Luis Eduardo Verdin Huerta, Resort Biologist

Luis is the in-house biologist at One&Only Mandarina, the newly opened all-villa beach resort set in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. His “office” and lab are set in the KidsOnly area, where he welcomes kids (and adults) to his lab to introduce them to his collection of insects (especially stick bugs), plants, and the ecological environment he has created for them, while inspiring guests with his deep knowledge of nature. Guests can find Luis in the netted butterfly garden, home to hundreds of butterflies and stick bugs camouflaging themselves in the plants, or among the treehouses where kids can hunt for treasures and connect with nature.

“Being a brand-new hotel, we wanted to experiment with the environment we are in, bringing insects and plants in to show humans they are harmless and we can coexist,” says Luis Huerta, Resort Biologist. “The idea is to create an ecosystem in which children (and adults) can discover the wonderful world of insects through actual interaction with different species that exist in the area to create awareness about their importance in the weakened global ecosystem, the importance of protecting them, and how something so small can give us so much. I think people crave to explore a world beyond their tech gadgets and screens, which is why this ecosystem we’ve created allows for exploration and discovery, which essentially adds to the nurture of our planet.”

Opened on 1 November 2020, the ultra-luxury One&Only Mandarina features a collection of secluded cliff-top villas and treehouses cradled in the cliff-side overlooking the Pacific Ocean, all carefully woven into a protected ecosystem within nature’s raw beauty. The resort showcases a variety of culinary experiences, a private Jetty Beach Club, a collection of immersive treatment rooms set beneath the jungle canopy at the One&Only Spa, unparalleled family offerings and KidsOnly programming, and endless activities on both water and land. In addition, the resort will feature 54 Private Homes, among the first One&Only residences in the world.