In this context, Travel2latam spoke with Manuel Rubio, Sales Director of AVA Hotel, RCD Hotels' hospitality brand.
What is the concept that defines AVA?
Ava Resort Cancun is a new brand within RCD, a company that has been in the all-inclusive market for over 40 years, creators of this type of service in Mexico. This brand was developed by taking the best of the previous properties, but instead of being luxury for adults like UNICO, here there is luxury for families. We have Kids Club, arcade area, Teens Club and activities.
We also have seven pools. One of them, the largest, AVA Bay, is 844 metres long, is fully monitored by satellite and only uses 2% of the energy required to operate a pool of that size. The elements we use as chemicals are also biodegradable.
Sustainability is paramount to you...
That's right, sustainability is very important for this property. We are looking for a hotel that has recognition for the low carbon footprint it requires. We have the latest technology in air conditioning that lowers the consumption level when it does not detect movement. We have Tesla batteries, and more than 4,000 solar panels on the roof to collect energy.
Sixty percent of the energy we use is solar. This property can operate for five days completely off the city grid. And we also have five water treatment plants, two focused on the pools, three for black and grey water. For example, the floors of the rooms require less water, since the walls are painted with a root called chucún, which the Mayans used a long time ago, and it is a natural product that leaves no chemical waste and refreshes the environment, so even less air conditioning is used there. In addition, the lights outside are LEDs with solar panels.
What gastronomic offering do they have?
We have French, Mediterranean, Italian, Asian, Mexican and international restaurants. Each one has its own chef specialising in that cuisine. In the French restaurant we have chef Michel Moustier, who is renowned in France, as well as chef Lula Martín del Campo who created Copal, the Mexican restaurant. Gastronomy is very important, along with luxury and comfort, but without harming the environment.
How was the project born?
The project was born precisely because of the success of the UNICO hotel brand, but people were asking for something for families, so here we have rooms where they can feel comfortable. There is also a swimming pool for adults, but most of them are for families.
We have a water park and a child care area, so adults who want to can go to the restaurants that are only for adults and leave their little ones at the daycare without any problem. There is something for everyone, but our primary focus is on families, that is the basics.
What is the layout of the hotel?
The number of rooms is 1622 and they are 100% with sea view. There is not a single room that does not have a frontal view of the sea, because there are 13 floors in total. One floor is the lobby, then the others are rooms, with 2 underground floors.
This means that the tallest palm tree does not block the view of the first level of rooms. So all rooms have an unobstructed view of the sea.
What are your main markets?
North America, with the United States and Canada. Latin America is also very strong, as is Mexico. We are just starting out in Europe, but we actually have a global reach, as we are 10 minutes from the Cancun airport, which has a number of important flights and connections.