The St. Regis Punta Mita names a 30-year luxury operator
PUNTA MITA, Mexico — The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort has appointed Richard Sorensen general manager. The resort announced the appointment on 14 October 2026. Sorensen brings more than 30 years of luxury hospitality experience to the oceanfront property in Riviera Nayarit.
The release cites a track record across luxury hotels, including Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond properties. It also cites work on guest experience, on operations and on building high-performing teams.
Thirteen years at Four Seasons, then Peninsula in three cities
Sorensen spent 13 years with Four Seasons. He then held leadership positions with The Peninsula Hotels in New York, Chicago and Tokyo.
In senior hotel management roles in New York and Los Cabos, he led teams that achieved each property's first Forbes Five-Star recognition. The release attaches no year to either award.
Most recently he served as general manager of a luxury beach resort in Encinitas, California. That post followed senior leadership roles at properties in Los Cabos. The release describes those assignments as a mix of international city hotels and Mexican coastal resorts, serving guests with high expectations for discretion and personalised attention.
What he says the job is
"Luxury should feel personal. It comes through in how we welcome someone, remember what matters to them and respond when they need us. My priority is to support our team in delivering that care consistently, with the warmth of Mexico and the polish guests expect from The St. Regis."
His stated priorities at Punta Mita are three. He names developing the resort's team. He names strengthening guest relationships. He names making the attention to detail associated with The St. Regis felt throughout each stay.
The operational remit
As general manager, Sorensen oversees all resort operations. The release lists accommodations, dining, wellness and the signature St. Regis Butler Service inside that remit. His stated emphasis is on connecting those areas through advance preparation, personal recognition of guests, and a team empowered to respond to individual needs.
The release names no effective date, no predecessor and no reporting line. It also carries no ownership or management-company detail for the resort.
A return to a destination he knew before the hotel
Sorensen first visited Punta Mita years before The St. Regis resort was built. He came for the surf. The release describes that connection as predating his appointment by a wide margin.
"I first came to Punta Mita for the surf, long before I imagined leading a resort here. Returning in this role is particularly meaningful. I look forward to getting to know our returning guests and travel advisor partners, welcoming new visitors and working with the team to give people reasons to return."
He speaks English and Spanish. His interests in fitness, wellness and the ocean have run alongside his hospitality career.
The property he takes over
The resort sits on a peninsula in Punta de Mita, Mexico, across 22 acres. It completed a property-wide transformation in 2024.
That programme covered all common areas and public spaces. It added five beachfront villas and redesigned the suites and guest rooms. It brought enhancements to The St. Regis Spa, new restaurant and bar concepts, updates to the outdoor wedding venues and the introduction of the Marietas Pool.
The resort holds 120 rooms. Two Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses sit within minutes of the property, and the Marietas Islands lie nearby.
Industry recognition carried on the property description includes the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards in 2018, 2019 and 2022 through 2025. It includes the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards for 2021 through 2023. Forbes Travel Guide gave the resort a Four-Star rating in 2026.
The appointment notice is dated 14 October 2026 and carries no further detail on the resort's ownership.