The Ultimate Amenity: No Stress Allowed: Introducing Azul Blue Hotel + Spa

(TULUM, RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO, June 26, 2006) - What happens when you design a boutique hotel to be stress-free? If you're Karisma Hotels, you create a new category in the hotel market. Opening November 1, 2006, AZUL BLUE HOTEL + SPA is the newest, most exclusive site from Karisma. With just 96 suites, the property is intimate and progressive: personal butler-service, the most complete spa on the Riviera Maya and in-suite iPods. The stress-free philosophy is further underscored by a Gourmet-Inclusive approach to wining and dining: five-star chefs, renowned sommeliers, top-shelf liquor and sleek restaurant design translate into an exclusive experience with inclusive convenience.

Situated in an ancient Maya City dating to 564 A.D, AZUL BLUE is the first hotel in the world designed to be 100% stress-free. Each of the six villas in this boutique hotel comprises 16 well-appointed suites ($1300 per couple, high season) with views of the ocean or tropical garden. A pre-arrival concierge customizes your suite according to your preferences in aromatherapy, beverages, pillows and music for your pre-loaded iPod. Each spacious suite features hand-carved mahogany doors, plasma TVs, in-room Jacuzzis, rain-shower heads, and locally crafted ceramic tile. Step outside for a dip in the Caribbean or claim one of the four-poster beach beds (with retractable drapes for, ahem, privacy) while your personal butler unpacks your bags and draws you a bath.
"Our butlers are trained by the Professional Guild of English Butlers to be at your beck-and-call-literally," said Lubo Krstajic, executive vice president of Karisma Hotels. "Your in-room telephone has one button: right to your butler. From a rose-petal bath to scuba diving and daytrips at the Tulum ruins, AZUL BLUE butlers go above and beyond making dinner reservations. They are the arbiters of our stress-free philosophy."

Each of the hotel's three restaurants and three bars features a mix of local produce, star chefs and global menus. To enhance guest-and-chef interaction, The Globe is designed with an open-kitchen setting and plasma TVs with live footage from the kitchen. Yuzu, an Asian grill and sake parlor, offers sophisticated samplings of Japan, Thailand, China and Vietnam in a setting that includes an indoor river with koi. Dive into Wave and Flow, the sexy swim-up bar and lounge, or check out View, the open-air restaurant where you can select your seafood of choice from a Cevichero, who prepares ceviche on a frozen marble-top in front of you. Oenophiles will revel in Tinto Bar + Piano Lounge, where daily wine tastings are pared with hand-blown glassware and a jazz trio.

For ultimate relaxation, experience an Azul spa treatment on the beach, in your suite or at the spa. The full-service spa features 10 treatment rooms and separate temazcal, a purifying steam-bath ritual that originated with the Mayas. The fully equipped, two-story gym with ocean views offers personal trainers and a range of group fitness classes including yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi. Prefer to exercise your mind or your palate? Take a complimentary Spanish lesson, join the gourmet cooking class or embark on a guided meditation session. At AZUL BLUE, no-cash transactions are a mere convenience for the backdrop of unrivaled design, service, amenities and a gourmet-inclusive experience.