The fast-growing Courtyard by Marriott brand is expanding again in the Caribbean Basin, with a new Courtyard slated to debut in San Pedro Sula, Honduras next year.

The news follows similar Courtyard debuts in Caribbean cities including Kralendijk, Bonaire, Nassau and a planned Aruba location.

The Courtyard by Marriott San Pedro Sula will be located in the central Rio de Piedras neighborhood, a short trip to the Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport.

It’s the latest big-brand investment for Honduras, which recently announced a planned Hilton Garden Inn in the country.

— CJ Staff

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By Alexander Britell

St. Barth is the luxury capital of the Caribbean, from neverending lunches at the Eden Rock to lazy afternoons at Tom Beach. But to experience the real St. Barth, to understand what makes this place so overwhelmingly lovely, you have to go beyond the hotels.

You have to live it.

You have to get your strawberry tarts at Choisy and your groceries at Marche U or Oasis, take a rum and cheese picnic to Grand Saline, drive the curves of L’orient, stroll the upper streets of Gustavia.

It’s what makes St. Barth so unique in the Caribbean — not just the sheer natural beauty, but its Frenchness, its security, its livability, the fact that you can get just about everything you want on a tiny island, the sort of place where the supermarkets have their own wine caves.

That’s why it was such a pleasure to discover a tucked-away property on the sand in St. Jean that marries the amenities of a hotel with the authenticity and comfort of a villa: Les Ilets de la Plage.

This villa resort has a mix of 11 units, some beachfront villas and others secreted away in the tropical gardens or on the hillside, all charmingly furnished with modern kitchens and amenities, coming in either one, two or three-bedroom configurations.

This hidden gem hotel is set on a lovely stretch of coast on the far side of the airport, making it both private and intoxicatingly quiet – the only sounds the waving palm trees and the periodic hum of a St. Barth landing.

It’s a place where you might for a moment think you’re staying in a cottage on the French countryside.

The best part? Fresh French pastries and bread delivered to your room every morning.

This family-run, Creole-style resort has been in St. Barth for more than three decades, an island institution that’s long been a kind of well-kept secret, easily convincing travelers to come back again and again, year after year, thanks in part to very reasonable prices.

“We want to stay reasonable,” Melane Dullin tells me. “This is a completely different kind of product — it’s a family hotel.”

And it’s one that gives you a villa with the service and perks of a hotel — from the pool and beach chairs to concierge services that will arrange your spa treatments and dinners at L’Esprit.

That leads to an 80 percent repeat guest rate, Dullin says, something that doesn’t come as a surprise.

“It’s like you’re at home,” she says.

And that’s precisely the point. Because what’s better than living in St. Barth?

For more info, visit Les Ilets.

The post VIDEO: Les Ilets de la Plage, St. Barth’s Hidden Gem Hotel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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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.

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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.

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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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