By the Caribbean Journal staff

Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport is seeing a passenger boom, according to new data.

The airport has seen a record-breaking December and January, with arrivals higher than pre-recession levels.

That amounted to 151,454 passengers in December and 140,314 in January, with preliminary numbers for March showing a 24 percent increase in arrivals compared to 2017.

“The strong increase in air travel to LPIA is excellent news,” said Vernice Walkine, CEO of the Nassau Airport Development Company, which manages Lynden Pindling Airport. “While we are handling more passengers than ever before, we are also pleased that enhanced systems including pre-clearance check-in kiosks have made the LPIA experience smooth, efficient and enjoyable for passengers from around the world.”

Lynden Pindling International Airport in the Bahamas.

Officials pointed to several factors to explain the uptick, from the return of Sunwing Airlines to the destination to an overall increase in airlift from carriers like Southwest Airlines.

As for the impact of the new Baha Mar resort, NAD officials said the “Baha Mar factor has yet to be quantified,” but that nearly every US airline has added seats in anticipation of the project’s ramped up marketing blitz.

The post Nassau’s Airport Is Setting New Passenger Records appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

One of the hippest corners of the Caribbean has a serious new addition: the Serafina Beach Hotel, a 96-room stunner in the heart of the Condado neighborhood in San Juan.

Puerto Rico’s first new hotel opening of 2018 is the first-ever hotel by the popular Serafina Restaurant Group, best known for its New York-area Italian eateries.

The Serafina has a mix of rooms featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping views of either the Condado Lagoon or the Atlantic.

Dining options range from the aMare restaurant to the “By the Pool,” a beachfront poolside lounge and the PiñaCo bar, offering everything from coffee to rum.

“Expanding the Serafina brand into a lifestyle hotel experience is a natural fit and next step for my partner Fabio Granato and I. San Juan is a city close to our hearts and we could think of no better place to bring to life the essence of Serafina in a hotel experience. We look forward to welcoming guests to our beautiful island, which is open for business,” said Vittorio Assaf, Serafina Restaurant Group Co-Owner. “Serafina Beach Hotel really captures the energy of the Condado district with stylish lounges, sleek guestrooms and signature Serafina hospitality.”

Condado has quietly become one of the Caribbean’s capitals of cool, thanks in large part to the existing O:live Boutique Hotel, which is working on a new project of its own called O:LV 55, slated to debut this summer.

That property, along with the luxe Condado Vanderbilt, an impressive slate of high-level restaurants and a broad portfolio of luxury shopping boutiques, have helped turn Condado into Puerto Rico’s destination-within-a-destination.

The post Serafina Beach Hotel Opens in San Juan, Puerto Rico appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Hilton’s Conrad brand is adding a new property in Mexico.

The Conrad Playa Mita will be a transformation of the former La Tranquila Resort in Punta de Mita, slated to open in the winter of 2019.

“As one of the most popular tourism destinations in Latin America, Mexico continues to be a priority market in our regional growth plans,” said Juan Corvinos, vice president, development, Latin America and the Caribbean, Hilton. “With the recent signing of Waldorf Astoria Cancun on the Mexican Caribbean coast, we are thrilled to further expand our luxury footprint on the country’s Pacific coastline.”

The 325-room property will undergo a multimillion-dollar reimagining by co-developers HRV Hotel Partners and Contact Development Company.

SB Architects will headline a design team including EDSA, Arquitectura de Interiores and Grupo Dovela.

The new Conrad Playa Mita will be focused on group travel, with more than 45,000 square feet of function space, including 30,0000 square feet of outdoor space with beach frontage.

“As the brand’s second property in Mexico, Conrad Playa Mita will embody modern luxury in one of the world’s most sought-after destinations,” said Dino Michael, vice president, global brand development, Luxury and Lifestyle Brands, Hilton. “We look forward to delivering seamless service to our guests at a stunning coastal resort while giving them unique access to exploring the world around them.”

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By Alexander Britell

Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity luxury cruise ship is getting an “extensive” redesign.

Beginning in October, Crystal Serenity will enter a three-week dry dock that will mean dramatic changes for the ship.

The news was revealed at the recent Seatrade Cruise Global summit in Fort Lauderdale.

Among the changes will be the addition of 36 new penthouses, along with a pair of new penthouse suites; new dining venues, including the Waterside international restaurant, a Brazilian churrascaria; the Asian inspired Silk Kitchen and Bar.

That’s along with upgrades at spots like the popular Palm Court lounge and the Stardust Club.

Crystal Serenity will emerge from its three-week dry dock on November 10.

The post Crystal Serenity Is Getting an “Extensive” Redesign appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

Four Seasons is opening another new property in the Caribbean as the company embarks on what appears to be a concerted expansion push in the region.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to develop Caye Chapel, a private island in Belize, with a mix of oceanfront estates, private residences and overwater bungalows.

The project, which is slated to open in 2021, is the product of a partnership with Thor Urbana, Immobilia Desarollos and GFA Grupo Immobiliario, all of which are based in Mexico.

The luxury development, called Four Seasons Resort and Residences Caye Chapel, Belize, will be a mix of 50 private estates lots, 35 private residences and 100 guest rooms and suites.

There will also be a significant golf component, with an 18-hole course designed by Greg Norman, who is expanding his footprint in the Caribbean of late. The course will be designed in consultation with star golfer Lorena Ochoa.

The 280-acre site will also feature a marina and private airstrip, along with a nature and conservation institute by noted explorer Fabien Cousteau.

“We are excited to be a part of the reimagination of Caye Chapel into an exclusive luxury experience, and to do so in a way that protects and reinforces the natural wonders of the island,” says J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Four Seasons’ Ocean Club on Paradise Island.

It’s the latest in what has become a rapid expansion for Four Seasons, which until recently only had one property in the region, the Four Seasons Resort Nevis.

That has expanded to destinations including Paradise Island, Bahamas and Anguilla, along with projects in the pipeline in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.

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