Luxury hotel group Mandarin Oriental is to put its brand on a third project in the Caribbean. It will manage a new luxury resort and branded residences on Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast.
The development is expected to be ready to open in 2028, and is part of a larger project called Esencia, which will create a new coastal community, a vision of developers the Reuben Brothers, and Three Rules Capital. The resort and residences will sit in Boqueron Bay in Cabo Rojo, providing visitors and guests with memorable sunsets over the water.
Private paradise
The hotel itself will feature 106 rooms and suites. Each will have its own balcony, terrace or private garden, some with plunge pools too. There will be five different dining destinations, with other amenities including a beach club and lounge bar.
In addition, the destination will feature 283 private residences. Of these, 200 will be housed in a series of six storey boutique blocks, while 83 of the residences will be villas sited close to the beach – and all of these will have their own private pool.
The development will also feature an extensive wellness facility, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental. Aside from beauty and massage treatments, there will also be fitness amenities including an open air lap pool, and a programme of relaxation, rejuvenation and mindfulness sessions.
“We are excited to be expanding our Caribbean footprint into Puerto Rico and look forward to a fruitful partnership with Reuben Brothers and Three Rules Capital,” commented Mandarin Oriental CEO Laurent Kleitman. “This very special location, with its captivating natural beauty and rich culture, presents the perfect canvas for us to bring our legendary service and exceptional experiences to life.”
Growing the portfolio globally
Mandarin Oriental currently operates 41 hotels, 12 residence projects and 25 homes, across 26 country markets. Through 2024, the group signed a number of new properties. These include an urban hotel in Rome, a new resort and residences in Bali, a resort on Mexico’s Riviera Maya coast, and luxury branded residences in Abu Dhabi.
In December 2024, the company revealed it had signed an option to rebrand two landmark European hotels to the brand. Hotel Lutetia in Paris and the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam will rebrand following rolling refurbishments, adding heritage and history to the Mandarin Oriental presence in Europe. The Lutetia will be the brand’s second hotel in Paris.
In the coming months, a number of other hotels under construction will be completed and ready for opening. These include European projects Mandarin Oriental Residences Madrid, Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra in Mallorca and Mandarin Oriental Athens.
Towards the end of 2025, Mandarin Oriental Maldives Bolidhuffaru Reef in the Maldives will launch, offering overwater villas, beachfront villas and branded residences. Further ahead, in 2026, two projects in Vietnam will be completed, with Mandarin Oriental Da Nang and the beachfront Mandarin Oriental, Bai Nom.
