When Latin America's leading hotel designers and suppliers connect...
On May 29-1 June 2025, the people shaping the future of hotel design in Latin America headed to the Hard Rock Hotel in Vallarta to savour three whole days and nights together, away from the office. They indulged in a series of uninterrupted 1-on-1 meetings, inspiring seminars and countless conversations over lunch, dinner, coffee, at the bar and well into the night…
The following review will hopefully give you a true feel for the unique and exciting environment that is created when the most influential characters in Latin American hotel design get together to talk business and whatever else finds its way into the mix.
The most interesting and well-connected people in Latin American hotel design
There’s something about getting on a boat and setting off into the ocean, optional cocktail in hand that helps you to simply arrive and start to unwind and, in this crowd, find yourself chatting to some of the most interesting and well-connected people in Latin American hotel design who happen to be on board too.
The pre-event boat tour along Vallarta’s sparkling coastline gave attendees a chance to start networking and settle into things before the event officially started later that evening with the Welcome Dinner. If this event is about one thing above all else, it’s about friendships and relationships and the meaningful, long-term business that comes from them and the tour starts this off perfectly.
With a beautiful sunset and Vallarta’s best mariachi band setting the tone, BOND Diseñotel 2025 kicked off in style. The buzz of conversation and laughter carried into the night as colleagues and friends caught up and new connections started to form. Hotel design may be a high-pressure business at times but there’s something about the company and the vibe at Diseñotel that helps to make this business fun and it’s all the better for it.
1-on-1 meetings with Latin America’s true hotel project influencers
The morning of business day 1 is probably the most intense part of the event for first-timers as final meetings schedules are collected and the 1-on-1 meetings with Latin America’s true hotel project influencers are about to get real. It’s exciting and nerve-racking at the same time but it’s those who have done their prep. (including reading this: ‘3 Precious Days – Make them count’) that will enter that meetings room in the best shape possible. But there’s a chance to sit back for an hour first and let somebody else do the talking as your coffee kicks in during the first seminar – the one about trends in ecology and heritage in Latin American Hospitality design.
You can see the full program here.
Depending on their schedule and chosen package, attending manufacturers had up to 6 private, uninterrupted 1-on-1 meetings with the hotel designers of their choice before lunch. It’s pretty full-on and potentially intimidating meeting such a number of ‘big-name’ decision makers in a short space of time but this is where the business ‘speed dating’ thing starts to make sense - 30 minutes for you and the person in front of you to get a feel for each other: ‘What are they working on?’, ‘What do they look for in a potential supplier?’, ‘How can you help?’.
Those 30-minutes of getting a feel for one another fly by in a flash and it’s lunchtime and another opportunity to see what conversation you find yourself in as you grab some lunch and sit yourself down wherever you like. And it’s often around now that you’ll start to realise that these ‘big-name’ hotel designers and architects are entirely normal and approachable and often just as shy as you, as they appreciate and reward your genuine curiosity to get to know them better as people.
Article: Scared of big-name architects and designers? Don’t be.
Time to finish your naughty dessert and head back to the seminar room for the one encouraging you to ‘listen to space’ and explore ‘sound epistemologies in the City’. All will be made clear, including the epistemologies thing…
Just breathe, be yourself and ask some questions...
A lot can happen in a morning. The large, echoey room full of unfamiliar, expectant faces just a few hours ago now seems smaller somehow. No longer intimidating. And, as you look around to find the table of your next scheduled meeting, you’re relieved to see a face you recognise – that nice lady from Leo A Daly who you bumped into at the bar last night. Big smiles exchanged as she sees you approach. Just breathe, be yourself and ask some questions. Synergy and timing will take care of themselves.
And so, after one of the most intensely productive and exciting days you can remember as a hotel project specialist, you leave the meetings room for the final time that day, nods and smiles exchanged with newly familiar faces. A quick catch up with things back home and a ‘cautiously optimistic’ call to the office and you flop back onto your bed, head buzzing with memories of conversations you’ve had with the people who make Latin America’s headline hospitality project happen. Time to chill then freshen up and regroup on the Function Lawn for a ‘Night in White’ – you knew that whit tux’ would come in handy someday…
The meetings are just one of countless conversation opportunities
Glad you turned in when you did last night, you’re in good shape at breakfast and it’s amazing how many more faces you now recognise than yesterday. It’s true what the sales lady told you: the meetings are just one conversation opportunity aside from the many hours of relaxed, natural networking at lunch, dinner, over coffee, at the bar or simply on the way somewhere – even in the elevator! And now, at breakfast, someone from that rival company pulls up the chair opposite and you carry on where you left off last night, sharing experiences, exploring natural synergies and venturing the possibility of future collaborations. You head off together, in animated conversation to the seminar room for the penultimate time for the one about bio-integrated design in Latin America.
Inspired by what you have heard and by the debate it triggered, you head off to the meetings room once more. Another day of 1-on-1 meetings with the sort of people you and your firm are chasing every day. And you work out that you’ll have had more meetings and meaningful conversations with real decision makers over 2 days and 3 nights than you would normally have in months and months. You’re delighted that you finally decided to give this relatively unknown event the green light and that you have managed to open some doors at some firms that you have been chasing for years.
Lunch brings more conversations and introductions – more personal now as you leave the sales pitch behind and relax. You have found your flow and the people and the set up are in place for you to make the most of it and enjoy seeing what opens up in front of you. Because when the company is good and the networking isn’t forced, unexpected things can happen and opportunities have a habit of springing up from totally unexpected sources. The BOND effect? Or simply seasoned project professionals enjoying each other’s company and letting collaborative possibilities find their own way.
Back to the seminar room for the final time for the one about designing with soul, in honour of the memory and identity of Latin America.
Latin America’s most prolific, hard-working, well-connected and generous hotel design community
Your final meetings session brings more professional and personal insight into the world of Latin America’s leading hotel project influencers and it’s all over. Slightly dazed but deeply satisfied after what you have achieved, you join your peers who have started to gather round trays of cold beers before you start thinking about packaging up those samples to post back to the office. ‘Cheers!’
And, as you regroup later for the Farewell Dinner, naturally drawn to those you’ve BONDed best with, you realise that you have, in fact, earned your place amongst Latin America’s most prolific, hard-working, well-connected and generous hotel design community. You have learned more, been inspired more and made more surprising and personal connections here than you could have possibly hoped as you booked your flights all those weeks ago. Hotel project pipeline suitably transformed, it might just be time to let your hair down and dust off those dance moves and, who knows, maybe even find some new ones…
Latin America's Most Exclusive Hotel Design Event
BOND Diseñotel is now BOND Five Star Latin America. This means that the human beings who make the headline luxury hotel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean will be heading to the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve, Puerto Rico on May 28-31, 2026. If you believe you and your products deserve a place in their hearts and in their plans, please get in touch right now.
The following comments were taken from the onsite survey that all attendees were asked to complete:
How do you rate BOND Diseñotel overall?
Very good experience to connect with potential clients and establish the first opening contact as well as initial friendships.
Luis D, Owner/Manager, Poggesi
I think it's an excellent event. Throughout my 10 years of involvement with BOND (Arclat and Diseñotel), the objective has always been achieved, bringing in many new clients.
Minor R, Sales Manager LATAM, Advanced Equipment Corporation
A very good event, it truly exceeded my expectations
Alberto O, Wellnness Projects, Fluidra México
How do you rate the management and coordination from the BOND Team onsite?
The team is incredible, the attention from Santiago, Berta, and Paola is impeccable, they are the best.
Andreyna C, ASSA ABLOY, Gerente de Especificaciones
Great location. And the events were well planned and fun. Great job organizing the event. It was very valuable and well received by our group
Dave Farley, Director, BC Wood
How would you rate the customer service you received prior to the event?
EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ALL TIMES
MARCO A V T, OWNER, OCRAM INTL.
Excellent attention and follow-up.
Liliana Meza, Sr. Contractor Sales Specialist, Rain Bird
How do you rate the 1-on-1 Business Meetings that you had?
This is really the best part - keep inviting the real decision-makers!
Alberto O, Wellnness Projects, Fluidra México
Excellent selection of clients.
Liliana M, Sr. Contractor Sales Specialist Rain Bird
How do you rate the quality and variety of the Architects you met with?
They are of a very good level
Minor R, Sales Manager LATAM, Advanced Equipment Corporation
It is good, especially for the region of Mexico (which is the most important for us).
Diego G, JUNG Electro - México y Caribe
Other...
I think the pool party should be official at the end of the event!
Federico J, KEMIKO México, Owner, Director General
Chasing luxury hotel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean? Check out Latin America's most exclusive hotel design event: BOND Five Star Latin America
