lifestyle, travel This is Cozumel

Starwood Hotels, the American owners of Sheraton, announced, last week, they have signed a deal with Mexican company, Inmobiliaria Punta Tormentos, to build a new beachfront hotel in Cozumel.

Starwood hope to break ground on the 3-story, 120-room Sheraton hotel later this year and open doors to the first guests in early 2018.

This is the second new hotel Starwood have announced in Cozumel recently and follows news, last year, of a new hotel from their Westin brand.

With the working name Bahía Turquesa, the Sheraton project will require an investment of $37 USD million, according to documents submitted to the Mexican government's environmental agency by Inmobiliaria Punta Tormentos.

The 25.6 acre (10.4 hectare) piece of land for the hotel is located on the shore of the island's Marine Park about 7 miles (11 km) south of the downtown area, sandwiched between the new highway and the old coastal highway. The plan is to permanently close part of the old coastal highway and divert traffic around the new complex.

Inmobiliaria Punta Tormentos caused controversy in 2011, when they closed roads and started work on the land without the correct permits. They were fined around $7,700 USD at the time.

The area is mostly covered in low jungle and has a rocky shoreline with a narrow strip of sand beach. The plan will involve conserving about two thirds of the total land and constructing on about one third.