Exploring the Things to Do in Punta Cana

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

There’s more to Punta Cana than palm trees and Presidentes. The east-coast Dominican Republic resort town has plenty of attractions beyond the confines of your hotel, and you’re missing out if you don’t rouse yourself from your chaise to sample at least one. Here, to get you started, are suggestions for Five Fun Things to Do in Punta Cana.

GET HIGH

Punta Cana is the only place in the Caribbean where you can take a hot air balloon tour. Climb into one of Dominican Balloons’ four- or 16-passenger baskets and soar as high as 3,000 feet above waving fields of sugar cane on an hour-long flight that also includes breakfast and a champagne toast.

GO DEEP

The freshwater sinkholes known as cenotes are most often associated with Mexico’s Riviera Maya, but the Dominican Republic has them, too. Find out for yourself at Scape Park, where after a short walk through the jungle you can swim in the refreshing and crystal-clear waters of Las Ondas cenote. (scapepark.com)

GET BEACHED

Punta Cana’s Bavaro beach is certainly one of the Caribbean’s best strands, and chances are you’re staying in a resort right on it. But allow us to suggest another that’s well worth the trip from your hotel: Juanillo Beach in Cap Cana boasts a cinematically beautiful sweep of sand; an Instagram-ready coconut palm that leans into the surf: an excellent eponymous restaurant and bar; as well as a superb gift shop. What more could you want?

SET SAIL              

You can’t leave the Caribbean without spending some time out on the water so make sure you book a catamaran cruise, if only to see the sunset. Better still, book passage on a day cruise to the offshore outposts of Isla Saona or Isla Catalina for snorkeling, sun and fun.

EAT LOCAL

Looking for real local flavor? Eating outside your hotel can be delicious and inexpensive. Case in point: Solo Pollo in the nearby village of Los Corales, where filling and flavorful pollo horneado (rotisserie chicken) with rice ‘n’ beans and a tangy tamarind juice will set you back less than 10 bucks.

The post Five Fun Things to Do in Punta Cana appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Ironwood, the Arnold Palmer golf community in the Eastern Districts of Grand Cayman, has received permission from the Cayman Islands Department of Planning to begin construction.

The project approval covers the first phase of construction, which includes land excavation and preparation for the 18-hole championship course, the nine-hole executive course and an interconnected lake system.

A rendering of the town center

Submissions for buildings and infrastructure are in the last stages of development and slated to be made before the end of this summer, Ironwood said in a statement.

Arnold Palmer

“We have been working diligently with the community, the National Trust, Government, and first rate local and international companies over the last several years to get this project off the ground and are delighted that the real work is about to begin,” said David Moffitt, Ironwood developer. “We are on the road to making the Ironwood dream a reality.”

A rendering of the Ironwood resort

Ironwood is a 600-acre, $1.1 billion commercial, tourism and residential community on the East End and North Side of Grand Cayman.

The community will include a town center with boutique shops, conveniences including a grocery store, a sports complex, an 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course and practice campus, a nine-hole Palmer Family course and two vacation resorts.

— Caribbean Journal staff

The post Arnold Palmer Cayman Project Gets Construction Go-Ahead appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

What’s not to love about the “isle of enchantment?” Visitors rightly rave about Puerto Rico’s diversity, a unique and fascinating blend of African, Spanish and other European influences that’s reflected in its history, food, arts and culture. And with no passport required for U.S. citizens; frequent flights from the US mainland; and an American dollar-based economy, Puerto Rico is a slam-dunk for a quick getaway or a longer stay. And after you touch down, here’s where we recommend you check in. These are the Best Puerto Rico Hotels.

The St Regis Bahia Beach Resort Travelers with a taste for the finer things will appreciate this plush resort near El Yunque rainforest, where a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant; Remede spa; Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed golf course; and spacious, elegantly decorated rooms are highlights. This is the best hotel in Puerto Rico.

Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve The posh 1,400-acre retreat (formerly owned by Laurance Rockefeller and once the playground of Liz Taylor and John F. Kennedy) is only 35 minutes’ drive from San Juan but feels a world away. All 100 rooms here come with private plunge pools (there are also a handful of suites and a four-bedroom villa), and the outdoor spa, set in a pineapple grove, is nothing short of spectacular.

Condado Vanderbilt Hotel Looking far younger than its 97 years, this historic 319-room hotel was rejuvenated last year to the tune of $200 million. And it shows in its luxe rooms, rooftop infinity pool, and a superb spa with a marble-clad hammam (the only one on the island).

Hotel O:live The main attractions at this 15-suite Mediterranean-inspired family-run hotel in Condado? Delightfully eclectic décor; scrumptious food at the small but sensational steak house; and a dreamy rooftop bar (don’t leave without trying the Sage cocktail) that’s the perfect spot to celebrate the sunset. It’s the most beautifully designed hotel in Puerto Rico, bar none.

W Vieques Retreat and Spa What do you get when you pair Vieques’ rugged natural beauty with the colorful and quirky design aesthetic we’ve come to expect from W hotels? A wow-worthy 156-room resort that simply begs to be immortalized on Instagram.

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan This 416-room luxury property has become a San Juan institution, marrying all of the comforts you expect from the Ritz-Carlton to a delightful stretch of beach in Carolina. It doesn’t hurt that there’s a BLT Steak here, either.

Royal Isabela Golf Resort With a mere 20 luxurious villas on more than 400 acres of secluded ocean-edge property on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast, this retreat, with its private 18-hole course, is the perfect getaway for serenity-seeking golfers (and the people who love them).

Horned Dorset Primavera This romantic retreat in the surf town of Rincon has 17 two-story Morocco-inspired suites, each with a private pool and minus TVs; a pair of pools for dipping a deux; and it’s own secluded slice of west-coast beach.

El Blok Sleep in style at this 22-room inn on the island of Vieques, which boasts a sleek, “tropical modern” aesthetic; a rooftop infinity pool; and arguably the island’s hottest restaurant, helmed by local celebrity chef, Jose Enrique.

Hotel El Convento It might be an overstatement to call a stay at this Carmelite convent-turned hotel in Old San Juan a religious experience, but it would be close. History, charm (and at least one ghost story) emanate from each of its 58 Spanish Colonial-style rooms, and dinner a deux at the second-floor restaurant or fairy-lit courtyard below is a romantic must-do for any couple.

Small but full of personality — and one of the Best Puerto Rico Hotels.

Villa Herencia This boutique in Old San Juan is just steps from the iconic fort El Morro and the famous Catedral de San Juan Bautista, and its eight rooms are decorated with an eclectic combination of bold original art and antique furniture. Bonus: Rooms start at less than $200 a night.

Hix Island House We love this eco-friendly 19-loft boutique on Vieques for its Boho-Chic vibe and simple but stylish three-walled rooms with outdoor showers and private patios. Its hillside location guarantees great views, particularly from the pool deck and La Casona villa, from which you can admire the island’s famous bioluminescent bay.

Palomino Island is the biggest reason to visit this Fajardo-area hotel.

El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf-Astoria Resort Sprawled over massive acreage in the island’s northeast corner, this 984-room resort is perfect for families and groups, who can occupy their time in the water park, the spa or on the golf course. Our preferred diversion: Riding the funicular down to the beach and hopping the ferry to Palomino Island, the resort’s private 100-acre retreat.

La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort Even if you’re not staying at this slick 483-room high-rise on Condado’s main drag, Ashford Avenue, you should definitely swing by for a delectable cocktail with the beautiful people at its buzzy lobby bar, and/or dinner at La Perla, the elegant and iconic shell-shaped restaurant overlooking the sea.

InterContinental San Juan Its location in Isla Verde, within easy reach of the city center, the financial district and the famous two-mile-long beach, makes this high-rise resort a good pick for both work and leisure trips. But Nestor Colon, the superb concierge-cum-magician who can fix any island dilemma, just might be its biggest asset.

CasaBlanca Hotel In the center of cobblestoned historic district of Old San Juan, Morocco meets the Caribbean at this charming boutique hotel that pays homage to the classic movie by playing it on a loop in its art-filled lobby. Thirty-two Spanish Colonial-style rooms in the historic walkup reflect the island’s heritage, and the rooftop bathtub facilitates soaking with a city view. It’s an eclectic mix of old and new, hip and traditional that makes it one of the Best Puerto Rico Hotels.

The post The Best Puerto Rico Hotels appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

There are bars and there are beach bars and then there are rum bars. In the Caribbean, the last one means something quite different.

As we’ve written in these pages before, a rum bar means a place where rum is appreciated, where rums are collected from both near and far — it’s a place for rum without borders, where rum is the story.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt if such a bar is also on the beach.

Nettle Bay

That’s what Le Sand has achieved on Nettle Bay in St Martin — it is a full-fledged rum bar with a diverse selection but it also boasts a special perch on one of the island’s most beautiful beaches.

While it’s a hip, comfortable beach lounge in its own right, the real story here is the rum bar — a terrific selection of both rums and rhums agricoles from around the Caribbean.

The rum shelf at Le Sand

It puts some of the top agricoles from the French Caribbean (including everything from rare Rhum JMs to Damoiseau XO) to the English-speaking Caribbean’s stalwarts like El Dorado 12, 15 and 21 to Venezuela’s Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva.

And for St Martin, there is simply nowhere better to drink rum, thanks to an energetic staff, food and, oh yes, the sand on Nettle Bay.

— CJ

The post The Best Rum Bar in St Martin appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

For someone who loves the Caribbean, hotels and shopping as much as I do, staying at Mexico’s Thompson Playa Del Carmen feels like winning the lottery. It’s nothing less than a fantasy fulfilled, a mash-up of all my passions delivered in one sleek package and the Best Playa del Carmen Hotel.

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

Open since last February in the heart of the bohemian Riviera Maya beach town, the boutique comprises two buildings: the 27-room Beach House, directly on Playa’s sandy sweep, and a 92-room main hotel on the bustling main drag, Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) at Callé Corazón.

The Beach House, just three blocks from the main hotel, is a study in coastal cool with a South Beach aesthetic (minus the attitude, thankfully) and a casual vibe.

Euro-style lounge music emanates from plush curtained cabanas; the lap pool glistens in the sunlight; and the waves, which break mere steps from inviting day beds and the al fresco C Grill restaurant, beckon with rhythmic whispers. Petite and intimate, the narrow property is the perfect spot for a romantic getaway a deux or a destination wedding (you can buy out all 27 rooms and have the place to yourself). If your Caribbean fantasy requires that you actually be able to see the Caribbean from your bed (or bathtub or balcony plunge pool), you won’t find a better option than the rooms at the Beach House (which all come with 24-hour in-suite dining, natch).

However, if, like me, you prefer your vacays to have a little more va-va-voom, the main hotel will be more your speed. Occupying the top three floors of the year-old shopping mall Calle Corazón, the Thompson’s hub checks all the boxes for a Caribbean-loving, hotel-hopping shopaholic, with chic suites that seem ripped from the pages of a West Elm catalog and access to one of the region’s buzziest beaches and a wealth of worthy “shopportunities” less than five minutes away.

The view from a Beach House suite

While The Beach House is a low-key oasis, the main hotel is definitely the place to see and be seen, with a rooftop spread guaranteed to garner a gazlllion likes on your Facebook feed. Spanning most of the semi-circular building’s rooftop, a turquoise pool is embellished with cushioned “islands” crowned with parasols and with sensuously curved in-water chaises, which have already been immortalized on Instagram posts thousands of times. A swim-up pool bar on the southern end means you needn’t leave the water to top up your tequila, and the adjacent Cinco, serves breakfast, lunch and sunset cervezas on a breezy deck or straight to poolside cabanas populated by taut-bodied creative types from the U.S. and beyond.

Although the hotel’s rooftop is a definite draw, what lies below is as much of an attraction for me as the scene above. Calle Corazon is home to several international stores (H&M, Michael Kors, Swarovski and Calvin Klein, among them) and neighboring boutiques and stalls on the mile-long pedestrianized stretch of Quinta Avenida offer locally made items (silver jewelry, embroidered dresses and leather totes) that tempt at every turn.

Fueled by a hearty breakfast of chilaquiles at Cinco and refreshed with a quick dip in the pool, it only took me three minutes to descend to street level, where I launched a thorough investigation of the retail landscape (solely for journalistic purposes, of course).

The pool at the Thompson Playa del Carmen hotel beach house.

Immersed in shopping, it takes a lot to extract me. But Catch, the Thompson’s dinner-only rooftop restaurant, was up to the task. Sister to outposts in New York City and Dubai, it’s a hipster hangout that lives up to the hype, offering a rare combination of warm hospitality, a scenic location overlooking Quinta Avenida, and exceptional cuisine. Start with the Catch me cocktail (gin, passionfruit juice, lemongrass essence and rosemary) and then progress to either seafood (the truffle sashimi and seared tuna are standouts) or meat (the chimichurri-drizzled Tomohawk steak will satisfy even the biggest appetite).

Whether you’re a committed carnivore or a hard-core vegetarian, Catch offers the best of both worlds. Which makes total sense, since the hotel it calls home, with its beachfront and town center locations, does exactly the same.

It all adds up to what is the Best Playa del Carmen Hotel; because while there are a number of terrific places to stay in the greater Playa area, this is all about staying in Playa del Carmen itself, enjoying the authentic urban experience in the Riviera Maya’s tourism hub.

The post This Is the Best Playa del Carmen Hotel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico