The five-bedroom Tamarindo Villa at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo includes its own infinity pool. |
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in the late 1960s by Italian banker Gian Franco Brignone. Careyes introduced a model of architectural experimentation and controlled access that attracted artists, designers and a discreet international set. But it was never intended to scale. Outside its gates, the coast remained mostly unchanged.
The combination of pockets of intentional privacy and broad underdevelopment elsewhere shaped Costalegre’ s foundation. When environmental protections and zoning restrictions were later formalized, they cemented an existing reality rather than imposing a new one.
DIFFICULTY AS A DRAW Luxury hospitality has spent the last decade chasing remoteness,
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often discovering, too late, that remoteness without regulation quickly erodes itself. Costalegre presents a different proposition: It’ s a place where difficulty is structural.
“ Jalisco is unusual in that it offers both momentum and restraint simultaneously,” said Diego Gutierrez, co-owner of Chablé Hotels, which is slated to open Chablé El Tezcalame in 2027.“ Not every market should be optimized for volume. Costalegre’ s value lies precisely in what it resists: over-density, short-term speculation and homogenous resort formats.”
That resistance has attracted brands willing to trade speed for longevity. Architect and designer Santiago Cuaik, lead architect for Chablé El Tezcalame, describes
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THE LIMITATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ATTRACTED US
– PAUL ADAN, REGIONAL SVP OF
DEVELOPMENT FOR LATAM, IHG
HOTELS & RESORTS
Costalegre as a market where land, rather than demand, drives development.“ Chablé’ s owners were searching for a territory rather than a site,” he said.“ Costalegre offers a rare convergence of mountains, jungle, estuaries, beaches and open ocean within a single landscape. That layered natural context invites a more thoughtful, place-driven
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approach to hospitality.” Low density in Costalegre, Cuaik added, is not a marketing concept, but a spatial reality.“ Rather than measuring success through scale, we focus on influence and how the project shapes experience, perception and long-term value,” he said.“ In this context, intimacy and restraint create a stronger and more lasting brand presence.” |
Mar / Apr 2026 hotelsmag. com 23 |