By the Caribbean Journal staff

It just got even easier to get to Bimini.

The tiny archipelago is the closest Bahamian destination to Miami, and now Bahamian national carrier Bahamasair is set to launch new flights from Miami to Bimini.

Beginning at the end of the month, Bahamasair will launch a total of four weekly flights to Bimini, Miami International Airport announced in a statement.

The Bimini Big Game Club, Bimini’s legendary hotel.

The service will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The flights will be Miami Airport’s seventh route in The Bahamas.

It’s another boost for an island that has been benefiting from regular service from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale on Tropic Ocean Airways, operated on seaplanes.

Miami-Bimini flights on Bahamasair should take around 30 minutes, operated on the company’s ATR 42 aircraft.

The post Bahamasair Launching Miami-Bimini Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s shaping up to be a banner year for the Turks and Caicos real estate market, according to a new report by Turks and Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty.

Total sales volume has jumped to $63.06 million in the first quarter, a 16 percent increase over the first three months of 2017, while the average sales price increased by a whopping 49 percent to $900,763 in the same period.

Single-family home sales led the way in the first quarter, with dollar volume up 53 percent to $38.7 million, with the average sales price of a single-family home rising just under 40 percent to $1.684 million.

A home for sale on Grace Bay Beach.

That was paced by sales like a villa at the Amanyara that sold for $5.65 million and a newly-constructed villa at the Shore Club that sold for $5.885 million.

Single-family sales led the boom as condominium sales were actually down in the period, though several units changed hands for more than $1 million, including a Palms penthouse that sold for $3.1 million.

That included only re-sale condominium data, however, the company cautioned, pointing to a surge in new projects and a strong underlying demand for condominiums — and little existing inventory to meet the demand.

“This scarcity is evidenced by a drop in average days on market for condominiums from 349 to 276 days,” the brokerage said in its report.

A home for sale in Providenciales.

The company pointed to another $108 million in pending transactions on the territory’s MLS, dominated by $85 million in luxury villa sales.

The brokerage predicted that pattern would sustain, as pre-construction villa and condominium sales continue as more and more projects break ground.

“We simply could not have hoped for more in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and could not be more proud of the performance of our tourism, development and real estate sectors as we experience another great tourism and real estate season,” Turks and Caicos Sotheby’s said in a statement.

The post Turks and Caicos Real Estate Is Booming appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Conrad Cartagena has announced teh addition of a new 9,600-square-foot spa, kids club, new dining experiences and a Presidential Suite.

Opened in December 2017, Conrad Cartagena is the brand’s first property on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

The oceanfront oasis currently houses 268 accommodations, including 31 suites situated on the north side of the city on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.

The TPC golf course.

These new amenities build upon the resort’s five swimming pools, TPC golf course and more than 24,000 square feet of meeting space.

The new CONRAD Spa’s menu will be inspired by Colombian traditions and the four elements– water, earth, air and fire.

At 2,500 square feet, the Presidential Suite will feature two bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows and wrap-around balcony with views of the sea, golf course and Cartagena skyline as well as a spacious living and dining area with seating for six people.

The resort’s kid’s club will offer painting, dance classes, play-acting for mini-theater productions and movie screenings.

Joining the seven established food and beverage outlets at the resort is the newly opened Karibana Beach Club, which serves a sophisticated take on Cartagena street food as well as cocktails in a tropical setting.

Guests can also opt for selections from the new Kosher kitchen.

The post Conrad Cartagena Debuts Spa, Beach Club appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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If you want to find the perfect casino in the Caribbean, you shouldn’t have to roll the dice.

While there are some great casinos scattered around the region, some islands have a far better offering than others.

That’s why we’ve collected the top five casino destinations in the Caribbean right now, with a focus on the quality and diversity of the gaming experience, along with other factors like food and beverage and hotel options.

The verdict? Right now, Nassau remains the king of the casino in the Caribbean, but there are some great options around the region worth checking out.

The casino at the Baha Mar is the biggest in the Caribbean.

Nassau Paradise Island The island of New Providence was long the gaming capital of the Caribbean thanks to its flagship Atlantis resort — but it just got even better. The debut of the Baha Mar, a place we’ve called the Las Vegas of the Caribbean, has made Nassau the center of the Caribbean casino world. And get this – the Baha Mar is even better. While Atlantis has a total of 64,814 square feet, the Baha Mar’s sparkling casino has 100,000 square feet of casino space (including a superb sports book), with a high-end, Vegas feel. This is a significant casino destination, not just for the Caribbean, but for the world.

The casino at the Ritz-Carlton, Aruba.

Aruba This Dutch Caribbean hotspot gets the nod for what is a remarkably broad gaming offering, with a different casino on just about every corner, from the boutique-y Casino at the Ritz-Carlton on Palm Beach to the Hyatt casino to the Renaissance in the heart of Oranjestad’s downtown. And because just about every casino is tied to a resort, it makes the gaming experience that much easier.

San Juan, Puerto Rico It’s always surprised us just how far under the radar San Juan flies as a gaming destination — because it’s terrific (of course, we’re still waiting for a major gaming player like MGM to enter the market). There are casino options all over the capital, from the excellent Stellaris Casino at the San Juan Marriott to the elegant, 24-7 casino at the La Concha in Condado. When it reopens, El San Juan should be on your list, too.

The casino at the Curacao Marriott.

Curaçao The Dutch Caribbean’s best-kept secret has a range of gaming offerings, concentrated in its fascinating capital of Willemstad. And while there are casinos all over the downtown area and beyond (including favorites like the Marriott), the center of gaming here remains the Renaissance’s Carnaval Casino, where you can play slots or table games until the wee hours of the morning and then shop to your heart’s content the next day with your winnings. (And with Wind Creek’s purchase of the property, it should be getting even better).

Why not combine some of the region’s best gastonomy with gaming?

Martinique Martinique? Yes, the center of the French Caribbean world has a pair of solid casinos, both in the tourist hub of Trois-Ilets and on the outskirts of the capital, Fort-de-France. This is the essence of French-style gaming, meaning you can also find great food and drink right inside the casino. (Indeed, one of the island’s best rum bars is inside the Casino Trois-Ilets.

The post The Top 5 Casino Destinations in the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Melia’s newest luxury brand is making its debut in the Dominican Republic — and it will be its most exclusive property yet.

Circle by Melia, a new “brand experience” the company says is a “whole new level” of accommodations, will open its first property at the Paradisus Palma Real resort in Punta Cana this year.

But it won’t be open to all travelers — The Circle will be a members-only resort, according to the company.

Circle is part of a special membership program Melia has launched, with three categories: Infinite Blue, Infinite Red and Infinite Black Experience, opening up members to “a whole new world of flexibility and thousands of destinations.”

Circle aims to offer a kind of bespoke, customized resort experience, with everything from custom pre-stocked minibars to an “infinite butler.”

For more information, visit Circle by Melia.

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