By Alexander Britell and Guy Britton

A Caribbean villa vacation is something rather different than your traditional hotel getaway.

It’s a way to live the destination in another way, in tranquility, in seclusion, in privacy, with a different kind of control — and responsibility — over your experience.

In Jamaica, though, the luxury villa has long been something of an art form.

And that’s the center of the experience at Jamaica’s Rose Hall Villas, a new kind of villa collection in the Caribbean with 28 colonial-style villas ranging from four-bedroom to seven-bedroom sprawls, each with living rooms, dining rooms, endless outdoor space and private pools.

Because here, a villa is not simply a vacation rental: it’s a managed, service endeavor where you don’t just get typical resort service — you get a staff of three.

Here, you get the essence of the Jamaica villa experience: the unmatched service, the ocean views, your own cook, your own butler, the breakfast waiting for you when you awaken.

This isn’t just a group of villas; it’s a true villa resort – and it’s more than that, too.

Here’s the thing about Rose Hall Villas — they come with their own resort.

Because this place is connected to Jamaica’s iconic Half Moon Resort, the 400-acre property that is one of the most complete resorts in the entire Caribbean, all just a stone’s throw away.

And that means you can turn your Jamaica villa vacation into any kind of experience you want; perhaps you want to join the Half Moon Golf Club for a week; or take an extended trip at the Fern Tree Spa, or go on a culinary journey, or spend a week learning how to ride horses.

And it means you have a unique abundance of choices — you can spend days at Half Moon’s beaches and pools and activities.

The signature beach at Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Or you can live sunning by the pool and sitting on your patio looking out at the Atlantic, or planning an evening jerk chicken cookout or an intimate rum tasting.

There are infinite vacation permutations here, all equally delightful, all different, all completely controlled by the traveler.

This is the quintessential Jamaican villa getaway, distilled but also expanded, accessible but more active, too.

It’s a new kind of Caribbean villa resort – and it’s one of the best ways to live the joys of this beautiful island.

For more, visit the Rose Hall Villas.

See more in the latest CJ Video.

— CJ

The post At Jamaica’s Rose Hall Villas, a New Kind of Resort appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Hilton is launching a new hotel brand that will focus on meetings and events, the company said this week.

Signia Hilton will be a portfolio of hotels aiming to “transform the industry for meeting professionals and sophisticated business travelers by infusing state-of-the-art technology and design into every aspect of the guest experience,” according to the company.

“We are more focused than ever on providing exceptional experiences to all of our guests – and that includes evolving those experiences to meet their changing needs,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “We are proud to launch Signia Hilton, which exemplifies our innovative spirit and will raise the bar on what it means to deliver truly customer-inspired hospitality.”

Each hotel will have a minimum of 500 guest rooms and “75 feet per key” of flexible meetings and events space.

Beyond the event-focused core, Signia properties will feature amenities like destination bars, signature eateries, locally-focused lobbies and “premium wellness experiences.”

“Signia Hilton grew from feedback from top meeting professionals, owners, developers and guests,” said David Marr, senior vice president and global head, Full Service Brands, Hilton. “After countless hours of collaboration, together, we created Signia Hilton, a brand that will resonate with travelers, ‘wow’ meeting professionals and set a new, elevated standard for the meetings and events industry.”  

The company has not yet announced any potential international locations for Signia, a launch clearly targeting what is a booming sector of the travel industry.

— CJ

The post Hilton Is Launching a New Meetings-Focused Brand appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… of PGA Tour
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Aaron Baddeley shot a 6 … the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open.
Baddeley had a 12 … a 69.
Rafael Campos, the Puerto Rican player who won a Web … & Country Club
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Purse: $3 million
Yardage: 7 …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Emerald Bay, one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in The Bahamas, is about to get an injection of energy.

Great Exuma’s Grand Isle Resort and Spa is debuting a new beach club and restaurant, The 23 North Beach Club, on March 1.

The new eatery and lounge will mean a new way to stay on Emerald Bay’s sugar-white sands, including cabanas, day beds, lounge chairs and an indoor and outdoor bar and eatery.

Most notably, the club adds a second pool to the Grand Isle complex.

“We want 23 North to be a haven for guests looking to immerse themselves in exceptional luxury experience while also enjoying the natural beauty of the Caribbean,” said Lester Scott, Managing Director of Grand Isle Resort & Spa. “The resort is always looking for ways to enhance and uphold our high service standards, so we look forward to 23 North becoming one of Exuma’s most popular luxury beach club.”

The hotel said it would also provide sea plane arrivals to the beach club for its brunch experience, while boaters can dock their yachts at Emerald Bay’s marina.

And yes, it will be open for day passes for travelers staying elsewhere on the island.

— CJ

The post A New Beach Club Is Coming to The Bahamas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The largest hotel company in Cuba has added another major new all-inclusive to its portfolio: the Melia Internacional in Cuba’s tourism hub of Varadero.

It’s a decidedly modern, innovative resort, immediately becoming perhaps the most striking design in Varadero.

That’s part of the plan for the 11-story property, which is a new level of luxury all-inclusive for Cuba — increasingly a haven for luxury development.

And it’s, unsurprisingly, a massive resort: there are 946 rooms and suites, from “classic” pool view rooms to the premier accommodations at the resort, the Level Penthouse Suite.

The new property, which also includes Melia’s premium Level and Level Adults-Only wings, has Melia’s signature broad range of amenities, from two buffet eateries to 16 bars to six themed eateries to a full-fledged convention center. (Three of those bars are for adults only).

Those amenities also include, perhaps most notably, free Wi-Fi, a serious plus in Cuba.

But the biggest amenity remains its perch on the world-famous Varadero beach, Cuba’s wide, white stretch of sand.

Varadero Beach.

That’s along with two main pools, a special Level-only pool, a kids’ pool and a splash pool, along with a pool at the property’s YHI Spa.

Level rooms come with an exclusive reception on an elevated floor; a VIP bar, three complimentary rounds of golf and 24-hour room service, among other features.

There are six themed eateries.

Melia now operates 34 resorts in Cuba across four brands: Melia, Sol, Paradisus and Tryp.

The new Melia Internacional is one of 11 Melia properties in the Varadero alone.

The post Melia Opens New All-Inclusive in Cuba appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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