I opened the Sunday edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning to find a photo of Revel that took up half the page on the front of the business section. It was a coincidence in that I spent the last few days at Revel (I was there Thursday to Saturday), but the hotel's appearance on the front page is nothing new to those living in the area.

Atlantic City's newest resort casino has been well covered by the paper throughout its development and opening, partly because Philadelphia sits only 60 miles from the coastal town, and partly because of neighboring New Jersey's financial and political gamble to help fund its construction.

Quick backstory: The hotel cost $2.4 billion to build, and it received $261 million in state tax credits, $37 million in state funds to widen the roads leading to Revel, $2.6 million in state funds for training employees, and $22 million over the next 20 years in projected luxury tax rebates. The hotel employs about 4,000 people but is still not 100% open, as many rooms and part of the beach out front are still under construction. According to the Division of Gaming Enforcement, Revel had a gross operating loss of $35 million in the second quarter ($18 million if you leave out the one-time pre-opening expenses and charges).

That's all just a little perspective on the drama surrounding Revel that's been brewing in South Jersey, although I'm not really sure it says much about the hotel in terms of how we should view it as a tourist destination. The problem seems to be moreso with the local market, as Revel thus far has been unable to draw long-time slot and card players away from their current casinos. While interesting, I don't believe this struggle to intrude much on the touristic experience offered by the property.

The restaurants, nightlife, accommodations, and luxury indulgents (such as private pool cabanas overlooking the ocean) are all nice options for a great stay in Atlantic City. As someone passing through town on vacation, do I really care about the internal struggles or the state's decisions? So long as the product is on point, what's it to me?

Tomorrow, we'll break down the resort, taking a closer look at some of the restaurants, nightlife, and amenities that made my stay at Revel a pleasure. For now, here are a few photos of the hotel's all-glass reflexive exterior. Say what you want about the numbers, Revel seems to be sparkling in these shots:

I'll be the first person to admit that wine is a drink one would typically never associate with Mexico, not its consumption nor its production. Tequila and cerveza and mezcal, for sure, but not wine.

The stereotype is well-justified, backed up by historical evidence as well as current habits: According to Vinisfera.com, Mexicans drink about 500 ml of wine per person annually - the equivalent of a couple glasses per year. The purchase/production of Mexican wines is highly taxed by the government (as high as 40% in the past), which no doubt has driven the market to the abundance of beer and tequila options. In any case, most areas of Mexico don't have the climate to support a wine region, leaving a majority of the population indifferent toward and without connection to the bottles they see on the shelves.

One small region located outside of the Mexican mainland is working hard to change that perspective, an area known as the Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California that produces 80% of the country's wine (about 85 miles south of San Diego). What's amazing about that statistic is that while 90% of American wine is produced in California, Napa's contribution is only 4% of that 90%. That says a lot about how small the production of wine is in Mexico in general, compared to the United States, considering the Valle de Guadalupe and Napa Valley are approximately the same size. Napa has approx. 40,000 acres dedicated to wine making, whereas there are only 6,200 acres in all of Baja (including Valle de Guadalupe, San Vicente Valley, and Santo Tomas Valley).

That's the reality of it - the state of the union, if you will - but let's not dwell on numbers and history. What about the quality of the wine today? Forget the number of bottles produced - how does it taste? Pretty damn good, I must say, and others agree, sparking the emergence of the first 'vinotherapy' spa in Mexico, located in the Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos.

It's called the SOMMA WineSpa, the name a tribute to the Somma Lombardo Wine Region in Italy (and 'soma' with one 'm' is the Greek word for 'body'). The spa integrates both the health and celebratory concepts of wine into massage therapy. This includes the creation of their creams - research has revealed the grape to contain excellent exfoliating properties and powerful antioxidants seven times richer in phenols than Vitamin E.

The less scientifically inclined need only understand that a glass of wine is served to every guest after their wine-infused treatment, paired with daily custom appetizers from the chef to be enjoyed on the terrace or in the relaxation rooms. Other services include a private couple’s massage room with hot tub and steam room, Valle de Guadalupe wine tasting, reflexology massages in private beach cabanas, and the Barefoot Elegance Experience,which we discussed yesterday.

Wine spas can be found all over the world, but this is the first one to establish itself in Mexico. Although it opened about five years ago, Spa Manager Francisco Lugo believes it is now fully realizing its potential thanks to the increase in quality and popularity of Mexican wine.

“We want to show that we’re ready to offer this type of service, that our wines in Mexico are good enough,” he said. “Wine is a symbol of celebration, and we want our concept to speak to the same idea.”

The spa is open to guests of the resort and walk-ins alike. For more information, visit the Fiesta Americana Grand's website.