Crystal Lagoons: The Most Spectacular Lagoons in the World

Once again, the international press highlights crystalline lagoons as the most impressive and largest globally. This time, El Observador newspaper spotlighted two iconic projects from the multinational innovation company.

One of the most iconic developments is Citystars Sharm El Sheikh, which has held the second Crystal Lagoons Guinness World Record since 2015. It features a monumental 30-acre crystalline lagoon with turquoise waters. With this body of water, Crystal Lagoons surpassed its first Guinness World Record, set in 2007, when the San Alfonso del Mar lagoon was recognized as the largest in the world.

The Citystars Sharm El Sheikh project results from an association with the Sharbatly family, one of the most prominent in the Middle East and Africa. Thanks to Crystal Lagoons® technology, undevelopable desert lands were transformed using saline water from wells with no other use, creating an aquatic paradise in the heart of the Sinai Desert. The artificial lagoon, which recreates tropical seas in an arid environment, has become a global benchmark.

Meanwhile, the San Alfonso del Mar lagoon, covering 19 acres and extending 1 kilometer in length, marked a milestone for Crystal Lagoons. It revolutionized the second-home tourism industry in Chile by providing a safe environment for swimming and water sports and spectacular views and recreational activities. Crystal Lagoons® patented technology was key to developing this lagoon, equivalent to 6,000 traditional swimming pools containing 250 million liters of seawater.

Since its inauguration, San Alfonso del Mar has established itself as one of the most successful projects worldwide and continues to attract the attention of international visitors and media.

El Observador

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The Crystal Lagoons project has become the epicenter of tribute bands, showcasing the best of Taylor Swift, Prince, Bruno Mars, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffett, and 80s hits.

Powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology, Evermore Bay serves as the stunning backdrop for a series of concerts at Evermore Orlando Resort. Located in the heart of Orlando, this project is one of Florida’s largest tourism ventures.

Throughout January and February, resort guests can enjoy an exciting lineup of beachfront performances by talented tribute artists. The series features bands covering hits from Taylor Swift, Prince, Bruno Mars, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffett, and 80s classics.

With over 10,000 rooms, this expansive complex is anchored by an impressive 8-acre crystalline lagoon. The project marks a significant milestone in the hotel and entertainment industry, promising to redefine the vacation experience in Orlando.

Beach Life in Orlando

The inclusion of the Crystal Lagoons® amenity is particularly noteworthy. While Orlando boasts an extensive array of entertainment options, it has long lacked a beach to enhance its tourist appeal. This gap is now filled by the turquoise lagoon and its nearly 8 hectares of pristine beach, offering guests a unique tropical retreat.

Conveniently situated near globally renowned attractions like Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort and just a short drive from Orlando International Airport, the luxury project has been hailed as a tropical beach paradise.

World-Class Hotel and Amenities

The development also introduces Orlando’s first Conrad Hotel, Hilton’s prestigious luxury brand. It features an exclusive selection of homes, villas, and apartments, along with two 18-hole golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus. This project redefines vacation living with world-class hotel and resort standards.

“Crystal Lagoons brings a piece of the Caribbean to this iconic landlocked city, allowing visitors to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience in a tropical oasis with turquoise waters and white sand beaches,” said Ivan Manzur, Senior Vice President of Sales at Crystal Lagoons US Corp.

Real estate projects have traditionally sought to be located near the ocean, a lake, or a river due to the added value that a body of water provides—an increasingly scarce resource. In response to this limitation, developers worldwide are increasingly incorporating lagoons with Crystal Lagoons® technology, creating a new waterfront.

In fact, these crystalline lagoons have transformed the real estate paradigm of “location, location, location,” becoming the World’s Top Amenity. They boost the value of real estate projects and redefine what it means to own waterfront property. This innovation allows developers to raise sales prices, increase the value per square meter, and enhance project density.

The success of Crystal Lagoons worldwide is due to its crystalline lagoons perfectly recreating a piece of the Caribbean, allowing homes near them to cost less than those on a real beach. In fact, the developments of the multinational innovation company have consolidated as a commercial phenomenon, and every year, they stand out in different real estate rankings among the best-selling projects, confirming that lagoons are a driver of sales across the board.

Lagoons allow developers to sell lots to home builders at premium prices. Home builders, in turn, can charge more for the houses. Additionally, houses near lagoons sell faster than those in new neighborhoods without one.

The crystalline lagoons increase the value of the surrounding land by transforming an inland area into a resort-like space. These large bodies of water allow for creating a beach-style living experience anywhere, letting people live in a home as if they were on vacation every day.

A similar situation is happening with Public Access Lagoons® complexes, also known as PAL® developments, which are changing the lives of millions of people in cities. These projects, accessible to all through ticketed entry, have the unique appeal of bringing idyllic beach life just steps away from homes in the middle of the city while also offering event spaces with unparalleled scenic beauty, thanks to its large turquoise crystalline lagoon surrounded by white sandy beaches, which are illuminated at night, creating a magical ambiance. The infrastructure includes terraces, amphitheaters, domes, esplanades, commercial areas, and entertainment spaces.

Crystalline lagoons have become a key element in real estate and PAL® projects. Not only because they conquer homebuyers by bringing beach life and water sports, but also because they have become a social meeting point for people.

The sustainability of Crystal Lagoons® technology is also a relevant element, since these bodies of water need fewer chemicals than regular pools and 2% of the energy required for pool-filtration systems. In addition, the lagoons are filled once, consumes 40% less water than a green space of a similar surface area, 33 times less water than an 18-hole golf course and need water only to compensate the evaporation.

Once again, the projects of Crystal Lagoons in the United States have been ranked among the country’s best-selling residential developments, as compiled by RCLCO, one of the leading real estate advisory firms. This time, the developments included in the study are Sunterra, in Texas, and Mirada, in Florida, both anchored by large crystalline lagoons developed by the multinational water innovation company.

The presence of projects featuring this amenity in every edition of the ranking confirms that these large water bodies have become the leading sales attraction.

In fact, a clear example of this is Sunterra. Although the lagoon in this project has not yet been built, the amenity serves as a commercial driver, generating high sales rates, with a 16% increase compared to 2023. This placed it in 4th position nationally in the ranking, repeating the positive sales results recorded in previous reports.

Meanwhile, the Mirada complex in Florida, which features the largest crystalline lagoon in the United States, also made the ranking securing the 10th position. Its 6 hectares of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are a key purchase driver.

The national rankings conducted by RCLCO have consistently demonstrated over the years how crystalline lagoons increase project value and sales prices like no other amenity, creating an advantage that reduces competition from nearby real estate developments.

This highlights how the Crystal Lagoons concept, patented worldwide, has shifted the real estate paradigm of “location, location, location,” becoming the World’s Top Amenity™ and how these tropical lagoons add significant value to residential projects.

The United States is the main global market for Crystal Lagoons, with more than 275 projects in different development and negotiation stages. The multinational has projects in states such as Texas, Florida, California, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

RCLCO