By the Caribbean Journal staff

In a massive boost for the tourism fortunes of the island of St John, the Westin St John Resort Villas has officially reopened its doors.

The reopening comes 16 months after Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck the USVI, leading to a large-scale reconstruction effort.

A villa room.

The property, set on Great Cruz Bay in St John, instantly becomes the premier property open on the island, which has already seen the return of boutique hotels like the Cruz Bay Boutique Hotel and Estate Lindholm, among others.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our associates’ dedication in getting The Westin St John Resort Villas ready for our owners and guests,” said Samuel Hugli, general manager of the resort. “Each associate took on the hard work of getting the resort back to its original splendor, even though they and their families and friends were greatly affected by the storms.”

It’s a mix of one, two and three-bedroom villas and townhomes featuring up to 2,850 square feet of interior space.

Every villa has full kitchen appliances, washer and driers, signature Westin beds and  private balconies, among other amenities.

Amenities at the resort range from a spectacular beach to a pool to the new Mango Deli coffee shop to the waterfront eatery called Snorkels.

Snorkels at night.

For years, the Westin and Caneel Bay were the island’s two halo hotels; Caneel Bay is still in the comeback process. Caneel’s return date is still unannounced.

It’s the second Marriott property to reopen in the Virgin Islands since the storm, following last year’s relaunch of the Marriott Frenchman’s Cove in St Thomas.

“The resort looks spectacular,” said Hugli said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be back providing Caribbean paradise to our owners and guests. We’re even happier that our islands are recovering and thriving.”

For more info, visit the Westin St John.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The 371-room Live Aqua Beach Resort in Cancun has completed a multimillion-dollar renovation project, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The Mexican Caribbean property, which is part of the 13-hotel portfolio of La Collection Resorts by Fiesta Americana, has added “reimagined” guest rooms, an upgraded Aqua Club and a refurbished beach and pool area, among other changes.

The Siete eatery.

“We take great pride in offering our guests unforgettable experiences when they stay with us, which is why this much-anticipated renovation of the resort is so special to us,” said said Alfredo Santamaria, General Manager of Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun. “Our guests are always at the core of what we do, and we are excited to showcase all the upgraded areas and stylish new touches we’ve added in even the smallest of details.”

Changes to the rooms and suites ranged from a new aromatheraphy menu to bedside smart consoles to centralized electrical outlets.

The property also renovated its Azul restaurant; added a new outdoor sitting area to the Siete eatery; added a new wine cellar to the MB restaurant and will soon debut a new eatery called Inlaa’Kech.

— CJ

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By Alexander Britell

One of the most beautiful — and perhaps most understated — things about rum is its power to transport.

The romantic energy of rum can take you from wherever you’re indulging to a far-off Caribbean island somewhere, to the waving palms of a sugar cane field, to an idyllic beach bar.

It’s something that’s particular to rum — because the simple truth is that few people sit in a cold apartment in New York City in January dreaming of being whisked away to Tennessee.

That unique, transportive power of rum is at least partly behind the Caribbean’s newest rum brand: Soggy Dollar Rum.

It’s the brainchild of Jerry O’Connell, the proprietor of perhaps the most legendary beach bar in the Caribbean, the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands.

The Soggy Dollar Bar.

The bar (which gets its name from the bills that would get “soggy” as travelers waded thorugh the water onto the beach from their boats) has become a Mecca of sorts for Caribbean aficionados, an unmissable stop on any sailing jaunt in the Virgin Islands, a place often serenaded by Kenny Chesney in his odes to the green-hilled islands of the northeastern Caribbean.

So it was only natural to make such a place accessible from a glass.

The new Soggy Dollar Rum has two expressions: a “dark rum” and a spiced rum.

The Dark expression is a blend of Caribbean distillates from Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Barbados aged in American oak casks.

And while its natural home will be in, say, the “painkiller” for which the Soggy Dollar is famous, we wanted to know if the company had produced more than just a mixing rum with Soggy Dark.

So what’s it like?

Soggy Dark has an aroma of vanilla, caramel and a hint of nutmeg.

The flavor profile starts off peppery, smoothing out into hints of vanilla, dark chocolate, oak and pecan.

This blend is balanced but robust, hinting at a fiery, almost navy-style edge.

What they’ve done is create a very drinkable, sippable dark rum, one that works quite well on the rocks and even more beautifully in a painkiller. (And yes, it even works neat, too).

But, most importantly, it’s a rum that reminds you of the Soggy Dollar, that makes you wish you were on the soft sand of White Bay.

And, even if for just a few minutes on a cold winter evening, it’s a rum that will take you there.

Soggy Dollar Dark Rum

Rum Journal Review: 90 Points

For more info, visit Soggy Dollar.

— CJ

The post Rum Journal: Soggy Dollar Rum, a Journey to the BVI in a Bottle appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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