ATLANTA—IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of its newest Vignette Collection hotel in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The signing of El Gran Encomendero marks the first for IHG’s Luxury & Lifestyle Collection brand in both Mexico and the Americas region and builds upon the momentum from previous signings across Asia, Europe, and Australia following the brand’s August 2021 launch.
Scheduled to begin construction in early 2023, the 83-room El Gran Encomendero will anchor a four-story, upscale mixed-use development in Valladolid—a historic nearly 25 miles west of the Chichen Itza ruins and in proximity of the Balam archeological site and multiple cenotes. The hotel will deliver a guest experience with guestrooms, a restaurant and bar, a rooftop pool, a spa, a fitness center, and 1,600 square feet of meeting space.
Under the ownership of Grupo Alves, El Gran Encomendero additionally will represent the first branded hotel in the Valladolid community amid its retail and tourism rise. The city anticipates attracting more volume following the construction of the government-funded Mayan train line, which will connect it directly to Mérida and Cancún.
Paul Adan, senior regional vice president, MLAC, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, “With nearly 200 hotels open or in the regional pipeline, Mexico remains a fast-growing priority market for IHG. El Gran Encomendero is a distinctive and ideal introduction to the Americas for our Vignette Collection brand, and the first of many we hope to bring to this market and the world in the coming years. We welcome the opportunity to lead this project forward alongside the fantastic team at Grupo Alves.”
Erick Alvarez, CEO, Grupo Alves, said, “Valladolid’s deep history and coveted location make it ideal for El Gran Encomendero. We are confident that this beautiful and luxurious property will quickly become the regional destination for travelers, and we look forward to working with IHG to turn our vision into a reality. I’d also like to thank Lic. Ernesto Herrera Novelo, Secretary of Economic Development and Labor for the State of Yucatan, for overseeing the signing of our franchise agreement.”
Each Vignette Collection hotel has a name reflective of an element of its history, character, or location. El Gran Encomendero’s name takes inspiration from Pedro Sierra Lina’s book, “Trilogia Sobre la Casa del Encomendero de Valladolid.”
Vignette Collection hotels offer an environment for guests seeking independent stay experiences. The first hotels to join the Collection include Hotel X Brisbane Fortitude Valley in Australia and Sindhorn Midtown Hotel Bangkok in Thailand. IHG anticipates opening more than 100 new Vignette Collection properties in global urban and resort locations and heritage destinations during the next 10 years, including a recently finalized signing for the Collection’s tenth global property near Victoria Falls in Zambia, Africa.
