How A Former Hollywood Mogul Created An Iconic Resort In Riviera Maya, And Is Taking His Vision To Europe

There’s a magical personal retreat positioned alongside the Mexican Riviera and underneath one hour from Cancun, midway between Tulum and Playa del Carmen. The dazzling Hotel Esencia, occupies 50 acres of pristine beachfront and is fronted by a jungle. I used to be so impressed by this property that I can truthfully say it’s considered one of my favourite inns on the earth. 

The resort affords supermodel type and luxurious, bringing again the refined decadence of its authentic proprietor, Italian duchess Rosa de Ferrari. The magnificence stays at the moment, underneath proprietor Kevin Wendle. What you will not discover here’s a marriage ceremony each weekend like most resorts. That’s not an choice until you e-book out all the property.

With 45 suites and three villas, every with a personal pool, the lodge additionally has three eating places, two swimming pools, and a surprising spa. Whereas suite charges are among the many highest in Mexico, there’s a cause; it’s like purchasing for unique, high-quality high fashion; you’re getting the perfect, and it’s price it.

​The property lately added new suites, together with the Rooftop Wellness Suites (duplex type with a personal health studio off the main bedroom), Grasp Jungle Suites (with extra-large plunge swimming pools surrounded by jungle foliage), and the Esencia Suite. All suite classes provide more room and views of the Xpu Ha seashore and the encompassing Mexican jungle.

I toured the huge Esencia Suite, which spans over 1,200 sq. ft indoors, along with over 1,400 sq. ft of personal out of doors area and an 860 sq. ft rooftop terrace with a eating space and the most important personal plunge pool on property. The general design of the property is a surprising mixture of colonial and mid-century trendy Mexican.

I stayed in a hidden grasp seashore suite instantly overlooking the ocean with a personal terrace and plunge pool. Very unique and one of many largest rooms I’ve ever skilled on the coast.

There are candy touches like nightly pillow items and morning espresso and pastries delivered to a secret cubby gap by your entrance door. Because of the lead of the lodge’s charming younger Common Supervisor, Sean Murphy, all the things is at all times offered with magnificence and beauty. The employees is top-notch, and even keep in mind your drink order and your preferences earlier than it’s a must to converse.

I spent far too many hours eating on the lodge’s wonderful oceanfront restaurant Mistura; ocean breezes wash away your stress as you dine underneath an enormous thatched roof with nautical theme decor and colours. Chef Luis Aban prepares a tasty menu that includes sea-to-table delicacies in addition to specialties from the grill. I had probably the perfect tacos of my life full of braised quick rib, and mashed avocado, and a very good Grilled Wagyu Filet Mignon. There’s a full vegetarian menu in addition to a brick oven pizza menu.

Different choices embrace an outpost of the favored Beefbar positioned within the Palm Backyard the place iguanas and peacocks frolicked within the grass. And this December, they are going to be launching a brand new Japanese restaurant referred to as TAIYO, providing a standard ‘Omakase’ eating expertise on the bar with 12 seats per night time.

The spa is positioned within the heart of the property underneath an infinite palapa-styled thatched dome. You begin the expertise with a blessing after which enter the Mayan kitchen laboratory for natural elements for use in your session. Specialised remedies vary from an Anti-inflammatory espresso ritual to Tata Harper facials. There’s additionally a magnificence salon, yoga, and therapeutic classes obtainable.

Resort Esencia is the brainchild of proficient Hollywood producer and media mogul Kevin Wendle who noticed the property as a possibility to create the right retreat positioned between jungle and ocean, highlighting excessive luxurious and hospitality. He created the lodge to make each visitor really feel like they’re within the consolation of their very own dwelling.

In an unique interview, he tells me why he received into the lodge enterprise and his plans for future growth into Europe. With the acquisition of the 18th-century Chateau de Curzay in Nouvelle-Aquitane, France, Wendle intends to revive and renovate the 300-acre chateau over the subsequent two years and rework it the Resort Esencia France.

What’s the historical past of the unique property?

KEVIN WENDLE: “The origins of the home had been as a retreat for an Italian duchess. It’s evident within the decisions that had been made by her and her architect – a really balanced mixture of Mediterranean options and colonial accents, with very strong bones, beneficiant proportions, and a beautiful mix of indoor and out of doors areas. We began from analyzing the construction and qualities of the principle home, stripping off the superficial parts, and realized we had actually a white canvas to begin with – design-wise, this was an excellent place to begin.”

What was your imaginative and prescient for the lodge?

KW: “My imaginative and prescient was by no means of a traditional lodge; I needed to have a spot to share with my household and mates, a magical retreat, secluded and away from all of it. The primary goal was to realize a sense of being a home visitor somewhat than simply reserving a room in your typical boutique lodge, to present our friends little hints that make them really feel at a spot they will name dwelling and a spot the place they need to return. This imaginative and prescient, as a result of it has a lot subtlety, was not simple to speak initially, however as with all the things, with time, our builders, distributors, artisans, and our personal employees have come to grasp and be part of this imaginative and prescient.”

“From the start, I noticed this place as my dwelling,” he continues, “I even introduced my private assortment of mid-century furnishings, paintings, and objects right here, and this turned out to be the inspiration for the event of the completely different atmospheres and areas, the combo of the outdated and new, the materials and uncooked supplies, and above all, to mix this with the native and regional parts which are so essential to create a way of place. Now we have curated this facet actually rigorously, to embrace with out exploiting and to raise and sublimate the native tradition and the Mexican heritage.”

Inform me about your background and profession.

KW: “I started my profession within the tv enterprise and was lucky to be one of many authentic Fox leisure community founders earlier than Fox launched a information channel. I used to be concerned within the growth or personally produced many in style packages of the 80s and 90s, together with Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air, 21 Bounce Avenue, The Simpsons, Beverly Hills 90210, and so many extra. 

Alongside the way in which early in my profession, I actually loved shopping for and flipping properties to make some extra cash on the aspect. I co-founded one of many first web media corporations, CNET, again within the 90s, and that success offered me with the funds essential to create a lot bigger and extra luxurious properties – bigger and definitely extra quite a few than I wanted – so for enjoyable, I started renting them out full with butlers, cooks, maids, and so on. 

One among my mates mentioned to me, ‘Kevin, you actually perceive the wants of a luxurious consumer; you must be within the ultra-luxury lodge enterprise.’ Truthfully, I look again now and need I had jumped into hospitality as a enterprise a lot earlier in my profession as a result of that’s how a lot I like it.” 

Inform me about your growth plans for brand spanking new inns sooner or later

KW: “Within the Summer time of 2023, we will likely be opening Resort Esencia – Château de Curzay, my first foray into Europe, taking Resort Esencia’s inimitable type throughout the Atlantic to create a vacation spot lodge with a distinction. Following a decade-long seek for the right place, the property will likely be introduced again to life underneath a brand new imaginative and prescient for the longer term, capturing the spirit, essence, and vitality for which the Resort Esencia model has turn into beloved whereas paying respect to the property’s historical past courting again 500 years.”

“The reimagination of the 18th century Resort Esencia – Château de Curzay is deeply rooted in my love for France, having owned properties in Paris and St Tropez,” he continues. “Taking time and endurance to find this distinctive gem with huge potential, the Château encapsulates laid-back luxurious and charming appeal in essentially the most spectacular of settings. Surrounded by 120 hectares of rolling countryside, forests, and fields near the Pays-de-la-Loire area with the River Vonne working by means of the grounds, the Château constructed within the French Baroque type sits on the coronary heart of the property and is named ‘Le Petit Versailles in Poitou’ for its majestic magnificence.

The imaginative and prescient for Resort Esencia – Château de Curzay is to create a world-class vacation spot lodge with a singular character and a powerful sense of place. The property is at present being lovingly restored to its former glory, with a top-to-toe transformation going down behind the Château’s white-washed shutters. With Resort Esencia turning into more and more acknowledged worldwide as a number one design and artwork lodge, the Château is ready to observe its lead, taking inspiration from the property’s wealthy historical past and character with contemporary, trendy concepts that mix native artisanship with worldwide influences.

An immersive ethos will enable friends to really feel at dwelling and embrace their wonderful environment. An natural farm, revolutionary well being, and wellness idea, equestrian heart, spectacular artwork assortment, secret gardens, in addition to strolling and biking paths are all being developed as a part of this thrilling opening.”