By the Caribbean Journal staff

Sonesta International has expanded in Colombia with the new Sonesta Hotel Ibagué.

The new property in Ibagué’s Acqua Commercial complex is Sonesta’s seventh hotel in Colombia.

Set in the Tolima department, it’s the 15th Sonesta hotel in South America, under the management of GHL Hotels.

The new-build property has 91 rooms, a restaurant, a pool, a terrace bar and even a Turkish bath.

“We see a unique opportunity to evolve as a brand, as Colombia continues to grow in the business and tourism sector. In particular, Sonesta Hotel Ibagué allows us to expand the Sonesta brand and drive increased awareness in another large international city,” said Carlos Flores, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation. “We’re excited to bring our dedication to guest service and deliver a truly distinct experience to visitors of Ibagué.”

The post Sonesta Expands in Colombia appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Grupo Piñero, the parent company of Bahia Principe, had a very strong 2017, according to the company’s latest data report.

The group reported an eight percent sales increase compared to 2016, marking the sixth year of growth for the brand and a gross operating profit of $250 million.

The news comes a little over a month after Bahia Principe unveiled a major reorganization of its resort portfolio into four brand categories.

“In 2018 we embark on a new brand architecture to simplify the way we organize ourselves and strengthen the operations of each of our businesses,” said CEO Encarna Piñero. This will be a year of continuity and consolidation of our leading position in the holiday segment.”

Bahia Principe, which accounts for 72 percent of the family-owned business, achieved 82 percent occupancy for the year at 24 properties in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica and Spain, with more than 13,000 rooms in total.

Piñero attributed the growth to the “enthusiastic reaction by our customers to the latest addition to our brand, Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia, in Playa Bavaro, Dominican Republic, and the encouraging activity in our main outgoing markets.”

Soltour, the brand’s tour operating unit which celebrated 40 years in the business in 2017, saw an increase in sales of 10.6 percent when compared to the previous year.

Also in 2017, Coming2, Grupo Piñero’s tourist reception and at-destination services unit, became the only destination management company to operate charter flights to Jamaica from Spain and Portugal.

The post Grupo Piñero’s Big Growth appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Dream Hotel Group is making its first foray into the Caribbean.

Dream Hotel Group has announced the development of three hotels in the Caribbean: Unscripted Tulum, Unscripted Belize and Dream Belize.

“We are thrilled to announce the development of three new hotels in two of the world’s most desired destinations,” said Jay Stein, CEO of Dream Hotel Group. “We are honored to partner with Luke and Mauricio to bring both brands to market and excited to see our brands resonating on such a wide scale.

Unscripted Belize, the first of two planned Belize openings for the company, will debut in late 2018 with 24 beachfront cabana units.

The open-air concept will also include an outdoor restaurant and bar, a large pool area and two private boats for diving and snorkeling.

An unscripted hotel in Durham.

Dream Belize, slated to debut in 2020, will include 100 guest rooms and suites, along with 120 condominium-hotel units and 40 branded residential home sites, with a total of 260 keys.

Unscripted and Dream Belize, both of which will be owned and developed by Luke Chadwick, will be located in the Kanantik Belize development in southern Belize.

“With more than one million visitors last year, Belize is currently the fastest growing destination in the Caribbean. Partnering with a market leader such as Dream Hotel Group to bring these great new hotel concepts to market could not be more appropriate,” said Luke Chadwick, owner and developer of Kanantik Belize.

The company’s planned Tulum property, Unscripted Tulum, will be its first foray into the Caribbean coast of Mexico, with a boutique hotel including 97 rooms, two pools and a communal dining concept.

Unscripted Tulum, the brainchild of Vertical Hospitality, is slated to open in 2020.

“We are excited to bring our progressive lifestyle brand Unscripted to the chic coastal town of Tulum,” said Christian Glauser Benz, Vice President of Development, Latin America and the Caribbean, Dream Hotel Group. “This project reflects our passion and plans to create unique experiences for creative global travelers across Mexico and Latin America.”

Last year, Dream also announced plans to open a pair of hotels in the Dominican Republic.

They’re all part of a wider global expansion for Dream, which plans to open more than 30 hotels around the world across its Dream, Time, Chatwal and Unscripted brands.

The post Dream Hotel Group Plans Major Caribbean Expansion appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Turks and Cacios’ Ocean Club has named a new managing director.

Ocean Club, which consists of a pair of hotels on Grace Bay Beach, has named hospitality veteran Wilbert Mason to the role.

Mason’s Caribbean experience includes stops as general manager at the Landings in Saint Lucia along with stints at properties including Peter Island and the Palms in Turks and Caicos.

“Wilbert has an exceptional level of understanding of the hospitality industry. We are certain he will be a superb asset to reaching beyond our guest booking and owner satisfaction goals throughout 2018 and in the years to come,” said Tom Lewis, CEO of Ocean Club.

The post Turks and Caicos’ Ocean Club Names New Managing Director appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Dominican Republic’s Puntarena tourism project is making progress, officials said this week.

The projected aims to be the “Punta Cana of the South,” in a setting about two hours from Santo Domingo in the area of Los Corbanitos in the Peravia province.

The project will cover a total of 15.5 million square meters, with a phased development including a beach club, then hotels, condo hotels of up to 600 units, 172 residential lots and an ecological preserve, among other features.

All of this will be backed up by roads, electrical infrastructure, potable water and security.

The project will see a $195 million USD investment in the first seven years, and the ultimate creation of more than 13,000 long-term jobs.

Overall, the project is an estimated $1.5 billion investment.

The post Dominican Republic’s Puntarena Making Progress appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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