By Alexander Britell

Hilton is adding a new Dominican Republic resort to its growing portfolio of all-inclusive properties in the wider Caribbean region.

The dual-resort Hilton La Romana will be opening its new family-friendly section on Dec. 1, according to Playa Hotels and Resorts, which is managing the property.

The property already opened its adults-only resort last month in a setting on the beach in Bayahibe.

The newest Hilton will include five eateries, a 24-hour coffee house, a fitness center, four pools, a casino and a 21,000-square-foot spa.

That will be complemented by 8,000 square feet of meeting space.

It’s the second resort in what will be a broad all-inclusive expansion in the Caribbean for Hilton, as part of the company’s strategic alliance with all-inclusive giant Playa.

The adults-only section debuted last month in the Dominican Republic.

Last year, Hilton rebranded the former The Royal resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico as the Hilton Playa del Carmen, the first fruit of the Hilton-Playa alliance.

That agreement, signed in September 2018, will ultimately result in a total of 10 new all-inclusive resorts in the wider Caribbean-Mexico region, all of which are slated to debut by 2025.

And it’s part of what is a larger all-inclusive development push by Playa, which is set to open another two all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic in November with the debut of the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana and the Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana resorts in greater Punta Cana.

The beach in Bayahibe.

It’s all part of what is a booming all-inclusive industry in the Caribbean, as hospitality brands continue to acknowledge the demand for all-inclusive options.

Indeed, that’s why Marriott, the world’s largest hotel company, announced this summer its own plans to launch a major foray into all-inclusive vacations.

Unsurprisingly, that will include a 650-room Autograph Collection resort in the Dominican Republic, set to open its doors in 2022.

The Dominican Republic continues to pace the rest of the region in its hotel development, with a significant focus on all-inclusive resorts.

For more, visit the Hilton La Romana.

The post Hilton Is Opening a New Dominican Republic All-Inclusive appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The latest Caribbean Photo comes from Caribbean Journal reader Ricky Quamina, who sent in this stunning shot of twilight in Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas in the USVI.

Have you taken a great photo in the Caribbean?

Send it to news@caribjournal.com with CPOTW in the subject line, including your first and last name and the location of the photo.

It could be the next Caribbean Photo of the Week!

— CJ

The post Caribbean Photo of the Week: The Sea in St Thomas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

What is almost certainly the most anticipated reopening of 2019 will be happening earlier than expected.

The long-awaited return of The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas is set for Nov. 22, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The reinvigorated resort’s debut is actually earlier than had been announced; the leading USVI resort had been slated to debut Dec. 1, 2019.

That means the property will be open for Thanksgiving, which will come with a full-fledged celebration of the national holiday, from Thanksgiving Sorrel welcome cocktails to Thanksgiving-inspired dinner cruises.

The new-look pool.

The resort, which shuttered in the wake of Hurricane Irma in 2017, had long been the leading luxury hotel in St Thomas and among the most renowned resorts in the United States Virgin Islands.

The property has undergone what parent company Marriott is calling an “extensive renovation” to the entire property — to the tune of $100 million.

What a room will look like at the new-look Ritz-Carlton St Thomas.

The changes reveal “a refined, island-inspired experience” with a “new era of refinement,” according to a company description.

The reimagined resort includes four eateries, including a new Sicilian restaurant called Alllro; a remodeled infinity pool along with a new family-friendly pool with a water slide; a new luxury catamaran for daily cruises and tours; and a transformed club lounge.

Inside a new bathroom at the resort.

Other amenities include daily rum tastings, daily use of non-motorized watersports, tennis courts and even “resort garden” tours.

Ritz-Carlton has now released the newest images of the resort’s upgraded rooms, featuring a bright, cool, modern-tropical aesthetic.

The resort’s return will be part of a busy month for the USVI’s hotel sector; in the first quarter of 2020, the venerable Renaissance St Croix resort will be opening its doors, too.

For more, visit the Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas.

— CJ

The post The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas Is Opening in November appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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