By Alexander Britell

A sleek new hotel is set to inject new energy into the Bimini archipelago of The Bahamas.

It’s called illa Bimini, and the new project by Island Developers is slated to break ground in August.

The beachfront “eco-chic” residential hotel, which will be designed by renowned architect Chad Oppenheim’s Oppenheim Architecture + Design, will have a mix of 54 three and four-bedroom residential villas and a 49-key boutique hotel.

“Bimini’s natural landscape is incomparable, and its real estate market is a rising ‘hot spot,’” said Rafael Reyes, co-founder and a principal of Island Developers. “Within close proximity to the U.S., illa [sic] will be a hidden gem for owners and guest as it offers a rare combination of exclusivity as a private island and convenient access by boat, sea plane and helicopters.”

Amenities will include a beachfront pool, tennis courts, a bar and lounge, a restaurant, a library, fruit gardens and an overwater spa, among others.

Bimini is the closest corner of The Bahamas to the United States, just 48 nautical miles off the coast of Florida.

Long a favorite of adventurers (Ernest Hemingway sojourned there), it’s home to some of the most pristine waters in the wider region (and some of its best bonefishing, too).

“In terms of development, illa Bimini Resort & Residences is not expanding the development footprint of the already existing environmentally approved plans for the project and will not negatively impact the land in any way,” added Rafael Reyes. “To enhance our sustainability efforts, we have incorporated a complete solar package, energy management system, smart-home-technology and back-up generator applications into our design and services.”

In recent years, Bimini vaulted back onto the map with the launch of Genting’s Resorts World Bimini, a casino hotel project that now includes a Hilton-branded hotel. That’s helped to complement a niche of beloved places to stay led by the legendary Bimini Big Game Club.

More recently, Sir Richard Branson announced that Bimini would be on the circuit for his new Virgin Voyages cruise line, with the new port home to a hip beach club designed in partnership with Resorts World.

The inclusion of Oppenheim, perhaps best known for his work in helping to define Miami’a aesthetic over the last few decades, is a major boost.

“The ultimate goal for illa was to create an eco-luxury development that builds with the land, not on the land,” Oppenheim said. “From the landscape, individual villas, materials to services, we designed a holistic retreat with environmental sustainability and community development at the forefront.”

The project will be set at the far north of North Bimini, west of the Atlantic and east of the longtime Bimini Bay project.

For more, visit illa Bimini.

The post The Bahamas Is Getting a New Hotel in Bimini appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Royal Caribbean is undertaking a 58-day, $165 million overhaul of its Allure of the Seas Oasis-class ship.

Upon completion, the reinvigorated cruise ship will unveil a wave of new features, including the Ultimate Abyss 10-story waterslide; the Splashaway Bay aquapark; a reimagined pool deck and new eateries like Portside BBQ, Playmakers Sports Bar, Sugar Beach, El Loco Fresh and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, among others.

The latter is a reimagining of the popular Giovanni’s restaurant that’s a signature on Royal Caribbean ships.

Upon completion of its transformation project, Allure of the Seas will head to Europe before homeporting in Miami for the 2020 winter season.

The ship, which will be operating out of Royal Caribbean’s new Terminal A, will sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

Many of those trips will include stops at Royal’s new Perfect Day at CocoCay private destination.

— CJ

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… education secretary Julia Keleher, former Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration executive director … at the expense of the Puerto Rican citizens and students,” Neil Sanchez … the Natural Resource Committee overseeing Puerto Rico — called on him to …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the Caribbean’s hottest hotel investment destinations has a brand-new property: Cartagena.

The tourism destination on the Caribbean coast of Colombia is now home to a new adults-only, all-inclusive hotel by Spanish travel giant Melia, the latest for the company in what is a growing regional portfolio.

It’s called the Melia Cartagena Karmairi Hotel, an all-inclusive hotel in the city’s Manzanillo del Mar area.

The lobby at the new Melia hotel.

“Designed to be a retreat for well-being and relaxation, with this new hotel we want to meet the expectations of the modern traveler, whether they are seeking to explore the urban landscape or the natural environment of the Caribbean,” said Victor Donmez, director of operations at Melia for the Caribbean region.

A room at the hotel.

The 147-room hotel includes nine set aside for Melia’s “LEVEL” premium-service club, with the latter slated to debut in the coming weeks.

The property is in a rural, water-filled setting, about 15 minutes from the center of Cartagena and a short ride from Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez International Airport.

The hotel has three dining concepts: Merkado, Terraza Elixyr and a special LEVEL-exclusive eatery called Fish House, along with a poolside bar, a large spa and event space.

The sleek bathrooms are part of a well-designed interior.

Melia is also planning to debut a beach club at the resort, the Breeza Beach Club.

It’s yet another sign of strength for Cartagena, which has been the centerpiece of Colombia’s tourism boom.

The poolscape at the new Melia in Cartagena.

Earlier this summer, Four Seasons announced plans to open its first resort in Cartagena with the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena, joining a wave of brands to have debuted in the destination in recent years from Hyatt Regency to Conrad.

It’s the second hotel for Melia in Colombia, joining the TRYP Medellin.

For more, visit the Melia Cartagena.

— CJ

The post Melia Opens Newest Caribbean Hotel in Cartagena appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

A new mixed-use real estate project has broken ground in Grand Cayman.

The new Harbour Walk development will be a mix of shops, offices, restaurants and bars, along with apartments, with completion scheduled for July 2021.

That will include a combination of 28 retail and restaurant spaces across 30,000 square feet, along with a total of 62 one- and two-bedroom apartments set on the upper floors of the project.

Harbour Walk will also feature two floors of Class A office space, set in the Grand Harbour district, east of Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport.

The walkable ground-floor retail will look like this.

“This destination will be a very positive addition to the Grand Harbour area, bringing in amenities and services which aren’t currently available off of the Seven Mile Beach corridor,” said Jeremy Hurst, broker/owner at Cayman’s International Realty Group.

It’s just the latest addition to what seems to be a buzzing Grand Cayman real estate market.

For more info, visit Harbour Walk.

— CJ

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