Canadian travel giant Sunwing is relaunching more service to Caribbean hotspots including Cuba and Cancun this winter. 

In November, the carrier is resuming a wave of flights from Ottawa to destinations like Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. 

That includes the “reimagined” destination of Cayo Largo in Cuba. 

The carrier’s Caribbean network will include flights this winter to Cancun, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo and Holguin and Cuba; Los Cabos; Montego Bay; Puerto Plat and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Santa Clara and Varadero, Cuba. 

“Facing some of the harshest winters in Canada, we’re thrilled to return to our beloved capital this season offering our customers more flights, more direct routes and more sunny destinations they can escape to from Ottawa,” said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. “With the rapid surge for all inclusive travel coupled with Sunwing’s wide variety of affordable vacation packages suited to every vacation style, whether last minute or a quick long weekend getaway, we anticipate the winter season to sell fast, so now is the time for our customers to book.” 

Cancun and Punta Cana will see the most weekly flights, with four flights each week. 

“Each year, Ottawa-Gatineau vacation planners look forward to Sunwing’s highly anticipated Ottawa winter schedule,” said Mark Laroche, Ottawa International Airport Authority President and CEO. “Sunwing’s exciting list of vacation destinations in Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic is sure to please sun-seekers in Canada’s capital region.”

The post Sunwing Relaunching More Flights to Cancun, Cuba  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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There’s a new level of luxury in the heart of Cancun on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. 

Hilton’s Waldorf-Astoria brand opens its highly-anticipated Waldorf Astoria, Cancun resort this week, a serious addition to a growing portfolio of luxury hotels in the Yucatan hotspot. 

The hotel, set about 15 minutes from Cancun International Airport, has a mix of 173 rooms and suites, set on a 100-acre property on the ocean’s edge. 

The Waldorf has two pools and a wellness center with 21 treatment rooms. 

The dining program include five concepts: the open-flame grill eatery Malpeque, the “heirloom kitchen” called Chaya; Ja’o, inspired by Mexican cantina cooking; Peacock Alley, a cocktail bar inspired by its original New York predecessor; and a pool bar open from mid-morning all the way to sundown.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Waldorf Astoria Cancun to the Yucatan Peninsula, this unique oceanside luxury resort is an exciting addition to Mexico and marks an important milestone for the Waldorf Astoria brand,” George Stanfield, managing director at the Waldorf Astoria Cancun, told Caribbean Journal.

The new resort is part of a significant expansion for Hilton in the Mexican Caribbean, one that has added several Hilton-branded all-inclusives and the first-ever Conrad resort in the Caribbean in Tulum. 

That’s not a surprise, giving the dramatic levels of travel demand for Cancun and the greater Mexican Caribbean, which has been the most popular destination in the wider region since the onset of the pandemic. 

But it’s a new kind of resort for Cancun, a place that has been dominated by larger, all-inclusive resorts and has only recently begun cultivating a portfolio of smaller, more intimate luxury hotels. 

“Between the hotel’s secluded location, elevated amenities such as the Waldorf Astoria Spa and Peacock Alley Bar and the brands signature hospitality Waldorf Astoria Cancun is perfectly designed to welcome guests to experience the beauty of Cancun,” Stanfield said. 

For more, visit the Waldorf Astoria Cancun. 

The post Waldorf Astoria Opens First-Ever Cancun Resort  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Cold rum punch. A spectacular pool. One of the best beaches anywhere. 

And did we mention it’s one of the best deals in the Caribbean? 

The newly-reimagined Jolly Beach Antigua, the legendary resort in Antigua, is reopening to guests in December. 

And that includes rates as low as $199 per room. Yes, that’s per room, not per person. All-inclusive.

Longtime Caribbean hotelier Rob Barrett and his team are revitalizing the resort so it’s “ready for fun in the sun” starting on Dec. 1. 

It’s a re-injection of energy into a a property that is actually the largest hotel in Antigua, one that has always been one of the most storied places to stay in the Caribbean.

It’s set on a beach that’s regularly placed among the top stretches of sand in the region. That’s a tall order in a destination that has 365 beaches of its own. 

And yes, it’s a level of value that’s hard to find anywhere in the Caribbean, particularly in an island as sought-after as Antigua, one that comes with three restaurants, three bars, two swimming pools, a spa, tennis courts, a coffee shop, a game room and a fitness center, among other amenities. 

It’s a new kind of beachfront vacation in Antigua, “cheap and cheerful,” as the resort describes it, and easily one of the top affordable all-inclusive vacations in the islands. 

For more, visit Jolly Beach Antigua. 

The post The Caribbean’s Newest Affordable All-Inclusive Is In Antigua  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Whether you are just traveling alone with your significant other or you’ve managed to get a break from the wonderful, grueling work that is parenting, you won’t have trouble finding great adults-only resorts in the Caribbean. They’re the places that serve as welcome oases, either wonderfully quiet or blissfully energetic, depending on the kind of experience you’re searching for. 

But while the region is filled with large adults-only resorts of the all-inclusive variety, it’s a bit more difficult to find one that’s boutique, where the adults-only experience is served up in a more intimate, small-batch style. 

But they’re out there, and in a nod to the growing demand for adults-only properties, many of the newest adults-only hotels in the Caribbean are precisely that.  

In fact, it’s one of the hottest trends in the Caribbean: the boutique adults-only hotel. 

Here are our favorite new boutique adults-only hotels in the Caribbean, from villa-style inns in the British Virgin Islands to a full-fledged overwater resort. They’re all new, they’re all unique and they’re all the perfect choice for your next adults-only getaway.

Nayara Bocas Bali, Panama Nayara has found fame for its eco-luxe portfolio in Costa Rica, and now it’s officially expanded to the Caribbean, with a full-fledged overwater resort in the heart of Panama’s Bocas del Toro archipelago. It’s a stunner, with 16 overwater units, a pair of restaurants and what it bills as the world’s first “overwater beach,” an elevated platform set on stilts and filed with white sand. 

The post From Puerto Rico to Panama, 5 New Caribbean Adults-Only Hotels appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The buzz keeps growing for the Caribbean island of St Kitts, fresh off a newly-launched destination identity and a slew of global accolades. 

Last month, St Kitts launched the island’s major new brand campaign: Venture Deeper, zeroing in on its unique qualities for the modern traveler, from lush rainforests and a vibrant art scene to historic marvels and a burgeoning farm-to-table movement.  

And then there’s the growing hotel sector, from the flagship Park Hyatt St Kitts (the only Park Hyatt resort in the entire Caribbean) and new getaways like Hilton’s Koi Resort and the just-debuted, stunning new Sunset Reef.

Now, the island continues to rack up global awards from top media, focusing on everything from the Park Hyatt St Kitts to a top spot as a hiking and diving destination. 

St Kitts Tourism Authority CEO Tommy Thompson says it’s all about innovation. 

“We have an innovative new tourism product in development that will capture leisure travellers’ attention and make St. Kitts stand out as a premier Caribbean destination, he says. 

The island is also getting great news on the airlift front. 

Following a visit by the St Kitts Tourism Authority to the global Routes World conference, officials confirmed that Delta Air Lines would be returning its fall and winter service between Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport and the island’s Robert L Bradshaw International Airport.

That’s along with the reinforcement of relationships with American Airlines, the island’s largest carrier, and British Airways. 

And on the cruise front, the island’s Port Zante continues as one of the fastest-growing ports in the wider region.

It all adds up to a destination that is as buzzy as any destination in the Caribbean. 

“The spotlight on St. Kitts has certainly brightened the past few months,” Thompson said. “With new developments and innovations in the pipeline, we are confident that the rest of the year is looking even brighter for St. Kitts.”

The post St Kitts Is the Caribbean’s Buzziest Destination Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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