By the Caribbean Journal staff

Bitcoin mania has officially hit the sea, with the fast-growing crypotcurrency now entering the yacht brokerage market in the Caribbean.

Fort Lauderdale-based Denison Yachting has announced that it will now accept Bitcoin as payment for new yachts, following the completion of its first-ever sale of a yacht involving Bitcoin.

Dension will also begin taking Bitcoin directly as payment for its in-stock inventory, which includes a variety of Beneteau, Dufour and Fountaine Pajot yachts.

Denison Broker Wiley Sharp, who is based at the company’s St Thomas office, brokered the Bitcoin deal last week for a 48-foot Leopard sailing catamaran in the Virgin Islands.

The buyer used Coinbase to convert his bitcoins to the dollars he used to buy the yacht.

“Bitcoin is not just a ‘millennial’ fad,” said Bob Denison. “There are Bitcoin users of all ages, across all continents buying and selling luxury goods, including cars and villas. There’s absolutely no reason why a seller should be wary of accepting Bitcoin.”

The post You Can Now Buy Yachts With Bitcoin appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

A major music event is coming to Barbados next month.

The renowned Piazzolla Trio has been selected to perform “Under the Stars” in Barbados on Jan. 13, in honor of the St George Parish Church.

The Piazzolla Trio, which is comprised of cellist Gjilberta Lucaj, Pianist Lynelle James and Violinist Anat Almani, will perform a garden concert of classical music on the grounds of the St George Parish Church Rectory.

They will joined by musicians from Barbados including Amanda Fields, Gaye Gajadhar, the St George Church Steel Pan Ensemble and the Barbados Classical Youth Ensemble.

The concert takes place at 7 PM on Jan. 13.

For more information, email adrianelcock@yahoo.com. 

The post A Must-See Classical Music Concert in Barbados appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Sandals Resorts International has debuted its newest overwater bungalows in the Caribbean, this time on the south coast of Jamaica.

The company opened its 12 new over-the-water bungalows to guests at the Sandals South Coast resort this weekend.

The bungalows are accessed by a heart-shaped pier, and include the brand’s signature tranquility soaking tubs, glass vision floor panels and lit water.

The collection of bungalows is also accompanied by the brand’s first-ever overwater bar, called “Latitudes.”

That’s along with an overwater wedding chapel with 360-degree panoramic water views.

Amenities include smart TVs, large ceiling fans, his and hers sinks; a walk-in rain shower and a private patio with an outdoor shower, sun loungers and a “bistro set” for two.

Guests also get 24/7 butler service, in-room dining and resort access via a “Royal Duffy” boat.

Inside the new overwater bungalows.

And yes, there’s free Wi-Fi, too.

The new overwater bungalows are part of a wider upgrade to the South Coast resort that include four new restaurants.

The overwater chapel.

Sandals debuted its first-ever overwater bungalows last year at the Sandals Royal Caribbean resort in Montego Bay.

The post Sandals Debuts New Overwater Bungalows in Jamaica appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

While Anguilla is still making its recovery from Hurricane Irma, the luxury Caribbean outpost does offer a range of places to stay this winter.

Indeed, almost 600 rooms are currently available on the island this holiday season, with a mix of smaller hotels, villas and apartment rentals.

Another 540 rooms are set to come on line by April 2018, with some of the island’s top resorts expected to reopen in the first quarter.

CeBlue.

So where can you stay right now?

Among the properties open for the winter are the CeBlue Resort in Crocus Hill; Carimar Beach Club, Frangipani Beach Resort and Meads Bay Villas on Meads Bay; Shoal Bay Villas, Serenity Cottages and Fountain Residences on Shoal Bay; and Paradise Cove Beach Resort in The Cove.

Another favorite? The Las Esquinas bed and breakfast, a truly authentic, beautifully designed place to stay that’s the recipe for a pure Anguilla vacation.

As Caribbean Journal reported this week, the new Quintessence is slated to open Jan. 1.

The post Where to Stay in Anguilla Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s looking to be a very Merry Christmas for the Caribbean.

With a quick rebound from this fall’s hurricanes, the Caribbean’s hotel industry is reporting a surge in holiday bookings, according to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.

The CHTA said it canvassed a number of destinations to see how they are faring for the holidays and into the first quarter of 2018, according to Frank Comito, CEO and Director General of the CHTA.

The results are “encouraging,” he said, with all signs pointing to a surge in holiday bookings.

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.

Furthermore, most indicated that forward bookings into the first quarter of 2017 are equaling or surpassing 2017.

Several destinations also reported that a number of their hotels were sold out over the festive season, including Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Cancun, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and The Bahamas.

The Baoase luxury resort in Curacao.

Turks and Caicos, which was one of the first hurricane-impacted destinations to rebound, fully recovering and opening within weeks following the storms, is reporting occupancies in excess of 90 percent over the holidays and strong first quarter bookings.

“Now is a perfect time to visit and support the Caribbean and to see for yourselves how the resilience of our people offers travelers from around the world an exceptional experience – especially during this winter season and beyond,” Comito said.

The post Caribbean Hotels Seeing Holiday Booking Surge appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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