… hovering in the skies of Puerto Rico. The video was shot a …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

A long-in-the-works megaresort development has officially broken ground in Jamaica.

It’s called Amaterra, and it will be one of the country’s largest all-inclusive resorts, set in the heart of the fast-growing parish of Trelawny near Montego Bay.

The all-inclusive resort complex, whose first phase will include 1,200 rooms, could eventually build as many as 5,000 rooms in the Stewart Castle area of Trelawny on a 1,000-acre site with 550 meters of beachfront.

“Jamaica is open for business,” Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness said at the groundbreaking event. “I want to thank the Amaterra group for investing in Jamaica.”

For now, the first phase of the plan includes 1,200 rooms, spread across three properties: a 400-key adults-only resort and two 400-key family resorts.

A rendering of the resort.

The project, spearheaded by Jamaica’s Keith Russell, will be supported by funding from a Qatar-based investment group called Rexton Capital and Tourism & Leisure Development International, a resort development firm responsible for some of the Caribbean’s most notable resort projects, including Secrets Cap Cana and the Hyatt Ziva Cancun, among others.

The groundbreaking ceremony.

It will also include an entertainment and shopping complex, along with a waterpark, several pools and a spa, among other amenities.

Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness (center) at the groundbreaking ceremony in Trelawny this week.

DCM Architecture and Engineering has been tapped as the design lead on the project, a company that is no stranger to Jamaica; indeed, its portfolio includes AMResorts’ Sunscape Splash in Montego Bay and its Zoetry Montego Bay.

— CJ

The post A New All-Inclusive Megaresort Is Coming to Jamaica appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Puerto Rico will be hosting next year’s World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, a boon for the island’s growing meetings sector.

The 2020 summit is regarded as one of the world’s most important global tourism events.

“We’re honored to have been chosen as host destination for the upcoming World Travel and Tourism Council 2020 Global Summit. Puerto Rico is a place where rich culture and natural wonders lay the foundation for an immense bounty of one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Brad Dean, chief executive officer of Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization. “We’re thriving as a destination of global importance and hosting this Summit will elevate even further our tourism offering, positively impacting the local economy. We look forward to welcoming the global tourism industry next year to discover all that Puerto Rico offers.”

The summit will be held April 21-23, 2020 at District San Juan, a major mixed-use entertainment district slated to make its debut in San Juan later this year, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

“We are delighted to bring next year’s Global Summit to the beautiful tropical Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a welcoming and diverse destination that is attracting travelers from all over the world,” said Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of WTTC. “We’re particularly excited because the destination provides ease in traveling and doing business since Puerto Rico is a US territory yet has the allure of the Caribbean.”

— CJ

The post Puerto Rico to Host WTTC Global Summit appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… nickel for anywhere else until Puerto Rico is fully funded … Next time … live in the island of Puerto Rico,” said Senate minority leader Chuck …

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By Alexander Britell

It is not quite a boutique hotel, sleeker than a bed and breakfast. There’s a restaurant, though it is certainly no resort.

There is a particular class of tiny hotels in the Caribbean, delightful little places with a handful of rooms, a lunch-and-dinner restaurant and, if you’re lucky, a beach.

They’re typically under the radar, the sorts of accommodations for seasoned travelers who know what they like, what they need and what they want to avoid.

It’s the Caribbean hospitality experience, distilled, a simple hotel filled with simple pleasures for sophisticated travelers.

And that’s precisely the case at The Bonairian, tucked away on the southwestern coast of Bonaire.

It’s just a quick drive from the airport, but when you walk through the doorway you’ll wonder why you didn’t need a separate flight to get here.

This tiny little jewel box of a hotel has just eight rooms, all contemporarily appointed with neatly designed bathrooms. But when you’re here you won’t be spending much time indoors.

Because the outdoor lounge here is worth the trip all by itself, a sprawling deck set on a rocky cliff with sweeping views of Kralendijk, crisp, colorful furniture and a great little pool.

And yes, there’s a private beach here, a lovely sliver of sand perfect for an afternoon spent bobbing and sunning in Bonaire’s sparkling blue water.

And then there are the master oceanfront rooms, the primo rooms, the ones that open right out onto the deck and the beach, your own private bungalow in Bonaire.

The food is excellent, with Bonaire’s typically friendly service and the waterside tables where you spend more time consuming the view.

When you’re not exploring Bonaire’s adventures or shopping in town, you’ll spend your days on the deck and the sand, savoring the sound of the sea and the calm of this hotel and the joy of knowing you’ve found one of the island’s best-kept secrets.

For more, visit The Bonairian.

The post At The Bonairian, the Art of the Tiny Caribbean Beach Hotel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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