Anguilla is an island that’s all about the experience. 

It’s an island for getting out to the beaches; about exploring; about savoring the gastronomic wonders. 

And that means when you’re looking for a resort, particularly for a family, you want one that emphasizes that sense of discovery — while also understanding the luxuries that matter most.

That’s where the island’s newest resort comes in. 

It’s called Tranquility Beach, a residential resort set on the heart of Meads Bay Beach. 

And unlike most of its competitors, it’s residential — meaning you get the best of both worlds: luxury and comfort, with sparkling full kitchens perfect for utilizing the best of the island’s sourcing and produce. 

It’s something more and more travelers are looking for right now amid the age of the pandemic, where you can get out and explore — but also stay in and cook if you want to. 

And for families, well, that’s everything — because the most important thing you want when you’re traveling with kids is this: space.

And while you get all the space you need, it’s in an intimate, boutique resort style, with a mix of just 15 units ranging from one to three bedrooms. 

We stayed in the latter, which came with an expansive private outdoor balcony with its own outdoor hot tub. 

The room layouts were spacious, with room for a family of two adults and three little ones; that’s along with an in-unit laundry, perfect for the kind of long-term stays Anguilla is made for. 

The service was terrific — copmprehensive without being in your face; but it was the privacy that was remarkable. 

Even on one of Anguilla’s most popular beaches, you feel like you have the whole beach to yourself; there’s no worry about reserving a beach chair first thing in the morning. 

It’s eminently family friendly — one that doesn’t just make it enjoyable for your kids, but makes it easier for you. 

We got into a lovely ritual; if we didn’t eat in, we’d easily make our way to great meals at eateries like Ember, Straw Hat; Blanchards; Veya; Sharkys. 

They all welcomed kids, and we didn’t find a bad meal between them — a decided trend on this culinary-focused island. 

And Tranquility Beach was both the perfect jumping off point for an island that begs for discovery — and also the perfect place for returning home and doing nothing at all.

Anguilla is just hard enough to get to that it’s wonderfully off the beaten path. 

And for a family with kids, Tranquility Beach is, simply, the perfect place to stay, a luxury resort that understands the most important luxuries of all. 

For more, visit Tranquility Beach. 

— CJ

The post Why This Is the Best Family Resort in Anguilla appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Southwest Airlines is set to relaunch service to the Caribbean’s most popular tourism destination: Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. 

On Feb. 17, 2022, the low-cost carrier will resume daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Punta Cana. 

It’s a major boost for the Dominican Republic’s tourism capital, and a sign of Southwest’s continued Caribbean focus at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, where it’s been rapidly expanding its regional footprint over the last several years. 

As was the case before the pandemic, the Dominican Republic has continued to see the largest volume of tourists amid the pandemic. 

Indeed, the country recently approached 3 million visitors for the year, easily the most of any destination in the region. 

The other surging destination in the wider region has been Mexico, which is also getting a pair of new routes next week, as well. 

Southwest has also announced plans to launch a new Caribbean route, with seasonal Saturday nonstop service between Denver, Colo. and the island of Cozumel in Mexico (subject to government approvals). 

That’s along with another new flight launch to Mexico, with plans for new service between Austin, Texas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico beginning on March 12, 2022. 

For more, visit Southwest. 

— CJ

The post Southwest Airlines Is Relaunching Nonstop Flights to Punta Cana appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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One of the most popular all-inclusive hotels in the Dominican Republic’s La Romana is set to reopen, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace is set to welcome back guests on Oct. 1, 2021. 

It’s reopening following a series of upgrades to the property; that includes a new look for the hotel lobby; a new aesthetic for the property’s shopping center, The Pueblito; and a new American-inspired coffee shop. 

That’s along with a new bar, public areas and snack bar in the hotel’s Papaya area, which also added a new mosaic to its pool. 

The all-inclusive resort has a total of 613 rooms, along with 12 restaurants, nine bars, a nightclub and five pools. (That also includes a children’s pool). 

“Viva Wyndham continues to push the envelope in providing its guests with best-in-class vacation options that are filled with nonstop excitement and adventures at cost conscious rates,” said Amanda Santana, Viva Wyndham’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “These gorgeous renovations along with this amazing deal that sees guests enjoy a third night on us, are just the latest testament to Viva Wyndham’s continued commitment to providing its guests a memorable experience that is second to none.”

Viva Wyndham has a total of eight all-inclusive properties across the wider Caribbean region and Mexico (including one in Grand Bahama that reopened last spring).

That also includes the nearby Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach, also in La Romana, part of a collection of five all-inclusive properties across the Dominican Republic alone. 

For more, visit Viva Wyndham Dominica Palace. 

— CJ

The post This Dominican Republic All-Inclusive Is Reopening Soon appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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One of the Caribbean’s buzziest destinations reported another record-breaking month of tourism performance. 

Antigua and Barbuda welcomed just under 18,800 visitors to the destination in August, an all-time record for August – eclipsing its previous record set back in 2018. 

That represented an increase of nearly 1,000 visitors compared to August 2018. 

The record-breaking August came after a similarly strong July, when 23,405 tourists came to Antigua and Barbuda, an all-time record for that month, too. 

Americans dominated the arrival numbers, with 52.5 percent of total visitor arrivals last month, followed by the United Kingdom at 39.5 percent. 

“We continue to see a steady growth from the dominant US market, which has aided in boosting our August Arrivals.  This is despite reduced airlift capacity from the US, for the month of August when compared to July,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez. 

It was another strong statement for the twin-island destination’s tourism reopening, one that began in the beginning of June 2020 and has been one of the region’s model reopenings. 

“The month of August saw a record number of seats available from the UK,” said Fernandez. “The all-time high capacity out of the UK for the month of August along with the fact that the flights were operating from and to the two main airports, London Heathrow and London Gatwick, not only made it more convenient for travel from and to London; but it also allowed for more convenient connections from and to cities in Europe.”

Antigua and Barbuda is also home to a number of Elite Island Resorts properties, a company that set a regional standard earlier this month when it launched a vaccination requirement for all guests 16 and up. Elite Island Resorts’ Antigua resorts include Hammock Cove, Galley Bay, The Verandah and the St James’s Club. 

“Looking ahead to the Winter 2021, we continue to stress the importance of adherence to protocols by visitors and industry partners and vaccination awareness,” Fernandez said. 

For more on how to visit Antigua and Barbuda, see here.

— CJ

The post Antigua and Barbuda Keeps Setting Tourism Records appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Hilton is set to debut its first-ever hotel in the Cayman Islands this month, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The new Hampton by Hilton hotel is in the heart of the Seven Mile Beach corridor, just “43 steps from the beach,” as the property says. 

The 120-room hotel is set at the former Comfort Suites property that was purchased by Dart back in July 2019. 

The hotel closed in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic; it has since undergone a $14 million renovation project. 

Suites range from studios to two bedrooms, with amenities including free hot breakfast each day; free Wi-Fi, a concierge; an outdoor pool and a fitness center; a watersports concierge; a daily afternoon poolside snack and a shuttle to nearby beaches, parks and clubs. 

That’s along with a garden restaurant and lounge called Ms. Piper’s Kitchen and Garden.

Another Hilton project is also in development in the Cayman Islands, with a previously-announced Curio Collection Hotel that was first announced back in 2019.

The Cayman Islands’ tourism reopening plan is on track for an October start date. 

For more, visit Hampton by Hilton Grand Cayman. 

— CJ

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