The Atlantis Paradise Island megaresort in The Bahamas has completed its comeback, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The Paradise Island institution officially reopened its doors to visitors this week after having been closed amid the pandemic. 

“We are elated to announce that we are officially open,” the property wrote in a statement. 

The property also announced the completion of a renovation project of its Royal East Tower guest rooms, along with a host of new offerings “with your safety and well-being in mind.”

The mutt-resort property’s reopening is launching in stages; it kicked off this week with the relaunch of The Royal resort and the Harborside Resort. 

On Dec. 17, Atlantis will reopen The Reef resort. 

The majority of the resorts amenities are open and operating, from the casino to the marina to the spa to the Ocean Club Golf Course. 

Atlantis’ popular Aquaventure water park is also open each day, with the Mayan Temple Slides and Power Tower rides and slides open again. 

Pools are operating at reduce seating, with 50 percent capacity and physical distancing in place — that includes seven pools in total. 

Four beaches are open, with the Cove Beach set to open for the holidays from Dec. 22 to Jan. 3. 

And the resort’s vast shopping offering is also back, headlined by the return fo the Crystal Court and Marina Village stores. 

The Bahamas recently entered a new phase of its tourism reopening that eliminated the mandatory quarantine. 

All travelers need to present a negative PCR test within 5 days before their flight and complete an application for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa. You can find more on the country’s opening protocols here. 

For more, visit Atlantis Paradise Island. 

— CJ

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Marriott International is opening its first-ever hotel in Tulum, Mexico, with the planned debut of the Aloft Tulum, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The 140-room-and-suite property, which will be managed by Highgate Hotels, is slated to debut in February 2021. 

“Tulum is currently having its moment as one of the hottest travel destinations. We look forward to turning up the heat with the addition of our Aloft Hotel and rooftop bar,” said Sergio Parra, Aloft Tulum general manager. “This will be the area’s first internationally branded hotel, which is synonymous with outstanding service. Leisure and business travelers alike can enjoy an unplugged vacation, yet stay plugged in through the hotel’s innovative technology and happening music scene.”

The hotel will be set between Tulum’s downtown district and the destination’s beach areas. 

Amenities will include the Atico Rooftop Bar and Lounge, a rooftop infinity pool, a grab-and-go eatery called Re:fuel; a lounge called Re:mix and the WXYZ bar. 

The hotel will also include 2,761 square feet of meeting space, “once in-person meetings can safely convene,” the property said. 

For more visit Aloft Tulum. 

— CJ

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The French side of St Martin is now officially open for tourism, Caribbean Journal has confirmed. 

The destination quietly reopened to both European and non-European tourists, including those from the United States. 

“You will be hosted in completely safe conditions in the various accommodations on the French side of St Martin,” St Martin’s tourism agency said in a statement. “They are ready and waiting for you — you have been missed.”

St Martin has signed a three-way agreement with the French government, the Agence Regional de Santa des Iles du Nord (the equivalent of the CDC) and the President of the Club de Tourisme, officials said. 

The agreement requires all tourists arriving from non-European destinations to take an additional rapid antigen test if they arrive in St Martin with a PCR test result older than 72 hours — or if their antigen test is older than 48 hours.

So what does this all mean for visitors?

The island’s Princess Juliana International Airport, which is based in Dutch St Maarten, is currently requiring visitors to show proof of a negative PCR test received within 120 hours (5 days) before arrival on the island. 

So if you want to visit the French side without an additional test, you’ll need to show proof of a negative test result received within 72 hours before arriving at the airport. 

To make this even simpler, here’s how to think about it:

Want to visit Dutch St Maarten? Take your test within five days before your flight.

Want to visit French St Martin? Take your test within three days before your flight.

It’s a significant boost for the French side of the island, and some of its major hotels like the Grand Case Beach Club, which is already open and welcoming back guests. 

— CJ

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