Just in time for its National Day, the island of Saint Lucia is set to launch its very own thoroughbred industry. 

Horse racing will officially launch in Saint Lucia beginning Dec. 12 with the launch of the 2019 Caribbean Equine Cultural Festival, a luxury lifestyle and racing entertainment event at the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club. 

The event will hold its Race Day on Dec. 13, with the first Pitons Cup, billed as the “richest run” in the Caribbean this year. 

Saint Lucia tourism officials say the Pitons Cup is drawing interest from across the region and abroad, with confirmed participation from both the United States and Australia. 

That will include Hall of Fame trainer Todd Fletcher and Eclipse Award winner Sol Kumin, among others. 

The project is the first major phase of a broader project first launched in 2017 in Vieux Fort on the southern corner of Saint Lucia. That project is called the “Pearl of the Caribbean.”

It’s one of several major new projects in Vieux Fort, most notably the recent announcement of plans by Royal Caribbean and Carnival to build a new cruise ship destination in the town. 

For more, visit the Pitons Cup.

The post Thoroughbred Racing Is Coming to Saint Lucia appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Ritz-Carlton has officially opened its first-ever Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort in Mexico, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The new Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is set on the Sea of Cortez in the charming destination of San Jose del Cabo, a quieter corner of greater Los Cabos.

The property features a mix of 115 rooms, suites and villas, all designed with an indoor-outdoor concept with furnishings by Mexican artisans.

The latter is part of an emphasis on cultivating an extra degree of authenticity, according to Rafael Gorina, the resort’s director of guest experience.

“Everywhere you turn there is a story that reflects Mexico, from pieces designed by local artisans to activities exploring nature and culture,” he said.

Led by Executive Chef Rordigo Torres, the dining concepts Humo, a Latin American grill; El Barrio, a colorful pan-Mexican eatery; Candil, a Mezcal-focused bar and lounge; and X, an adults-only lounge with ceviche and cocktails.

It’s one of just a handful of Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties in the world, and just the second in the wider Caribbean-Mexico region, joining Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico.

And in keeping with the Reserve brand’s premium on wellness, there’s a signature spa called Spa Alkemia, an indoor-outdoor wellness center with freshly-made body scrubs and an array of local and ancient treatments.

“The spa is a unique, immersive place blending ancestral and modern Mexico. Here, one can transform physically and emotionally,” said Viorica Coman, the resort’s spa director.

Los Cabos has been one of the hottest hotel destinations in the wider region in recent years, with a slate of new resorts that includes last year’s debut of the Viceroy Los Cabos and this spring’s launch of the new Nobu Los Cabos.

The launch of Zadun is a significant addition to Mexico’s luxury product — and a new halo hotel for the wider region.

For more, visit Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

— CJ

The post Ritz-Carlton Opens Its First Reserve in Mexico appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A new eco-resort project is coming to St Maarten, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

It’s called the St Maarten Hillside Plantation and Eco Resort, and it will be a new kind of tourism project on the island. 

The project is the brainchild of a pair of specialists: agriculture engineer and aquaponics leader Joslyn Richardson and wellness expert Dr Barb Tremlett. 

The plan is to give travelers the opportunity to experience nature through hiking, yoga and educational programs surrounding food production. 

The first phase of the development will include hiking trails and a juice bar, along with a pavilion for relaxation and community events. The following phase will deal with holistic wellness with the establishment of a wellness center. 

Developers plan to build 15 eco-lodges, consisting of three one-bedroom units and 12 studios. 

Amenities will include outdoor camping areas, along with a swimming pool carved out of a local rock formation and a farm-to-table eatery. 

“Many Caribbean destinations boast eco-tourism in different forms, and it is something vacationers are asking for,” said St Maarten Tourism Minister Stuart Johnson. “What is interesting about this development is its unique way of creating something for everyone. Tourism in the Caribbean survived on the premise that our people were creative and did things that were unique and attracted visitors. This eco-resort concept is no different.”

For more, visit the St Maarten Hillside Plantation and Eco-Resort. 

— CJ

The post St Maarten Is Getting a New Eco-Resort appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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