Building Features

GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

• High-strength steel construction with all stainless fasteners designed and built using CAD/CAM technology, then hot dip to galvanize, which is encased in a cold spray galvanizing which is applied on site to any areas which were scratched in transit or assembly, then by a self-etching primer, and a rust prevention enamel paint, providing a completely corrosion-proof structure that is both lighter and more cost-effective than traditional reinforced concrete construction, engineered in compliance with local and international building codes.
• All exterior walls and glazing meet Miami/Dade county Level IV hurricane-resistant standards – the most stringent in the world today.
• All walls, both exterior and interior, are constructed from high-tech laminated panels consisting of a polystyrene foam core within a welded hot dip galvanized steel framework, and coated with concrete on both sides, followed by exterior finish (stucco or stone) and internal finish (three coat wet plaster). The result is an increase of 20-30% in insulation R-value, and associated sound deadening for both exterior noise and between rooms internally.
• Tempered glass balcony construction with alloy supports, providing uninterrupted ocean views.
• Pool decking is a cut coral stone, a natural composite of fossils and shells in a limestone matrix, that stays 10 – 15 degrees cooler than other decking material thereby helping to prevent burnt feet and making it much more pleasant to walk on.
• Balcony floors in tile to match the interior tile, with a non-slip coating.
• Access walkways are made of decorative non-skid tile.
• Future rooftop restaurant, kitchen, and conference rooms to follow similar construction methods and materials as used elsewhere in the balance of the building.
• All bare concrete has been painted with a weather-grade sealer to prevent saltwater ingress and corrosion threat.

MECHANICAL

• Large backup generator with full building capacity and automatic switchover, with the result that throughout a power failure all building systems, including air conditioning and appliances remain fully operational.
• State-of-the-art electronic metering to capture usage of water, gas and electricity on a suite-by-suite basis, with provision for automatic billing to each suite based on usage of that suite, ensuring that suite owners pay only for their own usage.
• All hot water throughout every suite is provided by gas-fired “instant on” hot water heaters, which are both more convenient but also more efficient: no need to store tanks of heated water awaiting demand. Finally, this system saves almost 30% of the energy costs required to produce hot water – only when and where needed.

FIRE AND SAFETY

The building exceeds required fire code standards in every respect, including the following:

• A dedicated heavy-duty water pump drawing from the swimming pool and feeding a standpipe running up the main staircase and connecting to two hose cabinets on each floor.
• A fully electronic fire control system that is wired to fire, heat, smoke, and CO detectors in each suite, and provides call-outs on the main lobby panel to direct firefighters to the applicable area.
• Fire extinguishers installed in each suite and public area.

CLIMATE CONTROL

• The entire building is fitted with VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) air conditioning systems, which allow rooftop-mounted compressors to activate only to the degree required to satisfy the air handlers call for cooling.
• Estimated power savings is approximately 55% over conventional split systems with on/off compressor designs.
• Each room is individually controlled by a fully programmable thermostat.

HOTEL AUDIO/VISUAL

• In-house digital cable television system providing access to a selection of US networks and a wide range of hotel information television channels.
• Full-function PBX landline telephone system for room-to-room, local and long-distance calling, and in-hotel department access.
• Each television will be equipped with a Monscierge smart system that at the end of the guest’s visit, will automatically log the guest out of any TV or internet services they may have logged into during their stay, thereby preventing the next guest from using their accounts. It also provides a host of information services covering local tours and services, hotel information, and many more.

HOTEL INTERNET

• Multiple fiber optic internet services connected to central rack allowing multiple fiber optic services to be multiplexed to supply all building users with fast, high bandwidth internet.
• Multiple commercial grade routers, hot-swappable and fully backed up.
• Dedicated service from each suite to the appropriate router.
• Automatic load balancing during times of exceptional demand, ensuring that all guests have access to internet services at the best possible network speeds, at all times.

POTABLE WATER SYSTEM

• San Pedro is renowned for its extremely poor city water pressure and quantity. As a result, we have designed our own system to augment it.
• Multiple city water service connections feed 20,000 gal. underground cisterns which act as a buffer to provide high water pressures even during peak demand, by depleting these cistern stores as needed. During lower-demand periods, the city water connections refill the cisterns to prepare for the next day’s high-demand period.
• To provide the pressure needed to reach the upper floors we have installed an extremely high-capacity pumping system employing a 5 HP water pump to be able both to move water from the cisterns, and to raise it to the top floor, delivering enough pressure for everyone to have a shower during high demand periods.
• For our potable water system, a high-capacity water filtration system treats city water with a variety of high technology, UV, and charcoal filter elements to produce water that exceeds bottled water standards. A separate plumbing system is fitted throughout the building, to pipe this ultra-pure water to each kitchen, wet bar, icemaker, and several bathroom sinks – an important step in our plan to completely eliminate the need for the use of single-use plastic containers of any size. To make it clear, water from this advanced system is run through a parallel water system culminating in green faucets at most sinks, allowing guests to top up their refillable water bottles, provided at no charge on check-in. Additional bottles are available for sale in the hotel’s “Marketplace” store. A property-wide ban on disposable plastic containers is a key element of the resort’s environmental stewardship program.

IRRIGATION AND CLEANING WATER SYSTEM

• Water collected during periods of rain is diverted to a second, separate bank of underground cisterns to supply water for irrigation and cleaning purposes without wasting scarce city water resources.
• In addition, during periods of low rainfall, a well has been dug to provide additional water to top up the irrigation cisterns as needed.

ELECTRICAL SUMMARY

• Extensive capital investments have been made in order to reduce the suite owner’s costs substantially. As electricity is the single most expensive utility, and the following steps have been taken to reduce these costs:
• Air conditioning is the single largest consumer of electricity. Our VRF installation costs about 35% more than installing a standard air conditioning.
• The second largest consumer of electricity comes from heating hot water. We have installed on demand, gas fired instant on hot water heaters in every suite, dramatically reducing the costs.
• Drying clothes is another substantial user of electricity. We have spent about double the price of a standard vented dryer to install heat pump dryers throughout, each of which uses about half the electricity of conventional methods. (Subject to availability).

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

From the outset, one of the primary goals of the Royal Kahal Beachfront Suites project has been to operate so as to minimize our footprint on the environment in which we all live and breathe. We are fortunate to live in a country that has been a world leader on a per capita basis in terms of environmental initiatives. Committed to supporting Belize’s ecological initiatives, our resort – and all our staff – have implemented a number of “green initiatives”.

• Our inhouse water filtration system eliminates the need for single use plastic water containers. Arriving guests will be given refillable and reusable water bottles for use during their stay, and to take home as a reminder of the beauty and friendliness of Belize and its people.
• We are a plastics free resort. All single use plastic food service items (go containers, straws, bags, etc.) will be fully biodegradable.
• Where available we will utilize recycled material products, such as paper napkins. One of the most astonishing initiatives is our couches and loveseats are made from a new product which is composed 70% of reprocessed plastic water bottles – and yet, feels soft and supple!
• Our rainwater collection system saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of freshwater, a scarce resource on any island.
• Soaps and cleaners used in building maintenance will be both sea and freshwater safe wherever possible.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the specifications and features described in these pages are true and correct to the best of the builder’s knowledge at the time of writing. Model availability, specification changes by manufacturers, and other factors may result in the substitution or deletion of one or more of the features described in this document. Please contact your salesperson for any updates known at the time of purchase.