By Alexander Britell and Guy Britton

This is another side of Abaco, unexplored, undiscovered, beyond the brush, beyond the mangroves.

It’s a journey here from Marsh Harbour, a world away from the cays, a corner of the island few ever get to experience.

Tucked away here in the southeast of Great Abaco is Schooner Bay, a luxury real estate community that marries the charm of a Bahamian village with an unadulterated portal to the natural beauty of the island.

There are 35 homes here, all in the traditional Bahamian style, with a serious focus on green living, from the only geothermal cooling in The Bahamas to an all-electric cart fleet.

It’s a destination on the edge, surrounded by forests, home to two world-class, almost-always-entirely -empty white-sand beaches.

Schooner Bay is the home of true Bahamian tranquility, with a different rhythm.

After a decade, it’s become one of the most sought-after and exclusive real estate communities in The Bahamas.

And yes, you can stay here, too, either in a rental villa or in the community’s boutique hotel, The Sandpiper Inn.

The latter is a slice of Abaconian life, a guest house with beautiful rooms and suites (highlighted by superb bathrooms) and one of the best restaurants in Abaco, helmed by top chef Marcellus Higgins, who spent nearly two decades serving some of the finest meals on Harbour Island).

It’s a true guest house, with breakfast, lunch and dinner, a small pool, views of the marina and an emphasis on pure living.

The best amenity, though, is the nearby beach cabana, a short golf cart’s ride on the spectacular Schooner Beach, which effectively becomes your own private beach house for the day.

The beach cabana is the recipe for the perfect afternoon.

There’s ample space, a kitchen and even excellent Wi-Fi, the perfect place to enjoy the natural splendor of this largely hidden corner of Abaco.

The cabana is a place designed for sandy afternoons, breezy and bright, the kind of secluded, private beach house you simply can’t find at the typical Caribbean accommodation.

But you can find it in Schooner Bay.

For more information, visit Schooner Bay and The Sandpiper Inn.

The post Discovering Schooner Bay in Abaco appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

When it opened its doors in 1956, it was the place to be in Santo Domingo, if not the Caribbean.

El Embajador was the musical hotspot, the filming destination, the political meeting point.

Indeed, its role as the stand-in for Havana’s historic Hotel Capri in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II took the hotel and its renown to a new level (the property also subbed in for Havana in Andy Garcia’s The Lost City).

Over the years, though, the star faded, and by the turn of the century El Embajador was no longer the haunt of Oscar de la Rentas and Carolina Herreras of the world.

But Barcelo Hotel Group’s two-year, $40 million project (the company first acquired it in 2005) has transformed — and reinvented — the legendary hotel.

It’s now El Embajador, a Royal Hideaway hotel, and the results are dramatic.

Barcelo, which acquired the property in 2015, has transformed the property’s suites, while adding two new restaurants under Chef Jose Soto.

The hotel, which celebrated its grand reopening late last quarter, has added more than 10,000 square feet of ballrooms, along with a new wellness and spa center.

The marvelously upgraded rooms range from 440 square feet in smaller units to a sweeping 5,000-square-foot presidential suite, with a modern aesthetic that doesn’t ignore its old-school character.

Chef Jose Soto leads the cuisine at El Jardin and Los Porches.

That’s all in addition to the hotel’s centerpiece, the 125,000 square feet of tropical gardens, and a privileged hilltop location in Santo Domingo’s charming Bellavista neighborhood.

The rooms are bright and sleek.

It’s all another boost for the city of Santo Domingo, which has long lived in the shadow of beach destinations like Punta Cana and Puerto Plata.

Now, the city is starting to get its place in the travel spotlight, thanks to one of the hemisphere’s most beautiful colonial cities and what has been a rapidly transforming hotel offering, from classics like the Hodelpa Nicolas de Ovando (which just added a new hotel-within-a-hotel) to the continually impressive JW Marriott.

Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone is a destination in its own right.

The result? The grande dame of Santo Domingo has been reborn — and it’s another great reason to visit the Dominican Republic’s fascinating capital.

The post A Santo Domingo Legend, Reborn appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the Caribbean’s greatest hotels is planning its return following Hurricane Irma.

The Oetker Collection’s legendary Eden Rock St Barths is planning to reopen in December of 2018, according to a statement from St Barth Tourism officials.

The Villa Jocapana, part of the Eden Rock’s villa collection.

But the Eden Rock’s rental villas have already reopened and are welcoming guests.

The hotel has long been a signature of St Barth thanks to its privileged perch on St Jean beach and its iconic On the Rocks restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Looking to stay there right now? Visit the Eden Rock Villa Collection.

The post Eden Rock St Barths to Reopen in December, Villas Already Open appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina was on hand this week to inaugurate Hilton’s newest Caribbean hotel: the new Hampton by Hilton Santo Domingo Airport.

The newest hotel in the capital has a rooftop swimming pool, a fitness center, a buffet and an a la carte restaurant, along with outdoor terraces and free Wi-Fi, among other amenities.

While it’s targeting the corporate and crew segment, it also offers an option for those looking to use Santo Domingo as a jumping off point to spend a few days on the beach in nearby towns like Boca Chica and Juan Dolio.

The $10 million project is the first Hampton by Hilton in the Dominican Republic, part of what has been a wider expansion for Hilton in the Caribbean.

The post Hampton by Hilton Expands to Santo Domingo appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Norwegian Cruise Line has officially taken delivery of its newest cruise ship: the 168,028-gross-ton Norwegian Bliss.

The new ship was completed by Meyer Werft in Germany after an 18-month building period.

“Norwegian Bliss is one of our most highly-anticipated ships to date, and today marks another exciting milestone for the newest and most innovative ship of our young and modern fleet,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “The Meyer Werft team, along with our operations teams, ship officers and crew members, has done an incredible job bringing Norwegian Bliss to life and we cannot wait for guests to experience all she has to offer.”

The new ship, the third in Norwegian Cruise Line’s breakaway plus class, will feature amenities ranging from an electric-car race track to an open-air laser tag course.

The ship will begin her life in Alaska before heading to the Mexican Riviera this fall, before launching Caribbean cruises this winter out of Miami.

In the 2019 fall-winter season, Norwegian Bliss will sail from New York to Florida, The Bahamas and the Caribbean.

The post Norwegian Cruise Line Takes Delivery of Bliss Cruise Ship appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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