By Melanius Alphonse Caribbean News Now associate editor melanius@caribbeannewsnow.com CASTRIES, St Lucia — The opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) says that, when it is returned to power in Saint Lucia, it will seek to undo any arrangement entered into by the current United Workers Party (UWP) government that seeks to privatise the Owen King […]

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s best known as the island where Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New World.

But the beach-filled island of San Salvador in The Bahamas has long been under the radar of even the most passionate Caribbean aficionados.

Now, it’s getting easier to get there.

Bahamas national carrier Bahamasair is launching new weekly nonstop service from Miami to San Salvador, with the new route set to launch on Oct. 12.

The flights will be operated on a Boeing 737 aircraft with 120 seats, according to a statement from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

— CJ

The post A New Way to Get to This Island in The Bahamas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

It’s shaping up to be a rather exciting season in St Barth, as the island braces for a wave of major hotel reopenings — and returning travelers.

The first fall relaunch is coming late next month, when St Barth’s Le Barthelemy Hotel and Spa, which has been closed since Hurricane Irma last year, reopens Oct. 28.

One of the new oceanfront villas at Le Barthelemy.

The luxury boutique hotel’s planned reopening coincides with the two-year anniversary of its original debut on the island in 2016.

The 44-room-and-suite property will return with two new oceanfront villas, along with its full-service spa by skincare brand Le Mer.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome guests back to Le Barthélemy and to work with our travel advisor partners in sharing details of the work we’ve done to not only resurrect but even improve this very special property,” said Le Barthelemy General Manager Marc Dobbels.

The hotel will return with an eye to “replicate the understated yet supremely luxurious aesthetic” of the pre-Irma property, according to Dobbels.

The perfect pool day at Le Barthelemy.

He said the relaunched hotel would ‘incorporate peaceful design throughout the guest experience, putting an emphasis on wellness and well-being, the essential luxury.”

There will be some new additions, however, including a new rooftop bar called WTF Rooftop Bar (it stands for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, the hotel says), along with the Aux Amis Plage beachfront grill.

Le Barthemely will join several top properties that have already relaunched on the island, including the beachfront Les Ilets de la Plage in St Jean; the classic Le Village and the reimagined Manapany Hotel, with the latter already the hottest new place to stay on the island in some times.  (Also back in action is Pearl Beach, formerly known as Tom Beach).

The winter season will see a broad wave of reopenings, from the Cheval Blanc St Barth Isle de France to the legendary Eden Rock.

Of course, St Barth has already made an impressive comeback (one that began shortly after the storms), and its villa portfolio is better than ever, led by market leader WIMCO.

The post Another Top St Barth Resort Is Set to Reopen appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… George Washington University hired by Puerto Rico’s government estimated last month … collected hundreds of reports from Puerto Ricans who believed their relatives had … death certificates released by the Puerto Rican government after a lawsuit by …

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By Guy Britton

PLAYA DEL CARMEN — Fifth Avenue is alive at night, teeming with sound and color, filled with crowds and flavor.

By day, there’s another melody, leisurely and light, a place to stroll and warm up before cooling off on the beach.

There’s a little bit of everything here in Playa del Carmen, the beach city that’s one of Mexico’s most fun-filled, quirky, energetic destinations.

As you walk down the city’s main thoroughfare, you’re bombarded with retail stimuli, with everything from large global brands to tucked-away jewelry shops.

And then there’s the dining scene, with bustling bars, touristy cafes and seriously good Mayan eateries — and everything in between.

Playa’s Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, at night.

No, it isn’t hip Tulum, or sprawling Cancun.

This is the heart of the Riviera Maya, a raw, real city that’s somehow managed to develop in the heart of one of the hemisphere’s largest tourism destinations.

The Royal in Playa del Carmen.

Because while Playa is still defined by its resorts (like the terrific The Royal Playa del Carmen, above), it’s a place that begs you to go beyond your room.

It’s a place where you can spend all day walking and watching, or find yourself lost at night in a quiet watering hole.

There’s a palpable energy here, one that takes in-your-face consumer culture and somehow merges it with palpable authenticity.

You’ll find global brands like Starbucks alongside sophisticated local eateries, all somehow coexisting in a city that’s fun and never full of itself (the latter something that isn’t always true of popular beach towns).

It’s also a destination that’s been constantly changing and reinventing itself, most recently with a host of chic new hotels like the Thompson Playa del Carmen and Hilton’s The Fives, boutique spots with rooftop pools, striking design and happening cocktail scenes.

There’s an almost paradoxical offering in this city, from Guy Fieri to true Mayan cuisine at eateries like Yaxche Maya Cuisine, above.

You’re at once in Cancun and an old Mayan town, winding your way through modern Mexico in a single boulevard, converging on a point that’s many places at once.

And isn’t that the best place to find the getaway you’re looking for?

— CJ

The post VIDEO: Playa del Carmen, A Must-Visit Beach City in Mexico appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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