The hotly-anticipated Andaz Mayakoba resort has officially opened its doors on the Riviera Maya.

Hyatt Hotels Corporration’s newest property in the Mexican Caribbean is part of the eco-luxe destination of Mayakoba, and is immediately one of the region’s most stylish new properties.

The hotel, which is the first Andaz-branded property in Mexico, has 214 open-layout rooms and suites overlooking either lagoons, mangrove and resort gardens or the coast.

Each suite includes a balcony or terrace, with 41 suites featuring private plunge pools.

There are four restaurant concepts, led by the signature Casa Amate Latin American eatery.

Naturally, there’s a spa, with the Naum Spa housed in 10,000 square feet of space with “airy” treatment cabins that are “open to their surroundings,” according to the hotel.

“Today is an exciting day as we officially open the doors to the Andaz brand’s first property in Mexico in the incredible, sustainable destination of Mayakoba,” said General Manager Lin Schatz. “With lush landscape and a rich Mayan culture, the region ideally encapsulates the brand’s connection to its local surroundings. From the unique design and native cuisine to indigenous spa treatments, partnerships and experiences led by local insiders, guests will feel entirely immersed in the culture during their stay.”

The post The Andaz Mayakoba Is Now Open appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Hyatt Hotels has opened its first-ever Hyatt-branded hotel in Colombia — and its latest hotel in the Caribbean.

The Hyatt Regency Cartagena is located in the tourism hub on the country’s Caribbean coast known for its historic walled city.

“We are very pleased to welcome Hyatt Regency Cartagena to Colombia,” said Peter Sears, group president – Americas, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “The opening of Hyatt Regency Cartagena represents Hyatt’s ongoing commitment to developing our global brand footprint in key gateway markets where our guests are increasingly traveling for business or leisure, many of which are located in the thriving Latin American region.”

The 261-room Hyatt Regency Cartagena includes 28 “Regency Club” suites with views of the Caribbean Sea or the Cartagena Port.

The property includes three culinary options: Kokaú, an “interactive” gastronomic experience focusing on local flavors; Amacagua Bar & Grill, which serves the resort’s three swimming pools and Amacagua Lounge, a music and cocktail lounge.

The resort is also home to a spa, Aqoral Spa, with six treatment rooms and two hydrotherapy suites, along with Cartagena’s first-ever accessible treatment room.

“Hyatt Regency Cartagena offers a level of upscale quality and a fine attention to detail with the hotel’s design and service. We are confident that the hotel’s spacious accommodations, premier meeting facilities and anticipatory service will remind guests why it’s sometimes good not to be home,” added Myles McGourty, senior vice president in Latin America and Caribbean, Hyatt.

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The newly relaunched Turneffe Island Resort is now open for reservations, following a property-wide renovation project.

Turneffe Island Resort has fully renovated the hotel, including its 22 beachside guest rooms.

“We are delighted to unveil the new Turneffe Island Resort on our 15-year anniversary. We’ve renovated the property, as we do after each season, but we’re especially excited to make a dramatic debut for guests, both returning and new, this season,” said Deborah Finkler, sales and marketing manager at Turneffe Island Resort. “We’ve enhanced our special adventure packages and have a brand new website to allow visitors to virtually experience all the luxury and adventure that the island and surrounding Caribbean waters can offer.”

Spread across 14 acres, the island sits at the southern tip of the Turneffe Atoll – 35 miles off the coast of Belize City and only 30 miles from the world-famous Great Blue Hole, a collapsed 1,000-year old oceanic cave, where divers head 130 feet underwater.

The resort specializes in customizable, all-inclusive fishing, diving and snorkeling packages for avid water enthusiasts.

Originally the first offshore fishing lodge in Belize, the resort is known as one of the only places where one can chase the “Caribbean Grand Slam,” catching a bonefish, tarpon and permit, all in one day.

With local fishermen guiding the program, guests have landed their names in the International Game Fish Association record books repeatedly.

The resort also recently announced a new fishing director, Greg Bicker, avid fly fish pro, to help guide the expanding fishing program at the resort.

— Dana Niland, CJ Contributor

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One of Martinique’s storied rum brands, Dillon’s home is in the outskirts of Fort-de-France, and the brand has long produced some of the island’s tastiest expressions although it remains lesser known abroad than some of its competitors.

Rum Journal was lucky enough to get its hands on another expression on a journey to Martinique this week: Dillon’s Cuvée des Planteurs.

The rum, set in one of Dillon’s signature tall, elongated bottles, is a blend of rums aged between three and five years, selected by the company’s cellar master.

The rum has a traditional amber color; it has Dillon’s typically sweet aroma, with notes of candied fruit and orange peel.

The flavor profile is marked by vanilla, tropical fruit and a hint of black pepper, all delivered in a smooth, clean package.

The finish has stronger notes of pepper and a reminder that while this rum is sweet, it packs a punch.

The verdict? A very nice, well-rounded rhum agricole and the latest example of Dillon’s continued excellence in rummaking.

— CJ

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Checking into the new Reef resort

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

Anguilla’s newest resort, The Reef by Cuisinart, is now officially open. Billed as a boutique property for a younger, hipper clientele than its sister 16-year-old CuisinArt Resort & Spa, it’s aiming to make its mark on Merrywing Bay this season. We were one of the first guests to check in, so here’s your first look at (and our first impressions of) the West End newcomer.

LOCATION You couldn’t ask for a better location than The Reef’s. On the powdery, palm-fringed sands of Merrywing Bay, the west coast resort has a direct view of neighboring St. Maarten, a 30-minute ferry ride away. It’s flanked by Cove Bay on one side and Rendezvous Bay (home to CuisinArt) on the other, but a rocky outcrop makes it impossible to walk between the two. The Reef’s West End positioning makes it convenient for restaurants such as The Dune Preserve, Garvey’s Sunshine Shack, Blanchards and Straw Hat, and for beaches including the sweep at Meads Bay.

ROOMS There are 80 suites, 50 of them in the seven-story main building, the remainder in four beachfront three-story blocks.

Rooms in the main building are decorated in contemporary style with impressively large walk-in closets and panoramic windows that offer views of either the pool and beach or of the resort’s golf course. All feature a mini bar; espresso maker, flat-screen TV, and Bluetooth audio set-up. Bathrooms are spacious, with separate showers and sleek freestanding tubs. Rusk toiletries; a Conair blow-dryer and a Conair paddle brush are included amenities (the brands share the same owner as the resort). Whether golf course- or beach view, these are superb entry-level rooms. The only thing missing is balconies. Curiously, none of the rooms in the main building have them. The omission will no doubt disappoint some guests, but management tells us the decision to forgo was partly because of the “uncomfortable” wind speeds at such height (the building is 80 feet-tall).

So if balconies are a deal breaker, book a (larger) suite in the beachfront buildings, all of which have light-filled living rooms that open onto either an oceanfront patio or balcony. The top category, the deluxe beachfront junior suite, has a wraparound balcony that’s a whopping 830 square-feet and comes complete with its own hot tub.

DINING There are two restaurants, The Yacht Club and Breezes. On the ground floor of the main building, The Yacht Club offers open-air, all-day dining. Dinner was superb, with flavorful fare from executive Jasper Schneider, whose ceviche and pan-seared grouper were culinary high notes. Guests also enjoy full access, signing privileges and complimentary shuttles to CuisinArt, where four restaurants, including the popular Tokyo Bay, will please most palates. (Do yourself a favor and order the foie gras tasting at Bistro Santorini; it’s heaven on a plate.)

The lobby bar (with grand piano), is a cool spot for cocktails accompanied by a constant breeze and ocean views.

ACTIVITIES Golfers will enjoy the adjacent 18-hole course at CuisinArt Golf Club; there’s a pool with twin whirlpools; a pair of tennis courts; a bocce court, and a small ocean-view fitness center with Technoym equipment (but, curiously, no mirrors). There’s complimentary yoga, and AquaCycle classes are scheduled to start in the coming weeks. We were impressed with (and tempted by!) the trendy merchandise in the small boutique, and also by the air-conditioned library and computer room adjacent to the open-air lobby. Guests can hop the complimentary shuttle over to CuisinArt to enjoy their amenities, which include the superb Venus Spa (ask for Nicholson) and the stunning sands of Rendezvous Bay.

IN A NUTSHELL Modern and intimate, The Reef has all the bells and whistles and the potential (given its relationship to the esteemed CuisinArt) to be an excellent addition to Anguilla’s hotel inventory.

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