where is manzanillo?
Mexico! What a quick getaway to somewhere exotic and tropical. Approximately 2.5 hours down south into Mexico, with direct flights from several major West Coast cities. I left LAX and within no time, I was walking on this amazing beach, Cocoa Loco in hand.I arrived on a Friday in the early evening. I had taken the direct flight from LAX into ZLO (Manzanillo) and gained 2 hours. It was an easy flight and the landing has to be one of the most amazing around... the airstrip sits within feet of the beach, so as you land parallel to the ocean; you see this beautiful water on one side, and a lush forest on the other. Unlike Cabo, it is extremely tropical.
Their system of checking your bags lies with a simple button that looks as if you're about to launch a missile test. If the light buzzes green, it's a go and they don't ask to check your bags. If it buzzes red, however, guess what? Some very polite airport official asks that you open a bag or two. It is a very laid-back area and right away, you feel as if you have left civilization miles away.
ready for takeoff
I was greeted by David from the Grand Bay Resort, who escorted me into the van and off in the opposite direction of Manzanillo proper. We were heading to an area called Barra de Navidad, where the Grand Bay Resort is located. It is 1200 acres of pure heaven! Larry King, Lynn Swan, Stevie Wonder, Seal, Joe Theismann, Robert Conrad, and Randy White are just a few who have signed their guest book.The 20-minute drive to the resort was awesome. Miles of mangos and coconut groves lead the way to the entrance of the Grand Bay. Another 5 minutes from the guard tower, a winding road takes you upwards over a hill and past one of the vastest golf courses ever.
As we came around a curve, there it was. Amid this majestic hotel, built into the lush hills and surrounded by a marina with yachts, lies a pretty little island called Isla Navidad (Christmas Island). I arrived at sunset and the view was amazing.
it was grandiose
I was whisked into a grand entrance and greeted with a very yummy drink. Service is impeccable yet low-key, and from the time you step onto the property you can be left alone, or if you choose, as busy as you ask to be. I sat with Laura Ibarra, who helps keep the Grand Bay in top shape, and asked her about this best-kept secret of Mexico.The hotel has been open since 1996, but publicity has been kept to a minimum, aligning the proper staff and awaiting for the finishing touches of the 27-hole golf course.
The Grand Bay Resort is a concept in the process. It is managed by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, but is owned by one of the wealthiest families in Mexico. The owner owns the Tecos Soccer team of Guadalajara, hospitals, the University, and then some. And the Grand Bay is his and his family's vision. There is no cost spared, and when I say it is in the process... I mean it.
for the golf lovers
So far, there is a 27-hole golf course and country club, complete with a golf club that will blow your mind. Each course offers up a new challenge at every turn. There is the Ocean Course, the Mountain Course, and the Lagoon Course.There is a 2-level pro shop that offers equipment rentals complete with shoes, I might add, for 45 people. Top of the line Dunlop and Callaway clubs are offered. There are meeting facilities within the golf club, as well as a separate area exclusive to golfers that offers up massage tables, marble Jacuzzis, saunas, steam rooms, 8 private showers, 2 salons, and 8 private villas that are for rent just off the course, offering 3 and 4 bedrooms complete with "sauna brooks," which lead to your own private pool.
After a hard day of playing golf, relax in one of the bars available such as the 19th Hole Bar, which brings festivities and friends together. There is also another portion of the course in the planning stages for another 9 holes.
Golf Magazine has given the Gold Medal Award to the Grand Bay, and it has also been mentioned as the #1 resort in Mexico by the Travel Channel for three years running.
Why leave this amazing place? There are plans for a nightclub and disco, which should be finalized sometime next year. The plan is to complete the area and create a city within these 1200 acres. In the meantime...
more activities
There is a movie theater that runs movies twice nightly, and you can find times and movie listings in the "What's happening" memo left under your door nightly, listing all the next day and evening activities.
For parents, there is an activity area for kids headed up by Miriam Espinoza. There is a 24-hour medical facility/hospital on the property, complete with its own medical emergency staff and ambulance. The resort is wheelchair friendly, with ramps situated all over the property. It is easily laid out, and following the "fish" pointed in any direction placed near elevators and entrances will help lead your way around.
I loved the spa and my coconut body scrub, the waterslides at the pool and the swim-up bar. And, of course, I enjoyed the little ferryboat that took me shopping, and to restaurants and bars across at Isla Navidad.
For the yachtsman in you, the 207-slip marina is beautiful. There are additional plans to build further slips, which will allow for the Mega Yachts to dock.
and oh, the food
And for all my fellow epicureans, ah the food! I was honored to meet with Miguel Velazquez. For the past two years, he has won the prize of the Fidegua in Spain.What was so interesting about encountering this Master Chef, and then experiencing his amazing dishes, is the attention he paid to detail and presentation. If you choose to stray off the menu, he only considers it a challenge.
Give him an idea of what you would like and he'll make you an incredible meal. His personal favorite is chicken in a Veracruz sauce. Cooking since the age of fifteen, he loves to learn about cultural delicacies, and you can enjoy a combination of his local cuisine of Mexico, with a twist.
He travels all over the world to find something different in the foods he "designs," and then modifies the infusions of both his culture and other cultures, to taste. He is a master at this, and his meals reflect his passion for food and flavor. Definitely try his award-winning paella!
drive me around
I hired a driver on my second day there to take me into Manzanillo proper, afraid that if I didn't venture there, I would have missed out.I dined at the aging Las Hadas Resort, infamous for the movie 10 , which was shot there over 20 years ago. And to be honest, don't bother. It's lackluster and left me yearning to return to Grand Bay: the jewel of Mexico and soon to be a "ciudad" (city) to be reckoned with!
For additional information:
http://www.islanavidad.com/
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