Mexican Army Plans Luxury Hotel in Palenque

The Ministry of National Defense will continue its hotel expansion in the southeast of the country , with a new complex near the archaeological site of Palenque , in Chiapas .

The Army has requested environmental approval to build and operate a hotel in the municipality, for which it plans to invest 1.30 billion pesos.

The construction of the complex alone will cost more than 697 million pesos, while its equipment will cost 273.2 million, according to calculations by the federal agency .

The Palenque hotel, which will have a surface area of ​​29,239 square meters, is designed to accommodate 472 guests in a total of 160 rooms.

It will feature other amenities such as green spaces , a dining room, a pool, a spa with a temazcal, and a lobby, as well as parking, storage, and office space, among others.

In a document filed with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources ( Semarnat ) to request approval of the Environmental Impact Statement for the project, Sedena stated that the construction phase of the hotel will take approximately 14 months, while its operation and maintenance is planned for the next 50 years.

The agency reported that it has received provisional authorization since March 21, 2023, so, to date, the hotel’s construction is 22 percent complete.

The complex will join the hotels that the Army will build and operate in other areas such as Chichen Itza , Edzná and Calakmul , all to take advantage of the passage of the Mayan Train through these archaeological sites.

The agency indicated that it has a provisional authorization since March 21, 2023, and, to date, has a 22 percent progress in the construction of the hotel.

This is one of the various tourism services that Sedena will offer through the Olmeca-Maya-Mexica Airport , Railway, and Auxiliary and Related Services Group ( GAFSACOMM ), a state-owned company created during the previous administration.

According to the group’s website , there are five so-called Maya Train Hotels that the Army will build and operate in southeastern Mexico, all of them close to archaeological sites and the route of the railway project , which it also operates.

The Army noted that as part of the Mayan Train project , additional works will be carried out in the southeast of the country, including the hotel in the Palenque plaza and other archaeological sites in the region.

” The project is geared toward the development and growth of the tourism sector in the area. This is to meet the demand for accommodations brought by the Mayan Train , as well as to offer quality services, sustainable ecotourism, and, above all, the development of the magical town and archaeological zone of Palenque ,” he stated.

The document noted that this hotel seeks to promote environmental responsibility, sustainability of tourism development, and integration with the cultural, traditional, and artistic environment, in addition to creating an attractive and safe environment for state, national, and international tourism .

” Sources of income and jobs will be created , strengthening the infrastructure for providing the services required by the sector,” he added.

In addition to hotels, the Defense , through GAFSACOMM , is in charge of operating three ecotourism parks in the southeast and the Mammoth Museum, in the State of Mexico, within the facilities of the Felipe Ángeles International Airport ( AIFA ).