The world’s largest Crystal Lagoons® amenity is in the middle of the desert

26/06/2021

With more than 20 acres of turquoise water and a kilometer in length, the crystalline lagoon of San Alfonso del Mar was the first amenity of Crystal Lagoons® certified as the Guinness World Record in 2007. However, since 2015, Citystars Sharm El Sheikh is the official Guinness World Record holder for the largest manmade lagoon. This milestone was highlighted by German website Hamburguer Morgen Post.

The 30-acre crystalline lagoon is surrounded by idyllic white sand beaches, offering opportunities for swimming, kayaking, and sailing.

The lagoon, part of a Citystars Sharm El Sheikh resort, is located in the middle of Sinai desert and is powered by Crystal Lagoons patented technology.

The extraordinary advantages offered by this technology, its low construction and maintenance costs and its sustainable properties, have allowed Crystal Lagoons to have today a portfolio of more than 1.000 projects in different stages of operation, planning, design and construction in more than 60 countries worldwide.

The project is a joint venture between Crystal Lagoons and the Sharbatly family, one of the most prominent groups in the field of commerce across the Middle East and Africa, and is located in a 750-hectare site land. The Crystal Lagoons’ technology applied to these lagoons uses salt water from underground aquifers of the desert. Currently, there is not any other further use for this kind of water.

The complex will feature 30.000 residential units, hotels, golf courses, marinas, museums and a shopping mall. With a USD $5.5 billion investment, the initiative was only possible thanks to Crystal Lagoons’ technology that provided real estate value to the development, taking water with no other use and incorporating it into desert lands that was deemed undevelopable.

“The technology in Crystal Lagoons solves something that was not technically possible such as to build monumental lagoons in any part of the world, even in the middle of the desert” states Alstair Sinclair, Crystal Lagoons Regional Director.

Crystal Lagoons is currently developing what will be the world’s largest crystal-clear lagoon in Dubai. The name of the project is “Mohammed Bin Rashid City – District One” and it will have a 90-acre crystal-clear lagoon. This project is being developed in partnership with Middle East-based real estate companies Meydan and Sobha.

Hamburguer Morgen Post

Around the world, the concept and technology of Crystal Lagoons® have become the leading sales attraction, positively impacting its commercial success. Despite the credit and real estate challenges in the current economic conditions, Crystal Lagoons projects continue to defy the market with very impressive sales figures, particularly in the United States. The rankings from real estate consulting firms RCLCO and John Burns on the best-selling master-planned communities once again demonstrated that crystalline lagoons are a powerful purchasing driver. Sunterra, Mirada, Windsong Ranch, and Epperson secured prominent positions in 2023.

These projects ranked among the top 50 best-selling communities. Florida leads the ranking within the list, representing close to 40% of the sales for all top-ranked developments, followed by Texas with 37%. In both states, Crystal Lagoons has a significant presence.

In Texas, Sunterra stands out as a project that, even though the crystalline lagoon has not been built yet, serves as a commercial driver within the community, generating sales rates higher than the average, with a significant increase of 63% compared to 2022. This placed it 3rd nationally in both rankings, further boosting the strong performance of Houston, the top-selling metropolitan area in the country. Sunterra’s positive sales results had already been recorded in previous reports.

With the largest amenity powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology in the United States, Mirada in Florida, inaugurated in 2023, sets another record. With an 89% increase in sales, it ranks 17th. Its 15 acres of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are a buying trigger.

Another notable project in Texas is Windsong Ranch, which has consistently set sales records, ranking 29th in the John Burns ranking. The project has also been nationally awarded as “Master Planned Community of the Year,” among other recognitions.

On the other hand, Epperson in Florida also ranked prominently in both studies, a commercial trend registered since its inauguration as a real estate project. The interest it generated was so significant that it had to be opened to the Public Access Lagoons™ model, also known as PAL™ developments.

The United States is the main operation of Crystal Lagoons worldwide, and it has more than 275 projects at different stages of development and negotiation. Among the most important are Mirada, Sole Mia, Balmoral, Windsong Ranch, Beachwalk, Southshore Bay, Aqua, among others. The recent joint venture to develop four Public Access Lagoons™ complexes, also known as PAL™, in Texas stands out and will add to the successful public access developments Epperson (Florida) and Lago Mar (Texas).

Want to know more about the meeting point of the 21st century?

Please leave your information below and we will contact you brieﬂy.

Crystal Lagoons: A Trend Taking Over the Hospitality Industry

02-04-2024

Several international media highlighted that the hotel sector is undergoing a real transformation thanks to the incorporation of innovative technologies. One of the technologies highlighted was precisely Crystal Lagoons, in parallel with process automation and artificial intelligence.

The sustainability of the multinational innovation company was key to being considered within these trends. “Currently, many travelers are seeking accommodations that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Places like the AVA Resort Cancun, with its artificial lagoon of crystal-clear waters powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology, are examples of accommodations that stand out for their commitment to sustainability,” explains the Spanish portal 24 Matins.

The turquoise-colored body of water provides ideal conditions for sailing, swimming, kayaking, or relaxing, and thanks to state-of-the-art technology, it consumes 33 times less water than an 18-hole golf course, 40% less water than a park of the same size, and only 2% of the energy of a conventional pool.

After transforming the real estate industry and the urban entertainment landscape with its innovative Public Access Lagoons™ projects, the multinational innovation company is now generating a new revolution, this time in the hotel sector.

Recognizing the transformative value of Crystal Lagoons® technology, leading global hotel chains such as Marriott, Radisson, Conrad, Hyatt Regency, and AVA Resort itself, have incorporated this amenity as a centerpiece in their projects.

“Every hotel project incorporating a Crystal Lagoons amenity becomes the most attractive destination in the area. These bodies of water change the paradigm of vacation developments with world-class hotel and resort standards”, explains Iván Manzur, Senior Vice President of Sales at Crystal Lagoons US Corp.

The multinational water innovation company already has developments of this kind, in which crystalline lagoons are the differentiating factor in the United States, Mexico, Indonesia, Romania, and Uruguay, among other countries.

“The crystalline lagoons achieve unprecedented results, such as bringing a beach lifestyle to Orlando—an entertainment option it didn’t have—or, counterintuitively, replacing the sea in iconic tourist destinations like Cancun,” emphasizes Jean Pierre Juanchich, Global Business Director of Crystal Lagoons.

Contexto Sur

New Beach Club at Crystal Lagoons’ First PAL™ Development in Asia

28-03-2024

The Crystal Lagoons project in Thailand, Blue Tree, located in the heart of Phuket, just 4 kilometers from the coast, has recently inaugurated the Beach Club MuMu Clubhouse, a new landmark in this iconic tourist destination, adding even more fun and entertainment. This new space becomes a meeting point in the surroundings of Phuket’s largest artificial lagoon and the first in Asia under the innovative Public Access Lagoons™ model, globally recognized as a “must-visit” in the region.

This PAL™ development with Crystal Lagoons® technology has set a new standard in public meeting and entertainment spaces, establishing itself as the top amenity in Thailand. With 4.2 acres of turquoise water oasis, surrounded by white sandy beaches, a private peninsula, restaurants, and a poolside bar, it offers the perfect setting to enjoy a dynamic beach experience 24 hours a day and a calendar full of activities throughout the year.

During the day, the Beach Club offers a relaxed atmosphere where visitors can enjoy various gastronomic offerings, art, culture, and activities, from beach yoga to water sports. The place comes alive at night with nightclubs, special events, concerts, and themed parties featuring live music, special guests, and renowned DJs.

Crystal Lagoons PAL™ projects are transforming and enriching urban life by offering new entertainment destinations not limited exclusively to residents of private real estate developments with crystalline lagoons. These developments are positively impacting the lives of millions of people, bringing a piece of the ocean to the city center and making it accessible just steps from their homes.

Original content