General Travel

1. How do I get to Playa Viva?
ZIH Airport is served by over 82 direct flights per week with half the flights from Mexico City and the other half of non-stop flights from major North American airports. The most direct flights from the US are from Houston, followed by Los Angeles, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, Toronto and Calgary.

2. Does Playa Viva offer airport transportation?
Playa Viva owners and rental guests enjoy complimentary airport transport in one of the resort’s biodiesel-powered vans. If you chose to rent a car or take a taxi, please visit Getting Here to get directions.

3. Do I need a passport to travel to Mexico?
US and Canadian citizens need a valid passport when traveling between the United States and Mexico. Due to delays by the US Passport office, this rule has been postponed, but we strongly advise you to get a valid passport when traveling to Mexico.

4. What is the electrical current in Mexico?
Electrical power throughout Mexico uses 110 volts, 60 cycles, the same as the US and Canada

5. Should I use Mexican pesos or American dollars?
Most locations take both Dollars and Pesos. We recommend using ATM (Automated Teller Machine) at the airport or other locations throughout Zihuatanejo Area. That way, you don’t carry a lot of cash, just your ATM card. Exchange rates from ATM’s are through your bank, please check with them on exchange rate, this would be over and above fee charged by ATM operator.


Resort General

1. What is Playa Viva?
Playa Viva is a sustainable resort & residence community under development on 200 acres of ocean-front property, just a 30-minute drive south of the Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa International Airport (ZIH).

2. Where is Playa Viva?
Playa Viva is located in the town of Juluchuca, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, in the State of Guerrero about 30-minutes south of (ZIH) Zihuatanejo / Ixtapa International Airport (ZIH).

3. What makes Playa Viva different from other resort communities?
Playa Viva is situated on sprawling terrain replete with pristine beaches, a private nature preserve, turtle sanctuary, ancient ruins, and a natural estuary that is home to over 200 species of exotic birds, making the resort one of the most vibrant and beautiful natural vacation destinations.

All Playa Viva facilities are specially designed to revitalize and nurture the land they’re built on and the community they’re surrounded by. For more information about what makes Playa Viva different, please see www.PlayaViva.com website in detail.

4. What facilities and amenities will Playa Viva offer?
Facilities and amenities include: on-site concierge service, valet, 24-hour front desk, in-residence dining and room service, daily maid service, airport transportation, personal year-round storage, a world-class spa, state-of-the art fitness center, yoga classes, multiple pools, and Jacuzzis, exquisite seaside restaurants and one very well-stocked wine cellar.

5. What type of recreational activities will I find in & around Playa Viva?
Playa Viva provides acres of options -- 200 acres to be exact. Enjoy a morning of yoga or meditation followed by an afternoon of surfing or horseback riding along the beach, deep sea fishing or test your agility at our private ropes course. Click here for more information related to Activities at Playa Viva. On site we will offer biking, hiking, kayaking, boogie boarding, surfing, bird watching, swimming, yoga and just plain relaxing. We plan to build tennis courts in Phase II. We also plan on adding a climbing wall and ropes course throughout the property. We encourage co-owners to get involved in many of the community building activities from the Turtle Sanctuary and Preserve Restoration, to economic development and health care based activities with the local community. In addition, the Archeological site provides opportunities for engagement as well. Many off-site activities abound including fishing, sailing, golf, shopping, archeological sites, hikes and visits to restaurants and nightlife in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa.

6. What is the policy for children at Playa Viva?
Children of all ages are welcome at Playa Viva. In fact, many of our activities, meals and facilities have been designed with children in mind.

7. Does the resort offer an Internet Connection or Wi-Fi?
We will make every attempt to get the best possible connection from Telmex, the local telcom. While this is a modern convenience that many would like to escape from in coming to a resort like Playa Viva, we find that having the internet has merits in allowing our guests to stay connected and as a result feel more relaxed. Wi-Fi will be available in certain areas of the resort.

8. Are safety deposit boxes available?
Yes, each room is equipped with a safe deposit box opened only by the electronic PIN that you select. These have been provided for you to store your valuables such as documents, money, jewelry, etc.

9. Does Playa Viva have laundry service?
Laundry can be placed in a basket in each bathroom, all laundry will be washed, dried and folded and then placed back in the common area for collection. We do not provide dry-cleaning service, but this can be arranged through the concierge as required.

10. Does Playa Viva offer room service?
Room Service is available during the operating hours of the restaurant. A table can be set up on your balcony, in the room, beach front or almost anywhere you want to enjoy a private meal. Private parties in the Common Areas can be arranged with the restaurant staff as well.

11. Does Playa Viva allow pets?
Pets are invited as well as long as they are well behaved as their owners. Owners must clean up after their pets and make sure that pets are not posing any harm to other guests including their pets. We assume that pets means dogs. Cats are more of a problem in that they often prey on local birds, lizards and other small fauna. Any animal that poses a threat to local wildlife will not be allowed on site.

12. Does the resort have handicapped accommodations?
We are building one of our Casitas in Phase I to be handicap accessible. Common Area design and construction will be handicap considerate but all facilities will not be fully ADA compliant.

13. Is smoking permitted?
Playa Viva is strives to provide a healthy environment for all guests at the same time we believe that every person should have the personal freedom to pursue their vices as long as they do not disturb others. So yes, you may smoke, we only ask that you follow a few simple rules. 1) Do NOT smoke inside any buildings, many structures are made of wood and other materials that are susceptible to fire. 2) Respect the personal space of non-smokers, smoke down wind or find a place to smoke away from non-smokers. 3) Do NOT leave cigarette buts on the ground, the sand and ground is not an ashtray, please clean up after yourself. 4) Please do NOT smoke within 50 feet of any building entry way (this is to maintain LEED Certification). 5) Please respect smokers and non-smokers alike.

14. What is your cancellation policy?
Owners are asked to provide the Management Company with as much notice as possible if they can not use a reservation so the reservations can be placed into the rental pool. Guests renting from the rental pool will be able to cancel within 30 days of their stay. Any reservation cancelled after than period will be subject to a cancellation fee.

15. Do you offer group discounts?
Group discounts are available and generally are part of a planned group visit around a particular activity such as kids camps, yoga seminars, holistic health seminars, etc.


The Casitas at Playa Viva Co-Ownership

1. What are The Casitas at Playa Viva?
A Casita at Playa Viva is part of the overall infrastructure available to you. The Casitas come in either 1, 2 or 3 bedroom configurations. In most cases rooms have either a private or share a bath with 1 other bedroom. Each Casita is a stand alone unit and provides plenty of privacy and distance from the next Casita. They are built to serve a main bedroom and your primary private space to utilize along with the Common Area houses as your living room space.

2. What Are Common Areas?
The design behind Playa Viva can be called Social Architecture. We built around the concept of creating both Private and Public Spaces. This is done in order to create community and inspire interaction via design and architecture. The Common Areas are larger Living Spaces shared by 4-5 Casitas. These serve as your living room and den. They include a small kitchenette, but again, our goal was to have meals shared in the beach club. Meals are the best time to bring everyone together. I’m sure it is the same with your family at home around the dinner table. Well at Playa Viva, meals is about more than just the family, it is about the entire community. Sure, you can always arrange Room Service or Private Party if you want your own space. Another benefit of the Common Areas is that if you use your fractionals concurrently over 4 Casitas, you can then commandeer a Common Are and its sleeping porch and create a larger and private party within the larger community. Also, Common Areas are meant to serve a similar function as the "concierge room" at many fine hotels, in that breakfast buffet will be served and snacks will be available throughout the day. It will be outfitted like a good living room with plenty of comfortable places to sit, read, work, play and holiday.

3. How do I purchase a Casita?
Playa Viva is offering co-ownership opportunities in 1/52nd shares, corresponding to one week units in either 1, 2 or 3 bedroom casitas. Co-ownership plans are designed to provide our owners with maximal scheduling flexibility, allowing ownership packages to be created that best meet their needs. There are three types of co-ownership shares available for purchase: Holiday, Fixed and Flex weeks. Holiday and Fixed Week shares are designed for owners who always want the same fixed week each year or who want to buy an entire month or set of weeks in any order. Flex Week shares are available for owners with a more flexible schedule or who can travel based on availability. In addition, shares of more than one week can be created in whatever format fits your needs combining Holiday Weeks, Fixed Weeks and even Flex weeks to create the package that best suits your needs. Discounts are available for purchasing multiple shares.

4. Are non-citizens allowed to own property in Mexico? ...or own property on the beach in Mexico?
YES. Foreigners may obtain direct ownership of property in the interior of Mexico. But, under Mexican law, foreigners cannot acquire direct ownership of residential property within the area 100 kilometers from the border and 50 kilometers from the coastline. This area is known as the restricted zone. It is possible, however, to acquire beneficial rights to use, improve, and enjoy property in the restricted zone through a Bank Trust or Fideicomiso authorized by the Mexican Government under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More detailed information about purchasing property in Mexico through a trust can be obtained online at http://www.mexonline.com/propmex.htm.

5. If I Purchase Fractional at Playa Viva can I trade it for using properties at another resort/location?
While we have been approached by several companies offering aggregation of Fractional Ownerships, we have not selected one as of this date. All of these companies are large organizations with a large selections of quality resorts. They are not necessarily green or sustainable, but we understand your need to have access to other locations. In general, you should not purchase at Playa Viva because you want a large pool of locations to choose from; however, if having other locations to chose from is important to you, please let us know.

6. What’s the difference between a timeshare and fractional ownership?
In general, the difference between fractional ownership and time share falls into a few key categories. Most timeshares are purchased for a specific week. In many cases, the timeshare is only for a limited time, for example 20-30 years, whereas Fractional Ownership provides you with "title" with your ownership, forever.

7. Is my fractional usage or share transferable?
All weeks are fully transferable. We find that Playa Viva attracts a certain type of visitor. Playa Viva does not have air-conditioning, TV in every room, mini-bars, etc. and such a resort does not appeal to your average traveler. From our experience, a place like Playa Viva attracts a traveler like you in many ways but with their own story and interests. Exclusivity for Playa Viva is about the company you keep and that are attracted to the same values.

8. What’s considered high season? And what is considered a holiday?
There are five holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter and Presidents weeks which all lie within High Season. High Season begins on the first Saturday in November and lasts 31 weeks. Since Easter falls within a six week window each year, there are five weeks each year that comprise the Easter "blackout" weeks. As a result, these weeks are NOT available for use as Fixed Weeks but are available as prime weeks for owners of Flex Weeks.


Hotel Playa Viva

1. How do I make a reservation?
Reservations to stay in Playa Viva as a Guest are made with the Playa Viva management company based on availability not used by owners. If you are interested in staying at Playa Viva, send an email to info@playaviva.com with the dates requested and the number in your party. We will contact you soon related to availability. No reservations will accepted 90 days prior to opening scheduled for November 2008.

2. When do high-season rates apply?
High Season Rates apply from Nov 1 until the last day 31 weeks later.

3. When is check in/check out?
Check in is usually 2 PM and check out is usually 12 noon. The use of Common Areas allows for flexibility in check in and check out times so take it easy and relax from the moment you arrive till the very last minute you have to leave.

4. Do you have a business center?
We provide some basic services through our front desk such as fax and copies. Wi-Fi available in selected areas. We know that sometimes you have to get a little work done so that you can relax better, so we are here to make sure you get your work done and get on to having fun.


Children at Playa Viva

1. What is your policy regarding children?
We love children. Much of our design considerations were made around a few guiding principles that relate to children. 1) Children need wild places. We provide a safe environment for children to explore, to learn, the play, to sing, to be happy. 2) It takes a Village. Playa Viva was designed around community, creating a community that supports all kinds of families and their children. 3) Children need a place they can call their own. Common Areas and the Beach Club were designed to provide children, big and small, with the fun stuff to play, create, explore and more.

2. Are lifeguards on duty at your pools or on the beach?
No, lifeguards are not on duty at pool nor on the beach. We all try to keep an eye on what’s going on, but the ultimate and sole responsibility of your safety and that of your children and guests depends on you. Be careful and use your best judgment.

3. Do you offer day care?
Playa Viva has developed a work/live program that attracts practioners of many different disciplines from massage, to nutrition, to child care. At any given time, we may have childcare professionals to assist with activities for youth of all ages. We will also be hiring and training local care givers to work with children as needed to support parents so they can relax a little more and maximize their stay.

4. Does Playa Viva offer activities specifically designed for children?
We will be organizing and sending out invitations to several kid camps and programs specifically designed for children. Other than these special events, we offer lots of activities beyond just swimming at the pool (which we find our children can do almost all day). Activities include art, games, ropes coarse, climbing wall, kayaking, turtle release, music and more.

5. What are the regulations for children under 18 years old traveling to Mexico?
If you are a U.S. citizen and a single parent or will be traveling with your children, but without your spouse, or you are under 18 years old traveling alone, special paperwork is no longer required to leave the U.S. and enter Mexico. This may change and it’s always good to double check. Please review the below special circumstances:

• If you are a single parent, or if your spouse will not be traveling with you, and your children, you must get a notarized letter from the absent parent, providing consent for the child or children to travel with one parent.
  
• If you are a widow or widower, you will need to write a letter of explanation and get it and a copy of the death certificate notarized. Carry both of these documents with you when you travel.
  If you are estranged from your spouse, and you are the legal guardian of your child/children, you can take a copy of the court order (original only, no copies) with you.
  
• If you are under 18 years old and want to travel to Mexico without your parents, you will need to carry with you a notarized letter of consent signed by both parents.
  
• For more information check with your airline or visit the U.S. Department of State Website.
  

The Playa Viva Reserve

1. What is the Playa Viva preserve?
Playa Viva has set aside almost 160 acres, close to 80% of all the total available land, as a private nature reserve. Much of this is wetlands that includes valuable Mangroves and a huge variety of bird and marine life. Lots of it is coconut and mango groves that will be restored and regenerated back to the rich costal forest it once was. The Preserve is a permanent green belt as your backyard. All of it will be accessable to owners via a network of paths for walking, running, biking or horseback riding.


The Playa Viva Turtle Sanctuary

1. What is the Playa Viva Turtle Sanctuary?
The Playa Viva Turtle Sanctuary was founded to protect turtles from predators and poachers alike. The Turtle Sanctuary at Playa Viva is staffed by an all-volunteer team comprised of members from the local community of Juluchuca.

2. When do the turtles nest?
The turtles nest year round, with egg laying peaking during the rainy season, between May and September

3. What types of turtles make their nests on the beaches of Playa Viva?
Each year thousands of Green (Golfina) Turtles and tens of endangered Leatherback (Laud) Turtles come to the shores of Playa Viva to lay their eggs.

4. May I participate in a turtle rescue and release?
Playa Viva owners and guests are invited to participate in the turtle sanctuary’s efforts by helping to collect eggs which are borough to the sanctuary and buried in the sand, just as the mother turtle had left them, but within a protected incubation pen that will ensure they are kept out of the reach of predators. When the turtles are ready to hatch, the volunteers remove the baby turtles from the incubation pen and get them ready to return to the ocean. The Sanctuary is open to the public and many school aged children are brought in from around the area to participate.


Playa Viva Spa

1. Do you need to be a guest of the hotel to use the spa?
In Phase I, spa services will be offered to owners and their guests at their Casita, Common Area, Beach Club or in private beach bungalows set up for massage and other spa services.

2. What treatments to you offer?
We are starting with the basics, massage and other body work primarily.

3. Do spa appointments need to be booked in advance?
If you are interested in treatments, please let us know as part of our advanced reservation process and we will make sure that you get the body work you need.

4. How do I book an appointment?
Once on site, all appointments will be booked at the concierge’s desk.


Health & Safety

1. Is the water safe to drink at Playa Viva?
Water at Playa Viva comes from a well, it has been tested and it is safe to drink. As an added precaution, we will provide filtered water (via reverse osmosis), which is the same as bottled water.

2. Do I need to take preventative medication before I leave for Mexico?
Hmmm, interesting question. If you are referring to the reputation of North American travelers catching "Montezuma’s Revenge", this is on a case by case and person by person basis. Again, use your best judgment and consult your doctor if you suffer from chronic digestive problems. But for the hearty traveler, I’m sure you know this is not a problem.

3. Are the mosquitoes bad in Playa Viva?
Playa Viva has mosquitoes as do all resorts located near bodies of water. We have taken several ecologically sound and preventative measures to reduce the nuisance of mosquitoes. Bat and martin homes have been added to increase the number of mosquito predators. We have designed and build our own beds with protective mosquito netting to protect you while you sleep. Staff is trained to lower netting well before sundown. Finally, we are working with our conservation biologist to add an inert bacteria to stagnant water that eats mosquito larvae. All these measures combine to make mosquitoes a significantly reduced naissance.

4. Are there medical facilities at Playa Viva?
We have a first aid kit on site. A clinic is located 15 kilometers away and a well stocked and staffed hospital is located in Zihuatanejo. For very serious incidents, we recommend you look into Medivac services for transportation to a major US Medical Center.

5. Are there police/local authorities in Playa Viva?
Playa Viva has its own security team. In addition, members of the local community involved in activities such as the turtle sanctuary provide an additional layer of local patrols. Local police are in Petatlan and state and federal authorities can be accessed as necessary.

6. Is it safe to swim on the beach at Playa Viva?
It is safe to swim on the beach at Playa Viva. Again, you must use your own discretion and best judgment based on the swimming abilities of you, your family and your guests. The waters are generally rock free. You are sharing the waters with turtles, dolphins, manta ray and many other species of sea life. The water is much cleaner than in larger urban areas, a big plus for Playa Viva.


Money

1. What money can I use in Playa Viva? Do you accept credit cards?
We accept Dollars and Pesos, cash and credit cards.

2. Are there banks/ATMs in Playa Viva?
No bank or ATM at Playa Viva. The closest is about 15 kilometers away in Petatlan.

3. Should I bargain with people in Playa Viva?
The town of Juluchuca has a few vendors that sell local goods, mostly coconut candies, tamarind candies and salt. Prices are low and fixed. You can go to the market in Zihuatanejo and bargain to your hearts content.

4. What about tipping in Playa Viva?
TIPS is an acronym for "To Insure Prompt Service". It was normally given in advance. Our staff is trained to provide prompt service because they already know they will be well compensated for taking very good care of you. We don’t want you to worry about tipping with each stay, so owners will pay tips out of Maintenance Fees. If you want to provide a little extra tip at the end of your stay for extra special service, we can’t stop you.


Environmental Practices and Policies

1. What does being "regenerative" mean?
Building "green" is about doing less damage and building "sustainably" means doing net zero damage. Playa Viva takes it one step further taking a "regenerative" approach, aimed at improving the health of local and, ultimately, global ecosystems. Playa Viva is also in the process of becoming LEED certified, see www.usgbc.org for more information on this.

2. What steps is Playa Viva taking to meet it’s regenerative mission?
While some hospitality brands/resorts call themselves green just for asking guests to take it easy on the towel turnover, our stewardship will actually improve the land, water and air quality in and around our space, for the entire community. To find out more about our sustainable and regenerative practices, click on the links below.


Development

1. What does the resort’s master plan include?

• 60 Exquisitely-Designed Villas (28 beachfront)
  
• 120 Sea-Swept Hotel Suites
  
• 3 Beach Clubs
  
• 5 Restaurants
  
• World-Class Spa
  
• 13 Private Home Lots
  
• 9 Communal Houses
  

2. What is the development timeline?

• Ground breaking: December 2007
  
• Phase I Completion: December 2008
  - 10 private villas
  - Beach club
  - Pool
  - Restaurant
  - Bar
  - Rec Room
  - Nature Center
  - Operations Facilities
  
• Master Plan Completion: February 2010
  

3. Who’s behind Playa Viva?
Play Viva is being created by a team of award-winning environmentalists, with a strong background in ecological hospitality. The project is headed by the husband and wife team of David Leventhal and Sandra Kahn, developers of Casa Viva Troncones, a popular B&B located 30 minutes north of Zihautanejo and Calakmul, a preserve in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula protecting over 350,000 acres of jaguar habitat.

4. Where can I find more information about Playa Viva?
For sales and pre-opening information, call: 866-482-8922 (or +1 (650) 585-6770), email info@playaviva.com or visit us at: www.playaviva.com.

5. What was the inspiration behind Playa Viva?
We started with a few basic core concepts:

1. Casa Viva: a green B&B built in 2000 by the same team behind Playa Viva. Casa Viva utilizes a few of the same concepts. A balance of public and private spaces. Constructed using the of best available green technology at the time including solar thermal water heating, grey water and black water processing, natural building materials, some water capture and solar power, edible landscape, and others. We learned many lessons from owning and managing a small property in Mexico (that is why we are using a Fractional Model)
   
2. New Urbanism and Co-Housing: we borrowed heavily from concepts of new urbanism because we had seen how isolating many beach communities in Mexico had become as beach front lots were carved out along a main road chopping the landscape and communities up into small parcels in the process.
   
3. Regenerative Building: many of these concepts came from hiring Bill Reed and his team who helped us move beyond green and sustainable to regenerative development process. This process made us consider and stay committed to the legacy of our work.
   
4. Community Development: We have a long and successful history of community engagement in Mexico. More importantly, we saw the many concentric and overlapping circles of community that can be created by this type of endeavor. .
   

6. What is the story behind the building of Playa Viva?
About 2 years ago, we were introduced to the land at Playa Viva. We instantly were mystified by its subtle charm, the teaming life of the estuary, the hills overlooking the beach and small lagoon (which turned out to be an archeological site), the broad expanse of beach and the turtle sanctuary. We thought the tiny town of Juluchuca was charming and so we invested in the property. We looked at several options for development. One option would have been to take the land and carve it into lots and sell it. This was the easy route, but it showed lack of leadership and vision. Sandra headed out to Green Build in Atlanta in 2005 and interviewed several experts in sustainable development. Of all the experts, Bill Reed spoke her language and inspired the leadership and vision that we wanted for this project.

We held several design Charettes in 2006 and 2007 and developed the Master Plan behind Playa Viva.

7. Why Fractionals?
We are offering Fractional share ownership, what we refer to as Co-Ownership , for several reasons . The main reason for co-ownership is because of our commitment to community and responsibility. Also, we listened to a lot of American's and Canadian's about their concerns about building their own vacation home in Mexico. The Co-ownership model also came from the lessons learned from owning Casa Viva about the problems of building and operating your own beach home in Mexico. While the idea of owning your own home on the beach has a romantic appeal (especially the part of designing your dream home!), the process of actually building and managing a home in the long term can be quite problematic:

• From finding and buying a parcel of land ($50K to $100K minimum, $250K to $500K in more established areas).


• To finding and hiring a builder, obtaining building permits, the possibility of being sued by workers, etc. during the construction process (which can take a few years).


• The actual building ($100K for a tiny place with no pool to $1,000,000 for a place that is loaded) this is the fun part, unless you have a problem with the builder, etc.


• Then finding the right maintenance/caretaker (and one that speaks English), plus finding and managing staff on a continuous basis.


• Then you want to rent your place to cover expenses and you have to start managing guest requests (you can only imagine the gamut of questions and requests).


• Finally, you want to stay in your own place, but its rented. Then staff leaves (maybe to go North, maybe recruited away by a neighbor).


• And then you need to make repairs and upgrades because the salt water eats everything.

By the time you sink $150K for a shack to over a $1 million for something really nice, you get to use the place for 3-4 weeks a year, more if you are lucky. I don't mean to paint a bleak picture, but we have been through it and that is why we are offering Co-Ownership. We hopefully have thought of everything, will take care of everything, so that you and your family can just show up and enjoy your vacation!

Fractionals are a means to co-ownership. Sharing the responsibilities and costs outlined above. Only paying for what you use. A management company handles all the hassles from staffing to how to get organic food, so you can enjoy every minute at your place and spend less time on logistical issues.

Finally, Co-Ownership builds community. Instead of 1 home owned by 1 owner, we have many homes owned by multiple owners, extending our community and building a much more interesting and broad base, and one that maximizes resources so that your vacation home is not left vacant for long stretches of time.

8. What is your definition of Sustainability (how sustainable are you)?
Great question. Sustainability by definition needs to be at least net neutral in damage and be able to sustain itself in the long run. Thus, a sustainable business that upholds to the triple bottom line must benefit the community, the environment and be a good business (generate a profit). Now a really sustainable business wouldn’t be much of a business if it made a very tiny profit, neither would it be good for the environment or community if it made a very small positive impact. Our goal is to be regenerative, not just to make less damage (building green) or net neutral (Sustainable) but to make a significant impact in creating a better local economy, better ecosystem and still have a great business endeavor. We also feel that to be truly sustainable, the values of sustainability need to be core to your people and organization. Sustainability just can’t be a department you add because that is part of your marketing message. Sustainability needs to be the way everyone involved in the project thinks and acts, it needs to be core to our DNA! We start with these values, now the challenge is to lead, to transfer and to inculcate these into the whole community that is Playa Viva (and beyond).

9. Is it difficult to build sustainably in Mexico?
It is difficult to build sustainably anywhere if you are not able to make some hard choices about how to build the right way. Luckily, we have a great team with lots of experience in this area. This starts with the Regenesis team with their thought leadership throughout the Charette/Design process all the way to our Design/Build Architect, Michel Lewis. Michel has over 20 years building green and sustainably in Mexico. Given his long history in building sustainably, it is easier now than ever before to build right. A quick example of how the design team works: we were walking the site when the head of the Turtle Camp asked me if we wanted them to burn the thousands of egg shells left over from the Turtle Sanctuary. The common practice in Mexico is to burn trash but we had already worked with them on NOT burning trash. I asked him not to burn them and we’d come up with a good use for the eggs. I turned to Michel, our architect, and asked him, "Hey Michel, what do we do with all these egg shells?" He said he’d think about it and get back to me. Two minutes later he said, "About those egg shells, we can grind them up and add them to cob." Cob is a building material consisting of clay, sand, straw, water, and earth, similar to adobe. Cob is fireproof, resistant to seismic activity, and inexpensive. It can be used to create artistic, sculptural forms and has been revived in recent years by the natural building and sustainability movements (from Wikipedia).

10. What is the ocean and beach like at Playa Viva?
The beach is white sand, not too coarse, not too fine, it is just right. The beach contours gentle rise to a layer of small dunes about 1050 to 200 yards from the water line. The water is open ocean. The waves can vary in height depending on season and high tide/low tide. The water is swim-able, with no rocks, but it is open ocean so swimmers should be good, cautious swimmers. It is a surfing area but really only for the best surfers. Beginner and novice surfing is within a 1 hour drive.

11. What are you building in Phase 1?
We are building 10 Casitas (2 1-bedroom, 5 2-bedroom and 3 3-bedroom), 2 common areas serving a cluster of 5 Casitas and the Beach Club. The beach club has a restaurant, bar, kids pool, adult lap pool, Jacuzzi, recreation room, yoga platform and 4 live/work spaces. Not to mention reception, parking, solar energy system, managed wetland for water, roads, bridges and restoration of 160 acre nature preserve.

12. What are you building in total? What is the Master Plan?
60 Casitas, half on the beach, half off the beach; a 120 room boutique hotel, Spa, several beach clubs, restaurants, yoga and health facilities, town square and much, more.

13. How much does it cost and what do I get?
1/52nd fractionals for the 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom Casitas can be acquired for as little as $20,000, so with a down payment of 20% or $4,000 you have your own place on a beautiful secluded beach in a sustainable resort. We are currently offering special pre-construction pricing to Charter Member buyers. Please inquire with your Playa Viva contact for more pricing information or call 1.866.482.8922 or 1.650.242.8074 for more special introductory pricing information.

14. What are maintenance costs and will they be getting bigger and bigger?
We estimate initial maintenance fees to average around $1000 per year (depending on type of week: Holiday, Fixed or Flex; and depending on type of bedroom configuration: 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms). We are making every effort to minimize costs associated with maintenance including the development of a fund for long-term maintenance and replacement of roads, bridges, roofs, water system, electric system, etc. As a sustainable resort, we are doing our best to make sure that maintenance fees remain as low as possible. An example of this is evident in our self-sustaining fan palm farm used as the material to replace the palapa roofs. By growing our own roofing material, we can cut the cost of replacement in half. Being a co-owner of a sustainable resort, you are more assured of lower ongoing costs related to maintenance.

15. Can I rent out my Casita (Fractional Share) if I want to?
The Fractionals are completely transferable, so you are welcome to provide your fraction to whomever you want. Playa Viva will also operate a rental program for inventory placed back into the Rental Pool.

16. Is it "all inclusive"? What’s included, what’s not included?
Playa Viva is NOT an "all inclusive" resort. We operate a restaurant and bar and all fees for food and beverage at these locations is an additional fee. Also, spa services such as massage will be extra. Since all items that are "included" are basically part of the Maintenance Fee, in the long run, it will be up to you, the fractional owner, to decide what is included and what is not included. Initially, we will include food that is provided in common area as buffet in the AM and other food items provided as treats throughout the day (such as fee fruit popsicles for kids big and small in the afternoons). We will also have a certain amount of activity equipment available to the commons such as kayaks for exploring the estuary, surfboards and boogie boards, bikes, etc.

17. Will you have AC?
NO, none of the Casitas has artificial air-conditioning. The only air conditioning available is the natural breeze flowing from the ocean. We have engineered the Casitas and other common areas to maximize the flow of air, minimize the heat effect from the sun and make the environment as pleasant as possible. If you must encase yourself in a refrigerated room to be comfortable, Playa Viva is not for you.

18. How can you be luxury and sustainable?
Simple, luxury is not gold plated faucets and marble floors. Luxury is about attention to detail in design and service. An old tree branch can be crafted into sustainable and luxurious towel rack; making sure that you have a dry (organic) towel handy when you need one, where you need one, right at your fingertips is luxury. Using the coconuts grown onsite to make ice-cream is sustainable, having a hand pushed ice-cream cart deliver ice-cream to your kids on the beach in the heat of the late afternoon is luxury. This is how luxury and sustainability coexist.

19. What kind of community are you trying to create?
It sounds trite to say we are creating a community of like-minded individuals, but that is what we are trying to do. So what are these individuals like? They are like you, they are part of families that are interested in making this world a better place. They are involved in interesting activities, they are smart, they want to be healthy, they believe that we suffer from “nature deficit disorder’ and want to participate in creating community. In the many years we have operated Casa Viva, what surprises us most and brings us the most joy is the response that we get from guests, especially those who have met people they never new before and have maintained friendships as a result. Playa Viva, by the nature of the kind of place it is, self-selects a very special type of person, the type of person you want to meet and which who you would want to share this experience.

20. Why did you decide to do Fractional Shares vs. whole ownership or a hotel?
The reasons for Co-Ownership over Whole Ownership are multiple. First, we wanted to engage more owners to build a larger community. With Whole ownership, if you had 10 Casitas you would have 10 owners mostly absent in the community. With Co-ownership you could have over 100 co-owners with at least 10 active in the community at any time. From a sustainability point of view, owning an asset and using it fully is more sustainable. From our experience with owning a private home in Mexico, we understand all the downsides of building and owning in Mexico. While you might own your own place, you may only use it 4 weeks a year on average and still have all the hassles of buying the land, permitting, finding a builder, problems of building, finding and retaining good maintenance staff, bearing the entire burden of maintenance costs, finding and dealing with renters, and then not being able to stay at your place because it was already rented out! The Co-Ownership model is ultimately more sustainable and more community oriented.

21. Is there any good surfing nearby?
Yes, the waves at Playa Icacos, next door to Playa Viva are expert and better surfers. Surfing for beginners and intermediates is within a one hour drive of Playa Viva.

22. Is having an Archaeological site on the property a good or bad thing?
At first, we thought having an archeological site at Playa Viva might be problematic. But in the long run, the site is a huge bonus. The site provides a cultural connection between the ancient site and the current village of Juluchuca. It provides a center of historical pride for the community. It also verifies that this is a rich and vibrant place that cultures and peoples have lived here for centuries. The fact that an archeological site is part of Playa Viva, and as an co-owner, is located on your property, enhances the mystery and magic that makes living in Mexico so wonderful. We are making every effort to respect the site and to partner with the right organizations to restore this site