How to Kick Off Your 2016 Caribbean Sales With a Bang

Moon Palace Jamaica Grande is Palace Resorts’ first property outside of Mexico.
Moon Palace Jamaica Grande is Palace Resorts’ first property outside of Mexico.

Caribbean specialists looking to start the year off on a hot note could find some potential selling points in this latest batch of hot Caribbean news. We begin with the Dominican Republic where a highly anticipated family resort has begun accepting reservations; a family-friendly all-inclusive just added an adults-only zone and a Singapore-based resort company recently opened its second Caribbean property.

Nickelodeon Punta Cana Taking Bookings for May

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic is now accepting reservations for May 2016. The TV network’s first-ever international hotel property, providing both family entertainment and Karisma’s “Gourmet Inclusive” experience, will begin accepting reservations as of now at 1-844-SEE-NICK and www.nickresortpuntacana.com. Guests who book early can take advantage of “Sun, Slime & Savings!” — discounts of up to 45 percent valid for bookings now until January 31. Additionally, kids under 13 years old Stay, Eat and Play Free with a minimum four nights’ stay.

The upscale resort, fronted on Uvero Alto beach, has a sleek, modern design and 208 oversized suites in seven styles to cater to a variety of tastes, from intimate Jacuzzi Pads and Flats to Swim-Up Suites.

Clients may also choose to book one of four exclusive, two- and three-bedroom “Super Villas,” providing upwards of 2,200 square feet of space each, including the “Pineapple Villa,” inspired by the popular SpongeBob SquarePants Nickelodeon character.

Suites will include such features as Jacuzzis, private patios, wrap-around terraces or balconies, and 24-hour in-room dining options. Plus, all guests will enjoy “Got You Covered” amenities like complimentary baby food, strollers, cribs, kids’ spa robes and baby bottle warmers for infants and toddlers.

There will be 10 Gourmet Inclusive restaurants, two “Gourmet Corners,” four bars and lounges, and the Doppio Coffee Shop, which will offer worldly cuisine. Dining options will range from kid-friendly to elegant.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana will also include an array of innovative and fun food and beverage options at themed restaurants that reflect the brand, with unexpected colors, imaginative food samples, “Slime Smoothies,” and characters realized through tropical fruits and vegetables.

Adventures can be balanced with relaxation at the resort, thanks to Vassa Spa’s herbal steam room, dry sauna, chromo therapy showers, bubble beds, whirlpool, and arctic and warm water pools. Guests will be able to escape into one of five treatment suites, couple’s suite, luxurious bridal suite, or one of five “al fresco” outdoor treatment areas for those craving a little sand with their spa.

For guests celebrating something special, the hotel will offer character meet-and-greets, character dining, cake and ice cream.

Aman Resorts Makes Dominican Republic Debut

Also in the Dominican Republic Aman Resorts officially opened Amanera just before Thanksgiving. Perched on a cliff top overlooking the crescent-shaped Playa Grande beach, the resort is the first golf-integrated Aman, offering the Playa Grande Golf Course, which reportedly has the highest number of ocean-side holes in the Western Hemisphere.

The resort occupies 2,000 acres of land comprised of peaks and jungle, with centuries-old trees and royal palms stretching across nearly seven miles of continuous Atlantic seacoast on Hispaniola’s northern shore. Water is omnipresent and intrinsic in the design of Amanera, which draws its name from the Sanskrit-derived word for “peace” and “era,” the word for “water” in Taino, historically spoken by the indigenous people of the Caribbean.

Each of the one-bedroom Casitas enjoys unobstructed ocean vistas from an expansive terrace, outdoor seating and lounging areas and floor-to-ceiling windows. Every Casita is accessed via a winding pathway through a private garden and 13 of them have their own 32-foot private swimming pools.

At the heart of the resort lies “Casa Grande,” which offers sweeping ocean, golf course and jungle views. At the resort’s informal Club de Playa (beach club), guests can enjoy casual feet-in-the-sand dining, relax in a hammock under the coconut palms or take advantage of water sports equipment provided. This is Singapore-based Aman’s second Caribbean resort, having opened Amanyara in the Turks and Caicos six years ago.

Water is intrinsic in the design of Amanera, including its guest Casitas.
Water is intrinsic in the design of Amanera, including its guest Casitas.

New Adults-Only ‘Oasis’ At Club Med Punta Cana

Just before Christmas, Club Med Punta Cana resort unveiled its adults-only Zen Oasis area, which includes 78 brand new deluxe guest rooms with spa-like bathrooms boasting rainfall showers, large soaking tubs, soothing lighting, L’Occitane toiletries, and wellness amenities such as yoga mats. The resort’s L’Occitane Spa (the first one in the Caribbean) now sports a new look with the addition of a second story housing two new VIP Couples Suites with treatment beds and plush sofa seating, as well as a second room with hydrotherapy tubs.

Palace Resorts Opens Its First Hotel Outside of Mexico

Palace Resorts recently celebrated the grand opening of Moon Palace Jamaica Grande, the brand’s first property outside of Mexico. Moon Palace Jamaica Grande features an array of amenities, including what is being described as Jamaica’s largest spa, Awe Spa, a FlowRider Double-Wave simulator, the Noir nightclub and much more.

Upon entering the main lobby, clients can marvel at the floor-to-ceiling windows. The resort, which began welcoming guests in July following a soft opening on the north coast of Jamaica, is accessible from the Montego Bay airport. Following a multimillion-dollar transformation of what was formerly the iconic Sunset Jamaica Grande, Moon Palace Jamaica Grande offers more than 700 guest rooms and suites with oceanfront views of the Caribbean Sea.

Curacao Launches Online Embark/Disembark Card          

In December, the Curacao Tourist Board, along with the Immigration Department of Curacao, launched an online version of an Embarkation and Disembarkation card (ED-card). Completing the form digitally has two main goals: a fast and efficient process at the immigration line and immediate processing of the visitor’s data.

All foreign visitors arriving in Curacao are required to have a completed ED-card for immigration clearance. At the moment travelers can obtain the ED-card on board of the flights arriving to Curacao. This card contains personal information, such as name and birth date, port of embarkation, home address, purpose of visit, the reason for choosing Curacao, how reservation was made, duration of visit and the chosen accommodation during stay.

The online ED-card can be completed at home before guests embark their flight to Curacao. The Online ED-card will be in sync with the Border Management System of the Immigration Department in Curacao and should considerably reduce the amount of time spent in the immigration line. To access the card, visit www.curacao.com and click on the tab “Online ED-card.”