Azul Hotels by Karisma Unveils 11,000 Square-Foot Oceanfront Villa

Azul Hotels by Karisma, a premier collection of Gourmet Inclusive® properties located throughout the Riviera Maya, Mexico, today announced the opening of Azul Villa Esmeralda, a six bedroom, six bathroom secluded haven that provides discerning travelers the utmost in unrivaled luxury and a spectacular event space for groups of up to 40 people. Located on 54,000 square-foot of beachfront, and featuring two private pools, gym and spa, guests of Azul Villa Esmeralda will enjoy spectacular ocean views, a modern and fresh design, a state-of-the-art Bose equipped home theatre, and a dedicated staff of eight including a personal butler and in-villa chef throughout their stays.

Providing an absolutely unique vacation experience, Azul Villa Esmeralda seamlessly blends the allure of a vacation home escape with the added extravagances found at a five star resort by granting guests access to neighboring, award-winning Azul Beach Hotel and its multitude of Gourmet Inclusive amenities.

Boasting elegant style and reflecting Caribbean influences, the new Azul Villa Esmeralda – designed by acclaimed Mexican architect Isaac Dabbah – combines local materials including stone slabs in varying shades and tropical woods such as Tzalam, exclusive to the peninsula and providing warmth, with modern touches of porcelain, chrome and glass. Outside, the natural stone mixed with wood and thatched roof evokes the feeling of an authentic beach house.

The 11,000 square foot home redefines pampering and relaxation with its ocean views, private pools, outdoor Jacuzzi for 10, dedicated staff and a multitude of lavish services that start before guests even arrive with the Villa's Majordomo, more commonly known as a butler, seeing that any special needs or requests are tended to prior to the upcoming visit. Upon arrival, visitors are met with an unrivaled level of service provided by the Majordomo starting with a chilled welcome glass of champagne followed by 24-hour personal care.

Although visitors may never feel the need to leave the Villa's serenity, they have the option to utilize the Gourmet Inclusive amenities of a five star resort by virtue of the newly renovated Azul Beach Hotel, located only a few steps away. Opting to take advantage of the signature Gourmet Inclusive plan includes all gourmet meals served a la carte at Azul Beach Hotel's five restaurants and bars such as the Agavero Tequila Lounge–featuring Riviera Maya's only frozen top bar– premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, 24-hour room service, fitness center, private Beach Butler, once daily restocked beverage fridge, and Azulitos Play House (4 – 12 years) including a Fisher-Price® program for children under 5 years old offering educational play sessions, My Gym Children's Fitness Center, a Mini Mayans program, and the opportunity to meet new friends and create lasting memories.

Providing a level of service that is a cut above the rest, Azul Villa Esmeralda also unveils specialized offerings:

• Gourmet Inclusive Weddings & Events for groups of up to 40, including brides planning their perfect day, who will be afforded an on-site wedding coordinator, filing of all documents, Justice of the Peace, professional wedding photographer, complimentary online bridal registry and wedding Web site, floral arrangements for the bride and groom, private chef for one night, handmade wedding album and a decorated master suite for the wedding night with breakfast served in bed the following morning.
• Gourmet Inclusive Royal Package, which is included at no extra cost, offers a premium full bar, aromatherapy menu, pillow menu, private beach butler, Bvlgari bathroom amenities, monogrammed bathrobes, high tech meeting equipment, a private chef for three daily meals, and daily newspaper delivery by the Majordomo. Guests can elaborate on this package by adding amenities and activities for additional costs, such as a candlelight lobster dinner for 12 at Sky Aqua Pier, a chill out party with exclusive DJ and a private yacht trip for 20, and roundtrip limo service for 12 to and from the airport.

Azul Villa Esmeralda is ideal for family or group travel and easily accommodates 12 adults and six children in its two master bedrooms with private terraces and an outdoor Jacuzzi area and indoor-outdoor “Aguas del Amor” shower and Jacuzzi, respectively, three deluxe bedrooms with private terraces and ocean views, and classic bedroom with a walk-in rainforest shower. Each spacious bedroom features air conditioning, an LCD flat-screen TV, a DVD player, an iPod docking station, Bose sound systems, Blu Ray players, a marble and mahogany bathroom with marquetry details and carved Crema Maya stone, Bvlgari and Ferragamo amenities, and personalized bathrobes. Guests also have the luxury of an aromatherapy menu and a pillow menu to ensure maximum comfort and relaxation.

Living areas will also be equipped with Fisher-Price® toys and games as well as magazines and daily newspaper delivery to keep all ages entertained. The Villa is also home to a variety of high-tech offerings that will keep guests entertained and feeling safe for the length of their stays, including a Bose surround sound system, a Wii console and PlayStation, Nextel radio for swift communication with the Majordomo, wireless internet access, video surveillance with eight cameras that can be monitored from the TV in the family room, and an armed security system.

Vacationers can seamlessly transition from the living areas, which have a light palate accented by bold colors to provide depth, to the fully-equipped, granite gourmet kitchen, complete with Viking appliances, Nespresso coffee machine, six burner stove, refrigerator/freezer and dishwasher, where they can either prepare meals themselves or take advantage of the optional in-villa chef service. The in-villa chef is happy to prepare caught local seafood or present any of the highlights from the Gourmet Inclusive program featuring only the freshest ingredients, including some grown in the 100,000 square-foot Greenhouse of sister property, El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort, by Karisma. Dining room tables accommodating up to 12 are available on both floors.

Those looking to truly indulge can bask in Azul Villa Esmeralda's spacious outdoor living area as they take in a simple afternoon of sunning on the king sized beach Bali day beds or sunset cocktails on the in-pool lounge chairs or two beach cabanas. Azul Villa Esmeralda's unique outdoor space, totaling 12,000 square-feet, divided between pool areas, a kids play area, a bar area, and beautiful gardens.

Featuring a 750 square-foot beachfront deck, a 1,600 square-foot luxury pool, a kid's pool, and an 10-person Jacuzzi, the outdoor space is also designed to service al fresco dining with its brick pizza oven, rollaway gas grill, large dining table for 12, a pergola covered dining table for 10, and a private bar. The Villa is home to a full size tennis court with flood lighting for play in the daytime or evenings as well. Only a few steps from the Villa is a 40‐foot private pier where guests can charter a fishing boat or yacht.

Guests can be truly pampered at Azul Villa Esmeralda's private spa designed to make guests feel as those they've escaped to the forest, sauna for up to 10, and fitness center, fully equipped for all types of workouts and affording a full view of the beach. For those mixing business with pleasure, only a few steps away, Azul Villa Esmeralda boasts a beachfront conference room for small corporate groups and business, equipped with wireless internet, a projector, printer, conference equipment and ocean views.

Azul Villa Esmeralda has every detail covered including its onsite supply of baby/child essentials such as strollers, cribs, baby formula, bottles and beach games that are provided as part of the Pack & Play program and an Azulitos Play House stocked with Fisher-Price® toys.

Azul Hotels by Karisma prides itself in their award winning going green efforts and has equipped the Villa with a private water treatment system and a generator that provides 100 percent of the energy needed for the home.

Located just 20 minutes south of the Cancun airport, visitors can conveniently access the beachfront Azul Villa Esmeralda and its nearby attractions, which include a selection of world-class championship 18-hole golf courses, archaeological attractions such as the Mayan ruins of Tulum and ecological park, Xcaret.

Azul Villa Esmeralda rates begin at $10,000 per night for up to 12 people complete with 24-hour butler service and daily turndown and maid service. The Gourmet Inclusive Royal Package, as detailed above, is also included in this rate. Guests are welcome to enhance their stay with additional activities and amenities for added costs.

The property is accepting reservations for stays starting immediately, which can be booked through a GI Vacation Consultant, or by calling 1-866-527-4762, or by visiting www.karismahotels.com.