By Bob Curley
CJ Contributor

Negril may not be Jamaica’s hippy hangout like it was back in the 1970s, but it still retains a mellow vibe that’s a nice departure from the more in-your-face tourism towns of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. And while it’s true that luxury and all-inclusive resorts have become a fixture along Seven Mile Beach and Bloody Bay, there’s still a place for free spirits to enjoy a budget vacation in Negril — and perhaps embrace the “free love” spirit that first drew people to the west coast of Jamaica decades ago.

Whatever your vacation tastes run to, there’s a way for you to do Negril right:

New: The Royalton Negril Resort & Spa, opened in January 2017, is the biggest thing to hit the beach in Negril in several years. This 407-suite all-inclusive resort is a luxury hideaway with free-flowing premium drinks and seven restaurants, four pools, a kids’ club, tennis courts, and a daily bill of entertainment. The Royalton offers three distinctive vacation experiences: standard service, the butler-served Diamond Club, and the adults-only Hideaway.

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By Alexander Britell

Atlantis’ ultra-luxe resort has relaunched in a big way.

The Paradise Island destination officially debuted the new The Cove, Paradise Island this weekend, highlighted by the launch of a pair of significant new culinary additions to the Bahamas: eateries by Chefs Julie Lightbourn and Jose Andres.

The launch party included a performance by music superstar Fergie.

The Cove’s transformation is centered around its sparkling new “poolscape” that is a reimagining of what has long been Nassau’s most bustling beachside hotspot.

Lightbourn has brought her famous Harbour Island eatery Sip Sip to The Cove, while the world-renowned Andres is debuting Fish, which will feature Bahamian favorites from lobster to lionfish.

Lightbourn opened Sip Sip at The Cove over the weekend, overlooking The Cove’s redesigned poolscape with views of the sea.

The new poolscape at The Cove.

Both Sip Sip and The Cove’s private cabanas will serve what Lightbourn calls “Caribterranean” fare.

“My husband and I dreamed of having a place that was true to Harbour Island’s legacy of friendly hospitality, a place where locals and tourists would come for a home-grown, Bahamian-inspired meal and the perfect rum punch,” Lightbourn said. “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with The Cove to bring the spirit and tastes of Sip Sip Harbour Island to Paradise Island. It’s even more exciting that the resort wanted to capture our open-air, laid-back vibe, featuring Bahamian artwork. The new beach deck overlooking The Cove’s lovely beach and the turquoise water is the icing on the cake.”

The restaurant was designed by local architect Mark Henderson with input from Jeffrey Beers International.

The new poolscape is a design by designer Lulu DK that includes 20 upgraded cabanas decorarted with Lulu’s art and fabric designs, along with surfboards and complementary sun products.

A look inside the cabanas.

The party piece, though, just might be Sacred Space, a permanent installation on The Cove’s sandy peninsula designed by The Bahamas’ greatest living artist, Antonius Roberts, focusing on seven dancing women who each represent a vision to help conserve Bahamian heritage.

“I am creating this Sacred Space to be a specific, historical memorial in this location and to reflect and embody my personal philosophy about art and how it can be used interactively. It also embraces my profound interest in the conservation, preservation and transformation of our environment, and the 700 islands of The Bahamas,” Roberts said.

The Cove’s relaunch is another big step in what is a property-wide relaunch of The Bahamas’ best-known resort, which includes the recent debut of The Coral, a revitalizing of what was formerly known as the Coral Towers.

Andres’ restaurant will make its debut in February.

“Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the ocean – whether it’s enjoying the freshest delicacies of the local waters or going diving. The Fish brand tells the story of this beautiful, mysterious thing we call the sea, through food — and my team and I are very excited to create this new experience at The Cove,” Andres said. “The new Bahamian team is as committed as I am to supporting sustainable fishing practices and the protection of the Bahamian coral reefs.”

The relaunch of The Cove is the latest big news for Paradise Island in a week, followed by last week’s announcement that the island’s signature Ocean Club resort would become a Four Seasons.

The post Atlantis Relaunches The Cove, Paradise Island appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Hilton Barbados has completed a major renovation project, the property announced this week.

The resort-wide enhancement was overseen by design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates, which covered all of the eight-story property’s 350 guest rooms and suites.

Additionally, the Hilton Barbados has added a new 24/7 butler service program.

“The debut of our butler program and new room design allows us to offer guests an elevated experience, ensuring we remain the premier upscale resort on the island,” said George Stanfield, general manager, Hilton Barbados. “The unique, relaxed approach to the design will provide our guests with a superior room product complete with innovative flourishes and abundant luxurious touch points.”

The butler program is certified by the American Butler School, with butlers selected for the property having attended a training course detailing what the resort is calling “five diamond standards.”

Butlers can assist in everything from orchestrating wedding proposals to booking dinner reservations and even packing luggage or arranging dry cleaning.

The post Hilton Barbados Completes Renovation, Launches Butler Service appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Southwest Airlines is making a major push in the Caribbean, with more nonstop flights in its portfolio.

Southwest has officially launched new daily flights to both the Turks and Caicos Islands and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from Fort Lauderdale.

The new nonstop routes come as Southwest has helped turned Fort Lauderdale into an even bigger hub for Caribbean flights, following a big expansion push in June that included Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Belize City and Cancun.

Punta Cana.

Fort Lauderdale saw another new route launch last week with Norwegian’s new flights to the French Caribbean island of Martinique.

“Three new routes bring Southwest’s needed value for Floridians hoping to hit the beach in Provo’s world-famous Grace Bay or have a carefree weekend in a resort in Punta Cana,” said Steve Goldberg, Southwest’s Senior Vice President of Operations & Hospitality who also serves as the carrier’s Executive Sponsor of Florida. “With convenient connections for Orlando, Tampa, and dozens of cities across our domestic network, these international destinations are now reachable on Southwest where there are no change fees and bags fly free.”

Southwest also launched flights this week between Fort Lauderdale and San Jose, Costa Rica.

“We’re investing in the Caribbean with an optimistic outlook on travel and tourism as our Hearts remain with those still facing significant challenges,” Goldberg said.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Belize is continuing to show seriously strong growth in its tourism sector so far in 2017, according to the latest data from the country’s tourist board.

Stayover visitors to Belize totaled 319,119 through the end of September, an 8.6 percent increase that’s among the fastest growth rates in the Caribbean.

That follows a boom in 2016 that saw Belize post a 13 percent increase in stayover arrivals over 2015.

The United States continues to be the strongest source market for Belize, though Canadian arrivals are set to jump with the recent debut of the new WestJet flights to Belize from Calgary.

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