By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of Puerto Rico’s most iconic hotels is set to complete a significant transformation project.

San Juan’s legendary Caribe Hilton will debut a more than $100 million dollar makeover on May 15.

The hotel is among the most famous places to stay in San Juan, from its myriad appearances in major motion pictures to its legacy as one of the purported birthplaces of the Pina Colada cocktail.

The “top-to-bottom” project includes guest room and suite renovations, “reimagined” food and beverage concepts, a new fitness center, a spa and a modernization of the property’s 65,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

“The opening of Caribe Hilton in 1949 was a genesis of tourism that introduced travelers to the island of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean,” said Danny Hughes, Executive Vice President and President for the Americas at Hilton. “The revitalization of this emblematic property is a continuation of that genesis, inspiring much anticipation and pride among the Hilton family, locals, guests and all who have an enduring affinity for this cherished San Juan hotel.”  

Park Hotels and Resorts, which owns the Caribe Hilton, tapped Virginia-based P3 Design Collective to lead the redesign, with a look the company said was “influenced by the vibrant culture, lively colors and rich history of San Juan.”

“We are thrilled to re-introduce the iconic Caribe Hilton to guests and locals alike,” said Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Park Hotels & Resorts. “We have worked tirelessly to restore, reimagine and enhance the hotel, and we are confident that the finished product is worthy of the hotel’s legendary history.”

When it completes the project, the Caribe Hilton will become the second historic San Juan hotel to complete a large-scale transformation project, following the recent relaunch of the iconic El San Juan.

That property is also a Hilton, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection.

The new-look Palmeras restaurant at the Caribe Hilton.

“We are as determined as ever to reimagine the guest experience at Caribe Hilton and are eager to introduce Puerto Rico’s new Icon of Hospitality,” said Pablo Torres, general manager, Caribe Hilton. “We have had the pleasure of creating milestone memories for our local and international guests for nearly 70 years, and now we are ready to welcome travelers and our island family to create new ones.”

For more, visit the Caribe Hilton.

— CJ

The post Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton Is Set to Debut a $100M Makeover appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell and Dana Niland

St Thomas is getting a big airlift boost this summer — and it looks like the start of a trend.

The flight expansion will be highlighted by the addition of a second daily nonstop flight from Atlanta to St Thomas this summer, according to USVI Tourism Commissioner Designee Joseph Boschulte.

The existing daily Delta flight from New York and St Thomas will also continue through the end of August.

And that’s just the beginning.

The Bolongo Bay resort in St Thomas.

United Airlines will be serving the Houston-St Thomas route beginning in May, first with weekly Saturday service, then with daily flights from June 6 to Aug. 19.

“We are steadily restoring confidence in our destination,” Boschulte said. “[We] will leave no stone unturned to maintain and increase airlift to both islands, especially as more accommodations come back on line.”

The new flights bolster a destination that has already been seeing a rebirth in air service in the last year.

That includes a new thrice-weekly route from Orlando to St Thomas on Spirit, and American Airlines service from Charlotte to St Thomas that launched last fall.

Boschulte said American Airlines was “seriously considering” restoring its third daily flight between Miami and St Thomas, along with “expressing interest in a new Dallas flight” as well.

St Thomas’ Secret Harbour.

The new tourism official also said the USVI was looking to expand intra-regional air service, having launched talks with LIAT about increasing frequency or capacity on the Antigua-St Thomas route.

That service currently runs three times per week. 

“Our work to encourage our airline partners to serve both St. Croix and St. Thomas is part of our overall marketing continuum,” said said Boschulte, who was designated as the USVI’s newest tourism chief earlier this year.

It’s another positive step for the tri-island destination whose tourism industry has been seeing a rapid recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The post St Thomas Is Getting More Nonstop Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

It has long been one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated culinary destinations, and now Anguilla is raising its game again.

The island has launched a new culinary celebration called Extraordinary Eats, a two-week festival highlighting food, culture and the culinary arts.

Extraordinary Eats, which begins April 14, will last through April 28.

“We are excited about this new event, which is grounded in our marketing strategy that identified cuisine as one of our brand pillars, and builds on our well-deserved reputation as an exceptional culinary destination,” said Donna Banks, Chairperson of the Anguilla Tourist Board. “Travelers today will often plan their vacations around culinary experiences, and we are ideally positioned to accommodate these foodie enthusiasts.”

The core of the festival is a large collection of eateries offering prix-fixe lunch and dinner menu for the two weeks, from the Four Seasons to the Malliouhana to popular spots like DaVida’s, Garvey’s and Blanchard’s, among others.

The two-week event will also include Festival del Mar, an annual celebration of “all things from the sea,” on April 20 and 21.

Extraordinary Eats will conclude with “Chefs Extraordinaires,” a grand finale which will include an “epicurean extravaganza with special appearances from Anguilla’s very own homegrown chefs.”

— CJ

The post Anguilla’s New Food Festival appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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