It’s been a long time coming, but the Baha Mar has made its debut.

The New Providence megaresort officially opened to guests on Monday, a major milestone for a project that first broke ground in 2011 and after a whirlwind six years has finally opened its doors to paying guests.

The first debut phase is the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, which welcomed its first paying guests on Monday, a Baha Mar spokesperson confirmed to Caribbean Journal.

The resort, set on Cable Beach outside of the hub of downtown Nassau, had begun operations late last month.

Rates for the property, which will likely compete directly with the nearby Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, offered rates starting at $350 USD per night for a 470-square-foot “Grand King” room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a balcony and a bathroom with a rainshower.

Rates ranged as high as $1,850 per night for a two-bedroom ocean-view “residence” with between 1,460 and 2,750 square feet of interior space.

The $3.5 billion Baha Mar resort, which went through a bankruptcy process before being acquired by Rosewood parent company Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Ltd last year, was the largest in-construction project in the Caribbean.

The Grand Hyatt opening is the first phase of the newest addition to the ever-exanding group of Bahamas hotels, which will eventually include the SLS Baha Mar, slated to open this fall, and the Rosewood Baha Mar, which is projecting a Spring 2018 opening date.

tt also includes the Royal Blue Baha Mar golf course, an 18-hole track designed by Jack Nicklaus, and a 100,000-square-foot casino, among other amenities.

— Alexander Britell

The post The Baha Mar Is Now Open appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Travel giant Thomson is adding new weekly flights from London Gatwick to the island of St. Lucia.

Thomson, a TUI brand, has added a new 288-seater aircraft that could add as many as 9,000 additional seats to the island between May and December.

That will bring the total number of seats from the United Kingdom to St. Lucia to about 155,000, a 6 percent increase over 2016.

“This addition of flight by TUI Thomson will help improve the number of UK arrivals to Saint Lucia, and by extension other holidaymakers from Europe,” said St Lucia Department of Tourism official Deepa Girdari.

“We’re optimistic that for 2017/2018 we will see significant growth. I’m also told that this flight took in roughly 300 new passengers, and if we can sustain those numbers every week then we’re looking at over 15,000 new passengers to Saint Lucia over the next year,” said Deputy Chairperson of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board Leathon Khan. “That, by any measure, is very significant, and is good news for our taxi drivers, hotels, and tour operators.”

St. Lucia and Barbados are the only islands in the Eastern Caribbean that host TUI Thomson flights.

Don’t miss our list of the top St Lucia hotels.

— Caribbean Journal staff

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There’s a new sushi destination in Aruba.

The Arawak Garden family of restaurants has debuted the island’s newest eatery: Dragonfly.

Set between Salt & Pepper and Tango Argentine Grill, the restaurant offers a mix of sushi and Asian cuisine with a breezy, lounge ambience.

The menu includes a three-course dinner option including everything from grouper “butterfly” to Mongolian beef.

Even better, there’s daily live music outside on the restaurant’s terrace each day from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM.

And don’t miss our list of the top Aruba restaurants.

— Caribbean Journal Staff

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The storied Waldorf Astoria brand is expanding in the Caribbean.

Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts is expanding its portfolio with a new property in Antigua.

The Hilton luxury brand has signed a management agreement with Callaloo Cay Antigua, Waldorf Astoria’s first new-build resort in the Caribbean.

The resort is slated to debut in 2020, the latest in a wave of new hotel deals that has made Antigua the Caribbean’s current hotel investment capital.

Callaloo Cay is a project by Al Caribi Antigua Development Limited, which is a joint venture between Sheik Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi of Dubai and the government of Antigua and Barbuda.

It is estimated to be a $200 million project.

“Waldorf Astoria Antigua will set a new standard of Caribbean luxury, extending our bespoke True Waldorf Service and first-class accommodations, as well as providing travelers with unforgettable experiences,” said John T.A. Vanderslice, global head, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts. “Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts’ mission is to be the fastest growing, most innovative luxury hotel brand in the world, and hotels like Waldorf Astoria Antigua represent the brand’s commitment to continued expansion and delivering luxury to the world’s most sought after destinations.”

Waldorf Astoria Antigua will be set on a cove about 20 minutes from VC Bird International Airport on a 30-acre beachfront site.

The property will include 95 guest rooms and 25 branded villas, including both beachfront suites and hilltop accomomdations.

It will include a specialty restaurant, signature bar and waterside dining concepts, along with a fitness center and a spa.

“We are pleased to embark on this exciting development with Hilton and build a landmark luxury resort in the heart of this island sanctuary,” said Dawood Shah, senior vice president, business development, Callaloo Cay Antigua. “Hilton’s nearly 100 years of renowned hospitality, combined with the timeless sophistication of Waldorf Astoria, will help position this resort as the finest choice for luxury travel in Antigua and marquis development in global citizenship.”

It will be Waldorf Astoria’s second Caribbean hotel, along with El Conquistador, a Waldorf Astoria Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

The post Waldorf Astoria Is Expanding to Antigua appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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You step into the lobby, set in a late-17th-century storehouse, and you’ve been transported. This is no ordinary hotel, from the brick walls to the massive columns just down the plaza. Places like the Admiral’s Inn are something special — they’re small, intimate inns, somewhere in the charming median between a bed and breakfast and a boutique hotel. Here are seven Caribbean inns where you can find precisely that kind of getaway.

Admiral’s Inn The aforementioned inn is set in the heart of Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua’s recently-crowned UNESCO World Heritage site that was Horatio Nelson’s haunt from 1784 to 1787, and it’s a lovingly restored property with well-designed rooms and a throwback vibe.

The post 7 Caribbean Inns for a Charming Getaway appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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