Press Release - CASAMAGNA MARRIOTT PUERTO VALLARTA WELCOMES CELEBRITY GUEST CHEF ROCIO VARELA TO INTERNATIONAL GOURMET FESTIVAL

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO, September 24, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ — Celebrating 14 years of culinary art and events, residents chefs and talents from around the world will come together to showcase "haute cuisine" during the ten-day International Gourmet Festival in Puerto Vallarta scheduled from Nov. 13 - 23. JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa's Chef Rocio Varela will be joining the team at CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa to create a special tantalizing menu for the Las Casitas Beach restaurant during the annual celebration.

Bringing vast and flavorful experience to JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona, Chef Varela is eager to contribute and participate as a guest chef at Las Casitas during this year's International Gourmet Festival in Puerto Vallarta. Varela's personal style and flavor has made her standout above all others, especially during her appearance in the Bravo Network reality show "Welcome to the Parker," during the summer of 2007.

Just steps away from the beach, the Las Casitas restaurant located at CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa features seafood and traditional Mexican dishes throughout the day.

Chef Varela and resident chef Fred Ruiz of Las Casitas restaurant will create a gourmet a la carte specialty dinner menu every evening of the ten day feast. The International Gourmet Festival will also include legendary Chef's table and Winemakers dinners, cooking demonstrations, wine, cheese and tequila tasting parties, and the spectacular Sunday brunch buffet.

CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa invites food aficionados to experience the blending of traditional Mexican ingredients with contemporary tastes from around the globe in the natural picturesque setting of Puerto Vallarta by offering the Dining Escape to Puerto Vallarta Package. Valid through Dec. 5, the package offers rates as low as $257 per night, per room and includes the following:

• Deluxe ocean view accommodations for two
• Daily breakfast for two
• Dinner for two at Las Casitas Beach restaurant

To book the Dining Escape to Puerto Vallarta Package, enter promotional code: ES1. A minimum four-night stay is required to take advantage of this special offer.

For more information on the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa or to make reservations, please call 888-PARADISE or visit http://www.puertovallartamarriott.com

About CasaMagna Resort and Spa

The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort features 433 guest rooms, including 29 suites, each with a private balcony. Nestled between the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains and Mexico's picturesque Bay of Banderas, the resort offers a variety of facilities for adults and children, including: 22,000-square-foot complete service Ohtli Spa (Puerto Vallarta's largest resort spa); two lighted tennis courts; infinity oceanfront pool; various water sports and beach activities; multiple restaurants; and a Marriott Kids program. Guests can also enjoy nightly cigar rolling demonstrations in the resort's lobby bar, stroll through the old town of Puerto Vallarta and enjoy the sights of colonial Mexico, view folkloric shows and historic Mexican landmarks, or experience jungle adventures.

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