By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Nanny Cay, a resort marina and boatyard in Tortola, British Virgin Islands is making progress in repairing the damages caused by the passage of Hurricane Irma.

Crucially, about 40 percent of Nanny Cay’s rooms are already available, though without Wi-Fi and cable, while the Nanny Cay Beach Bar is already open daily.

As for the marina, sixty docks are due to arrive in November, and will be installed in the undamaged outer marina– providing just over 100 slips.

The Husky Salvage team continues to clear the inner marina, which is “looking considerably better than it did.”

They have added two slips by the fuel dock and are working on additional slips.

For the current season, the marina will be making provisions for “med mooring” along the bulkhead of the inner marina– tying boats up stern-to along the quay of the inner marina with moorings for the bows.

This will reduce the number of boats that they will be able to accommodate, but Nanny Cay says it looks forward to accommodating many of its seasonal and transient guests this season.

“We hope to have additional plans in place soon for more dockage,” the marina said in a statement. “We have cranes in the boatyard righting toppled boats as the surveyors and adjusters approve the moves. The boatyard is a hive activity with boat repairs well underway and the Travelifts working full time to haul and launch boats.”

All of the Nanny Cay-based contractors are back up and running and working on boats.

They continue to clear up the debris around the property which is also “looking more normal day to day.”

The post Tortola’s Nanny Cay Hotel and Marina Making Progress appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Caribbean-Mexico hotel development pipeline is surging right now, according to the latest report from analytics firm STR.

There were 42,259 rooms in 241 hotel projects under contract in the Caribbean and Mexico last month, according to STR.

That represented a 29.3 percent increase in rooms under contract compared to September 2016.

Overall, the Caribbean and Mexico reported 17,490 rooms in 99 projects in construction last month, itself a 25 percent year-over-year increase.

Under contract data includes hotel projects in the In Construction, Final Planning and Planning stages but does not include projects in the Unconfirmed stage.

The post Caribbean-Mexico Hotel Pipeline Surging appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

One of the Caribbean’s leading resorts has been sold, Caribbean Journal has learned.

Cayman-based Dart Real Estate has purchased the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman from Five Mile Capital Partners, LLC.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The property had been put on the market last year.

Kenneth Dart’s Dart Real Estate is the most important real estate firm in the Cayman Islands, best known for its flagship Camana Bay mixed-use development and the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa and accompanying residences.

The Ritz-Carlton, located on Seven Mile Beach, was named Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Hotel of the Year in the 2015 Caribbean Travel Awards.

“This investment demonstrates Mr. Dart’s confidence and willingness to invest in the strength and resilience of the Cayman Islands economy,” said Mark VanDevelde, CEO of Dart Enterprises, the parent company of Dart Real Estate.

The long-term management agreement with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company remains in place, with no impact to operations, the company said.

The Ritz-Carlton has 375 guest rooms, set on the heart of Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach.

“The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman has been the standard bearer for excellence in the region for more than a decade,” said Dart Real Estate President Jackie Doak. “We look forward to working with management on the preservation of the resort’s legacy, enabling the Cayman Islands to retain its position as a preferred luxury Caribbean destination for visitors and investors alike.”

The post Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman Sold to Dart Real Estate appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Barth’s Le Guanahani hotel is planning to reopen in the summer of 2018.

It’s one of several top St Barts hotels that are planning to reopen next summer, including the storied Eden Rock, after damage from Hurricane Irma.

“We have come together to start rebuilding our beloved island home to welcome you all back to the Le Guanahani you know and love,” Le Guanahani said in a note on the property’s Facebook page. “It is from the bottom of our hearts that we thank you for your support and patience as we start our reopening journey for Summer 2018.”

St Barth’s recovery from Irma has begun in earnest, with some properties already planning to reopen in November like the island’s Les Ilets de la Plage.

The post St Barth’s Le Guanahani Planning Summer Reopening appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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You’re looking for a different kind of Caribbean getaway: an authentic one.

One where you get a real taste of an island’s personality, of its soul. There are certain hotels made for that, smaller properties that are all about offering you a real sense of place.

Here are 10 boutique hotels to try in the Caribbean right now.

Calabash, Grenada The Caribbean’s newest Relais & Chateaux hotel is also the best hotel in Grenada, a rarefied, elegant 30-room property that’s also home to one of the Caribbean’s best restaurants.

The post 10 Boutique Hotels to Try in the Caribbean Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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