By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of St Maarten’s most popular places to stay has reopened.

The Princess Heights boutique condominium-hotel has officially relaunched in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

The Dawn Beach-area property has a mix of suites, from studios to two-bedroom suites across a two-building complex, with amenities including a large fresh water swimming pool and a fitness room.

“The Island and its people have proven to be resilient and are determined to grow stronger: island clean up and service restoring activities are being carried out faster than expected compared to similar situations of major weather events in the past,” the property wrote in a statement on Facebook. “Though it will take some time again before St. Maarten will be rebuild, we hope to come back to being the Friendly Island and a stronger paradise to vacation.”

For more information, visit Princess Heights.

The post Princess Heights Reopens in St Maarten appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

In the latest step for Anguilla’s comeback from Hurricane Irma, its hottest hotel is reopening this week.

The luxe Zemi Beach House on Anguilla’s Shoal Bay Beach reopens Feb. 15, the first luxury hotel to reopen on the island.

Zemi Beach House has a collection of 65 rooms, including superior rooms, premium rooms and one, two and three-bedroom penthouse suites.

Amenities range from 24-hour room service and bluetooth sound systoms to Malin + Goetz bath amenities and Frette premium linens, among others.

When it debuted in 2016, it immediately caused waves in the Caribbean hotel industry, thanks to its sleek design, creative food and beverage and one of the region’s top spas.

It was all good enough to take home the crown as the Caribbean’s best new hotel in Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards in 2016.

A room at Zemi Beach House.

Zemi Beach House is also offering a special “welcome back” promotion, including complimentary nights and a complimentary daily full American buffet breakfast.

For more information, visit Zemi Beach House.

The post A Major Reopening in Anguilla appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Holland America Line’s newest cruise ship is coming to the Caribbean.

The company’s brand-new Nieuw Statendam will launch its inaugural Caribbean season beginning in December 2018, according to a statement.

The ship will spend the winter, holiday and spring seasons cruising roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

That will include three or four day Bahamas cruises, seven-day eastern or western Caribbean sailings and one 10-day southern Caribbean itinerary.

All of the ship’s cruises will include a call at Holland America Line’s Half Moon Cay private island.

The ship is due for delivery on Dec. 1, 2018, currently under construction in Italy.

The 2,666-guest ship is the latest addition to the line’s Pinnacle class.

The post Holland America’s Newest Ship Is Coming to the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The initial phase of one of the Caribbean’s most anticipated tourism developments has officially launched.

The Puntarena development, billed as the Puntacana of the southern Dominican Republic, has unveiled its new “Casa Club Puntarena,” a luxury beach club.

The beach club is home to a restaurant, bar, kitchen and a spectacular terrace and pool with a panoramic view of the sea.

Also this week, Puntarena broke ground on the initial hotel phase of its project, a boutique beach hotel, with Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina on hand for the ceremony.

The hotel project will begin with 90 rooms.

Puntarena is the brainchild of Grupo Puntacana’s Frank Ranieri, who is also the CEO of Puntarena.

The post Dominican Republic’s Puntarena Opens Beach Club appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Former United States President Bill Clinton paid a visit to the Caribbean this week, traveling to both the United States Virgin Islands and Dominica.

Clinton was in the Caribbean to see first hand the islands’ recovery efforts in the wake of last year’s hurricanes.

The trip began with a stop in St Thomas, where Clinton visited a nonprofit and a medical center, followed by a trip to nearby St John, where he visited the only public school on the island.

Clinton’s Dominica trip included a meeting with Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and stops in the village of Pichelin and the Soufriere Primary School.

The Dominica trip was headlined by the announcement of a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and the government of Dominica to help make Dominica the “first climate-resilient country on earth,” according to Skerrit.

It’s the second Caribbean trip in recent months for Clinton, who also visited Puerto Rico shortly after Hurricane Maria last year.

The post Former US President Bill Clinton Visits Dominica, US Virgin Islands appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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