Hotels

Above: the Dreams Sands Cancun

By the Caribbean Journal staff

AMResorts has opened its newest Caribbean hotel: the Dreams Sands Cancun.

The property, which is AMResorts’ 23rd resort in Mexico, opens after an extensive renovation and adaptation of the former Grand Oasis Viva property.

The 438-room resort, located in the heart of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, has 650 feet of private beachfront property.

It also includes seven gourmet restaurants and four bars and lounges.

“As a top destination for travelers around the world, Cancun remains a priority for AMResorts as we look to strengthen our presence in existing markets, while extending our reach into new regions,” said AMResorts President Gonzalo del Peon.

The resort is AMResort’s 35th property.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2014/09/04/dreams-sands-cancun-opens-doors/

Above: the new Riu Palace Antillas

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Aruba’s newest resort opened its doors on Oct. 11.

The new Riu Palace Antillas resort has debuted on Aruba’s Palm Beach.

The adults-only, all-inclusive property has a total of 482 rooms for an 18+ audience.

The property also has three restaurants, Krystal, Rimini and Malmok, joined a pool restaurant, two bars and a nightclub.

It is adjacent to Riu’s existing Riu Palace Aruba hotel.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2014/10/13/arubas-newest-resort-opens-doors/

Thompson Hotels is coming to the Caribbean

By Alexander Britell

Thompson Hotels is expanding to the Caribbean.

The company announced the planned opening of its new Thompson Playa del Carmen this fall on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, the brand’s first hotel in the Caribbean region.

The property will be located on the city’s bustling La Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue). The 92-room hotel will include a 30,000-square-foot rooftop with an infinity pool.

The latest Caribbean Home heads to San Juan’s Condado district, home to this jaw-dropping penthouse apartment on the ocean.


The multilevel unit boasts a whopping 5,198 square feet of living space, along with a 1.012-square-foot ocean-exposure rooftop terrace.


It’s located in Condado’s Olympic Tower condominium.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/10/02/caribbean-home-an-oceanfront-penthouse-in-san-juan/

How to Move to St Croix

We continue our How to Move series with a look at the market in St Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Ever thought of moving to America’s Caribbean? We talked to Amy Land de Wilde, broker/owner at Coldwell Banker in St Croix, to find out how.
To contact Amy, email her at amydewilde@coldwellbankervi.com.
Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/10/02/how-to-move-to-st-croix-usvi/

 By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s one of the few still-largely-undiscovered islands of the Caribbean: Bequia.

And this charming little isle in the Grenadines chain is home to this an eight-bedroom, seven-bathroom, 11,500-square-foot getaway


The property is currently listed for $6.75 million with Sotheby’s International Realty, which calls the home “luxurious but not flash, private but not remote, unique but not just for its own sake.”

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/10/16/caribbean-home-your-own-private-escape-in-the-grenadines/

By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s one of the acst-kept secrets of the Caribbean: Puerto Rico’s Culebra.

And the little island known by beach aficionados for its Playa Flamenco is also home to some very luxurious pockets of real estate.



The spotlight is the views, though, which expand to the ocean and green hills of the Virgin Islands.

It’s listed with Trillion Realty Group for $2.3 million.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/10/30/caribbean-home-your-own-paradise-in-culebra/

They aren’t easy to find — EP hotels in the Caribbean that are exclusively for adults. Sure, there are many hotels that don’t exactly encourage you to bring your children. But it’s hard to find an EP hotel in the Caribbean that only allows adult guests. Period. So if you are looking for a romantic getaway, or simply a quiet poolside and beach Caribbean experience, these places are for you. The Caribbean’s adults-only EP hotel product isn’t large (unlike everything-included adults-only hotels), but that’s part of the allure: these are smaller, more intimate places that specialize in authentic, luxurious experiences. These are the best adults-only hotels in the Caribbean



In many ways, the lovely Cambridge Beaches is a microcosm of Bermuda: it’s a 300-year-old property with 87 rooms and quintessential Bermudian charm. It takes you back to a time when travel was more elegant, more grand. This large resort is also set on a broad 30-acre property, meaning you can always find a spot on a secluded beach.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2016/03/11/the-best-adults-only-hotels-in-the-caribbean/

A new boutique hotel in the Dutch Caribbean

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

There’s a new place to stay in Curaçao.

Bayside Boutique Hotel opened this summer at the Blue Bay Golf & Beach Resort, less than 10 minutes from Willemstad.

The hotel has 36 rooms and suites, some with terraces and fully equipped kitchens. Amenities include Pictures, a Mediterranean restaurant and bar; a fitness center; infinity pool.



That’s in addition to two tennis courts; complimentary WI-FI; and free golf on the 18-hole Blue Bay course




Blue Bay beach is steps away from the property.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/10/29/curacao-has-a-new-boutique-hotel/

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The San Juan Marriott has a new general manager.

The Puerto Rico property has named Jose Gonzalez its new GM, it announced this week.

Gonzalez comes to the hotel after previously serving at the JW Marriott Caracas.

“We’re delighted to have Jose join our executive team,” said Joaquin Cruz, Director of Marketing at San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. “His experience across different Marriott properties is invaluable and will be key to our team’s ongoing success.”

Gonzalez’s previous stops include serving as general manager at the Renaissance Hotel and Resort Costa do Sauipe in Brazil and, before that, General Manager at Renaissance Jaragua Hotel and Casino in Santo Domingo, among others.

“I’m thrilled to make the move to ‘la Isla del Encanto’ and very much look forward to collaborating with my new team to continue to provide a memorable and cultural experience for our guests,” said Gonzalez.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/10/31/san-juan-marriott-names-new-general-manager/

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Dominican Republic’ Eden Roc at Cap Cana resort is undergoing a major renovation of its beach club.

The $5 million project includes renovations and refurbishments to the beach club facilities.

The first phase of the project is slated to be unveiled Dec. 1, with new elements including thatched roofs, natural woods and coralina stone, among other features.

The second phase will see the existing Grill restaurant “refashioned” into a new destination including Nikkei and Robata cooking techniques, a cigar cellar, a wine showcase and live music.

The project is being accompanied by the addition of 52 new beachfront suites at the hotel.

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/11/01/eden-roc-at-cap-cana-is-transforming-its-beach-club/

By the Caribbean Journal staff

In a major boost to Haiti’s burgeoning tourism sector, Marriott International has announced that its Autograph Collection is expanding to Haiti.

The Habitation Jouissant boutique hotel in Cap Haitien will join the Autograph Collection in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The property will be Autograph’s third hotel in the Caribbean and will be Marriott’s second hotel in Haiti. Marriott opened its first Haiti hotel, the Marriott Port-au-Prince, earlier this year.

“We look forward to welcoming Habitation Jouissant to our growing global collection,” said Julius Robinson, Vice President & Global Lead, Autograph Collection Hotels.  “As we approach welcoming our 100th property by early next year, we know Habitation Jouissant will bring both a unique and culturally rich perspective to the portfolio when it joins in 2017.”

The property will undergo a “comprehensive overhaul” that will include the addition of 87 rooms, bringing the hotel’s total number of guest rooms to 100.

The hotel will see a new presidential suites, two restaurants, two pools, a fitness center and meeting rooms.

“We continue to seek out opportunities to bring leading hotel brands like Autograph Collection Hotels to Haiti in order to accommodate the impressive wave of international travelers visiting the region, specifically in Cap Haitien, “said Tim Sheldon, President of the Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott International.  “The opening of Habitation Jouissant reaffirms our commitment to the great nation of Haiti and to the global presence of Autograph Collection, one of our company’s fastest growing and most unique brands.”

Miami-based Hamed Rodriguez Architects will lead the expansion plans for the property, with International Design Concepts spearheading the interior design strategy.

“It is with a great deal of pride that we join Marriott International in their first venture in Cap-Haitien”, adds Fred Béliard, Chairman of the Fatima Group, and owner of Habitation Jouissant. “We are thrilled to not only be a part of Cap-Haitien’s history but we are also very proud to be part of its emergence and radiance with this new partnership. The North is a jewel. Its development, both touristic and economic, is essential to Haiti’s success. We are confident that our partnership with Marriott International is a turning point that will mark the beginning of many great endeavors for us and for our fellow members of the tourism industry in the North.”

Source by: http://caribjournal.com/2015/11/18/marriott-is-adding-a-second-hotel-in-haiti/

Major new project in Cayman

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

Kimpton Hotels has announced a November 2016 opening date for Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

It will be the San Francisco-based brand’s first hotel outside the continental US, and the first new development along Grand Cayman’s marquee beach in more than a decade.

The resort, which broke ground in 2012 and was recently topped off, is designed to be a “playful and sophisticated escape,” with an inventory of 266 accommodations (including rooms, suites, family suites, and beachfront bungalows), all featuring spa bathrooms, kitchenettes and ocean views.

There will also be two pools; a retail and restaurant promenade; and a spa. Owners of the resort’s planned 62 beach-view residences will enjoy access to the hotel’s amenities, a private social rooftop, and concierge service.

Part of the Intercontinental Hotels Group, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants operates more than 60 hotels and 70 restaurants in 30 North American cities, and is credited with introducing the boutique hotel concept to the United States.

The resort is owned by Dart Realty, a Caymanian investment and management company with more than 1 million square-feet of built assets, which includes the mixed-use development, Camana Bay.

Source by:http://caribjournal.com/2015/11/11/grand-caymans-kimpton-hotel-has-a-name-and-an-opening-date/

This is the ultimate fantasy hotel — a place that doesn’t even have rooms. It has “sanctuaries.” Jade Mountain is all about escaping reality, and that isn’t difficult when you have perhaps the Caribbean’s most incredible view and your own infinity pool (in every unit).

Source by:http://caribjournal.com/2016/03/11/the-best-adults-only-hotels-in-the-caribbean/2/#movescroll

They aren’t easy to find — EP hotels in the Caribbean that are exclusively for adults. Sure, there are many hotels that don’t exactly encourage you to bring your children. But it’s hard to find an EP hotel in the Caribbean that only allows adult guests. Period. So if you are looking for a romantic getaway, or simply a quiet poolside and beach Caribbean experience, these places are for you. The Caribbean’s adults-only EP hotel product isn’t large (unlike everything-included adults-only hotels), but that’s part of the allure: these are smaller, more intimate places that specialize in authentic, luxurious experiences. These are the best adults-only hotels in the Caribbean.


Source by:http://caribjournal.com/2016/03/11/the-best-adults-only-hotels-in-the-caribbean/

AMResorts is one of the Caribbean region’s fastest-growing hotel companies — and it got even bigger this year.

The Apple Leisure Group subsidiary signed 17 new resort management deals since the beginning of January.

With the addition of Sunscape Dominican Beach Punta Cana and Sunscape Bavaro Beach Punta Cana, the company says it will have nearly 60 resort in 26 destinations by the end of 2018.

“The unprecedented pace Apple Leisure Group has set with the volume of transactions completed in 2015 confirms that our vertically integrated approach to providing comprehensive luxury leisure vacation experiences brings our owners success,” said Alex Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group. “Owners consistently share that the ROI we deliver is unsurpassed, solidifying our position as one of North America’s leading hospitality companies.”

This year, the company added seven new destinations to its portfolio with either new openings or new management deals, including Aruba and Costa Rica.

“By focusing on growth in established markets, with opportunistic expansion into new destinations, we have executed a growth strategy that has yielded significant returns not only for Apple Leisure Group but also for our resort owners,” said Javier Coll, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Apple Leisure Group. “We will continue to deliver superior results by knowing where the opportunities are and how to maximize them for our partners,” he added.

Source by:http://caribjournal.com/2015/12/15/amresorts-signed-17-resort-deals-this-year/