It began with destinations like Barbados and Bermuda offering travelers the opportunity to apply for permits to work remotely from the islands for one year. 

Now some major hotel companies are embracing the new “workation” trend amid the pandemic, including the world’s largest one: Marriott.

Several Marriott resorts have announced new extended-stay “workation,” combining all the technology and connectivity workers need with amenities and Caribbean ambiance.

The new packages are designed not only to allow travelers to continue their virtual commutes seamlessly but also to provide downtime and leisure options, which in turn can help spark new inspiration and productivity, Marriott said in a statement. 

That includes the Courtyard by Marriott Bridgetown, Barbados, which is offering plans for guests who book a stay for 7 nights or more through December 2020. 

Guests are “welcome to use the hotel as a home away from home,” Marriott said, and the rooms recently underwent renovations to create comfortable workstations. 

Additionally, the complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and even at the pool deck, allows guests to work throughout the entire property.

The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino also has a workation plan. 

Guests who book a long-term stay can work remotely with complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property as well as enjoy a Cabana room with an ocean view and balcony, a complimentary microwave and fridge, half price self-parking and 15 percent off all food and beverage, Marriott said. 

Another major resort company, Playa Hotels and Resorts, last week announced a similar plan for remote work from several of its Caribbean properties. 

— CJ

The post Marriott Is Now Offering Caribbean “Workations” appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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As the rum category has grown in recent years, so, too has the number of what we like to call “aftermarket” rums — that is, rums brought from the Caribbean and bottled or branded somewhere else — sometimes losing a bit of their identity in the process. 

That’s not to say many (most, even) of these rums are not wonderful — but there is nothing like actually going to the Caribbean and sampling the spirit in its native habitat — tasting what people drink and the brands they enjoy in the way (and in the bottle) that they drink it. 

And the more you do that, the more you begin to develop an affinity for certain rums. 

Repeated trips begin to shape your taste, pointing you to a certain local favorite that becomes your regular when you’re traveling there. 

And as a veteran of countless trips to the Dominican Republic over the years, I can say confidently that my go-to rum when in the country is Ron Barceló (a rum producer whose history dates back to 1925) particularly the brand’s Barceló Imperial. 

In a hotel bar or a beachfront eatery or a market, it’s the one I always gravitate toward, a very fine rum at an always agreeable price point. 

And, happily, it’s broadly available in the United States, too.  

For a long time, it was the signature Barceló expression, an eminently drinkable, complex expression with a delightful, nutty finish not overly dry like some of its competitors within the country.  

What’s also special about Barceló is that it’s a single-estate rum — the cane the company uses is grown on-site. 

And while it’s not technically a rhum agricole (a designation that is reserved for sugarcane-juice rums of the French Caribbean), it is made from sugarcane juice, not molasses, the only rum in the Dominican Republic to do so, as Rod Simmons, US Brand Manager for Barceló, confirmed to me. 

That all adds up to a unique rum in a country that is one of the Caribbean’s rum-making leaders.

About a decade ago, though, the company raised its game, however, with something very special: the Barcelo Imperial Blend 30 Anniversario.

The rum, which was, at the time, a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Barceló Imperial, is an ultra-small-batch rum, with just 600 bottles made each year for the United States market. 

The rum is aged first for 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels before another two years of aging in French oak casks. 

In effect, this is the flagship, the pinnacle of Barceló.

So what’s it like?

There’s an earthy aroma of chocolate orange, leather, pepper and tobacco. 

The flavor profile is marked by coffee and cardamom, port wine, black pepper and a strong note of salted caramel. 

This is a well-rounded, interesting rum, with an elegant, luxurious finish that just seems to keep going, an endless sugarcane journey. 

And then there’s the bottle, and its wooden bottom platform, are elegant and ceremonial, adding one of the most important criteria for any luxury rum: every time you open the bottle, it’s an event. 

Plainly, this is a grand rum.

But more importantly, it’s a reminder of why to love rum from the Dominican Republic.

Rum Journal Rating

95 Points

For more, visit Ron Barceló.

The post Rum Journal: A Stunner from the Dominican Republic appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines is relaunching its flights to Honduras on Aug. 17, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The company will be resuming routes from both Fort Lauderdale and Houston to San Pedro Sula. 

Honduras has reopened its borders after shuttering them due to COVID-19 in mid-March. 

“We are very happy to be operating again in Honduras,” said Camilo Martelo, director of International Airports for Spirit Airlines. 

Honduras has set up a national migration portal for all visitors to the country, including a requirement for a negative COVID-19 test result. (You can find more on the National Institute for Migration in Honduras here).

— CJ

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