RIVIERA NAYARIT, Mexico (January 13, 2010) --- Riviera Nayarit, Mexico's newest Pacific Coast vacation destination, once again begins a new year with high honors awarded by some of the world's leading vacation destination experts. As 2010 gets underway, Nayarit finds itself ranked among the top choices in the world for value, romantic settings, exclusive hideaway vacations, vacation home locations and more.
"Every year, the many facets of Riviera Nayarit - from its incomparable hotels and resorts, to its spectacular romantic settings and, above all, its outstanding value - are discovered and honored by more and more publications, organizations and travel experts," said Marc Murphy, Director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We are delighted to be ranked in the company of the world's leading vacation destinations."
Here is a summary of the latest accolades:
* Hideaways International's Top 10 Destinations for 2010
"Each year, Hideaways uncovers new destinations that are worth getting to know, and old favorites that are worth a second look" says Mike Thiel, Founder and President of Hideaways International, Inc., Riviera Nayarit was ranked Number Five, ahead of Panama, Brazil, Vietman, Las Vegas and taking a cruise.
This is what Thiel had to say about the vacation destination: "Riviera Nayarit is the new moniker of one of Mexico's lesser-known states, but, with its gorgeous Pacific coastline, tempting beaches, wildlife preserves, good air access, and easy-to-get-to location just north of Puerto Vallarta, it won't be "lesser-known" for long. This corridor is already earning a reputation for fantastic cuisine and myriad sporting attractions." Hideaways International went on to cite several choice "hideaways," including Hotel des Artistes and Garza Canela Hotel, a nothing-fancy family-run hotel close to San Blas' restaurant-lined beach with a world-class gourmet restaurant.
* Sherman Travel Magazine's Top 10 Value Destinations for 2010
Competing with destinations around the world, Riviera Nayarit placed in the top ten on Sherman Travel's Best Value list, joining such distinguished company as Bangkok, Las Vegas, Budapest, Namibia, and the Argentine wine country, among others. Noting that "the dollar is giving the peso a beating with one of the best exchange rates in some 15 years, Stephanie Johnnidis wrote: "One of our favorite up-and-coming destinations, Riviera Nayarit, which spans 192 miles of Pacific Coast north of Puerto Vallarta (including the resort town of Nuevo Vallarta, the colonial village of San Blas, the Boho surfer haven of Sayulita, and the exclusive beach community of Punta de Mita), is experiencing one helluva building boom with flashy resorts debuting up and down the coast." She paid tribute to the new St.Regis Punta Mita, Wimco Villas' Punta Mita Collection and Imanta Resorts' boutique hotel and luxury villas. Among new offerings in Nuevo Vallarta noted in the magazine were the Marival Residences & World Spa, Taheima Wellness Resort & Spa, and The Mayan Palace. "Best of all," Johnnidis continued, "visitors are likely to pay between 20 and 40 percent less than they would have a few years ago, even at super high-end resorts.
* Destination Weddings & Honeymoons' "48 Stunning Locales"
Ranking it among the top destinations in the Caribbean, the U.S. and around the world, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons said of Riviera Nayarit: "...this up-and-coming hot spot, stretching along the Pacific coast from the charming port town of Nuevo Vallarta to the five-star gated enclave of Punta Mita, has loads of appeal. Here couples will find plenty of venue options, from ritzy resorts and upscale all-inclusives to quaint boutique hotels. A unique ceremony spot is the Marina Riviera Nayarit: spaces include a waterfront amphitheater, an open-air restaurant with a thatch roof and a trendy rooftop lounge."
* Top Location To Buy A Vacation Home
Kevin Brass, at the International Property Journal, has named Riviera Nayarit as one of the top ten locations in the world to buy a vacation home. Noting that the locations were chosen with a bias towards American buyers, Brass gave preference to locations that are not overly commercialized. He liked Riviera Nayarit because "it is experiencing a boom of luxury home development, and is located close to Puerto Vallarta" - which he called "One of Mexico's classic, romantic old cities."
While presenting the AAA Five Diamond award to Grand Velas Resort, one of the destination's many award-winning hotels, Tony Perrone, regional manager at AAA, recently summed up the reasons for Nayarit's success, saying, "Riviera Nayarit has successfully positioned itself as a tourism destination that offers quality and excellence in its hotel and restaurant services." The new St. Regis Punta Mita also received the Five Diamond Award.