Divi Resorts is launching a new “upper-tier” all-inclusive brand, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

It’s called Oceans, and it will apply to the company’s top-level resorts. 

The company says it’s the first time it’s ever launched a new brand in its more-than-50-year history.

For now, Divi plans to launch a pair of new Oceans-branded resorts within resorts: that includes at the Divi Little Bay in St Maarten and the soon-to-relaunch Divi Little Bay in St Croix. 

The new Oceans at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort in St Maarten will consist of 98 rooms, with plans to open in January 22. 

The new St Maarten property, set adjacent to the Divi Little Bay’s pool, will have three different types of accommodations, and touches like slippers, Nespresso machines and mini fridges, among others. 

“There has been a lot of buzz about our new buildings, and we’re excited to finally share the news about our new Oceans offerings,” said Anne-Marie Brooks, general manager of the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort. “We think guests are going to fall in love with Oceans’ modern rooms, stunning views, and VIP perks.”

In St Croix, US Virgin Islands, the new Oceans at Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort and Casino will have a total of 50 rooms, all of which will be adults-only. 

The St Croix property is slated to open in February 2022, according to the company.

“We’re thrilled to add this exclusive new brand to our Caribbean resort offerings starting on St. Maarten and St. Croix in early 2022,” said Marco Galaverna, President and COO of Divi Resorts. “Over the years, we’ve seen trends change, and our guests have requested additional touches and services. Oceans will deliver with a beautiful new product, the most requested items, and popular VIP touches.”

Divi’s Caribbean portfolio consists of resorts in destinations including Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire,St Maarten and the US Virgin Islands. 

For more, visit Divi Resorts. 

— CJ

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The tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat is now open to fully vaccinated visitors, albeit with a strict five-day quarantine requirement. 

The island set southwest of Antigua officially reopened its borders at the beginning of this month. 

So what do travelers need to know? 

Fully vaccinated visitors need to quarantine for five days at their hotel or accommodation upon arrival. Between three and four days after arrival, visitors take a PCR test — if negative, he or she can leave quarantine on day five. 

(If visitors want to stay fewer than five days they can do so). 

Montserrat charges $150 for the on island test. 

All visitors need to complete an Access Declaration Form within three days before traveling; all visitors need to show proof of a negative PCR test taken and received within five days before arrival on the island. 

Children under five are exempt from the pre-testing requirement; however, all children over two must take the on-island PCR test before being allowed out of quarantine. 

Montserrat had previously been open only to select long-term visitors.

For now, only Fly Montserrat and SVG Air are currently operating flights service to Montserrat. 

For more, visit Montserrat.

The post The Caribbean Island of Montserrat Is Now Open to Vaccinated Travelers appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Before the storm, it was a Caribbean Mecca. 

And then Hurricane Irma came to the British Virgin Islands, and Virgin Gorda’s legendary Bitter End Yacht Club was no more. 

But now, after four years of hard work, the Bitter End is rising again, heading toward a planned December reopening.

The BEYC has announced its highly-anticipated reopening, part of a multi-phased relaunch that will kick off with a new centerpiece destination for yachters and sailors. 

The Hokin Family, which owns the property, is calling it Bitter End 2.0, and that’s precisely what it will be. 

The hotel will be anchored by a new nautical village, all nodding back to the original resort; that includes the Clubhouse Restaurant, the Quarterdeck Marina, the Watersports Center and the Reeftique Boutique. 

“We have taken everything that we’ve learned over five decades and incorporated it into the redesign to purposefully pay homage to our history. At the same time, we are elevating Bitter End’s amenities and hospitality offerings to create a world-class experience that will delight travelers for generations to come,” said Richard Hokin, patriarch of the family. 

The initial phase will cater primarily to the private and charter yacht industries, the family says. 

That means over 70 moorings balls, 25 marina slips and a new two-story, Quarterdeck Marina, open-air venue with an upstairs lounge and a wraparound terrace — with enhanced amenities like marina-wide Wi-Fi, among others. 

There will also be several dining concepts: a new take on the iconic Clubhouse; an open-kitchen pizza and wine bar; and a sunken ship turned into what the Hokins call “the coolest beach bar in the Caribbean.”

All of the eateries will source produce from Bitter End Farms, an on-property producer of fruits, vegetables and more. 

The new Bitter End Market will stock all manner of provisions, too. 

“Thoughtful provisioning is key to a happy crew and successful voyage,” says Lauren Hokin. “We’re excited to introduce garden-grown produce, fresh-caught seafood, and an array of prepared dishes, topped off by Chef Winston’s world-famous key lime pie and fresh baked goods, made daily in Bitter End’s kitchens.” 

And yes, the watersports fleet that was the signature of the resort is making a comeback, too. 

So what about the resort itself? 

Initially, the resort will offer a pair of overwater-bungalows called the Marina Lofts; initially, the resort will have just a pair of lofts. 

“We are excited to welcome back our legacy guests and global watersports community to the reimagined Bitter End Yacht Club,” said Richard. “Over the last four years, the Bitter End Crew, alongside a team of architects and designers, engineers, highly-skilled craftspeople, and a set of salty spirits have collaborated to honor Bitter End’s legacy while launching an exciting new chapter in Bitter End’s story.”

For more, visit the Bitter End Yacht Club.

The post The Caribbean’s Legendary Bitter End Yacht Club Is Rising Again appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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In a major move for travelers, St Kitts has reduced its “vacation in place” hotel quarantine requirement to just 24 hours, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

Within 24 hours upon arrival in St Kitts, travelers staying at an approved tourist accommodation will be tested. 

The “vacation in place” requirement means travelers are free to roam their hotel properties as they await their test results, but cannot leave the hotel itself.

Upon receipt of a negative test, travelers will be able to fully integrate into the Federation. 

That means dining in restaurants, liming at beach bars on “The Strip” or visiting historic forts and attractions. 

Since May 29, only fully vaccinated travelers have been allowed entry to the Federation; that remains in place, with exemptions for children under the age of 18 accompanying fully vaccinated parents or guardians. 

All travelers additionally need to submit proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours before arrival, part of the required Travel Authorization Form (here’s where to find it).

There are seven hotels approved for international travelers in St Kitts, ranging from the celebrated Park Hyatt St Kitts to the Royal St Kitts Hotel., among others. 

Travelers who wish to stay at a private villa or condo that has been approved as quarantine housing must contact info@stkittstourism.kn. 

For all of St Kitts’ travel requirements, please visit St Kitts Tourism. 

— CJ

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A great rum should be more than a rum. It should be an event. 

That’s true of any luxury product — whether a bottle of wine or a fine cigar; it should move you, make you feel special, that the moment is something extraordinary. 

That brings us to the newest release by Papa’s Pilar, the Ernest Hemingway-inspired rum brand that continues to be among the most creative and cool rum brands on the market today. 

Pilar, named after Hemingway’s prized fishing boat (and partially owned by the Hemingway Estate, which donates its proceeds to conservation-focused charities), is a blend of rums from across the wider region, stretching from Florida in the north to Venezuela in the south — including rums from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Barbados to boot. 

And for years, it’s been releasing a continued wave of very fine rums, from its signature dark expression to its always-delightful sherry-cask finish. 

The new expression is something different, though. 

It’s called Papa’s Pilar Legacy and it’s a first for the rum industry — a premium rum finished in rye whiskey barrels, under the stewardship of master blender Ron Call. 

It begins with Pilar’s World War II-era canteen shape, with a bronzed plaque, clothed in a rather lovely leather wrap around the bottle.

So what is it like? 

The aroma is marked by toffee, key lime, oak and confectioner’s sugar. 

The flavor profile includes notes of oak, the slightest hint of fennel; a whisper of cardamom; orange peel; and then there’s the rye, which is ever present but never overbearing — it adds a wonderful glow, rounding off the rum but also adding a different personality, too. 

The finish is endlessly smooth, with a bit of vanilla. 

It’s a rum that gets better with each sip, the more you try it, the more you understand it. 

There’s a romance about this rum; it’s a rum that takes you somewhere, starting with the moment you unscrew the chained cap and pour it in your glass. 

That’s a welcome departure from an all-too-unhappy trend in the rum world, where rum brands clothe their bottles in labels that reduce themselves to mere chemistry, reminding more of prescriptions than sugarcane spirits. 

Legacy, on the other hand, is what a rum bottle should look like.

Papa’s Pilar gets it — that rum is something different, that rum is about romance — romance of the sort you just don’t find in other spirits. 

As it turns out, Legacy is more than just an event — it’s an adventure. 

Rum Journal Review: 96 Points 

— CJ

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