Marriott Showcases Latin America Through Immersive Cultural Experiences - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Marriott International is inviting travellers to experience Latin America through authentic cultural encounters that go beyond sightseeing. Across a carefully selected portfolio of hotels in Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Peru, the company is highlighting experiences rooted in local history, nature, gastronomy and artistic expression, offering guests a deeper connection to the identity of each destination.

As travel increasingly shifts toward meaning and immersion, Marriott’s properties across the region position Latin America as a landscape of living cultures, where flavours, rituals and stories shape the journey as much as place.

Ancestral Flavours and Rituals in Costa Rica

In Guanacaste, W Costa Rica Reserva Conchal transforms tasting into cultural storytelling. Its Rum & Chocolate Tasting pairs aged rum with artisanal chocolate made from locally sourced cacao, reflecting cacao’s sacred role in Mesoamerican cultures. Once used as currency and central to ceremonial life, cacao continues to hold spiritual meaning for Indigenous communities such as the Bribri, for whom it symbolises knowledge, balance and connection to the land.

Nearby, The Westin Reserva Conchal places wellbeing and environmental stewardship at the centre of the guest experience. As the first all-inclusive resort in the Americas certified as carbon positive, it offers yoga sessions overlooking the Pacific coast, guided cycling and nature walks through the Reserva Natural Conchal, wildlife observation and coffee tastings that frame Costa Rican coffee as a cultural expression rather than a commodity.

Sustainability as Participation

In Playa Panamá, El Mangroove, Autograph Collection invites guests to take part in conservation through Leave Your Leaves, a ritual that combines sustainability and collective memory. Visitors plant native trees in pots that form a living installation in the hotel lobby before being transferred to a reforestation site, creating a lasting contribution that extends beyond the stay.

Costa Rica’s cultural narrative continues with the opening of Santa Lucía Jungle Hacienda, Autograph Collection in Tárcoles, Puntarenas. Conceived as a jungle village inspired by historic haciendas, the property is guided by natural sound, light and landscape rather than corridors and signage. Its storytelling draws on local legends and oral traditions, including tales of explorers, lost settlements and the legendary gold of Cacique Garabito, inviting guests to reconnect with the spirit of adventure and imagination.

Biodiversity on the Plate in Colombia

In Guatapé, The Brown, Autograph Collection celebrates Colombia’s extraordinary fruit biodiversity. Through guided tastings, guests encounter fruits such as lulo, tree tomato and carob, learning how geography, climate and culture intersect. The experience functions as a sensory introduction to Colombia’s natural richness and regional traditions.

Design as Cultural Narrative in Panama

At W Panama, culture is expressed visually through architecture and interior design. From rainforest-inspired entrances and Panama Canal references to murals inspired by the iconic Diablos Rojos buses, the hotel presents a layered portrait of the country. Guest rooms incorporate Guna molas, indigenous patterns and references to ancestral jewellery, turning design into a contemporary form of cultural immersion.

Tracing History in Cusco

In Peru, Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel offers guests access to a collection of 195 colonial artworks, including paintings from the Cusco School that blend European techniques with Andean worldview. Built on land once connected to Qorikancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, the hotel preserves original imperial architectural elements that anchor the experience in history.

Just steps away, JW Marriott El Convento Cusco provides daily guided tours through its archaeological zones, revealing how colonial Cusco was constructed atop Inca foundations. Culinary experiences complement this journey through time, with ceviche classes introducing guests to native ingredients and the cultural meaning behind Peru’s signature dish.

A Region Defined by Living Culture

From sacred cacao and rainforest rituals to colonial art and indigenous design, Marriott’s Latin American portfolio presents the region as a constellation of living cultures. The experiences invite travellers to engage with Latin America not simply as a destination, but as a place of ongoing dialogue between past and present, nature and people, tradition and creativity.

Image Credit: © Marriott International