What to Expect From St. Vincent and The Grenadines' New Airport and Hotels

 

Cotton Hill Residence at Cotton House
Cotton Hill Residence at Cotton House is a Mustique villa-style resort accommodation that boasts a large private swimming pool.

 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines tourism representatives have always prided themselves on attracting a largely affluent clientele, engendered by the island nation’s small supply of hotel rooms and limited accessibility by air. Well, that might be about to change. By the end of 2014, the destination will have a new international airport to go along with several new hotel openings and enticing offerings that should open the destination to a broader spectrum of clients. To keep you up to speed, here are some of the island group’s latest tourism developments.

Bequia Beach to Roll Out New Villa: Travel Agent recently met with representatives of perhaps the hottest hotel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Bequia Beach Hotel. Offering 41 suites including an expansive penthouse, three two-bedroom villas with private pools, three bungalows and 11 rooms, the five-star property is set on eight acres of tropical gardens overlooking Friendship Beach. The hotel prides itself on friendly service and providing an atmosphere reminiscent of the West Indies of the 1950s: casual yet elegant. 

A contemporary take on colonial Caribbean architecture, the Bequia Beach Hotel’s design is heavily influenced by designer Oliver Messel, who built some of the first villas on the island of Mustique. In fact, Swedish entrepreneur Bengt Mortstedt developed the hotel with the intention to bring the best of all the properties at which he’s stayed, from Mauritius and the Seychelles to Beverly Hills and Thailand

And the offerings will get even better by December 1, when the property will add a four-bedroom presidential villa with its own pool and dedicated staff, a kids club, and a 30-seat cinema. 

Tying the Knot Just Got Easier at Palm Island: Thanks to the assistance of the Registrar Tamara Gibson-Marks and the attorney general, couples can now get married at Palm Island without having to travel to St. Vincent, making the process smoother and more convenient for on-island ceremonies.

This exclusive private island resort situated near the southern tip of St. Vincent and the Grenadines also offers free weddings to couples who book a stay of seven nights or more in an Island Loft category room. Included in the Elite Wedding Package are a wedding coordinator, marriage officer and optional witnesses, all government fees, flowers, decorated wedding venue, wedding cake, champagne and all taxes and gratuities. The Elite Wedding Package begins at $1,199 for those staying less than seven nights. 

Mustique’s Website Gets a Makeover: The island of Mustique recently revamped its website, www.mustique-island.com, offering a number of features to update its functionality and add a refreshed look with new imagery. 

Some of the key points of difference include dramatic new imagery that is visually appealing, new search criteria to assist with villa selection, an easy-to-use inquiry form, a dynamic interactive villa location map that links directly to the villa and dedicated pages to Cotton House—the island’s only luxury resort. 

New GM at the Cotton House: Jacques Brouchier has been named general manager of the aforementioned Cotton House on the island of Mustique in the Grenadines. In this position, he will oversee the overall operations of the island’s five-star, luxury resort, which features 17 guest rooms, cottages and suites. 

A 16-year veteran of the hospitality industry and with extensive leadership experience, Brouchier most recently served as the general manager of Coral Sands and Pink Sands Hotels on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. Prior to that, he held the position of general manager at Cayo Espanto in San Pedro, Belize, where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the luxurious resort which boasted five villas and 35 employees. 

Sandy Lane HOTEL in Canouan’s Future: Travel Agent sat down with Glen Beache, CEO of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, during Caribbean Week this June and learned that the owners and investors of Sandy Lane hotel in Barbados are beginning to undergo the first phase of development for a resort in Canouan. Beache said this multimillion-dollar project will include some 30 rooms and a selection of villas. 

Argyle Airport Update: Construction of the Argyle International Airport on the island of St. Vincent continues toward the goal of completing the terminal building by the end of 2013, with retrofitting tocommence thereafter. All earth and site works are expected to be completed by July 2014.

This terminal building will feature a stainless steel insulated roof designed to keep the building cool and lessen the dependence on air conditioning. A large portion of the building will have glass walling to maximize the use of natural lighting and reduce the volume of electricity for lighting. It will feature a conference room and plans are also in place to install a museum to improve the traveling experience.