By the Caribbean Journal staff

A beloved boutique hotel has reopened its doors in the British Virgin Islands.

The Anegada Reef Hotel is the latest British Virgin Islands hotel to relaunch in the wake of last year’s storms, and the second popular hotel to reopen in Anegada following the reopening of the Anegada Beach Club earlier this year.

It’s one of the must-visit spots on the island.

The property might be just as famous for its beach bar, one of the signature cocktail spots on the island and the site of one of Anegada’s top lobster restaurants.

Anegada has become the centerpiece of the British Virgin Islands’ tourism recovery.

For more information, visit the Anegada Reef Hotel.

The post The Anegada Reef Hotel Is Back appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the world’s most exclusive hotel portfolios has added a new member in the Caribbean.

The new Quintessence Hotel in Anguilla, which just opened in January, has become the newest Caribbean property in Relais & Chateaux’s network of luxury hotels.

Each Relais & Chateaux member must embody values like sustainability, hospitality, service, and, perhaps most importantly, culinary excellence.

The boutique, villa-style hotel, known locally as the “Q,” is the brainchild of U.S.-based lawyer Geoffrey Fieger, who says he was inspired to build the hotel by the original Malliouhana, the hotel that first put Anguilla on the tourist map as a destination in the 1980s.

“My wife, Keenie, and I have lived on Anguilla for more than 30 years, and we have built The Q to make guests feel as if they are being hosted in a grand tropical mansion,” Fieger said in a statement.

The tiny property has a total of nine suites and villas, along with a signature restaurant, a spa, bars, an infinity pool, a yoga pavilion, a fitness center and a business suite.

Guests have access to an around-the-clock butler and concierge service.

The hotel’s signature eatery, Julians, is a “tropical French bistro” led by Chef Dominique Thevenet.

The Quintessence is the latest Caribbean property to join Relais & Chateaux, following last year’s addition of the luxe Calabash boutique hotel in Grenada.

“I have personally relied on R&C for my own travels, and I know the organization represents only the best, most elite hotels,” said Owner Geoffrey Fieger. “The organization’s vision will continue to help Quintessence deliver an unforgettable experience to each and every guest.”

Other Relais & Chateaux hotels in the Caribbean also include Barbados’ Cobblers Cove, Nevis’ Montpelier Plantation and the Dominican Republic’s Eden Roc at Cap Cana.

For more information, visit the Quintessence.

The post Anguilla’s Quintessence Hotel Joins Relais & Chateaux appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

The fourth annual Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum is slated for June 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency in Miami.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, which puts on the Miami-based conference, says unity and innovation will be examined as central factors to fuel the growth of the region’s industry.

“As we meet under the theme of ‘Unite and Innovate’, delegates will learn from each other, break the molds and set a new normal for the industry,” said CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy. “You really need to be there to connect with people and ideas which simply can help you to improve your bottom line while innovating and contributing to the competitiveness of the region’s leading economic sector.”

Troubetzkoy noted that after a challenging close to 2017 in the wake of September’s hurricanes, it was important for industry stakeholders to get together and share ideas to stimulate the growth of the hospitality sector for the remainder of 2018 and beyond.

The organization president pointed to CHIEF as a critical educational platform for regional hoteliers, industry professionals and allied partners where best practices are shared.

“Professional development and connectivity with peers continues to be the number one reason why our members attend CHIEF,” said Troubetzkoy, who said she looks forward to benefiting from and contributing to the various sessions during the summer conference.

Three educational tracks will cover a multitude of relevant hospitality and tourism topics, ranging from operations to sales and marketing, the sharing economy and sustainability.

Professional development training and a vibrant speed networking session will return this year.

“This is the event to attend if you want to take on the issues affecting your business right now,” said CHTA CEO Frank Comito, nodding to the changing economic climate.

He expanded on the theme by pointing out CHIEF was designed to allow participants to “unite with fellow hoteliers, innovative vendors, government officials and industry experts and to create new possibilities for a stronger, more sustainable and more profitable industry.”

By encouraging hotel owners, vendors, managers, associations and agencies from more than two dozen Caribbean countries and territories to unite under one roof for a weekend in June, Comito expects “a stimulating generation of innovation and creativity, which will fuel our sector for the exciting time ahead.”

CHIEF will also feature Taste of the Caribbean, where the region’s best chefs and their teams from around the region will compete for culinary awards.

Taste of the Caribbean also provides educational opportunities for food and beverage participants, who learn the latest trends and techniques emerging from their industry.

Also returning to Miami this year will be CHTA’s Caribbean305 event, which will feature flavors of more than a dozen Caribbean nations at the culinary and cultural celebration taking place on Miami’s Jungle Island on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 8 p.m.

The post CHIEF Hospitality Conference Returns for Fourth Year appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the top resorts in Turks and Caicos has been sold.

Grace Bay Resorts has acquired the boutique Point Grace resort on Grace Bay Beach, the company announced in a release.

Grace Bay Resorts has assumed ownership and management of the property effective immediately.

Point Grace will be rebranded as a Grace Bay Resorts property, while retaining the Point Grace name.

GBR plans “gradual improvements” over the next several months, it said.

“We are honored to have been selected by the resort’s longtime owner to assume this role and include Point Grace in the Grace Bay Resorts group,” said Mark Durliat, chief executive officer and principal of Grace Bay Resorts. “The original owner was a true pioneer in establishing this idyllic luxury resort and its dedicated staff have done an incredible job of establishing its strong presence in the marketplace.”

Point Grace features a collection of 35 suites, along with two restaurants and a spa program, among other amenities.

The hotel is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection.

“We are delighted to welcome Point Grace to the Grace Bay Resorts family,” said Nikheel Advani, chief operating officer and principal at Grace Bay Resorts. “We believe in this impeccable product as well as the dedicated employees and will continue to enhance the guest experience in the years to come. We are confident that we will be able to complement the work which is already being done at Point Grace and help the resort reach its full potential.”

Grace Bay Resorts’ collection also includes the Grace Bay Club, the West Bay Club, The Private Villa Collection and the soon-to-open Rock House.

The post Turks and Caicos’ Point Grace Sold appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Great luxury is its own form of travel. It’s a journey away from the ordinary, from the adequate. It’s a journey to the indulgent, to the beautiful, to the extraordinary.

The best luxury resorts take you on that journey, working with their surroundings to bring you to a different plane of experience.

Naturally, it begins with service. It’s the quality of service that takes great hotels and turns them into truly great luxury resorts. And then, of course, design, and amenities. The range of offerings.

But there’s a final question, one of authenticity.

Does this hotel belong in its destination? Is it at home in its surroundings? Does it work in tandem with its destination, or could it be placed anywhere in the world?

A great luxury hotel in the Caribbean has to have a sense of place; it has to be a part of the Caribbean.

And it has to be unforgettable.

These are the top luxury resorts in the Caribbean, 2018 edition.

Ladera, Saint Lucia We’ve called it the ultimate luxury resort. This is a truly Caribbean luxury hotel — everything is local, everything is hand crafted. It’s the most authentically Caribbean hotel in all of the region — along with the best views you will ever encounter.

The post The Top 25 Luxury Resorts in the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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