For decades our Firm has been at the forefront of the hospitality sector in Mexico, advising on some of the largest transactions and projects. Our work includes mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financings of multiple nature, competition, regulatory, real estate, environmental and labor and employment matters.
Our clients in this industry comprise global hotel and resort operators and developers, including timeshare companies, as well as lenders and other financial sponsors focused on the hospitality industry.
We have actively participated in the development and growth of resorts like Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, and have worked in multiple capacities and on a breadth of transactions involving landmark properties and resorts, including Punta Mita, Cabo del Sol and Palmilla.
Our work in this sector also includes advising hotel operators on management and service agreements, and all legal aspects of owning and operating hotels, timeshare and fractional assets in Mexico, including tax, labor and environmental.
Below is a list (which is organized in alphabetical order based on our client’s name) of selected matters which, is intended to give a brief indication of our experience in the hospitality sector
- Counsel to Strategic Hotel Funding L.L.C. in the sale of the Four Seasons Hotel located in Mexico City, to Ruwoja Investments B.V.
- Counsel to Accor, S.A., in the acquisition of the South America business division of Grupo Posadas, which included real estate properties and operation agreements for 15 hotels locates in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
- Counsel to Arenas Encantadas, S.A. de C.V., in the design and implementation of a fractional interest residential and tourism development in the coasts of Huatulco, Oaxaca, México.
- Counsel to Banco Mercantil del Norte, S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Banorte in the execution of a US$185 million loan agreement to Inmobiliaria Hotelera El Presidente Chapultepec, S.A. de C.V
- Counsel to Cascade Investment LLC, the private investment arm of William Gates III, in the acquisition of the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and an adjacent 48-acre parcel of development land from Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
- Counsel to Exclusive Resorts, LLC, a U.S. luxury residences destination company, in the financing for the acquisition of over 30 real properties in México, including Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta
- Counsel to Exclusive Resorts LLC., in the sale of one of their luxury properties in Los Cabos owned by a subsidiary, and in the cancellation of a pledge over trust beneficiary rights and a mortgage over the property.
- Counsel to Hoteles City Express Mexico’s largest budget hotel chain, in connection with the investment in the company by IFC and a group of international and Mexican private equity investors.
- Counsel to Hoteles Citi Express, S.A.B. de C.V., as issuer in a primary global offering of 100,000,000 shares of common stock.
- Counsel to Hoteles Gran Clase, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican entity formed by a group of Mexican real estate investors, in the design of a complex ownership structure for the further contracting of management services as well as the negotiation of franchise, management and other agreements in connection with the InterContinental Hotel.
- Counsel to Inmobiliaria Arrendadora de Galicia, S.A., in the purchase of a real estate property located near Loreto, Baja California Sur, for the development of a tourism resort, including golf course and residential complex.
- Counsel to Intrawest Resort US Ownership Corporation in the purchase of a real estate property in Zihuatanejo, State of Guerrero for the development of a two tower time share apartment complex and the analysis and obtaining of the concession of the Federal Maritime Zone in front of the apartment complex.
- Counsel to Island Capital Group in the acquisition and financing of its marina in Los Cabos, Mexico.
- Counsel to Kerzner International in the acquisition and various financing transactions involving the luxury hotel, The One & Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico.
- Counsel to LDW Hotels and Resorts in the review of documents and negotiation for the participation in a new development in Cabo San Lucas.
- Counsel to Maha Holdings Limited in the negotiation of lease and management agreements for the high-end luxury hotel Hacienda San Antonio located in Colima, México.
- Counsel to Marriot Hotels in the structuring of a JV for the development of a mega-resort in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora.
- Counsel to MIRA companies in the sale of space to City Express for the construction of a City Express hotel.
- Counsel to Oakmont Corporation in the regularization of the real estate properties of the Costa Dorada development in Mazatlán and its sale to foreign investors.
- Counsel to Oakmont Corporation in the acquisition of a participation in the Cabo del Sol project in Los Cabos.
- Counsel to Paradise Hotels and Resorts in the operations and sale of the Las Ventanas del Paraiso Hotel, located in Los Cabos.
- Counsel to Grupo Questro, a major Mexican real estate developer, in the sale of a touristic lot in the coastline of Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, to Sibra Diestra, S.A. de C.V.
- Counsel to RLJ Investments, Inc., in the acquisition of a mayor development in Cancun, Quintana Roo and its operation as part of the Hilton Hotels chain.
- Counsel to Rockpoint Group, LLC in the acquisition and development of a tract of land through a trust located within the Cabo del Sol development in Los Cabos.
- Counsel to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., in the acquisition of The Westin Regina Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.
- Counsel to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc./Inversiones ECA in the sale to Fibra Hotel (Mexican REIT) as purchaser of the sale of the Sheraton Ambassador Hotel in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, one of Monterrey’s first hotels to be established in the city’s downtown area.
- Counsel to The International Finance Corporation in its equity investment in Grupo Posadas, S.A. de C.V., for an undisclosed amount.
- Counsel to The Koll Company in the acquisition ans subsequent sale of real estate properties and development of the Palmilla and Cabo del Sol resorts in Los Cabos.
- Counsel to William E. Simmon & Sons Realty in the due diligence for the acquisition of the Estrella del Mar tourist development in Mazatlán.
- Counsel to Westmont Hospitality Group in the consolidation of a 100% ownership of the Hyatt Regency Cancun hotel.
- Counsel to a premier investment company based in Dubai in a hotel re-financing.