ALIS CALA Deal of the Year Award Winners Announced
Miami, Florida, USA – ALIS CALA announced its winners for the prestigious ALIS CALA Deal of the Year Awards. Among these finalists are hotels and companies who are responsible for the most influential hotel industry deals. The winners were announced on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, during the morning plenary session at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel in Florida.
Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica was named Development of the Year 2025. Nekajui is a 107-key ultra-luxury resort in Costa Rica, developed by The Athens Group on behalf of Gencom and Mohari for approximately US$365 Million. Opened in February 2025, it marks the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Central and South America and reflects strong institutional conviction in a high-barrier, supply-constrained market. The resort’s 36 branded residences fully sold prior to opening, underscoring exceptional demand for hospitality-integrated ownership in the region. Featuring ocean-view accommodations, treetop tents, seven dining concepts and a world-class spa, Nekajui delivers long-term economic impact through 2,500 construction jobs and 270 permanent roles. Finalists in this category also included Rosewood Mandarina – Riviera Nayarit, Mexico and Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort, Curio Collection – Miches, Dominican Republic.
Playa All-Inclusive Resort Real Estate Portfolio – Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic was named Transaction of the Year 2025. On December 30, 2025, Tortuga Resorts completed the acquisition from a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) of the 14-asset Playa all-inclusive resort real estate portfolio across Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic for approximately US$2 Billion. The transaction includes potential earnouts of up to US$143 Million payable to Hyatt, which also retained US$200 Million of preferred equity. Concurrently, the parties entered into 50-year management agreements for 13 properties, supporting Hyatt’s asset-light strategy while positioning Tortuga as a scaled, luxury beachfront hospitality platform across Mexico and the Caribbean. Finalists in this category also included Devossion by Live Aqua, Playa del Carmen – Riviera Maya, Mexico and Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa – La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica.
We would like to express our gratitude to those who served on the Deal of the Year Awards Committees. For the ALIS CALA Development of the Year Award, we thank Rogerio Basso (Chair), Patricia Boo, Gary Brough, Liam J. Day, Marie Dexter, John Fareed, JP Ford, John McCarthy, and Darrin Phillips. For the ALIS CALA Transaction of the Year Award, we thank Fernando Garcia-Chacon (Chair), Letvia M. Arza-Goderich, Raul Calvet, Alexandra Lalos Church, David Larone, and Ricardo Mader Rodrigues.