Episode Details

Puerto Rico rainforest on one side. Ocean on the other. A 607-acre resort in the middle. I talked with Chris Sariego, COO of LionGrove, at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar about how they used a $70 million reinvention to reposition the property around eco-experiences, expand amenity appeal, and keep more spend on-property.

🌿 Chris explains how they stopped treating it like "just a big hotel" and rebuilt it as a destination resort tied to the local ecosystem
🧪 They brought in local scientists and environmentalists to shape guest programming around the environment
🐢 They now run protection efforts for three endangered turtle species that nest on the property
🚣 Chris describes a sunrise kayak route that runs river → ocean → reef and stays entirely on-property in about two hours
🏖️ He lays out the scale: 607 acres, two miles of beach, rainforest access, and a full resort amenity mix
🍽️ The property includes 15 restaurants, spa, casino, multiple pools, golf, racquet center, and more
🎰 He also highlights the adult side: a new casino, a speakeasy/cabaret concept, and an adults-only pool with butler service + DJs
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 And they built it to work for families too, with kids programming, water slides, and toddler splash areas