Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2023
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Current

Employment History

• Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá, Yucatán, Mexico; Ritz-Carlton Cancun, Mexico; The Dorado Royale, Riviera Maya, Mexico; Thalasso Center & Spa, Zoëtry de la Bonita, Puerto Morelos, Mexico; Sunset Royal Beach Resort, Cancun; Sunset Lagoon All Inclusive Hotel, Cancun

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration and Management, Universidad Interamericana Para el Desarrollo, Mexico; Asian Bodywork Therapy, L’Attitude School, Vancouver, Canada; Certificate in Administration, Universidad La Salle de Cancun, A.C., Mexico; Certificate in Management Skills, Universidad Tecmilenio, Mexico; Massage Therapy and Esthetics, Instituto Holistico Maya, Cancun

Birthplace

• Cancun, Mexico  

Languages Spoken

• Spanish, English

Every traveller takes their own route to wellness, seeking experiences that adapt to their desires and foster growth and exploration of new paths. That’s precisely the personalized experience guests can look forward to at Tierra y Mar Spa at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol. “People who join us want to go beyond the mainstream spa experience, so our focus is on providing personal journeys of healing,” says Spa Director Alejandra Bustamante Martinez, who oversees wellness offerings at the Resort. Combining elements from Mexico with Four Seasons luxuries and comforts creates “an amazing environment for wellbeing,” she continues. “A Spa like ours is truly unique. Once guests experience our programming, they'll be drawn back for more

Like everything awaiting arrivals at the hacienda-styled beachfront Resort, the therapeutic offerings of the Spa are designed true to the destination as well as to the brand. Inspired by ancient Mexican wisdom and delivered with new world technologies, guests have many opportunities for genuine holistic relaxation and reconnection with the body, mind, and spirit.

“We develop a lot of original recipes through collaboration with local sources, renowned international skincare brands, and the talented individuals here at the Resort,” Martinez explains, noting her work with the Executive Chef to expand the Spa’s nutritional offerings with special infusions of flavours well known across Mexico and colours of the chakra of Ayurvedic traditions in food and beverage offerings.

Crafting a wellness experience is one thing, executing one is another. For operations, Martinez’s “highest commitment” is to go “one step ahead” for guests as well as her team. “No one wants to see a stressed out massage therapist,” she says, acknowledging that even the most experienced and caring professionals can have distractions to deal with at times. “I lead by example to let everyone know that I’m there for them when they need me, as they are when I need them.”

Raised near the beach in northern Cancun, Martinez relocated to Vancouver at age 19, eager to expand her education and acquire proficiency in a new language. She picked up work at a hotel restaurant, which proved pivotal, opening her eyes to other amenities including spas. “That was the first time I realized that someone could actually make a career as a massage therapist and that there is an energetic as well as a physical element to healing. That sparked something in me.”

She started by studying Shiatsu and went on from there, despite worries that the techniques she was learning wouldn’t find an audience back home. “I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know if this will work in Mexico.’ Well, that was 20 years ago, and so far, so good.”

After building her therapeutic repertoire, Martinez returned to Mexico and quickly found work as an esthetician at a resort spa along the Riviera Maya. She later joined a luxury hotel in her hometown where she rose to spa manager, refining her customer service and business skills and building a network of suppliers along the way. Her last stop before Four Seasons was as wellness director at another resort, where she created healing programming for guests and employees alike.

Wherever she was, Martinez never stopped building her skills, including growing her knowledge of traditional folk remedies and therapeutic techniques of Mayan people and her fellow Mexicans.

Looking back, she believes her whole career was leading to her first turn with Four Seasons, which she now venerates for its guest experiences and culture of caring for employees. “When I first heard the company was creating a Mexican hacienda on the coast, I was so excited! I knew it would be the place for me to put what I’ve learned and the culture I know into action.”