A striking new resort project has officially broken ground in St Vincent and the Grenadines in a major step forward for the future of tourism in the country.

The new 10-story hotel will be the first hotel project on the island since St Vincent and the Grenadines opened its new Argyle international airport in 2017. 

The $60 million project on the island of St Vincent is called Royal Mill, the brainchild of a firm called A&A Capital and what will be the tallest building in the country. 

The first project of its kind in St Vincent, it’s a significant step for the destination, the sort of hotel that could not have existed without regular international flights.

The latter now includes regular nonstop flight service from cities including Miami and Toronto, among others. Prior to the airport’s launch, travelers to the island typically flew to St Vincent’s then-regional-airport through Barbados.

The 80-room hotel will also include a beach club and a residential complex, with a total of 15 private residences, along with 18 apartment units and two rooftop penthouse units, according to the property. 

It’s not surprising that the project will be a residential resort, something that continues to be one of the hottest concepts in Caribbean travel.

Other amenities will include eateries, luxury shopping, a conference center, a spa, a large pool area and bar and a rooftop bar and restaurant. 

It will be set in the area of Ratho Mill on the southern tip of the island of St Vincent. 

It becomes the first contemporary-style hotel in the country, a destination long known for its iconic resorts on the neighboring islands in the Grenadines like Palm Island and Petit St Vincent. 

The project is one of several by A&A Capital in St Vincent; the company has also acquired the existing Grand View Beach hotel, which it is currently renovating and soon will reopen. 

For more, visit the Royal Mill. 

— CJ

The post St Vincent and the Grenadines Is Getting a Major New Resort appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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One of Grenada’s leading small hotels has gotten a little bit bigger. 

The Mount Cinnamon hotel on the island’s iconic Grand Anse Beach has announced the addition of six new “Cinnamon” suites. 

The new suites, which are all already open, have 500 square feet of living space, with custom-designed furniture, king beds, full bathrooms and balconies. 

The Cinnamon suites collection first launched in 2017. 

Mount Cinnamon, which is set across a hillside and the beach (where it’s home to one of the island’s top beach eateries), has a total of 28 rooms and suites. 

For more, visit Mount Cinnamon Grenada. 

— CJ

The post Grenada’s Mount Cinnamon Has Expanded appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Antigua and Barbuda may be breaking tourism records for stopover arrivals — but it’s also quietly becoming a major new Caribbean cruise power. 

The Eastern Caribbean destination, which now has a partnership with Global Ports Holding, the world’s largest cruise port operator, continues to develop its infrastructure with even bigger plans ahead. 

Antigua is already working on a fifth cruise berth in its capital and primary cruise port of St John’s, which is now scheduled to open in time for the 2020-2021 cruise season. 

Global Ports Holding is already investing $45 million in enhancements at the cruise port now, with plans for another $50 million in the next 12 months, according to Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority CEO Colin C. James, who was addressing a recent media briefing at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace. 

GPH’s projects will include the construction of a sea wall, dredging of the main channel, reclamation of land and a complete renovation of St John’s Heritage Quay area. 

Most notably, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is planning a significant new “Royal Beach Club” project at Antigua’s Fort James. 

The company’s first-ever Royal Beach Club will occupy a half-mile of beach near Fort James, set at the entrance to St John’s Harbor. 

“The Royal Beach Club Collection is an adventure we cannot wait to reveal to our guests,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, in a statement. “We have incredible partners in the government of Antigua and Barbuda to bring the first of our collection to life. Together, we are designing an experience that will bring more visitors to these idyllic islands and will create significant economic benefits and opportunities for local employment for years to come.”

The beach club, which is scheduled to open in 2021, will be a full beach destination, with private cabanas, a pool and a swim-up bar, among other amenities. 

The newest project is the result, Royal Caribbean officials say, of the success of the company’s beach destination that launched last year in The Bahamas: PerfectDay at CocoCay.

Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez said the project would lead to almost $80 million in direct government revenue over the next 30 years, with more than $1 billion in indirect revenue. 

“The project will also provide meaningful employment to Antiguans and Barbudans for both the construction phase and the operations of the project for years to come,” Fernandez said in a statement.

Royal Caribbean’s plans come as Antigua will also be one of the first Caribbean ports for the highly-anticipated new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection boutique cruise line, which launches this year. 

Several of Ritz-Carlton’s 2020-2021 cruises will include stops at Antigua’s Falmouth Harbour, Caribbean Journal has learned.

It all adds up to a significant new offering for the destination — one that could reach 1.3 million annual cruise passengers by 2021-2022, according to tourism officials on the island. 

— CJ

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The South Gap Hotel in Barbados has completed a major renovation project, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The hotel on the southern coast of Barbados has completed a nearly $3 million renovation project.

The two-year-long project included the transformation of its rooms and public spaces of the hotel, which is located in the heart of Barbados’ popular St Lawrence Gap.

The completion was announced during the CHTA’s recent Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference in Nassau.

“These changes have allowed us to make a style statement and set ourselves apart from other mid-range hotels on the island and in the Caribbean,” said Cecile Gibson, general manager of the hotel. “The response from our guests has certainly exceeded our expectations.”

The changes include full public area upgrades, a total redesign of the property’s Tropical Mist Bar and Restaurant; an ocean-facing pool deck and the inclusion of artwork by Barbados’ Jeena Chatrani.

For more, visit South Gap Barbados.

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