They are the world’s foremost experts on Caribbean travel: Caribbean Journal readers. They travel to the Caribbean multiple times each year, scouring the region for the newest and the greatest, searching out hotels, beaches, restaurants and experiences. 

And each year, they choose the best of the best: the winners of the Caribbean Journal Travelers’ Choice Awards. 

“There’s no larger community in the world of frequent travelers to the Caribbean than our readers,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal. “Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! You have earned the ultimate seal of approval from those who know Caribbean travel better than anyone, the platinum standard of Caribbean tourism excellence.” 

This year’s Travelers’ Choice Awards honor champions in 24 different categories of travel, from hotels and resorts to honeymoons and weddings to rum bars, with more than 125,000 votes cast. 

“Participation for this year’s Awards was higher than ever before,” said Guy Britton, managing editor and EVP of Caribbean Journal. “It’s a good omen for what should be a banner 2023 for the whole Caribbean.”

Best Luxury Resort in the Caribbean: Baoase Luxury Resort, Curacao

The post The Winners of the CJ Caribbean Travelers’ Choice Awards 2022 appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Spanish hotel giant Melia is set to open a very different kind of resort in Punta Cana next month. 

The new Falcon’s Resort by Melia will be the Dominican Republic’s first “resortainment” property, in partnership with theme park company Falcon’s Beyond.

The new all-inclusive Falcon’s Resort by Melia, an all-suite resort, is the product of a multi-phase transformation of two existing Melia properties: Paradisus Grand Cana and The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real. 

The new Punta Cana resort is slated to open its doors on Dec. 8, Melia confirmed, as what the company calls an “elevated all-inclusive resortainment experience in stunning Punta Cana.”

The first phase, which is already taking reservations, will be an all-inclusive resort, with a number of bars and eateries, swim-up suites and a major new waterpark. 

The second phase of the project will be completed next year, according to Melia. 

It’s part of a massive new entertainment destination that will be the Caribbean’s first full-fledged theme park: Katmandu Park Punta Cana, the first Caribbean outpost of the popular Katmandu park in Mallorca, Spain. 

The park itself is likely to open in early 2023, Melia officials say. 

An accompanying retail, dining and entertainment district called Falcon’s Central is also in development. 

Melia is partnering with Falcon’s Beyond on another Caribbean resortainment destination, one in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, which is projecting a 2025 debut. “

“We are thrilled to debut our first Falcon’s Resort by Meliá in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic,” said Gabriel Escarrer, vice chairman and CEO of Melia.

The new Melia is a nod to what is a rapidly-changing all-inclusive landscape in Punta Cana, particularly in the core area of Bavaro.

It’s a transformation that largely began with the entry of European all-inclusive brand Lopesan to the area back in 2019.

For more, visit Falcon’s Resort by Melia.

The post Melia Is Opening a Different Kind of Punta Cana All-Inclusive  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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You wake up, slide your door open and peer out directly at the sand and the calm froth of Aruban blue.

This is unlike any other place to stay in Aruba. 

In a sea of larger, mostly high-rise resorts, it’s a sleek, crisply-designed boutique hotel, breezy and hip, unpretentious and endlessly chic. 

This is the Ocean Z Boutique. Hotel, and it’s almost certainly the coolest boutique hotel in Aruba. 

The hotel, set in the stunning coastal neighborhood of Malmok, just a stone’s throw across LG Smith Boulevard from the waves. 

There are just 13 rooms and suites, with a design by Venezuelan architect Oscar Enrique Bracho Malpica that’s equal parts ultra-luxe villa and luxury hotel. 

It’s the kind of place more and more travelers are seeking out, part of a Caribbean trend of new hotels that marry the comfort and privacy of villas with the personality and energy of a boutique (Virgin Gorda’s Inn at Cornucopia and St Kitts’ hot new Sunset Reef are others that immediately jump to mind).

There’s a mix of room options, from junior suites with private solariums to our favorite, the master king ocean view suites that has access to its own semi-private pool. 

The eponymous restaurant is terrific, with an international menu ranging from grouper and tuna to paella and Coquille St Jacques. 

And then there’s perhaps the greatest amenity: Malmok itself, with its sparkling turquoise waters, its raw, rocky limestone coastline, its unmatched snorkeling.

But it’s the feel that stands out; Ocean Z is serene, relaxing and sophisticated; the design flows around you, somehow bringing the Malmok vibes right to your balcony. 

This is not the Aruba you know. It’s another side of the island, another corner of Dutch Caribbean cool, a different way to experience One Happy Island.

There’s nothing like it in Aruba — and that’s what makes it so special.

For more, visit Ocean Z Aruba. 

The post This is the Coolest Boutique Hotel in Aruba  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Playa del Carmen is the best destination in the Mexican Caribbean for combining a beach vacation with some downtown city action. Not only does Playa’s Quinta Avenida pulse with nightlife, great shopping, and fine dining, it’s only a short walk from some of the region’s poshest resorts (not to mention the ferry across to Cozumel island, a whole other destination to explore).

When you’re looking for a Mexican beach getaway that also embraces local life and culture away from the beach, consider one of these top Playa del Carmen resorts.

Rosewood Mayakoba It will take a little longer to get to Playa del Carmen from the exclusive Mayakoba enclave, but then again, you may not want to leave. The Rosewood Mayakoba is placed between lagoons, mangrove forests and the sea, with accommodations ranging from luxury suites to private villas. The property includes multiple dining options and a top spa offering wellness rituals that extend over multiple days. But it’s the service, pervasive and impeccable, that has luxury travelers coming back again and again.

The post The 15 Best Resorts in Playa del Carmen, Mexico appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Since the onset of the pandemic, no carrier has added more new flights to the Caribbean than low-cost airline Frontier. 

And now it’s adding even more. 

The airline has announced plans to add another three weekly flights to Jamaica’s tourism hub of Montego Bay, in another positive step for Jamaica’s push to grow its airlift. 

Beginning May 22, 2023, Frontier will be adding thrice-weekly service between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport  and Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport. 

Frontier is now the third-largest carrier at Dallas-Fort Worth, the company said. 

“Frontier’s consistent growth at DFW is a tremendous success story,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial at Frontier Airlines. “It’s clear DFW will serve a central role in the expansion of our network for years to come. We’re proud of a partnership that promises to foster a positive economic impact for the entire Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.”

Frontier has already launched reservations on the new route, with an introductory fare as low as $99. 

Jamaica has been in the midst of a dramatic tourism rebound. 

Earlier this month, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett announced that the island had already reported more than 2 million stayover visitors in 2022, with the hope of topping 3 million visitors by the end of the year. 

Much of that growth has been driven by a surge in new airlift in the last two years, with Frontier at the center of it. 

Indeed, Frontier has been rapidly expanding its service to Jamaica, with new routes from U.S. cities like Tampa, Miami and others. 

Next year, Frontier will also add new routes to Montego Bay from Chicago, St Louis and Denver, among others. 

In 2023, Bartlett said he expects the island to return to its pre-pandemic visitor numbers. 

The post Frontier Is Adding More Nonstop Flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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