What’s hot in the Caribbean for 2009

Caribbean Tourism Organisation 9 June 2009

The 34 destinations of the Caribbean, together with the tour operators, hotels, cruise lines and airlines serving the archipelago, are making 2009 one of the most tempting years to discover the region. Despite the recession gripping the UK and Ireland and the promises of an Indian summer in the British Isles, the Caribbean’s clutch of new hotels, spas, special savings and enhanced airlift make the region an obligatory holiday destination for this summer.

Carol Hay, director of marketing, CTO UK and Europe, said, “Given the unprecedented, challenging times the travel industry is facing globally, the CTO is delighted that our region is witnessing such a raft of continued developments and exciting offers to tempt travellers over to the Caribbean.

“Our region is heavily tourism-dependent and astoundingly diverse, vibrant and beautiful so we’re optimistic that the efforts of the CTO, the destinations and our 110 members will keep drawing holidaymakers over to experience the Caribbean. Now really is the time to discover our charming hotels, stylish spas, sumptuous cuisine, pulsating festivals and renowned sun-drenched beaches.”

HOTELS
Villa Rockstar, part of Eden Rock on the beach of St Jean, has now opened in St Barts. 1,500 square metre Villa Rockstar is unlike any other villa on St Barts; the three-level property includes four master suites, two cabins, a screening room, a private gym, a private office, cloisters, garages and cars, dining facilities for twelve people, a pool table and sports area, lawns for croquet and putting, two pools and a fully equipped recording studio.
edenrockhotel.com

In June 2009 Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman launched a new £66.7m ($110m) project building 19 five-bedroom, five-bathroom gated family homes, each on a private island off Grand Cayman with full access to the services and amenities of the neighbouring hotel. Due for completion later in 2009, the villas are include Italian antique-style handcrafted wood watercraft, a luxury vehicle, personal golf cart and full personal butler service.
thedeckhouses.com

In 2010 Mandarin Oriental will be opening its first Caribbean resort, with Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay, Turks and Caicos, opening on an unspoiled 35-acre beachfront site on the island’s scenic south-western shore. Surrounded by white sands, sheltered coral reefs and protected mangrove reserves, the hideaway will feature 197 rooms. A 2,040 square metre comprehensive spa will be built over a lake.
mandarinoriental.com

Cap Juluca in Anguilla is currently undergoing a £7.9m ($13m) renovation. Thousands of new colourful flowers will be planted throughout the resorts’ grounds and lighting will be added to dramatically highlight the details of the new landscaping. There will also be refitted two-storey luxury pool villas.
capjuluca.com

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has announced a £15.8 ($26m) renovation of Jumby Bay Antigua. The project will include the redesign of rooms, the addition of a new resort spa, an oceanfront infinity pool and the total renovation of the open-air restaurant. Jumby Bay has long been lauded for its attention to detail, and the renovation and expansion will be a reflection of this quest for perfection and sophisticated luxury. The twelve-month renovation is scheduled for completion in mid-2009.
jumby-bay.com
 

GoldenEye, Jamaica, is adding a multi-million pound high-end resort village to its exclusive resort in Oracabessa, St Mary. Completion of the mixed-use residential and full-service resort is set for December 2010 and will feature approximately 200 guest rooms spread over 60 acres of coastal land. The project will integrate the surrounding ecology using a Mediterranean design. The property will also boast its own spa, swimming pools and a lagoon. The development is currently in its first phase which includes the strengthening of the sea coast and work on the lagoon.
visitjamaica.com

Casa Kimball, perched on a secluded cliff edge on the Dominican Republic’s rugged north coast, is a private eight-suite villa. With vast suites, a rooftop lounge 45--metre infinity pool, two bars, a cliff-side jacuzzi and and a dining-room-cum-terrace, the new villa offers all the elegance holidaymakers need for a luxury Caribbean break. Muted, stony hues and deep aquamarine pervade the Rangr Studio-designed property’s eight suites, all of which boast panoramic views of the horizon, whilst private balconies. Those reluctant to relax can check out the decked-out media centre with its WiFi access. Weekly rental starts from £12,740 ($21,000).
casakimball.com


SPAS
From October 2008, guests at the Spa at Sandy Lane have been able to enjoy a range of new treatments by French ‘haute couture’ spa and beauty brand, Anne Sémonin. The original pioneer of the ‘à la carte’ spa concept, Anne Sémonin designed a bespoke treatment menu, has fully trained all staff and crafted signature finishing touches to the Spa rituals at Sandy Lane. Each treatment begins with a full consultation, where an Anne Sémonin trained therapist consults the guest on his or her specific skin needs. Highlights of the new Anne Sémonin treatment collection at Sandy Lane include the two-hour Sandy Lane liquid gold facial and the 90-minute Sandy Lane crushed ice and aromatic oil ritual.
sandylane.com
 
In February 2009 the cliff-top spa at Rosewood Little Dix Bay was rebranded and refitted as Sense, A Rosewood Spa® at Little Dix Bay. The experience aims to be even more inviting with relaxing opening than previously, with closing rituals and longer treatments featuring indigenous ingredients such as Virgin Gorda honey, goat milk, Neem leaf, and salt from nearby Salt Island. Yoga and movement classes are available to energise children, whilst their parents enjoy the spa's outdoor relaxation spaces and oceanview treatment cottages.
littledixbay.com

In December 2008 the CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla opened a 1,770 square metre extension to its award winning Venus Spa. The £4.3m ($7m) addition more than tripled the size of the existing facility, and offers guests a particularly Caribbean spa experience. New amenities include a Thalasso pool, where guests will soak in heated nutrient- and mineral-rich salt water, favoured for its healing properties and a relaxation room which will offer each guest expansive views of the Caribbean Sea.
cuisinartresort.com


FLIGHTS
From 25 October 2009 British Airways will be operating new twice-weekly services from London Gatwick to Jamaica’s Montego Bay and to Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic, representing a significant boost to UK airlift to the region. BA is also increasing the frequency of its other Caribbean flights. Services to St Lucia from Gatwick are up from three to five a week, Barbados from nine to ten, and Port of Spain, Trinidad from three to five. Overall, BA will now fly 45 times a week to the Caribbean, serving 13 destinations.
ba.com

Virgin Atlantic is to start flying between London Gatwick and Puerto Rico’s San Juan for the winter season 2009/2010. The weekly Saturday service, which will operate via Antigua, begins on 7 November and complement the airline’s existing services to Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Tobago, Havana and Jamaica.
virgin-atlantic.com

Montserrat-based Montserrat Airways Ltd has announced plans to start a new flight service to the island by mid-2009 operating under the name Fly Montserrat. The local airline will be offering on-demand charters, which will provide additional short-notice capacity at peak periods, urgent freight movements and daytrips both on and off island.
flymontserrat.com

Martinair, part of the KLM group, is offering connections via Amsterdam to its scheduled Aruba flights from various UK departure airports. KLM feeder flights from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle to Amsterdam connect seamlessly with Martiniair’s onward Aruba flights on Mondays, Wednesday, Thursdays and Saturdays, including a touchdown in Curaçao.
martinair.com


SPECIAL OFFERS
Hawksbill by rex resorts on Antigua is this year celebrating its Golden Anniversary with some special offers. To celebrate 50 years the four-star beach hotel will be offering guests a complimentary bottle of wine and spa treatments between June and November 2009.
rrexresorts.com

The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism is offering a reduction of £240 per couple on bookings made by the end of June 2009. The offer is only applicable to a holiday that includes accommodation and British Airways or Virgin Atlantic flights and is bookable through travel agents and tour operators.
antigua-barbuda.org


Sandals Resorts has announced that, as part of their exclusive partnership with Beringer Wines, every couple that books a Sandals or Beaches WeddingMoon package in a concierge room or above will now receive a case of Beringer sparkling rosé wine. The WeddingMoon package includes, amongst other things, a bridal bouquet, romantic dinner for the bridal couple, wedding photography, two-tiered Caribbean wedding cake and a professional wedding consultant.
sandals.co.uk

Harlequin Holidays is offering a “summer sizzler for singles” at the BodyHoliday at LeSPORT, St Lucia. The special seven-night deal starts from £1,865 for one person in a single garden room, including return flights from the UK and transfers on an all-inclusive basis. Valid for travel between 23 August and 11 October 2009 and bookings made by 30 June 2009. Added extras included in the promotion include personalised daily spa treatments; all water sports and land sports; all exercise classes; a hosted cocktail happy hour each evening and a weekly sunset cruise.
harlequinholidays.com

Raffles Canouan Island, in St Vincent and the Grenadines, is offering a 50 per cent reduction on stays in oceanview rooms and suites completed by 18 December 2009. Offer applies to the first 50 bookings made with LIAT flights.
rafflescanouan.tv and liatairline.com


For more information visit caribbean.co.uk or call the CTO on 020 8948 0057

---

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• reddit
• StumbleUpon
• Twitter

---

Caribbean Tourism Organisation case studies

Caribbean Tourism Organisation news