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St. Regis Bahía Beach Resort appoints veteran GM to lead December reopening

By on October 30, 2018

SAN JUAN – The St. Regis Bahía Beach Resort has announced the appointment of luxury hotel veteran José Torres, who will return to the island to become the property’s general manager and lead its reopening.

Originally slated to reopen this week after closing due to last year’s hurricane season, the 483-acre resort will reopen in December following a $60 million renovation.

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort General Manager José Torres (Courtesy)

Raised in Puerto Rico, Torres began his career in hospitality at the Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and has been an active board member and involved in community affairs with both the Puerto Rico Hotel Tourism Association and, while in Costa Rica, served on the board of the Costa Rican Hotel Chamber.

Torres has more than 24 years’ experience in the luxury hospitality industry. He previously served as GM of the Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Costa Rica. Prior to Costa Rica, Torres was GM at the JW Marriott Panama Gold & Beach Resort and at the San Juan Water Beach Club Hotel.

He has also served as food & beverage director at the La Concha Renaissance Resort and the Marriott Courtyard Isla Verde Resort, and assistant food & beverage director at the Wyndham El San Juan Hotel & Casino.

Torres also served as GM and co-owner at Pasha Restaurant in Puerto Rico and was food & beverage director for Caribbean International Investment Group.

“I am thrilled to be back in Puerto Rico and part of the team during such an exciting chapter for The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico’s first ultra-luxury resort and the best address in the Caribbean,” said Torres. “The investment in Bahia Beach and the reopening of the property signals an important milestone in the recovery and resurgence of Puerto Rico and I look forward to welcoming travelers from around the world back to this vibrant destination and the beloved St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort.”

The property also announced a new $85 million ultra-luxury development, Ocean Drive Beachfront Residences, the new Atlantic Drive Estates and plans for a 60-room expansion.

(Marriott International)

All guestrooms and suites were renovated, as well as Casa Grande, which houses the St. Regis Bar and Paros, the property’s signature restaurant, the seaside pool and esplanade, which will offer a casual dining option, and Iridium spa, the chain’s first in the region.

“Each space and room underwent a ground-up transformation, redefined and reimagined by celebrated Puerto Rican designer Nono Maldonado together with internationally renowned Hirsch Bedner Associates of San Francisco. The 139 refurbished rooms and suites will boast a light, modern and organic aesthetic in a contemporary and residential setting,” the resort explained in a press release. “The design is inspired by the property’s surrounding sea, sand and foliage, and details include a tranquil color palette of shades of whites and light blues that beautifully complement ocean and lush tropical garden views.”

In Casa Grande, the center of all hotel activity, “The Long Awaited Voyage,” a mural by Puerto Rican artist Arnaldo Roche Rabell, was restored following the hurricanes that struck the island last year, and hangs above the St. Regis Bar, a two-story building that overlooks the ocean and features live music.

All structures have been built below the tree line to provide unspoiled views along the resort’s two-mile stretch of secluded beach and lush landscapes.

Among the resort’s amenities are a golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., a seaside swimming pool and esplanade, private beachfront cabanas, fitness center, four tennis courts, kids club, butler service available in every room, and equipment for such sports as surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing and fishing.

The property also has trails for biking, walking and running. For guests interested in volunteer opportunities, the property is working in collaboration with the Bahia Beach Resort Golf Club and its non-profit organization, Alma de Bahia, on initiatives to support communities affected by the storms.

Located on a former coconut plantation between the El Yunque National Forest and Espíritu Santo River State Preserve, St. Regis is the Caribbean’s only certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuary, Puerto Rico’s first AAA Five Diamond rated resort and a Forbes Travel Guide Five Star resort.

Puerto Rico’s St. Regis Bahia Beach luxury resort to reopen Oct. 29

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