By the Caribbean Journal staff

Wyndham has expanding its Caribbean portfolio with a new entry into Puerto Rico.

The recently-debuted Candelero Beach Resort has officially joined the Wyndham Resorts portfolio.

The all-inclusive resort, which first opened its doors at the end of 2018, is set in the Palmas del Mar golf community in Humacao.

The new Wyndham Candelero Beach Resort is now the only full-fledged all-inclusive resort in Puerto Rico.

It’s home to two pools, eight restaurants and bars, and near two championship golf courses: the Flamboyan Course, designed by Rees Jones, and the Palm Course, designed by golf legend Gary Player.

Set about 45 minutes from San Juan on Puerto Rico’s eastern coast, the hotel also includes 14,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space with a capacity for 400 guests.

It becomes the second Wyndham-branded resort in Puerto Rico, along with the existing Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, another top golf resort located on the island’s northern coastline.

Wyndham has another Caribbean property in its portfolio, the highly-anticipated transformation of the Sam Lord’s Castle site in Barbados.

Another Wyndham-branded property is in development on the island of Nevis.

For more, visit the Wyndham Candelero Beach Resort.

— CJ

The post Wyndham’s New All-Inclusive Resort in Puerto Rico appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

The US Virgin Islands is already one of the Caribbean’s biggest cruise powers — but new Governor Albert Bryan Jr wants to take things to the next level.

The USVI is determined to position itself as the number one cruise destination in the Caribbean.

“As we build this new Virgin Islands product and we recover from two hurricanes, our main push is to make St. Thomas the premier port in the Virgin Islands, to solidify an identity for St. Croix, whether it’s in Christiansted with our small cruise ship industry or in Frederiksted with the expansion of our port and what we are doing in (the) town,” he said on the heels of the Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach.

Downtown Frederiksted in St Croix.

Bryan said positioning the USVI as the premier destination in the region would require “continued investment in the territory’s infrastructure and its people.”

It was also important for locals to “understand the importance of tourism,” he said, cautioning that the industry’s continued contribution to GDP was dependent on “high levels of customer service.”

Bryan said the USVI was also examining the addition of new ports of call to the USVI’s harbors.

Bryan was joined on the trip by Tourism Commissioner Designee Joe Boschulte, the chairman of the West Indian Company Limited and a board member of the Virgin Islands Port Authority.

Boschulte held serveral meetings with cruise ship executives on plans to upgrade the USVI’s ports and enhance the experience for visitors.

“The cruise industry is vital to the U.S. Virgin Islands’ economy and our future as a tourism destination,” Boschulte said. “Our attendance at Seatrade has increased cruise interest in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and we look forward to positive developments in the future.”

The post USVI Looking to Take Cruise Industry to Next Level appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Soto … if anyone, argue that Puerto Rico should remain a territory.”
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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing food festivals is back again this summer.

The Nevis Mango & Food Festival, now in its fifth year, is set for July 4-7 with a focus on the island’s growing culinary power.

Nevis is home to 44 different varieties of mangos, which play an important role in everything from soups and salsas to cocktails on the island, and it’s at the center of the festival, which includes a series of culinary events, partnership with local eateries and events.

This year’s festival will include special “Mango Fest” menus at local restaurants, while chefs from local hotels and abroad will be competing at a “mango cook-off” on July 7 at Oualie Beach.

Frequent Food Network Chef Judy Joo has been tapped as the lead culinary ambassador for the festival.

“Chef Joo fell in love with Nevis upon her first visit and we are thrilled and honored that she has embraced the island and the festival each year,” said Greg Phillip, the chief executive officer of the Nevis Tourism Authority. “Not only is Judy inventive and innovative in her approach to cooking with mangoes, but her stewardship of the event has been an encouragement to our local Nevisian chefs who take part in the festival and competitions. We look forward to another spectacular year.”

For more, visit the Nevis Mango Festival.

— CJ

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The new Planet Hollywood brand is set to open a new all-inclusive in the Caribbean, this time in Cancun.

Sunwing Travel Group’s Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun is slated to make its debut in “late 2019” in the fast-growing Costa Mujeres area on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.

Set just north of Cancun’s famous Hotel Zone, the property will feature 16 restaurants, including a Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint, along with nine bars, four swimming pools, a lazy river, a kids club and a mini golf course, among other amenities.

A wider rendering of Cancun’s new Planet Hollywood Beach Resort.

The company, like its namesake restaurant brand, will offer a blend of authentic Hollywood memorabilia and entertainment-themed facilities.

That’s along with a signature PH Spa and Beauty Bar and a wellness program called PHIT that brings guests “the top-trending fitness regimes straight from Hollywood.”

The new resort is part of a growing all-inclusive hub in Costa Mujeres, which has seen the debut of a number of high-profile all-inclusive resorts in the last year, including Palladium’s new all-inclusive megaresort complex and the Riu Palace Costa Mujeres.

A rendering of the lobby at the Planet Hollywood Cancun.

Sunwing is also developing a Planet Hollywood Beach Resort at the former site of the Sonesta Great Bay resort in St Maarten, tentatively pegged to debut next year.

It opened its first Planet Hollywood-branded all-inclusive in Costa Rica last year.

For more, visit Planet Hollywood Cancun.

The post Planet Hollywood Is Opening a New Caribbean All-Inclusive appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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