Life is a Holiday

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine on Travel, one of the first articles was on EcoTourism. The title "Easy Being Green" and the main point "guilt free luxury" and "green is becoming the new normal in luxury hotels". So now for the self-serving message, the Accidental Environmentalist is either jumping on the bandwagon or driving, we are not sure which, the later giving us more credit than the former, either way the message is the same...We are building a "Luxury Sustainable Resort Community". What does that mean?

Luxury is defined both by design and service. Quality and attention to detail in both construction and design as well as in the details of service delivery. Attention to detail is both sublime and subdued, noticed and yet integrated, it is artistry and common, it is architecture simple and natural in form and function. And service is both attentive an unobtrusive, it is expected yet integrated, it is polite and not overt, it is pleasing and soothing, transparent and personal.

Sustainability is honest, it is true to its origins and location, it is by nature cost efficient yet it requires a significant investment. It creates an environment of plenty and demands restraint and conservation. Sustainability is conscious of its surroundings and transformative in nature.

Resort is a haven. It too is transformative, it takes you from where you were to where you want to be and where you ought to be and back. It can be a subtle change through imperceptible changes to the entire infrastructure around you or it can make you cry, overcome by emotion over the slightest nuance.
Community is about interactions and creating connections with people and places. Connections may last a lifetime or the duration of a holiday, they may continue on or they may end with a simple goodbye. Community in a resort is harking back to that lake house you went to year after year with your family and the memories that stay with you like the stuff you take with you from house to house and never throw out.

The combination of these cardinal elements creates a powerful brew with think is irresistable - it is Playa Viva, the evolution of Casa Viva.