It’s morning and the only things you hear are chirping birds and waving palms; there’s some blue in the distance, but up here it’s the green that matters.

The beach is a long walk or a shuttle ride away, but you’re perfect, up in the hills, spending your day with the trees.

This is another side of the Caribbean: the hillside hotel, where the views are different and the sounds are different, where you can engage with the region’s natural beauty in entirely new ways.

This is that rare gem in the Caribbean that isn’t on the beach. And that’s the point.

Here are our favorite hillside hotels in the Caribbean.

Hotel Plein Soleil, Martinique Set high above a lagoon on the Atlantic coast of Martinique, Plein Soleil is the essence of Martinique — fun and sophisticated, anchored by a world-class restaurant. But the biggest reason to come here is the design, with most of the breezy, chic rooms boasting their own private plunge pools, high above the water.

The post These Caribbean Hotels Aren’t on the Beach. And That’s the Point. appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Luxury. It’s one of the most overused words in the travel industry; but that’s also because it’s just so hard to define. What makes luxury? Is it design? Is it food and beverage? Is it the natural environment? Is it service? 

The answer is, of course, that it’s all of those things, and more. But when it comes to deciding which resorts do luxury best, well, to paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart, you know it when you see it. 

Ultimately, luxury is about the way a resort engages with you, with your personality, with your tastes. It’s about the way a resort makes you feel.

Compiling our annual list of the best luxury resorts in the Caribbean is one our editorial team’s most difficult feats of each year — with so many great luxury properties around the Caribbean, choosing just 10 is a tall order. 

All of the following resorts have the amenities: the world-class spas, the eateries, the sparkling design.

But these 10 resorts have something more; they exemplify the best of luxury, particularly that unique Caribbean brand of luxury that has no analog the world over. 

Here are the best luxury resorts in the Caribbean to visit in 2022. 

The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort, The Bahamas The Ocean Club first opened its doors on Paradise Island in 1962; while it’s carried several different brands, most recently Four Seasons, the essence of the place has never changed. From the glorious terraced Versailles gardens to the marvelously manicured grounds and the magnificent service, this is simply as good as it gets anywhere in the region. And while the serenity here is unmatched, you’re wonderful close both to the amenities at nearby Atlantis, a short ride from the sights and sounds of downtown Nassau and a quick shuttle to one of the most beautiful golf courses in all of the Caribbean. 

The post The 10 Best Luxury Resorts in the Caribbean for 2022 appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

A parade of cafes at the edge of the sand; tiny bars and art galleries; a soundtrack of clacking plates and mopeds and afternoon laughter, silent and loud in all the right ways.

Across the wider Caribbean one can find some of the most charming beach towns in the hemisphere; they’re not quite cities, they’re a bit more than villages.

They’re energetic and teeming with personality. But most crucially, they’re right on the beach. 

Here are our favorite beach towns worth making a trip to in 2022. 

Grand Case, Saint Martin Simply put, it’s the Grande Dame of Caribbean beach towns. This tiny beachfront village just so happens to be home to the highest density of fine-dining restaurants of any place in the Caribbean, with an almost impossibly wonderful collection of eateries, all perched right above a terrific stretch of sand looking out at Anguilla. Even better? It’s home to one of the Caribbean’s most legendary hotels, the outstanding Grand Case Beach Club. 

The post The 10 Best Caribbean Beach Towns to Visit in 2022 appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

A new adults-only, all-inclusive resort has opened its doors in Jamaica. 

The new Ocean Eden Bay is the latest development on the island for Spain-based Ocean by H10 Hotels, which has a broad portfolio of hotels that also includes properties in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and on the Riviera Maya in Mexico. 

The all-inclusive resort is set in Coral Spring in Trelawny, about 30 minutes away from the heart of Montego Bay. 

It’s another new addition, which in recent years has seen a wave of new resort projects, particularly by the Royalton brand; that’s led some to call the area “Greater Montego Bay.”

The 444-suite resort is the second Jamaican property for Ocean Hotels, joining the existing Ocean Coral Spring resort. 

So what’s there? 

Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi property wide; a swimming pool with bar service; one buffet eatery, four a la carte restaurants, four bars, a beach and 24-hour all-inclusive service. 

Rooms range to junior suites to privilege roof top suites that include their own outdoor jacuzzis. 

The hotel also has swim-up suites on offer. 

Guests at Ocean Eden Bay also have access to the amenities at the adjacent Ocean Coral Spring. 

Jamaica is currently open for tourism; you can find more on how to visit the island here. 

For more, visit Ocean Eden Bay. 

The post There’s a New Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resort in Jamaica appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

The French Caribbean island of St Barth is tightening its travel rules amid the holiday season. 

St Barth’s regional government has announced a new testing requirement, mandating that travelers provide a negative result form a test taken no more than 24 hours prior to boarding their flight to the island. 

St Barth accepts both PCR and antigen tests; antigen tests are typically far faster and easier to access. 

St Barth also accepts at-home testing; St Barth villa provider WIMCO told Caribbean Journal that included at-home tests by Reliant Health Services (you can find more here). https://gettestednow.com/product-category/testing-services/antigen-testing-services/

That means if you’re scheduled to board a flight to St Barth at 4 PM, you’ll need to schedule a rapid antigen test for no earlier than 4 PM the prior day. 

In a statement, the French government said the move was “necessary to protect the overseas territories [of France] of the new epidemic wave under the effect of the Omicron variant.” 

The testing requirement is in addition to St Barth’s already-established vaccination requirement, which mandates that all travelers 18 and over provide proof of vaccination to enter the island. 

Unvaccinated travelers 18 and over are not permitted to enter the island. 

The testing requirement applies to all travelers 12 and older. 

St Barth is the latest in a growing number of Caribbean destinations tightening their testing requirements amid the emergence of Omicron.

For more, visit WIMCO’s St Barth health protocol guide.

The post St Barth Has New Testing Requirements for Travelers appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico