… Athletic will host the Puerto Rico national team for a friendly … national soccer team of Puerto Rico and the Hartford club … in the Puerto Rican national team and celebrate Puerto Rican pride and … I know so well,” Puerto Rico national team member Jacob Conde …

Powered by WPeMatico

By Bob Curley
CJ Contributor

Grenada is one of the most deliciously diverse destinations in the Caribbean, with the aroma of its native spices wafting through the air and redolent in the fresh local cuisine served everywhere from local roadside stands to the finest hotels. Beaches, waterfalls, rushing rivers and colorful reefs provide a sublime backdrop for active outdoor adventures as well as relaxation (and make sure you experience the chocolate).

Grenada and its sister island of Carriacou also have a diverse selection of resorts, with most of the luxury hotels found along Grand Anse Beach but a few interesting properties found in more secluded locations, including villas and a growing list of bed-and-breakfasts and even decidedly affordable rentals.

Here are five ways to experience Grenada.

Silversands.

For Personal Attention and Pampering

A combination of fine, mostly independently operated resorts and the beauty of Grand Anse make Grenada one of the best destinations in the Caribbean for a luxury beach getaway, especially if you prefer a unique and authentic vacation to a cookie-cutter chain resort. You’ll find the longest pool in the Caribbean at the Silversands Grenada, a 43-room boutique hotel in a modern yet warm property that opened in November 2018. The resort has all the amenities you look for in a full-service resort — villas, a spa, fine dining, cigar lounge, beach club — wrapped up in a compact and attractive package.

The Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel is a Relais & Chateaux property with a smattering of 30 suites suites and villas, most with views of Prickly Bay and all with private balconies or patios. Relais hotels are known for their cuisine and Calabash is no exception with two of Grenada’s finest restaurants, Rhodes and the Beach Club, on site. The intimate scale of the resort ensures personalized attention and service for guests.

The Spice Island Beach Resort.

For an All-Inclusive Getaway

Along with the nearby Radisson, Sandals Grenada is among the few “brand name” hotels on Grenada. The 225-room Sandals boasts the brand’s “luxury included” suite of included amenities, including dining at 10 restaurants, water sports and diving, a daily schedule of events and entertainment, and of course all the Carib beer and tropical drinks you want. Lodging choices range from more affordable hotel rooms with outdoor soaking tubs to Love Nest Suites with private infinity pools, elevated beach views, and butler service.

The Spice Island Beach Resort is a legendary Grenada hotel owned by Caribbean hospitality pioneer  Sir Royston Hopkin, who can sometimes be found in the lobby greeting guests. The focus here is on local culture as well as luxury, with a popular Friday night Caribbean buffet served as part of the resort’s all-inclusive program, which also covers non-motorized water sports, tennis, golf, bicycles, use of the fitness club, and the Nutmeg Pod children’s program. With 64 rooms on 12 beachfront acres, the resort never seems crowded, but you can meet fellow guests over the daily afternoon tea that’s symbolic of the resort’s relaxed sophistication.

For an Affordable Beach Vacation

The Radisson Grenada Beach Resort has 229 rooms and sits directly on Grand Anse Beach. It won’t wow you with its overall looks, although rooms have been recently renovated, but the hotel has a nicely designed, multi-level Oasis Pool and attractive rates. The hotel’s size, location, and meeting facilities make it Grenada’s go-to resort for larger weddings, groups, and meetings, too.

The Radisson Grenada is one of the destination’s great values.

This family owned and operated Petite Anse Boutique Hotel has 11 private cottages and a pair of hotel rooms in red-roofed buildings edged by lush tropical foliage and steps from a secluded beach. Nearby gardens supply the hotel restaurant, which serves West Indian food like roti and fresh local fish. The local waters can be rough so there are times when swimming isn’t safe, but the beach is always open for lounging and the hotel has a pool as well.

For an Eco Friendly Getaway

Grenada’s reputation for environmental friendliness and sustainability extends to its hotels, from budget-friendly hideaways to ritzy beach resorts. The Blue Horizons Garden Resort was the first property on the island to achieve Green Globe Gold certification and has studios and one-bedroom rooms amid 6.5 acres of landscaped gardens, all within a short walk to Grand Anse Beach. The hotel’s La Belle Creole restaurant is one of the finest Caribbean eateries on the island.

The True Blue Bay resort in Grenada.

The “eco-chic True Blue Bay Resort has stylish guest rooms and an extensive recycling and waste-reduction program. Located in a marina in the capital city of St. George, the hotel offers easy access to dive charters, has a spa and a beach bar modeled after traditional rum shops, and serves a mix of Caribbean and Mexican food at its Dodgy Dock restaurant. Posh Mount Cinnamon, another Green Globe resort, has a variety of hillside villas and suites peering down on Grand Anse Beach, each brilliant whitewashed unit accented with bright colors to complement the cobalt blue of the Caribbean Sea below.

Where to Get Away from (Almost) Everything

If even a boutique hotel doesn’t offer the type of privacy you’re looking for, Grenada has several luxury villas that deliver all the comforts of home in exclusive settings that showcase the island’s copious natural beauty. The Beach Cliff villa has five suites and 5,000 feet of private living area on the quiet Lance Aux Epines peninsula, with water views from nearly every indoor and outdoor space and a private, 100-foot beach. The 473 Grenada Beach Resort has nine private villas and shared amenities like an infinity pool, beach, sun deck, and water sports gear. You can also stay on a working cocoa plantation, Mount Edgecombe or set sail for the extremely chill neighbor island of Carriacou, which has a small collection of three-star, Old Caribbean flavor hotels like the beachfront Mermaid Hotel and the Hotel Carriacou.

The post Five Ways to Experience Grenada appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

The Riviera Nayarit in Mexico is continuing to surge as a travel destination, according to new data.

The destination on Mexico’s Pacific Coast saw a 5 percent increase in North American visitors during the first half of 2019, compared to the same period last year.

The Riviera Nayarit is best known as the home of the chic hotspot of Puerto Vallarta and the sprawling Punta Mita luxury development, among others. (The area is also set for the 2020 debut of a highly-anticipated new resort from Auberge).

“We had one of our strongest years to date in 2018 and are proud to see our numbers for the first half of this year are on pace to outperform that success,” said Marc Murphy, managing director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are seeing an increase in not only the average occupancy rates at our properties, but also in the rates at which those rooms are being sold, which signifies a positive impact on the local economy as we attract higher spending travelers.”

The Four Seasons Punta Mita.

From January to June 2019, the area welcomed 244,692 American tourists and 191,402 Canadians — a 4.4 percent and 5.8 percent increase, respectively, over 2018.

Tourism has contributed over $785 million in revenue for the destination, of which $649 million came from international tourists.

The Riviera Nayarit’s southern region of Bahia de Banderas maintained an average hotel occupancy rate of 82.4 percent with an average low density occupation rate of 2.44 guests per room.

Average occupancy rates at four- and five-star properties also saw an increase, officials said.

— CJ

The post Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit Is Surging appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

… authentic Puerto Rican cuisine.
“Our main goal is to bring Puerto Rican food … breakfast, lunch, and dinner serving Puerto Rican dishes crafted with Southern inspiration …

Powered by WPeMatico

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Saint Lucia’s Bay Gardens Resorts has appointed travel professional Kelly Fontenelle-Clarke as its representative in the United States market.

The Atlanta-based representative has more than two dozen years of marketing experience, including many years working for her homeland with the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and the newly-formed Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

“We are very happy to welcome Kelly Fontenelle-Clarke to the Bay Gardens family, as we seek to enhance our presence in the important United States market,” said Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of the family-owned portfolio of resorts in Saint Lucia. “As Kelly grows our influence among U.S. tour operators, travel agents and meeting planners, we expect to meet and surpass our sales goals in the years ahead.”

Destang described Fontenelle-Clarke as having a proven track record for driving success and achieving top-tier results in travel and tourism marketing. “Her expertise is largely unmatched and we are honored to welcome her to the family.”

Fontenelle-Clark played an integral role in the Saint Lucia Expert Loyalty Program, which reached more than 20,000 agents over five years, and developed the Romance Specialist Program, which helped to strengthen Saint Lucia’s reputation as a leading romance destination.

The post Saint Lucia’s Bay Gardens Plans New U.S. Push appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico