Copamarina Beach Resort getting $1M upgrade
The Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa in Guánica is mindful of its surroundings by adopting environmentally friendly practices.
The luxe Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa in the southwestern town of Guánica is getting a $1 million upgrade this year that includes a complete makeover of its 106 rooms and the addition of new entertainment options for guests, hotel General Manager Rabín Ortíz told News is my Business.
The remodeling is already underway and should be mostly finished by October, he said.
“We’re talking about $1 million in investment in furnishings for the rooms, including new beds, flat-screen TVs, bedding and other features,” said Ortíz.
The veteran hotelier, who was appointed to his position about five months ago, also said changes are planned at other areas of the hotel. For example, he said new watersports will be added to the current offering, including snuba — a combination of “snorkel” and “scuba” — that is quite popular among other Caribbean islands that is meant to introduce non-diver to undersea exploration in an easy and safe manner.
“That will be handled by a company called Aqua Adventures, which has already been working with us to offer other watersports, such as scuba diving and deep-sea fishing,” he said.
Paddleboats and more paddleboards — the latest craze among beach enthusiasts —will also soon be added to the lineup of aquatic activities, to take advantage of the serene Caribbean Sea that embraces the 20-acre property, Ortíz said.
The 50-year-old Copamarina Beach Resort is located on the southern coast and has been managed by International Hospitality Enterprises since 1991. The pristine property is surrounded by some of the island’s most spectacular natural sceneries and is nestled at the heart of the Guánica State Forest, a subtropical dry forest that was designated a reserve in 1919.
“This year we’re planning planning to start offering bike tours to the Dry Forest, but we’re probably going to be offering hybrid bikes to make it easier for our guests to get up the steep hills,” he said, noting that new service should start in April.
Copamarina General Manager Rabín Ortíz.
Prior to taking over the reigns of the Copamarina hotel, Ortíz, who has more than 30 years of experience in the hotel business, was general manager of the Cuisinart Resort & Spa in Anguilla, British West Indies. Prior to that, from 2005-2009, he was a general manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, responsible for the rebranding and renovation of the Vieques Island resort that today is the W Hotel & Spa.
The Copamarina hotel is one of the flagship members of the Porta del Sol tourism region that encompasses at least a dozen towns along the island’s western flank.
“We’ve benefited greatly from the Porta del Sol program, as it helps us to gain exposure within and outside Puerto Rico as a tourism destination,” he said, noting the property remains busy year-round as it benefits from “two high seasons.”
“We receive guests from the U.S. mainland and Europe during the cold months, but we also benefit from local tourism in the summer months,” he said.
