They may not be the biggest, or have the most amenities. They may be brand new, they may be centuries old.

But the coolest hotels in the Caribbean are the ones that have that indescribable x-factor; where, no matter how many times you come back, it feels at once fresh and timeless.

Cool can mean so many things; but for these hotels spread across the Caribbean, it’s about a sense of place, a sense of purpose, and a sense of personality. 

The ninth annual edition of the Cool List spotlights unique, special, one-of-a-kind hotels across the Caribbean. 

They may not be the biggest, or have the most amenities. They may be brand new, they may be centuries old. But the coolest hotels in the Caribbean are the ones that have that indescribable x-factor, the one that keeps you coming back, that can only be explained by actually experiencing it. Cool can mean so many things; but for these hotels spread across the Caribbean, it’s about a sense of place, a sense of purpose, and a sense of personality. 

The ninth annual edition of the Cool List spotlights unique, special, one-of-a-kind hotels across the Caribbean. 

Rockhouse, Jamaica The essence of Caribbean cool. What’s not to love about this cliffside retreat in Negril? The waterside cottages; the sweeping ocean-view suites; the bold, fantastic Pushcart restaurant; and that endlessly feeling that somehow become part of the landscape, even or a few days. There’s a reason after all, that everyone from the Rolling Stones to Bob himself used to come here back in the day. 

The post The Cool List: The Coolest Caribbean Hotels for 2022 appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Hyatt’s Apple Leisure Group is expanding with another new all-inclusive in the Caribbean, this time in Colombia. 

In April, the new Dreams Karibana Cartagena Beach and Golf Resort will open its doors in Cartagena on the country’s Caribbean coast. 

The 268-room resort will have five bars and lounges, three a la carte eateries, and pool and beach service. 

It will be set at the former Conrad Cartagena, part of the Karibana resort community, which had closed permanently amid the pandemic. 

That’s along with 24-hour room service and concierge service, daily activities and entertainment and nightly events. 

Guests will have access to a private beach club and an 18-hole Nicklaus Design golf course. 

The 268 rooms will include a collection of swim-out suites as well. 

“As travelers in the U.S. and beyond return to travel, they continue to seek out beautiful destinations in emerging markets that are conveniently located,” said Javier Coll, Group President of Global Business Development at Apple Leisure Group. “We are very eager to introduce Dreams Karibana Cartagena Beach and Golf Resort, AMRCollection’s first property in South America, to deliver the Dreams Resorts & Spas brand experience in one of Colombia’s top destinations.”

It’s the first Dreams resort in Cartegena; since Hyatt’s high-profile acquisition of ALG late last summer, it’s been the Dreams brand that’s seen the most activity. 

That includes the recently-opened Dreams Sappphire Resort and Spa and the soon-to-open Dreams Cozumel Cape Resort and Spa, both on the Caribbean coast of Mexico; 

The post Hyatt’s Dreams Brand to Open All-Inclusive in Cartagena, Colombia appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Hiking a volcano. Walking the cane fields of an organic rum distillery. Eating lionfish burgers at an oceanfront food truck; savoring a twilight mento concert; kayaking across a secret mangrove forest; riding a flats boat to an undiscovered sandbar.

They’re the reasons we come to the Caribbean, those once-in-a-lifetime experiences in which the Caribbean abounds, those chances to explore the communities and the natural beauty of the world’s most extraordinary place. (And yes, the beaches, too).

Our editors’ annual edition of the Best Caribbean Islands to Visit takes you on a layered journey across the far corners of the region, from the electric-turquoise waters of The Bahamas to hidden-away islands in the Eastern Caribbean and everywhere in between.

Think of it as an inspiration, as a guide, for an exciting year of traveling to the Caribbean — hopefully multiple times (for our regular readers, that goes without saying).

Here are our favorites for 2022.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos It’s always been one of the most luxurious getaways in the Caribbean; now, travelers are discovering just how complete a destination Provo is, from the magnificent resorts on Grace Bay to the hip, sought-after sands of Long Bay; from marvelous local eateries like Da Conch Shack to gourmet food trucks like Cocovan; from world-class snorkeling to the best Caribbean golf course you’ve never heard of: the Provo Golf Club. Plainly, Providenciales has it all.  

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It’s one of the most popular amenities in the travel industry right now, and at the Mexican Caribbean’s newest resort, there’s one in every room. 

The new La Casa de Playa which opened at the end of last month, has a total of 63 suites – all of which boast their own private plunge pools.

The new property is the latest development by Grupo Xcaret, the developer behind the Xcaret eco park and the celebrated Hotel Xcaret Mexico all-inclusive resort. 

The $85 million project is a new kind of resort for the brand, a luxury boutique hotel. 

Each suite has around 1,000 square feet of living space along with their signature plunge pools. 

The hotel itself is focused on offering an authentic Mexican experience: that ranges from the Muluk Spa, which blends Mayan mysticism and contemporary Mexican wellness concepts to a culinary program led by several top Mexican cafes. 

That includes Estero, led by celebrity chef Virgilio Martinez; Martha Ortiz, who opened Tuch de Luna, a display of “art, science and cuisine” and the Rodrigo Brothers, who are behind two restaurants at the property: Lumber and Centli. 

The resort also has a range of unique experiences, like night swims in underground riviera to dinners inside a cenote. 

That’s along with a chocolate shop held by famous Mexican chocolatier Mao Montiel; an ocean-view library; a concept store with Mexican art and textiles’ and a traditional Mexican cafeteca coffee shop. 

For more, visit La Casa de Playa.

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