Punta Kahla Hotel

Case Study:

The Art of Rekindling

Client: Punta Kahla

Location: Cancun, Mexico

Year: 2023

Role: Experience Designer

Scope of Work: Concept & Brand Development, Market Research, Experience Design, Investor Deck Strategy

Project Overview

Punta Kahla was born on the edge of a cenote — a place where the earth opens to reveal its depths. I was invited to help shape this hotel from the ground up: defining its soul, audience, and purpose.

Through concept design, brand strategy, and investor development, I guided the owners in envisioning a destination dedicated to rekindling love and rediscovering intimacy. Drawing on research around modern relationships and marriage wellbeing in the U.S., we designed Punta Kahla as a sanctuary for couples — offering curated rituals, workshops, and sensory experiences to bring back magic into relationships.

The spatial design focused on creating an atmosphere of emotional safety and intimate exploration — spaces that invite touch, conversation, and trust to unfold naturally.

Approach

Market & Relationship Research — analyzed U.S. marriage and relationship trends to identify key emotional and behavioral drivers behind disconnection, forming the foundation for Punta Kahla’s concept as a destination for reconnection.

Concept & Brand Development — defined the core identity, visual language, and positioning of Punta Kahla as a sanctuary for couples seeking to reignite their bond through curated intimacy experiences.

Guest Journey Mapping — designed an arrival-to-departure flow centered on emotional safety, trust-building, and gentle sensory exploration, ensuring every moment supports vulnerability and reconnection.

Spatial & Experience Design — conceptualized architecture and interiors to evoke intimacy and comfort — from secluded villas and open bathing spaces to sensory paths encouraging touch, conversation, and play.

Program Curation — developed a year-round calendar of workshops, rituals, and guided experiences focused on rekindling connection, communication, and shared pleasure.

Investor Deck & Strategy — created the storytelling framework and investor presentation to position Punta Kahla as a one-of-a-kind hospitality concept at the intersection of wellbeing, intimacy, and emotional design.

Outcome

  • Defined Market Positioning — established Punta Kahla as a first-of-its-kind hospitality concept centered on relationship reconnection, blending luxury, psychology, and sensual design.

  • Investor Alignment — delivered a complete investor deck and business model that successfully secured initial funding and stakeholder confidence for land development on the cenote site.

  • Emotional Design Framework — introduced a design language focused on emotional safety, trust, and intimate exploration, influencing spatial planning and guest interaction design.

  • Program Blueprint — produced a replicable model for curated couple retreats and facilitated workshops, adaptable to future expansions and partnerships across Mexico and the U.S.

  • Brand Identity Launch — developed the visual and narrative identity for Punta Kahla, setting the foundation for digital, architectural, and experiential storytelling.

  • Program & Facilitator Curation — curated a multidisciplinary network of facilitators, therapists, and artists to lead retreats and workshops, shaping a holistic ecosystem of relational wellbeing and creative intimacy.