspective. Equal parts international outpost and local getaway, UNICO Hotels is about fully immersing guests through exclusively developed private excursions, such as exploring the region’s lesser known alcoves with local hosts to intimate guided outings through local artists’ studios. On property, culturally inspired activities such as cooking classes taught by renowned local chefs and lectures held by experts in the area encourage immersion in the local culture.
The brand’s flexible programming and “no-itinerary-necessary” attitude cultivates a sense of spontaneity and discovery among guests. The brand, which brings a sense of creativity and casualness to the style of hospitality while putting an emphasis on cultural exploration, will convey an eclectic and modern aesthetic through programming, attitude, and offerings.
With exteriors designed by Artigas and interiors conceptualized by AvroKo, the first hotel to debut under the UNICO brand, UNICO Hotel Riviera Maya will feature 448 guestrooms with predominately ocean-views, boasting plunge pool and double hydro spa tub options, a crafted mini bar with all the essentials to make-your-own cocktail, three expansive pools each offering a unique experience, four globally-infused gourmet restaurants and five bars and lounges, including a cigar lounge and two swim up bars. The wellness center will feature a state-of-the-art fitness facility, boasting specialty classes, a visiting instructor program and personal training sessions, in addition to a spa with 18 luxe cabanas, hydrotherapy facilities with a plunge pool and Hammam, as well as steam and sauna room. In addition, UNICO Hotel Riviera Maya will play host to experiential meetings and weddings, featuring an 11,600 square foot ballroom, two breakout rooms and outdoor event space.
