By the Caribbean Journal staff

The highly-anticipated Quintessence Hotel has made its debut on the island of Anguilla.

The boutique luxury property officially opened its doors on Monday, an impressive feat in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

The “Q” has a total of nine villas and suites, with services ranging from 24-hour full butler service to Swedish mattresses to Turkish marble bathrooms, among others.

The property includes an on-site restaurant called Julians, along with a “Q Wine Cellar” and a “Q Bistro Bar.” And while it’s a small hotel, all cuisine is available to guests around the clock, according to the property.

There’s also a spa, with customized treatments from massages to facials to manicures.

And it’s even possible to buy out the entire property for a large meeting or event.

For more information, visit Quintessence.

The post Anguilla’s Quintessence Is Now Open appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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While Montego Bay is known largely for its all-inclusive product, there are a number of charming European-plan Montego Bay hotels and resorts tucked away in the destination.

These greater Montego Bay hotels are the best of Jamaican hospitality, with an emphasis on authentic Jamaican luxury, warm, personable service and the kind of hotel design that put Jamaica on the map as a tourist destination during the jet-set age.

Because at the end of the day, the quality of your hotel will define your stay — and the ability of your chosen hotel or resort to both channel the local culture and make you feel welcome is the biggest test of any property.

Here are three Montego Bay hotels that fit the bill; they aren’t just the best Montego Bay hotels — they’re unforgettable vacations.

A villa at Round Hill.

Round Hill Recently crowned Caribbean Hotel of the Year in our 2017 Caribbean Travel Awards, this property (in which Ralph Lauren is a part owner) oozes charm, with a lovely little beach, world-class cuisine and a marvelous mix of both traditional guest rooms (with interiors by Lauren himself) and villas. While the villas are great for larger groups, the oceanfront rooms are truly perfect for couples and solo travelers.

It’s long been one of the region’s legendary hotels — and, unsurprisingly, the leader among Montego Bay hotels.

Half Moon While its renovation is still in process (with a projected completion date of October 2018), this Grand Dame of Montego Bay hotels remains a wonderful stay, thanks to a sprawling 400-acre site boasting 197 rooms and 31 villas, along with one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Jamaica, the eponymous Half Moon Bay. And then there’s the delightful Fern Tree Spa. Our recommendation? Make sure you go for the so-called “West Cottages,” the original portion of the property that’s even played host to the Queen of England.

The Tryall Club Still a bit of a closely-guarded secret, this greater Montego Bay institution is perched on more than 2,000 acres, focused around condos and beautiful villas. But it’s the villas that are the real stars. Each villa is fully staffed (some even have their own kitchen gardens), making it a particularly good option for families and multi-generational travel groups. That’s without mentioning the recently-transformed, 6,836-yard on-site golf course.

The post 3 Montego Bay Hotels You Need to Try Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

It was the greatest beach bar in Anguilla. Until Hurricane Irma tore it down.

But the beloved Garvey’s SunShine Shack did not let the storm win, and in just a few months, has totally rebuilt and reopened, the latest step in Anguilla’s inspiring recovery from the storm.

The SunShine Shack 2.0 began welcoming visitors again on Anguilla’s Rendezvous Bay this week.

All of the signatures are back: the stools, the grill, the umbrellas and the charming whitewashed shack, temporarily missing the hundreds of loving inscriptions it had once boasted  — although its walls will likely not remain empty for long.

After the storm, Garvey had been spending his  time helping friends and others until he was encouraged “it was time to rebuild his place,” he told Caribbean Journal.

“We want to welcome everyone back to Anguilla and to the SunShine Shack for the great times we always had,” he said.

The post Anguilla’s Best Beach Bar Has Rebuilt and Reopened appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Fatima Thompson
CJ Contributor

HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—A mixture of lower occupancy levels and higher rates fell in line with year-to-date hotel performance in the Caribbean, according to the latest data from STR.

In November, occupancy fell 2.8% year over year to an absolute level of 64.4%. However, 3.3% growth in average daily rate (ADR) pushed revenue per available room (RevPAR) up 0.3% compared with November 2016. Through the first 11 months of 2017, RevPAR was up 1.5%, due to a 2.4% rise in ADR countering a 0.9% decline in occupancy.

Overall in 2017, the region has seen five months with a year-over-year decline in occupancy, including two of the last three. After a significant 16.5% drop during a hurricane-ravaged September, occupancy was up 3.5% in October.

When looking at the November performance of several select islands, the Cayman Islands experienced an 18.4% increase in occupancy, while Bermuda, a much smaller hotel market, showed a 14.6% rise in the metric.

Conversely, rather significant year-over-year occupancy declines were felt in Cuba (-23.3%) and the Bahamas (-18.1%).

For the year, demand is up for the region as a whole (+1.7% as of November). Supply growth (+2.6%) has grown more substantially, however, causing the aforementioned year-to-date dip in occupancy.

That supply growth will continue as there are a number of new rooms in the development pipeline, specifically in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba.

As of November, there were six projects under construction in the Dominican Republic accounting for 2,020 new rooms.

Another three projects in final planning would add 1,086 new rooms to the market. Jamaica reported just one in construction project in November, but another four projects and 3,190 rooms in final planning. Cuba showed a total a 2,628 rooms between five projects in the overall pipeline

For questions regarding hotel data reporting in the Caribbean, please contact Fatima Thompson, Associate Director of Business Development, Hotels Caribbean & Mexico at fatima@str.com

The post STR: Cayman Islands, Bermuda See Occupancy Jumps appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

There’s a major new adults-only Dominican Republic resort: the VH Atmosphere Resort and Beach Club.

The newest all-inclusive addition to Puerto Plata on the Dominican Republic’s northern coast has 193 rooms, including 70 garden rooms, 57 superior rooms, 50 junior suites and 16 honeymoon suites.

That’s joined by four restaurants, five bars, a tennis court, an infinity pool and access to the nearby Playa Dorada golf course.

VH Hotels’ new adults-only resort aims to “out of the ordinary all-inclusive experience for the modern couple,” according to VH Hotels executive vice president Roberto Casoni.

Casoni said the new VH Atmosphere also had a focus on wellness, with offerings including Zumba classes, yoga and other disciplines, complemented by “healthy gastronomic” cuisine.

The Lotus Bar.

VH Atmosphere was designed by the firm of prominent architect Sarah Garcia, who also designed the nearby Casa Colonial boutique hotel, another VH property.

Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina was on hand this week for the inauguration ceremony.

VH Hotels has another Puerto Plata resort: the Grand Ventana all-inclusive.

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