Metro entrepreneurs find sunny business opportunity in Mexico

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By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff

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Tom Hopper and Paul Leger caught a glimpse of their dream on vacation in Mexico, and now they are living it.

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The local entrepreneurs have transformed a sunny winter getaway into their own endless summer paradise, and a thriving business.

Coincidently, the key to its success, and the spark that prompted their move to this restful paradise were both all about the view.

The pair were on vacation in Mexico in the winter of 2008 when they saw what their lives could be every day.

Happily for them, a smart business opportunity came built in to that vision, and the seeds for what would eventually become the El Panorama de la Peñita hotel were planted.

Not wanting to let the opportunity slip away, they returned home and began to make arrangements for selling their Grande-Digue home in early 2008.

Three months later most of their belongings were either put in storage or given away to charity, and they boarded a plane back for Mexico with just two pieces of luggage each, and plenty of excitement for the road ahead.

"We both had been down here a few times before, and both of us were just looking for something different to do," said Tom.

Although the pull of the sunny climate and fiesta state of mind was alluring, Tom said the move wasn't a rejection of their previous lives back home, where he managed Riverview's Atlantic Superstore and Paul owned the Home Hardware in St- Antoine.

In fact, he said it was tough to move so far away from family and friends, but the opportunity held too much promise to pass it up.

Now, almost a year since they opened their boutique hotel on top of a small mountain in the traditional fishing village of La Penita on the west coast of Mexico, they are relishing the experience every day.

And Tom admits the lifestyle is as nice as it looks.

"We have snorkeling, there is diving further up the coast, and the corral reefs are quite shallow so you just sort of stick your head in the water and you can see the fish," said Tom.

"We have a lot of Canadians and Americans who come here about six months of the year, a lot of Quebecers come down, and they say you guys are living the dream, we only get six months down here."

That doesn't mean that there isn't work to do. Tom and Paul renovated the almost 9,000-square-foot hotel which maintains an authentic Mexican esthetic on the outside, and a comfortable and contemporary design inside.

They live on site, and are on call around the clock, but most of their work is done in the morning.

"We offer him a full Canadian-style breakfast served on the back terrace, the guests go out and eat, and we will answer their questions have any questions about which beaches to visit," said Tom.

But once the chores of the day are done, there is time to relax and enjoy the restful surroundings, and spectacular panoramic view.

"Then it is pretty much do the dishes, and the rest of the day is ours," said Tom.

"It leaves more time and freedom to do things you like."

Indeed, with activities ranging from whale watching, snorkeling, scuba diving, and bird watching nearby, some visitors will leave early in the day and only return in the evening.

Others will spend their days on the rooftop terrace near the pool, where they can enjoy a view of the spectacular mountain range, or even on their patios which accompany each room.

"It is a great place to come if you are stressed form work at all, and sit by the pool and have a drink or whatever," said Tom.

The pair enjoy the interaction with guests, and it was their initial intent to open more of a bed & breakfast.

"The intent when we opened here was a bed & breakfast, and then we realized that when people come here it is for a vacation and not a one night stay, so we turned it into a hotel," said Tom.

Nevertheless, an emphasis is placed on establishing a strong personal connection.

"It's more of a personal experience," said Tom.

More and more people are choosing destinations like La Penita, which are a bit off the beaten track, rather than choosing to go the all-inclusive route, he said.

"The thing about doing this here too is that more people are getting away from the all inclusive and looking for something a little different," he said.

"The small town we are in is more of a real Mexican vacation. This is a little bit different you can go out and see the town and do your own little tours. It is really a hands on vacation."

Tom and Paul experienced the same wonder of discovery during their first months in Mexico.

"The first weeks we were here we would spend the weekends on car rides discovering all the little towns in the area," said Tom.

"Back home you go from one home to the next everything is almost the same, everyone has the manicured lawns. But when you come down here every little town offers something different."

He said there is always something new to discover, like ancient petro glyphs.

"There is so much to do in this area it's incredible."

The outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus dampened the Mexican tourism industry when the outbreak was traced back to Mexico, but business has rebounded and is building.

Tom and Paul aren't sure how long they will spend in their newfound paradise. Right now, Tom says it they working with a five-year plan, but the experience has remained exciting from day to day as a steady flow of visitors arrive.

"There was just a couple here from Sackville, they were here for 11 nights. We had people here recently from Georgia, Washington, Alberta, Seattle."

And they have even had the opportunity to participate in fundraising projects initiated by the rather large community of snow birds who spend their winters in the village.

The money they raise goes to help buy supplies for local schools, and scholarships for local students attending universities. A project to reduce litter along roadsides has also been established.

Tom says it is the least they can do considering the beauty they and their guests get to enjoy.

He said it is a question of educating people about the importance of recycling and reducing waste in the way that was done in Canada decades ago.

Thankfully, La Peñita is located in a government appointed green zone that protects it from logging.

For now, it is the only place Tom and Paul want to be, and they are betting that visitors will feel the same way once they witness the majestic beauty where the hills meet the sea.

So far, they say they have no regrets.

"We both enjoyed our work, but it was just time for a little change up."