Sandals is closing its Sandals Grande Antigua resort for maintenance in September.

The property will be closed between Sept. 20 and Dec. 17, the first time it has been closed since first opening on the island in 1992.

“There is no convenient time to inconvenience people, and while many hotels in Antigua have traditionally closed on an annual basis, we have not and recognize the dramatic consequences this action has on our staff, industry and destination partners, vendors and of course, guests.  We humbly and sincerely apologize and promise, Sandals will take care of you,” said SRI chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart.  “Our team is committed to handling this period in the most professional and practical way possible.”

Stewart appointed Sandal Resorts International Chief Operations Officer Shawn DaCosta to engage with affected stakeholders.

“Shawn will drive our compressed schedule to ensure that this maintenance work commences and completes on time,” Stewart said. “The local economy is tied to ours and we sincerely hope our effort to shorten the closure period is helpful to them.”

Tammy Gonzalez, CEO of Unique Vacations, said clients impacted by the closure of Sandals Grande Antigua may choose to return to the resort within one year of their original travel date and Sandals Resorts will honor the original rate and pay any airline change fees or penalties.

they may choose to travel on their original dates but revise to a different Sandals Resorts or Beaches Resorts and again, the airfare will be covered, she said.

The post Sandals Grande Antigua to Close for Maintenance appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

Sure, good hotel cuisine requires an experienced and inventive chef. But at the end of the day, it’s the raw ingredients that really make the meal. And when those ingredients come fresh from the resort’s farm, are organically grown, and allowed to ripen on the vine, you’re guaranteed a feast that’s both flavorful and memorable. So check out these hotels, each with their own farm, and taste the difference freshness can make. Here are the top Caribbean farm-to-table resorts.

Kittitian Hill The lush hillsides of its 400-acre Belle Mont Farm (and a group of carefully vetted local growers) supply the kitchen at this St. Kitts villa resort with a cornucopia of ingredients, from pineapple to papayas, breadfruit to bananas.

The post 10 Caribbean Farm-to-Table Resorts appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Susan Barlow
CJ Contributor

If you go a bit beyond Montego Bay, you discover another Jamaica.

This is the parish of St. Ann, about an hour and a world away from bustling Montego Bay, home to a pair of all inclusive brand Bahia Principe’s resorts.

That includes the Grand Bahia Principe and Luxury Bahia Principe Runaway Bay resorts, family-friendly and adults only, respectively.

So what’s here?

The first thing that stands out is the beauty of the property, from the beach to what is the largest pool system in all of Jamaica (including a swim-up bar, of course).

The rooms, too, are excellent. Most are ocean view, with either a king bed or two full beds (a max of three adults), along with free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, bathrobes, slippers, toiletries, a mini bar and safe, among other amenities.

There are eight ala carte restaurants, including the newly-opened Tallawah Jamaican restaurant. Additionally, there are the Jazmin buffet, Beach and Pool restaurants.

Each of these restaurants has its own unique décor and offers a wide variety of cuisines to appeal to any palate. Lounges and bars throughout the property offer all types of beverages, including delicious local rum concoctions.

By day, it’s all about the beach, from volleyball and tennis to non-motorized water sports (along with a major new water park the kids will love), all of which are part of the all inclusive amenities.

(There’s an even an au naturel stretch of sand for those who enjoy an all-over tan).

That’s along with an excellent spa with a large range of treatments, including facials, hair and mani-pedis.

By night, there’s the Bahia Principe Village, a model Jamaican town square with live entertainment, a disco, a karaoke bar, a casino, a sports bar and shops.

It all adds up to a very complete resort – and one of the best values in Jamaica.

Susan Barlow is Caribbean Journal’s senior all inclusive editor.

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By Gerard Best
CJ Contributor

PHILIPSBURG, St Maarten—Belize will host the fourth Caribbean Peering and Interconnection Forum, known as CarPIF, on June 6 and 7, 2018.

The 2018 meeting is expected to be the largest to date, according to organizer Bevil Wooding, an Internet strategist with Packet Clearing House and executive director of the Caribbean Network Operators Group. He described the annual event as “a truly unique opportunity for players in the Caribbean’s Internet community to connect with peers and industry colleagues.”

CarPIF is an initiative of the Internet Society, Packet Clearing House and the Caribbean Network Operators Group. Since its inception in 2015, the forum has brought together regional and international technology experts and telecommunications industry execs to discuss a range of topics related to Internet peering  and interconnection trends, and their relevance to the Caribbean region.

“International firms like Google, Facebook and Akamai have the opportunity to meet with decision makers from Caribbean internet service providers, digital content creators, regulators, government officials and other Internet entrepreneurs. Participants gain global insights on how the Caribbean can maximize the opportunities that can be derived through greater interconnection and peering,” Wooding said.

The 2018 meeting dates were announced at CarPIF 3, which was held in Phillipsburg, St Maarten on July 5 and 6. The two-day agenda featured interactive panel discussions, debates and open mic sessions, facilitated by Wooding and Shernon Osepa, manager of regional affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Internet Society.

“The Internet Society actively supports peering forums around the world. We see CarPIF as a very positive step for development of the Internet economy in the Caribbean,” Osepa said.

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Canadian hotel brand Royalton is expanding its wellness offering in a big way.

The company has announced the launch of Royalton Fit, a program that offers a mix of fitness and wellness classes for guests.

Royalton Fit will offer more than 500 fitness classes, with over 120 each week at the company’s resorts in Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and St. Lucia.

Fitness programming will include everything from CrossFit to cycling to Zumba.

“Guests of Royalton Luxury Resorts have come to expect the best, and the fitness program should be no exception,” said Jordi Sole, Senior Director of Operations. “We have found a combination of fitness and health enhancing that our guests are very excited about.”

The program was developed by George and Belinda Kiriakou, Royalton’s team of fitness experts.

“It’s wonderful to watch people of all ages and fitness levels embrace their health while on vacation,” said George Kiriakou, Sports & Fitness Director at Royalton Luxury Resorts.  “I’ve seen everyone from grandparents, to young children and their parents try out a single class, then keep it up for the rest of their stay. It’s the perfect way to change your routine and set yourself on a path to feeling great.”

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