Jamaica’s S Hotel brings South Beach swag to Montego Bay with a stylish rooftop bar, see-and-be-seen pool area fringed with cabanas and day beds, and a vibrant lounge scene with a DJ spinning tropical club tunes for a scene-y young crowd. Yet there’s also a place here for families, whether that’s enjoying the inclusive, upscale buffet breakfast and dinner service or relaxing on a fine stretch of palm-shaded beach.

Sister property to the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston — itself acclaimed as the top lodging address in the Jamaican capital — the S Hotel is unlike any other hotel on MoBay’s Hip Strip. Guests enter via a circular drive graced with a 1953 Singer convertible once owned by screen legend Katherine Hepburn, which sits alongside equally posh luxury rides belonging to current guests.

A long, tall-ceiling lobby affords immediate views back to the resort courtyard, with its bright red loungers and umbrellas set in high relief against the sparkling blue waters of the main pool. Along the straight stroll from the front door to the water’s edge are comfortable indoor and outdoor seating areas, a high-end cocktail lounge adorned by holograms of bobbing jellyfish, and the Rocksteady restaurant, serving breakfast and dinner daily. Painted in lively Rasta colors, the poolside bar and grill is a casual spot for local curry and jerk dishes along with rum drinks and perhaps a little competition on the outdoor pool table.

Located on the upper floors, guest rooms at this Small Luxury Hotels of the World property are accessed via bright balcony walkways, with colorful displays at each floor highlighting the history of prominent Jamaican leaders and entertainers, from Marcus Garvey to Jimmy Cliff. As with the artwork from local artist Michael Thompson that adorns the restaurant walls, the restrained decor of the hotel provides a gallery like setting that establishes a sense of place without detracting from the S Hotel’s sleek, modern vibe.

Guest rooms are bright, clean and spacious, with white bed linens neatly tucked into dark wood platforms and slatted headboards trimmed in oak and gently contrasted with wicker seats. A phonograph — alas, non-working — is queued up with a Bob Marley record, and a Red Stripe bottle corked with a flower as an impromptu vase. Our fifth-floor room had a balcony big enough to sit comfortably and enjoy the views of the pool and beach, and the bath was equipped with both a soaking tub and a two-person shower.

We appreciated two unique touches in the room: a low bench before the vanity useful for boosting little ones up to sink level or perhaps leaning closer to the mirror to put finishing strokes on makeup; and a third shower head over another bench in the shower. (Sadly, we didn’t get to put the latter to use during our stay, as we found the water controls a bit inscrutable.)

Our Sky Club level room afforded easy access to the rooftop pool and bar, each with enviable sunset views of the beach and the Caribbean Sea; unique among hotel guests, we also enjoyed 24-hour access to the roof pool thanks to our elevated status.

The crowded and busy streets of Montego Bay offer little hint that there’s even a beach on the other side of the shops, hotels, and restaurants, but we found the stretch of sand behind the S Hotel surprisingly pretty and sedate. The hotel’s full service spa is another great place to unwind, with all guests invited to take a soak in the Irie Baths — a series of subterranean plunge pools with different temperatures — and book additional treatments, from massage to facials to baths infused with curative local ingredients like lemongrass and lavender.

In fact the hotel as a whole presents as an oasis amid the bustle of MoBay, yet providing easy access to Hip Strip attractions like Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records sports bar just across the parking lot, and Margaritaville and other drinking and dining options a few steps further down the street. And of course the hotel concierge can arrange for tours to any number of area attractions.

For more, visit the S Hotel.

The post Montego Bay, Jamaica’s Stylish and Serene S Hotel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The Moorings’ new office at the Yacht Haven Grande marina in St Thomas is in a former Little Switzerland. 

And if you look closely, you realize that behind the TV monitor on the back wall is the door to a secret safe, a home for hidden jewels. 

And that’s no coincidence. 

Because amid the pandemic, St Thomas has emerged as a hidden jewel of its own in the Caribbean yachting industry, a fast-growing destination that’s drawing passionate sailors and yachters from around the world, eager to discover its treasures. 

St Thomas’ new buzz largely began in the 2020-2021 winter season, when The Moorings launched a major new charter base at Yacht Haven Grande. 

That led to a very strong 2021 peak season — a trend that has continued into the fall. 

“We’re off the hook,” says Simon Carey, Chief Operating Officer at The Moorings in St Thomas, along with the same role for &Beyond Yacht Charters. “We’re fully booked for next year — this place is taking off.”

The growth has come from a number of factors. 

First, there’s the United Sates Virgin Islands’ tourism boom amid the pandemic, buoyed by a region-leading Travel Health Screening system and surging visitors numbers. 

And then there’s the sheer ease of charter vacations in the USVI, given that the destination doesn’t require a passport for US citizens to visit. 

“You can fly here and get on your boat here,” Carey says. “You get here, you don’t need to have your passport. You get the drink in your hand on your boat.” 

In all, Yacht Haven has about 200 charter boats across five to six different companies. 

And the government is supporting the sector, too, with an ongoing project to install 200 new mooring balls in the St Thomas-St John corridor. 

For travelers used to neighboring yachting destinations, the USVI is uncharted territory — but it’s increasingly home to the kinds of marine destinations sailors seek out. 

That includes everything from the Pizza Pi boat-bound pizza delivery service to Lime Out, the floating taco bar off the coast of St John and the beloved Bikini Beach on St John’s Honeymoon Beach. 

A sailing itinerary in the USVI sees a launch out of St Thomas and a few days around St Thomas and St John, exploring the wonders of St John’s beaches and navigating the green-hilled splendor around the tiny islands and cays off St Thomas — straddled by stops at Magens Bay or Christmas Cove. 

“It’s easy [to navigate],” Carey says. “It’s not very well known yet. So you’re not getting the Soggy Dollars yet — but they’re coming. It will double in the next couple of years.”

The secret, in other words, is no longer safe. 

For more, visit The Moorings.

— CJ

The post St Thomas Is the Hottest Yachting Destination in the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s a rather unique system. 

If you need something at Petit St Vincent, you walk out your door and raise a flag on your cottage’s flagpole.

Suddenly, any request is filled; room service; transportation; the sudden need for a cocktail. 

It’s touches like these that have turned Petit St Vincent into one of the more sought-after, beloved private-island retreats in the region since it first opened its doors in 1968. 

Of course, it’s not just the clever communications system – there’s the Jean-Michel Cousteau dive center; the pair of outdoor restaurants; the tennis courts; the open-air spa. 

And now, Petit St Vincent is open gain. 

Petit St Vincent, the private island resort in the heart of the Grenadines, officially reopened its doors (and flagpoles) on Nov. 1. 

The 115-acre private island recently completed a “refreshing” of its 22 one and two-bedroom cottages and villas; that project included the addition of new flooring, new roofs and updated soft goods. 

The property has also updated its physical plant and back of house systems, the property told Caribbean Journal.

Petit St Vincent also recently joined Small Luxury Hotels’ new Considerate Collection, a portfolio of 26 luxury hotels with an eco-focus.  

“We believe that providing a one-of-a-kind luxury experience can coexist with the desire to maintain as small of a footprint as possible,” said Matthew Semark, General Manager of Petit St. Vincent. “Our corner of the Caribbean is incredibly special, and we are dedicated to keeping it that way. Our guests are pleased to see our commitment to the health of the surrounding environment – they want to be able to share PSV with future generations.”

For more, visit Petit St Vincent. 

— CJ

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