Flexible bed setups. Beach club access. E-bikes. Multiple connected rooms. 

It’s a new kind of hotel for the Caribbean, and it’s now in the Mexican Caribbean hotspot of Tulum.

Hilton is bringing its innovative Motto hotel brand to the Caribbean for the first time this month, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The new hotel is opening its doors in Tulum later in November, the second major hotel for Hilton in Tulum this year, following the debut of the Hilton Tulum All-Inclusive. 

The Motto by Hilton Tulum will have a total of 115 rooms in jungle setting inside of the Hunan Lifestyle Center, the first mixed-use retail center in Tulum. 

The stunning new-build hotel has a pair of rooftop infinity pools with views of the jungle and private cabanas. 

That’s along with a fitness center with indoor and outdoor workout areas, and food and beverage concepts including a rooftop pool bar, a regional-inspired Mexican bistro called Coba and another lounge called the Coba Bar. 

Hilton says Motto “offers travel-sized guest rooms with an eco-friendly modern design using locally sustained elements that blend into Tulum’s natural surroundings.”

And yes, that means “flexible” sleeping setups, from bunk beds to a mix of queen beds and queen flex beds that stow into the wall. 

Guests can also book up to five connecting rooms using what Hilton calls “Confirmed Connecting Rooms.”

The Motto brand also has on-site hosts able to curate experiences forests, from booking sunset rooftop dinners, enjoying premium mezcal tastings or renting E-bikes. 

The hotel has also partnered with Bagatelle and Vagalume in Tulum to provide guaranteed access and subbed service for guests at the hotel. 

It’s a new kind of hotel for the Caribbean, one that’s decidedly focused on millennial travelers. 

And it’s one that will likely find itself in more destinations around the Caribbean soon. 

For more, visit Motto by Hilton Tulum.

The post Hilton Is Opening Its First Caribbean Motto Hotel in Tulum appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Nassau, Bahamas is home to two of the Caribbean’s most prominent mega-resorts: the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, and the Baha Mar on New Providence Island’s famous Cable Beach. These big resorts can seem like destinations unto themselves, and are terrfic in their own right. But there are a host of boutique options to try in Nassau and Paradise Island, smaller, more intimate retreats for a different kind of Bahamas vacation. Here are some great options.

Graycliff: The Graycliff Hotel & Restaurant is located halfway up the hill from West Bay Street and Nassau’s busy waterfront — close enough to downtown to reach shopping, dining, and entertainment, but a world away in terms of vibe. An elegant oasis, the hotel incorporates a mansion built in 1740 for a notorious pirate, and has been an inn since 1844. The basement of the mansion contains one of the largest wine cellars in the Americas, while the courtyard grounds intersperse guest rooms and pools with the ruins of an Anglican Church burned by French invaders in 1703. In addition to dining and accommodations, Graycliff has its own chocolate factory, cigar company, and winery.

The post 5 Boutique Hotels to Try in Nassau, The Bahamas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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JetBlue has relaunched its service between New York City and the French Caribbean department of Guadeloupe. 

The fast-expanding carrier has resumed flights between New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and Pointe a Pitre International Airport in Grand-Terre, Guadeloupe. 

The restarted service is operating three times each week, with flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. 

It’s a major lift for an island getaway that is one of the most fascinating places to visit in the Caribbean, but one that has suffered from decades from nearly nonexistent airlift from the United States. 

That has started to change in recent years, including the launch last year of regularly-scheduled nonstop service from both New York and Miami to Pointe-a-Pitre on Air France.

It has opened up a destination that is remarkably diverse, from the rainforests and rum distilleries of Basse-Terre to the charming maritime hotspot of Les Saintes and the pristine natural beauty of the island of La Desirade. 

The island has also started to see new hotel growth, from the relaunched and transformed Club Med La Caravelle in Guadeloupe, the luxe La Toubana resort and the recently-opened Habitation Saint Charles, one of Guadeloupe’s hotspots for rum tourism. 

For more, visit JetBlue. 

The post JetBlue Just Relaunched Its Nonstop French Caribbean Flights  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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There’s a new airline in the heart of the Caribbean, and it could open up a whole new market for the region.

It’s called Antigua Airways, and it’s a new airline that will connect a growing network of destinations in the Americas and, most notably, Africa. 

Initially, the carrier will be operating service between Toronto and Antigua, Lagos and Antigua and Ghana and Antigua. 

It becomes the first airline connecting the Caribbean with the increasingly important African travel market. 

Service will begin with three weekly connections between Canada, Nigeria and Ghana, with Antigua as the central hub. 

To begin, Antigua Airways is operating with one B767-300ER unit, with 16 business class seats and 251 economy class seats. 

The first-ever Antigua Airways flight from Antigua to Lagos arrives on Nov. 7. 

The airline is based at Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport, regularly selected as one of the top airports in the wider Caribbean. 

“They said it could not be done,” Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said ahead of the launch. “Once again, they were proven wrong.”

It’s another boost for a Caribbean destination that has seen some of the highest levels of arrival growth in all of the region in the last year. 

For more, visit Antigua Airways.

The post A New Caribbean Airline Just Launched in Antigua  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s always been one of the most sought-after private-island getaways in the Caribbean: Petit St Vincent, the private-island destination in the heart of the Grenadines. 

And now the resort is set to relaunch, with new ownership, a new general manager and a totally new vibe. 

The resort officially reopened its doors for the new season this week, following the property’s annual summer closure. 

It’s the 54th consecutive season for the property, which now has a new owner: Tanja Ellis, the founder of Culture Home, and her partner, who are debuting a new-look property for the winter season. 

That includes a series of renovations, additions and refreshed programs “designed to elevate the guest experience” according to a statement. 

Ellis, an American businesswoman and designer, is overseeing the enhancements to temp property. 

“I’ve long admired PSV as one of the Caribbean’s most authentic and truly classic resorts, with a reputation among travelers in-the-know as one of the world’s best hideaways,” said Ellis. “I am looking forward to working with the team to elevate and enhance the resort. Long-time repeat guests and new guests alike will be thrilled with the changes we have planned.” 

The first changes will include the debut of a new wellness center and spa, along with new furniture and soft goods in guest cottages and villas, and the placement of new amenities by Terre d’Afrique. 

The property is also updating its wine cellar. 

The relaunch comes with a new general manger, with the appointment of Chorten Wangyel, who served most recently on the development team for the Kisawa Sanctuary in Mozambique. 

His previous stops include roles as general manager of Harbor Island’s The Dunmore and Eleuthera’s The Cove, Eleuthera. 

“I am delighted to return to the Caribbean to lead one of the region’s most-sought-after resorts,” Wangyel said. “Petit St. Vincent is an incredibly special place, with a rich history. I am honored to be part of the team, and to help elevate the Petit St. Vincent experience as the resort embarks on a new chapter.”

So what about visiting St Vincent and the Grenadines? The destination very quietly lifted all of its testing protocols last month, meaning travelers no longer have to show proof of a negative test to enter the destination.

For more, visit Petit St Vincent.

The post This Top Caribbean Private Island Resort Just Relaunched   appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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