Apple Leisure Group has announced three new appointments to its executive leadership team to oversee the company’s “rapidly growing” Vacations brands.
The travel company has tapped Jacqueline Marks, Steve Dumaine and Ray Snisky to the ALG executive committee, overseeing the Vacations brands, according to new Apple CEO Alejandro Reynal.
“The strength of ALG lies in our ability to remain dynamic in the ever-changing travel industry, and having a leadership structure that allows for increased accountability and agility is essential to our long-term success,” said Reynal. “As ALG continues to evolve, strengthening our executive committee with the addition of Jacqueline, Steve and Ray is the next step to accomplish our goal of improving overall performance and delivering the best service to our customers and partners.”
The new appointments will each oversee a distinct area of the company’s vacations business.
Marks, who had previously served as executive vice president of trade sales and engagement, is now the executive vice president for travel agent business.
Snisky is the current chief commercial officer of ALG Vacations, while Dumaine is the current executive vice president of ALG’s B2C-focused Vacations brands.
“We are committed to building a strong foundation that can support the exponential growth ALG has experienced,” said Alex Zozaya, Executive Chairman of ALG. “Our new executive committee members understand our business and our customers, and I am confident in their ability to lead the Company into the next chapter of its growth.”
The hottest Caribbean hotel opening of 2019 is here.
Kempinski’s first-ever Caribbean resort has officially opened its doors in the north of Dominica.
The 151-room Cabrits Resort and Spa Kempinski Dominica resort is a monumental new addition to an island that has always been one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean.
“The jewel of the Caribbean is finally here,” said Mohammed Asaria, founder of Range Developments.
The property, set on Douglas Bay and surrounded by Dominica’s stunning Cabrits National Park near Portsmouth, has a spectacular spa, four restaurants and bars, a large fitness facility, two floodlit tennis courts and a total of four pools.
That’s along with a large spate of meeting space: more than 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor facilities.
What a room looks like.
The culinary offerings include what the property describes as both farm to table and “sea-to-table” dining, from a beach cafe called Kweyol to an open-concept eatery called Cabrits Market.
There’s also a signature bar called RumFire, with a tapas menu, a selection of local herb-and-fruit-infused cocktails and a large offering of cigars for the evening hours. There’s also a pan-Asian eatery called Bonsai.
And then there’s The Spa at Kempinski, an 18,000-square-foot wellness center with both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.
A bathroom.
The hotel has even debuted its own air service, with regular transport for interest guests who travel to Dominica through nearby Antigua and Guadeloupe (both of which have international airports, unlike Dominica, which can only be accessed via prop planes).
It all adds up to the most significant hotel to debut in Dominica since the boutique Secret Bay first opened its doors back in 2011. The pair of properties could combine to turn the north of Dominica into one of the hottest luxury destinations in the Caribbean.
The Kweyol Beach Bar.
They’re also a reminder of how far Dominica has come in the last two years since the storms of 2017, a message that the Caribbean’s most naturally beautiful destination is ready for travelers to return.
The new Kempinski resort becomes just the second Kempinski-branded hotel property in the wider Caribbean, following the Gran Manzana in Havana, which first opened in the summer of 2017.
One of Aruba’s most beloved hotels is getting bigger.
Aruba’s Boardwalk Small Hotel will soon debut the fruits of a major expansion project that will see the property rebranded as the Boardwalk Boutique Hotel.
On Nov. 15, the Boardwalk will be reopening with the addition of 32 new casitas, along with amenities like a new pool, a fitness and spa facility, a transformed lobby and “on-trend food and beverage offerings at the added Lobby Cafe,” according to a statement.
The 32 new casitas will complement the Boardwalk’s existing 14 casitas, which were also refreshed and refurbished.
The family-run hotel is set in the area of Aruba’s Palm Beach, with a mix of suites, one-and-two-bedroom casitas, a standalone villa with a plunge pool and a palapa-style lodge.
An outdoor shower at one of the casitas.
It’s long been one of the greener properties in Aruba, with solar panels, energy management systems, 100 percent LED lighting and double-glassed windows and doors.
Every unit has a “barefoot luxury” aesthetic, along with a barbecue grill, a patio, a hammock and modern kitchens and kitchenettes.
Inside one of the units.
A major part of the relaunch is the new “multi-experience” pool, which includes a series of pool decks, an overwater hamoock, a kid-friendly pool entry and daily poolside bar service.
The changes turn what had been a popular small hotel (and one of the best hotels in Aruba) into Aruba’s premier boutique hotel.
… in Puerto Rican population, the conference aims to make Puerto Ricans … to do to help Puerto Rico and those who … strong connections in the Puerto Rican community.
Director Carlos … that affect Puerto Rico communities.”
The Center for Puerto Rican Studies or …
Nearly 15 years after opening as Sandals Whitehouse, the Sandals South Coast resort is the only major hotel development on the south shore of Jamaica.
And as long as that remains the case, this all-inclusive hotel will remain a special place.
The Sandals resort chain has six resorts in Jamaica, scattered
from the Negril to Montego Bay to Ocho Rios. Each has their fans — Negril for
its Seven Mile Beach location, the Mobay location for its proximity to
nightlife on the Hip Strip, for example.
For sheer serenity and natural beauty, however, none can touch
Sandals South Coast, which reopened in 2017 under its new name after a major
renovation to bring it more in line with Sandals’ “Luxury Included” standard.
Sandals specializes in consistency —amenities remain constant
from resort to resort.
In Jamaica, that means that most of the properties have a Jerk
Shack among their multiple dining options, for example, and water sports
options tend to be about the same from resort to resort.
It would be a mistake, however, to think that one Sandals is just like all the others.
And even when they do share common features, like the overwater bungalows found at both the Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals South Coast, which resort you choose can make a big difference.
Sandals South Coast is the only major hotel development on the southern shores of Jamaica.
The Royal Caribbean overwater villas are only reachable by boat, while those at South Coast are connected to the mainland by a long pier. And yet the latter seem much more secluded, thanks to their location at the north end of the resort, which in turns sits on a point facing an otherwise minimally developed section of Crab Pond Bay.
The overwater villas sit in water deep enough that you can jump (but not dive) off the decks behind each unit, while the Royal Caribbean villas stand over relatively shallow waters that recede dramatically at low tide. At South Coast, it’s pelicans that frequently fly overhead, not jetliners.
Each bungalow features on-call butler service, an amenity that’s
also available with the couples-friendly Love Nest suites on the mainland.
Rooms at Sandals South Coast are divided into three “villages” — four-story
Italian, French, and Dutch themed buildings. Every room has a water view all
have king beds and spacious bathrooms with modern appointments; upgrades will
get you amenities like in-room soaking tubs, robes, and included room service.
The wide variety of Sandals’ room classes include one-bedroom suites and
penthouse and concierge level rooms. Ground floor “walkout” rooms have
oceanfront patios.
The villages are minimally themed, but do have some distinctive characteristics. The French village has the liveliest pool area, with a swim-up bar and organized activities like pool volleyball games, while the Dutch and Italian villages have higher-end suites and share the services of Club Sandals, including butler and concierge service and private check-in.
The signature Red Lane Spa.
The Italian village is closest to the main hotel lobby, largest
pool, and most of the resort’s restaurants, including those serving breakfast —
the buffet at Bayside, sit-down dining at Eleanor’s, and the sophisticated grab
n’ go at Cafe de Paris, including a sweet selection of fresh-made crepes and
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.
Top dining choices at the resort include the authentic Jamaican jerked meats, grilled sweet potatoes, and traditional “festivals” at the waterfront Jerk Shack, the diverse and well-prepared rolls and sashimi at Sushi by the Sea, and Schooner’s Seafood Grill, where lobster and steaks are served under open-air canopies on the beach. The Latitudes overwater bar is the best place to be for sunsets and cocktails made with local Appleton Estate rum.
This is the spot for sunsets.
A broad, sandy beach has ample space for everyone at the resort
to stake out a beach chair, hammock, or cabana of their own, and the resort has
several short piers and gazebos set up for romantic couples’ dinners.
The beach volleyball court is busy most days, and other active options include Hobie cat sailing, snorkeling, and tennis on a trio of lighted hard courts. The fitness center is well-equipped and blessedly air-conditioned. And we highly recommend the twice-weekly catamaran trip to the famous Pelican Bar, perched on stilts near the mouth of the Black River and a welcome taste of local Jamaican culture after a few days in all-inclusive land.
The courtyard setting of the Red Lane spa is lovely, with
treatment rooms surrounding a decorative foundation and hot and cold plunge
pools. Services include assorted scrubs, facials and massages, but resort
guests are welcome to use the pools, steam room, and other spa amenities even
if they don’t book a service.
The entertainment crew at the resort works hard to keep things
lively at night, including shows with fire-eaters and a new burlesque show in
the cabaret. But it’s easy enough to slip away to a hot tub, the beach, or one
of the outdoor lounge areas with their gas fire pits for a peaceful drink or
cuddling, as well. The resort’s remote location also means lots of stars
visible overhead and minimal noise or commotion from the surrounding community.
In short, there’s plenty of party time at Sandals South Coast if you want it, but it’s also the rare all-inclusive with enough elbow room that you’ll truly feel like it’s you own personal paradise, too.
