The Robert Trent Jones golf course is absolutely world class. It weaves its way through natural limestone rock outcrops and thick jungle. The water you see dotted along the course are natural cenotes. http://sharing.theflip.com/session/841b40ea01614dfc99e8798ce133d497/video/12089294.
The exterior of the clubhouse is complete. They are working on the interior fit out. The clubhouse is expected to open next month. Here we pass the clubhouse to our left, at the beginning of this clip. You can see the standard of the building and the advanced state of the exterior: http://sharing.theflip.com/session/153ee9e1427c9e38c0f2442af13da847/video/12143945
Gran Bahia Principe resort, where the golf course is located, is owned by Spanish company, Grupo Pinero. They also own Europe’s second biggest travel agency, Soltour. Soltour sells and runs 2.5million vacations every year. They also own 18 other 5-star resorts.
This group is strong and solid. They have invested tens of millions in the golf course and infrastructure in this part of the resort. You can see the quality and the investment. Here’s some video I took as we approached the site for developer Benjamin Beja’s new project, Tao. You can see that we don’t need to rely on the developer’s promises to build the roads or infrastructure. As you can see, it’s already there. Construction and investment has been to the highest standard so it should last for quite a while.
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/a3afc436fc5d99459371607113f11c38/video/13531612
Benjamin is a serial developer and entrepreneur. He studied law in Mexico before completing Harvard’s prestigious MBA program. Over the last 10 years, he has sold and/or developed more than 1,000 homes (mostly targeted at the North American market) in Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, and Riviera Maya. He has brought this experience together in his new project, Tao. Benjamin’s vision for Tao is a community where residents will engage with their neighbours and stay mentally and physically active. Construction and fit-out standards won’t be compromised but the price point will be kept affordable.
The center piece of the Tao project is the health and wellness centre. This will be tastefully constructed within a jungle site adjacent to one of the most challenging and visually appealing par fours. Here, we walk in to take a look. This is the most peaceful and enchanting place in all of Tao http://sharing.theflip.com/session/f5960d8a081472946edc4c18e0fe3c34/video/13531729.
Tao is right on the Robert Trend Jones II course...like an island surrounded by the front nine. Today, it’s a blank canvas of jungle and cenotes. The site runs along this fairway. http://sharing.theflip.com/session/d6e73c9515ebed3721ef4a3e180b195d/video/12089783
At the Tao center, residents will do yoga and Pilates on specially constructed glass platforms over caves...swim in the lap pools that weave their way through Tao... work out in the gym. A full time nutritionist will be onsite to help if you need to shave a couple of inches of your waist line or just increase energy levels. In the evenings there will be cooking lessons. The Tao centre will be as much about keeping your mind in shape as keeping your body in shape. Class, activities and guest speakers will see to that.
Benjamin outlined his vision for Tao when I sat down with him in Quito in Febraury: http://sharing.theflip.com/session/cbc1d3d5c745cd5bfae5edc2935e8b31/video/11377342
