This Spring, Velas Resorts invites guests to experience their First annual Tamale Fest. The origin of tamales can be traced back to 8000 B.C. in the Aztec empire. Derived from the word tamalii from the Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs, tamale means “wrapped food.” The most common tamales are beef, chicken, or pork wrapped in corn masa and then a corn husk before cooked.
All of the collection’s properties—in Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit—are excited to celebrate the tamale with this unique festival. The four-day event (March 23-26, 2023) offers various tastings, workshops, and preparations from all regions of Mexico. Additionally, beverages inspired by the traditional dish are also on tap at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, where a unique corn cocktail menu is offered, and at Velas Vallarta, where there is a craft beer pairing for each dish.
GRAND VELAS LOS CABOS Guests at Grand Velas Los Cabos can savor a different tamale each day throughout the festival in Frida Restaurant. Unique tamales will be prepared daily, with each representing a region of Mexico from Oaxaca to Quintana Roo, Sinaloa and beyond. Grand Velas Los Cabos will also offer a special master class for guests to learn how to prepare their own tamales.
GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA Grand Velas Riviera Maya will offer a different tamale at each restaurant on property, with each adapted to the ingredients of the roots of each kitchen. For example at SenLin, the property’s Asian restaurant, guests can enjoy a tamale of Tomyum and pork in massaman curry sauce. The resort will also feature cocktails made with a corn base to complement the tamales.
VELAS VALLARTA Velas Vallarta will serve a tamale and craft beer pairing menu at its oceanfront restaurant, La Ribera. Various types of tamales guests can enjoy include Oaxaqueño, Chiapaneco, Veracruzano, and even a sweet Dulce.
CASA VELAS Casa Velas will offer a traditional tamale tasting including a tamale with chochoyotes and smoked cheese; black tamale with Totomoxtle ash filled with shrimp; and a dessert tamale served with eggnog ice cream. Special drinks will accompany each tamale.
GRAND VELAS RIVIERA NAYARIT Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit will prepare a variety of tamales for guests to savor including a corn husk tamale stuffed with chicken and poblano peppers, tamale in banana leaf stuffed with beef ribs, tamale in holy leaf (Hoja Santa) stuffed with beans and dried shrimp, and a sweet lime tamale.
Velas Resorts in Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, and Los Cabos, have earned 56 AAA Diamonds, including the prestigious Five Diamond Award. Other esteemed international awards for services and facilities include Virtuoso’s Best Family Program, Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award for spa, and TripAdvisor’s Top Hotels in the World, among others. Offering unparalleled allinclusive experiences, properties include Grand Velas in Los Cabos, with dramatic ocean views and unique spaces infusing every area of the resort; Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, which enjoys a long stretch of pristine beach and a dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountains; and Grand Velas Riviera Maya, offering a sophisticated resort experience in the Caribbean with jungle and beach settings. In Puerto Vallarta, Velas Vallarta is a family-friendly all suites resort and spa located on Banderas Bay, and Casa Velas is a boutique adults-only hotel located on the Marina Vallarta Golf Course. Casa Velas’ guests have beach access at Táu Beach Club, a casual, relaxed atmosphere overlooking the ocean, with a jacuzzi, pool, delectable cuisine, and an expansive event space. Mar del Cabo, a boutique hotel on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, opened in December 2018 as its only European Plan offering. Eduardo Vela Ruiz, founder and president of Velas Resorts, operates Velas Resorts with brother Juan Vela, vice president of Velas Resorts, by his side. For reservations or more information, call 1-888-407-4869 or visit velasresorts.com.
