American Airlines has relaunched more routes to the Caribbean, part of a broader restart of service to the region. 

The world’s largest airline officially resumed nonstop flights to Aruba from both Miami and Charlotte this weekend. 

Both of those routes are operating once daily, with the Miami-Aruba service on a Boeing 737-800 and the Charlotte-Aruba service on an Airbus A321 aircraft. 

The flight relaunch comes after Aruba reopened its borders to tourists from the United States of America last week (learn more about how to visit Aruba and the island’s new health and safety protocols here) 

On July 11, American also relaunched service to St Vincent and the Grenadines, with one daily flight on a Boeing 737-800. 

That relaunch comes after St Vincent and the Grenadines quietly reopened its borders for tourism. 

St Vincent and the Grenadines is requiring all travelers to fill out a pre-arrival Travel Form (you can get it here) and show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. 

If you do not have a negative PCR test you will be tested on-site. If you are tested on arrival, you will have to stay in quarantine until you receive your results. 

Some hotels that have reopened in St Vincent and the Grenadines include the Firefly Plantation in Bequia, the Young Island Resort off the coast of St Vincent, which just reopened over the weekend.

If you test positive, you will be required to quarantine. 

— CJ

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Barbados officially reopened its borders for tourism on July 12.

Those who come to the island in the first weeks after the reopening will find some familiar hotels with open doors and several of the island’s top attractions open for business.

Travelers to Barbados will be required to either present proof of a negative COVID-19 PRC (swab) test upon arrival or immediately submit to a test and quarantine on Barbados (at their own expense) until receiving their test results.

Visitors from “high-risk” destinations like the U.S. will have to show proof of a negative test from an accredited laboratory conducted within 72 hours of departure.

Those from other countries will have up to one week prior to departing for Barbados to get their test done.

Officials say that test results could take up to 48 hours. Anyone testing positive will be placed in isolation.

Visitors also will be required to complete an online COVID-19 questionnaire with information about their personal health, wear face masks en-route to Barbados, maintain three feet of physical distancing, and submit to temperature checks, among other protocols.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is also stressing the attractiveness of Barbados for visitors interested in extended stays, including those who want to work remotely.

“We want to create an environment that will allow people to come to Barbados to work, to rest and to play from here for an extended period of time during COVID-19,” she said. “Why? Because we know that this is one of the best places on earth to be and to remain because of the care we will take to protect the people of this nation and those who are here on island with us.”

Barbados hotels that are currently open for business include:

• Bouganvillea Barbados
• Radisson Aquatica Resort
• Courtyard by Marriott Bridgetown
• Hilton Barbados
• Little Good Harbour
• The Crane
• Sweetfield Manor

Future scheduled openings include:

• Sea Breeze Beach House (Aug. 15)
• South Beach Hotel (Aug. 15)
• Ocean Two Resort & Residences (Sept. 1)
• Cobblers Cove (Oct. 11)

Barbados is one of the top culinary destinations in the Caribbean, and in addition to restaurants at open resorts, the following dining establishments will be welcoming guests:

• ECO Restaurant & Pantry 
• La Cabane 
• Brown Sugar –(open for take out)
• Cocktail Kitchen 
• The Village Bar (Lemon Arbour)

Barbados visitors will once again be able to tour Animal Flower Cave and sample rum and ride the excursion train at St. Nicholas Abbey. Other open attractions will include:

• Coco Hill Forest 
• Bike Caribbean Tours
• Seaduced Luxury Charters (open for private charters)
• Welchman Hall Gully (open by appointment only)
• Tiami Catamaran Cruises (open for private charters)
• Mount Gay Rum Visitor Center 
• Andromeda Gardens (August 2020)

JetBlue is tentatively scheduled to resume four weekly flights from New York to Barbados beginning on July 25. Other air service will include:

• Twice-weekly Air Canada service from Pearson International on Thursdays and Saturdays
• British Airways weekly flights out of London Gatwick (July 18)
• Intraregional flights on Caribbean Airlines (expected to resume in mid-July)
• Virgin Atlantic weekly service from London Heathrow (returning on August 1 and increasing in frequency in October)

American Airlines flights out of Miami (Aug. 5).

The post Barbados Is Now Open for Tourism. Here’s What to Expect. appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A new luxury hotel has officially debuted this week in the tony Le Francois area of Guadeloupe.

It’s called Le Cocotel, and the four-star, boutique property has 10 rooms along with a standalone villa called La Villa.

The latter has three bedrooms, along with a garden and a private pool.

Amenities include a swimming pool, a hot tub and a “lush garden,” according to the property’s management team.

Le Cocotel also includes “golf resort” in its name, due to its proximity to the celebrated Golf International de Francois course five minutes away.

Guadeloupe ha reopened for visitors from Europe, although it remains closed to travelers from the United States.

For more, visit Le Cocotel.

— CJ

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