Any news on XPU-HA?

sunatty · 12-29-2005

My wife and I have visited XPU-Ha each time we have been in the area, Karen making friends with the deer, especially Doris. I understand XPU-HA was hit really hard by Wilma, any word on the animals? Also rumors abound that the resort will not open due to some squabble with indigenous indians re: ownership of the property. What's the scoop? 125 days and Counting!

**Shammy** · 12-29-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunatty

My wife and I have visited XPU-Ha each time we have been in the area, Karen making friends with the deer, especially Doris. I understand XPU-HA was hit really hard by Wilma, any word on the animals? Also rumors abound that the resort will not open due to some squabble with indigenous indians re: ownership of the property. What's the scoop? 125 days and Counting!

Xpu Ha Palace wasn't even open when Wilma hit, so any damage caused by that hurricane was just piled on top of the damage that Emily caused - which was A LOT! Emily pretty much destroyed the hotel.

Sorry to say, Xpu Ha Palace is NOT opening again. There was a land dispute and they no longer have ownership of the property the resort sits on.

sunatty · 12-29-2005

Thanks Shammy. What a bummer. If you do not mind could you spare some details about the dispute? What was it over? My professional curiosity is engaged.

**Shammy** · 12-29-2005

I wish I could, but I really can't recall all the details and I wouldn't want to give out any wrong info. Jez told me all about it - but we were at La Ranita drinkin away I believe and, well....you know how THAT goes!

However, I'll PM him and ask if he can tell me the story again.

sunatty · 12-29-2005

Thanks again...and yes, I know how it is

I Would love to hear the dispute details if anyone has them. Told my wife, she was aghast at the news. Can you adopt Mexican deer??

TAPPY · 12-29-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shammy

Sorry to say, Xpu Ha Palace is NOT opening again. There was a land dispute and they no longer have ownership of the property the resort sits on.

Kinda sad...that was a neat AI resort...

sunatty · 12-29-2005

Oui, d'accord...Zut alors

knapthyme · 12-29-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shammy

Xpu Ha Palace wasn't even open when Wilma hit, so any damage caused by that hurricane was just piled on top of the damage that Emily caused - which was A LOT! Emily pretty much destroyed the hotel.

Sorry to say, Xpu Ha Palace is NOT opening again. There was a land dispute and they no longer have ownership of the property the resort sits on.

I was looking forward to taking my in-laws to see the animals and spending time on the the beach there when we go back to ASP in the fall! According to the Palace Resorts web site "Xpu-Ha Palace will open with 144 rooms on April 1, 2006"

I already told them so I know they'll be bummed if it's not true!

**Shammy** · 12-29-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by knapthyme

I was looking forward to taking my in-laws to see the animals and spending time on the the beach there when we go back to ASP in the fall! According to the Palace Resorts web site "Xpu-Ha Palace will open with 144 rooms on April 1, 2006"

I already told them so I know they'll be bummed if it's not true!

Wow, I just read that! How weird! But as of now, that's not true, not with Palace Resorts operating it anyway.

OK, from what I recall...

The land where Xpu Ha Palace changed hands - to the Chapur Brothers (directors of the Palace Resorts) when lots of resorts were buying up land to build on - a major expansion time for this area. Because the government wanted to explore how building these resorts would affect the eco system, a ban was put on all new construction and Palace Resorts was denied a building permit for the time being. But they opened what was known as "Xpu Ha Eco Park", and they operated it as such for about a year and a half. It didn't do well, and was shut down. All of a sudden, Xpu Ha Palace opened. I guess they thought this was a way to get around the lack of a building permit, to open an eco park and then just turn it into a hotel? Who knows? Who also knows why they were allowed to continue operating it.

After Hurricane Emily all but wiped the resort out, the Supreme Court gave this land back to the rightful owners (not sure who they are though) because of a land/title dispute.

Now, I just read that the owners of Liverpool Department Stores have bought the property and THEY plan to establish a company and eventually operate it as a resort. But I don't know when this will be.

Bottom line, Palace Resorts no longer owns this property, but they have not yet said anything to anyone - and as we can see, they are still saying they will open the hotel in April. I'd love to find out how they plan to do that!

But this is all still going on in real time, and things change. This is only the case right now, don't know if it will remain to be true.

Sukidog · 12-29-2005

Just got the chills reading this. Shammy you may know tooo much. Shush, now.

**Shammy** · 12-29-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sukidog

Just got the chills reading this. Shammy you may know tooo much. Shush, now.

Hey, I just heard it from a guy, who heard it from a guy, who heard it from........

Just the messenger here!

MWC · 01-01-2006

We enjoyed the beach just south of the XpuHa Palace. Looking at the property from our vantage point, there was nothing going on there.

TheBigSmoke · 01-01-2006

This was posted on the Unofficial Barcelo Maya discussion board:

"You'll have to forgive my spelling on this one, but if you walk down past the water sports area where you grab the hobie cats and kyaks, walk all the way down (it's a nice walk) you will come across the X-Puha Palace resort which has been shut down for awhile. There's an issue there with a long term lease being expired, and a good fight to get this property up and going, but you can see first-hand hurricane damage to the resort. We walked there (short..nosey walk) and actually walked onto the grounds. They have areas taped off, and we did see someone in one of the guest quarters..either a guard or a hobo, but it is definitely a must see. Bring your sandals..it gets a little rocky."

Sounds to me that they're still a ways off.

MWC · 01-02-2006

From several hundred yards down the beach, we could see chunks of palapa roofing missing from most of the buildings. Once they do get going on rebuilding, they will have an awful lot of extra damage to be fixing. Don't envy them!

aquavitgal · 01-02-2006

Just came back from Barcelo, next to Xpuha Palace Resort. We hiked over to it to check it out. Was both interesting to see how the hurricane effects areas, but earie also. Yes we also saw that some people were living in the abandend rooms. They are diffinately doing some work there. Alot of costruction going on. We saw them redoing the pool, cleaning areas, and working on the buildings. Perhaps they are reopening, but under a different ownership. I didn't know enough spanish to talk to the workers there. They did however escourt us back to the beach because construction was going on and we weren't suppose to be there.

12-29-2005	#1 (permalink)
sunatty way into it Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weddington NC Posts: 164	Any news on XPU-HA? My wife and I have visited XPU-Ha each time we have been in the area, Karen making friends with the deer, especially Doris. I understand XPU-HA was hit really hard by Wilma, any word on the animals? Also rumors abound that the resort will not open due to some squabble with indigenous indians re: ownership of the property. What's the scoop? 125 days and Counting!

12-29-2005	#3 (permalink)
sunatty way into it Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weddington NC Posts: 164	Thanks Thanks Shammy. What a bummer. If you do not mind could you spare some details about the dispute? What was it over? My professional curiosity is engaged.

12-29-2005	#5 (permalink)
sunatty way into it Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weddington NC Posts: 164	Thanks again Thanks again...and yes, I know how it is I Would love to hear the dispute details if anyone has them. Told my wife, she was aghast at the news. Can you adopt Mexican deer??

12-29-2005	#7 (permalink)
sunatty way into it Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weddington NC Posts: 164	Oui Tappy Oui, d'accord...Zut alors

12-29-2005	#10 (permalink)
Sukidog reposado Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: ON, Canada Posts: 1,366	Spooky Just got the chills reading this. Shammy you may know tooo much. Shush, now.

12-29-2005	#4 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,267	I wish I could, but I really can't recall all the details and I wouldn't want to give out any wrong info. Jez told me all about it - but we were at La Ranita drinkin away I believe and, well....you know how THAT goes! However, I'll PM him and ask if he can tell me the story again.

01-01-2006	#12 (permalink)
MWC añejo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,842	We enjoyed the beach just south of the XpuHa Palace. Looking at the property from our vantage point, there was nothing going on there.

01-01-2006	#13 (permalink)
TheBigSmoke way into it Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 114	This was posted on the Unofficial Barcelo Maya discussion board: "You'll have to forgive my spelling on this one, but if you walk down past the water sports area where you grab the hobie cats and kyaks, walk all the way down (it's a nice walk) you will come across the X-Puha Palace resort which has been shut down for awhile. There's an issue there with a long term lease being expired, and a good fight to get this property up and going, but you can see first-hand hurricane damage to the resort. We walked there (short..nosey walk) and actually walked onto the grounds. They have areas taped off, and we did see someone in one of the guest quarters..either a guard or a hobo, but it is definitely a must see. Bring your sandals..it gets a little rocky." Sounds to me that they're still a ways off.

01-02-2006	#14 (permalink)
MWC añejo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,842	From several hundred yards down the beach, we could see chunks of palapa roofing missing from most of the buildings. Once they do get going on rebuilding, they will have an awful lot of extra damage to be fixing. Don't envy them!

01-02-2006	#15 (permalink)
aquavitgal beachaholic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inver Grove Hgts, MN Posts: 361	Just came back from Barcelo, next to Xpuha Palace Resort. We hiked over to it to check it out. Was both interesting to see how the hurricane effects areas, but earie also. Yes we also saw that some people were living in the abandend rooms. They are diffinately doing some work there. Alot of costruction going on. We saw them redoing the pool, cleaning areas, and working on the buildings. Perhaps they are reopening, but under a different ownership. I didn't know enough spanish to talk to the workers there. They did however escourt us back to the beach because construction was going on and we weren't suppose to be there.

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