Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, announces today the appointment of Salvador Casasola Cruz as Executive Sous Chef. A proactive and highly organized culinary leader, Chef Casasola Cruz will play a vital role in managing the resort's diverse dining venues and driving operational excellence.
Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa is proud to announce the appointment of Rudy Morales as the resort's new Director of Food & Beverage. A seasoned hospitality leader with over two decades of global experience, Morales brings a rich background in luxury food and beverage operations spanning North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts' luxury and lifestyle portfolio, has announced the appointment of Diego Padula as General Manager. A seasoned leader in the luxury hospitality industry, Padula brings his wealth of experience to Roatán's first international branded hotel offering.
Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, nestled on the picturesque West Bay Beach of Roatán Island with premiere access to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, is proud to officially welcome guests as of October 10, 2023. An island retreat like no other, this Caribbean gem offers 119 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, suites, and condos; four inviting restaurants and bars, state-of-the-art spa, nearly 6,000 square feet of meeting and events spaces and immersive guest experiences full of indulgence, relaxation and exciting adventure.
With over 13 years of culinary experience in the hospitality industry, Israel Navarro joins Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa as Executive Chef. Navarro's extensive leadership expertise spans hospitality brands including Grand Velas Los Cabos, Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, where he mastered the management of multiple kitchen operations and the implementation of new menu concepts. As Executive Chef of Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, Navarro will lead the menu design and execution of the resort's four new dining outlets and catering operations, in addition to overseeing the overall management of the resort's culinary teams.
Sarah Harmacek comes to Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa as the property's Beverage Director, with more than 15 years in the industry. As a certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Harmacek aims to elevate both the awareness and service of wine culture to the island destination, furthering its position as a premier Caribbean destination for unique beverage and dining experiences. Harmacek will marry her expertise with the rich abundance of traditional Honduran flavors into the curation of the resort's beverage programming for each restaurant and bar concept, in addition to overseeing a beverage-training program for ongoing staff education and building local and regional beverage partnerships. Most recently, she directed the beverage program at Kimpton Hotel Born in Denver, leading the program to national acclaim.
Pellegrino is an accomplished food and beverage leader with more than 20 years of extensive international food and beverage experience. Pellegrino's background at renowned hospitality brands includes Director of Restaurants at Four Seasons Buenos Aires and Director of Food and Beverage at both The Westin Lima and JW Marriott Panama - all of which he led his teams in developing and launching several new culinary programs and outlets. As Director of Food and Beverage of Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, he will lead the resort's restaurant and bar opening strategy and the overall management, planning and execution of all food and beverage operations.
Upon its opening in the Summer of 2023, Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa will become Roatán's first international branded hospitality offering. Owned and developed by Vista Capital, the new resort will completely reimagine the previous Grand Roatán Caribbean Resort, to now offer 119 luxury guest rooms and suites, four dining and beverage outlets, destination worthy spa retreat, and nearly 6,000 square feet of meeting and events spaces. Ideally situated on Roatán's West Bay Beach with premiere access to the dropoff point of The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa will provide an island retreat like no other, offering a luxury guest experience full of indulgence, relaxation, and exciting adventure. The property aims to demonstrate its profound respect for its local communities and the surrounding environment by celebrating the craftsmanship of local artisans and incorporating sustainably-driven infrastructure into the resort's overall design.
Bringing more than 17 years of hospitality expertise, Carlos Lopez is brilliantly skilled and eager to take on his position as General Manager at Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa. Originally from El Salvador, Lopez's career began in 2006 at InterContinental San Salvador, where he held the positions of Front Office Manager and Sales & Marketing Manager. In 2012, he was awarded IHG's "Best of the Best Intercontinental Brand Front Office Manager of the Year" in Latin America. Lopez continued his leadership journey in El Salvador by becoming General Manager of two Choice Hotels International properties in 2014 - Comfort Inn Real San Miguel and Comfort Inn Real La Unión Hotel - where he led the teams at both hotels in exceeding revenue, quality assurance, and operational goals. In 2015, Lopez stepped into the role of General Manager at Grand Roatan Caribbean Resort in Roatán, Honduras, where his family of four currently resides. As General Manager of Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, Lopez will lead the resort's opening strategy, oversee the guest services and internal operations teams and implement a robust social responsibility program supporting local Roatán communities.
A Miami native, Stephanie Tablada's journey in hospitality sales first began in 2006 at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami. Since then her career has skyrocketed, from International Sales Manager at Mondrian South Beach Miami to Associate Director of Sales at Royal Palm South Beach Miami. Most recently, Tablada held the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel in South Beach, Miami, where for six years she led the sales and marketing teams in executing an award-winning holistic marketing campaign, large-scale meetings and events and pivotal public relations and social media efforts. Tablada continues her successful hospitality career with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in her new role as Director of Sales and Marketing for Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, where she will oversee the resort's group and leisure sales, strategic partnerships, public relations and social media campaigns, and overarching marketing strategy.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced today it will open a stunning boutique resort on Roatán Island's exquisite West Bay Beach in early 2021. The new Kimpton resort in Roatán, Honduras will mark the third resort for the boutique hotel company in the Caribbean, joining the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman, which opened in November 2016, and the Kimpton Kawana Bay Resort in Grenada, which plans to open in late 2020.