Airbnb is making major moves in the Mexican Caribbean.

The home sharing giant recently announced the signing of a tax deal with the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, home to the country’s Caribbean destinations like Cancun and Tulum.

As part of the agreement, Airbnb will begin taking the “necessary steps” to begin collecting the 3 percent lodging tax by Oct. 1.

“I want this agreement with Airbnb to bring benefits to all Quintanarroenses,” said governor Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez. “We are modernizing our state by taking part in the era of information technology, because we want to give our visitors the chance to explore every inch of Quintana Roo and its beauties.”

Airbnb saw 131 percent in the Quintana Roo market in 2016, part of a wider 189 percent growth for the country overall last year.

The average Mexican Airbnb host makes around $4,000 each year.

The post Airbnb Signs Tax Deal with Quintana Roo appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, arrived this morning at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to thank and support a brigade comprising 15 Puerto Rican rescue workers who will collaborate in the recovery work following Hurricane Harvey’s passage through…

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By Alexander Britell

You know something’s different when, after checking in, you don’t go through security.

You take a side elevator up to a private lounge, waiting until the time when you simply have to walk right down to the runway for your flight.

Tradewind Aviation is a very different experience — in a time when it seems that everything about air travel is becoming harder, it’s a sizable breath of fresh air.

Tradewind Aviation, which operates both scheduled flights and charter service to a number of islands around the Caribbean from Nevis to St. Thomas, is perhaps best known as the best way to fly to St. Barth. (Tradewind also operates flights across the northeastern Untied States).

Flying in style.

You fly to San Juan, go through the aforementioned check-in and in less than an hour you’re touching down at Gustaf III Airport.

Of course, the easy check in in San Juan is just the beginning, from the luxurious seating to the free wine and beer (and even champagne) during the flight to what is an exquisite level of service from everyone from the check-in desk to the pilots.

Then there is the aircraft itself, the Pilatus PC-12, the smoothest propeller plane you’ll ever travel in, the kind that made its name traveling around the tough climes of the Alps.

Ultimately, this is air travel as it’s meant to be, glamorous, adventurous and, most importantly, easy.

It’s why Tradewind isn’t just the best way to fly to St. Barth — it’s the best way to fly around the Caribbean, period.

See more in the latest CJ video at the top of the page.

For more information, visit Tradewind Aviation.

— CJ

The post Flying to St. Barth on Tradewind Aviation appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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IHG’s fast-growing Holiday Inn Express brand has opened another new property in the region

The latest Holiday Inn Express has debuted in the city of Tuxpan on Mexico’s eastern shores on the Gulf of Mexico.

Located on the waters of the Tuxpan River, the property is about five minutes away from the beach.

It includes a 24-hour fitness center, indoor and outdoor children’s swimming pools, outdoor swimming pool for adults and meeting space.

“IHG is excited to announce the arrival of the Holiday Inn Express brand to Tuxpan, a city that projects strong tourism growth. This new hotel will deliver a smart lodging option to travelers who want connectivity and convenience when on the road.”

It also includes the complimentary Desayuno Express bar with a full range of breakfast items.

The property is owned and managed by Grupo Inmobiliario Ricsher.

— CJ Staff

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It’s dusk in Oranjestad, a bit past the bustle of rush hour when the light is a silvery blue and the streets have emptied out before night.

This is the time to sneak into Maroc before it gets too crowded, a way to see yet another example of the island’s increasingly exciting culinary scene.

Maroc is a tapas bar, the brainchild of Chef Dennis van Daatselaar, the man behind the island’s celebrated Carte Blanche and, more recently, Wilhelmina, the international-fare eatery that’s right next door.

The first thing that stands out here is the decor, wonderfully authentic and almost remarkably well appointed, to a standard you don’t often see in the Caribbean.

Sipping a glass of wine (or from the large selection of whisky), you’re instantly transported to North Africa, albeit in a modern-hybrid package.

But the food is outstanding, too.

There are more than 35 different kinds of tapas on the menu, from hummus and salted fish to heartier dishes like a superb chicken souvlaki, much of the food served on handy skewers.

Maroc is many things – a wine bar, a restaurant, a nightlife spot later on – but ultimately, it’s an escape – an energetic retreat from the mundane.

Maroc, Wilhelminastraat 74, Oranjestad, Aruba (right next to El Gaucho).

Phone, +297 583 0404

— CJ

The post Maroc, Aruba’s Must-Visit Tapas Spot appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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