The Joe Pike Blog

Which number is higher: the amount of chains dangling from Banderas' neck or the amount of chins I'm sporting in this photo?

For the next five minutes after my interview with actor Antonio Banderas at the grand opening of the IBEROSTAR Cancun hotel in early February, I began asking the other journalists who “Black Pete” was.

After all, Banderas told me that if IBEROSTAR Cancun doesn’t see a spike in sales when the actor’s contract expires, the all-inclusive chain with six resorts in Mexico might choose a different celebrity spokesperson, such as “Black Pete,” to take his place.

“Joe, are you kidding me,” asked one of my fellow travel writers. “It’s called an accent. He was saying, ‘Brad Pitt.’”

Ok, so at least the dumbest question I asked was AFTER the interview.

When it was all and said and done, he was perhaps one of the coolest, chillest celebrities I’ve interviewed. Now, I don’t exactly write for TMZ so the list isn’t that long, but I’ve rubbed elbows with some A-listers during my newspaper reporting days. Jon Bon Jovi, Giants great Lawrence Taylor and Maury Povich were just a few celebs I’ve interviewed in the past.

Myself and Jon Bon Jovi in 2002. Be honest: whose hair looks better?

Bon Jovi was a zombie because he had just returned from Australia. Taylor’s publicist started the interview with, “Don’t ask Lawrence anything that’s going to make him think,” and Maury was polite, but didn’t appreciate me asking about his favorite paternity tests on his talk show.

Banderas was screaming machismo before we even spoke to him. Myself and five other journalists were escorted into a small room where Banderas was puffing on a cigarette with his shirt unbuttoned, exposing the Mr. T-like collection of chains hanging from his neck.

He chatted about everything from his role as IBEROSTAR’s ambassador (a fancy word for spokesperson) to his Oscar-nominated “Puss in Boots” to whether he felt Mexico was a safe place to travel to.

All in all, he gave us roughly 20-minutes of face time. When it was over, he took pictures with all of us, danced for us a bit when he was explaining how much he loved the Cancun club, Coco Bongo and then told us he would not be going again or else “my wife would (F-bomb-ing) Kill me.” Check out the video below.

So, why was I there in the first place?

Back in June, IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts acquired the beachfront Hilton Cancun Hotel. The new IBEROSTAR Cancun, a beachfront hotel with 426 rooms and villas, includes 16 junior suites, four master suites, two villa beach suites and a presidential suite.
Guests can enjoy the hotel’s seven infinity pools, in addition to a professional soccer field, two tennis courts, a spa, gym and beauty salon, among other services and amenities. Plus, it is the only hotel in Cancun with an 18-hole golf course.

I stayed in room no. 427, a Superior room with twin beds and a balcony overlooking the pool area and ocean. (Check out the video below).

The hotel complex has a nearly 49,000 square-feet convention center, which is dividable into 22 different meeting space configurations. More than 60,000 square feet of outdoor areas for events and social activities is also available.

Renovations included refurbishing the main lobbies, the hotel lobby bar and building new terraces around the pools. In line with IBEROSTAR’s culinary offerings, property updates will also include a new Grand Buffet and four specialty restaurants: gourmet, Japanese, steak house and Mexican.

To further enhance activities and entertainment for its guests, future updates may also include the construction of a new stage/amphitheatre for shows, in addition to a kid’s “Miniclub” water park and a “Teenieclub” for youths. The renovations align with IBEROSTAR’s fundamental pillars of superior service, cuisine and entertainment.