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| Seaview Junior Suite at The Reef by CuisinArt has a bedroom with seating area and panoramic windows that overlook either the golf course or the Caribbean Sea. |
From a rebranding to an expansion to a management takeover, Travel Agent breaks down the highlights of a busy few weeks for Caribbean luxury hotel news. Here’s what you need to know to stay on top of these popular upscale island digs.
The Reef by CuisinArt Opening Soon in Anguilla
Nestled along Merrywing Bay on the island of Anguilla, The Reef by CuisinArt is set to debut in November with 80 oceanfront suites. The resort will also have a lobby entry and bar; a fitness center with Technogym Excite Line, Unity Displays and aqua cycling bikes; a library and a boutique; complimentary water sports; and a pair of hard courts for tennis aficionados.
The culinary teams have combined their global talents to create menus for the hotel’s restaurant outlets that will offer locally sourced items and ingredients from the Hydroponic Farm. The Yacht Club will serve breakfast and lunch, as well as a menu of inspired seafood selections for dinner. Breezes, the beachfront restaurant and bar, will draw those craving for a relaxed Caribbean experience.
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, The Reef’s 80 accommodations will include 25 Golfview Junior Suites and 25 Seaview Junior Suites in the main building. Four additional oceanfront structures will house 30 Junior Suites ranging from Beachfront and Corner Beachfront to Superior Beachfront and Deluxe Beachfront; two of the latter will contain dramatic outdoor Jacuzzis.
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| ‘Where Else’ at Canouan Estate is a two-bedroom duplex villa with two levels comprising 3,700 square feet of covered space along with an external pool and deck. |
Accommodation amenities will include a TV system with modern technology; bedside “smart” control panels; Tivoli Bluetooth-enabled audio systems; and more. Bathroom amenities will include products by Rusk and L’Occitane, as well as double sinks, a separate shower, and a freestanding Alissa oval bath.
As part of The Reef experience, clients will enjoy access to all amenities of the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, including preferred rates and tee-times at the 18-hole Greg Norman Signature design championship course, full access to the award-winning Venus Spa, as well as signing privileges at all facilities and dining venues. Complimentary transportation will be provided throughout the estate.
Pink Sands Club to Debut On Canouan in October
Travel Agent recently received word that the much-anticipated Pink Sands Club on Canouan, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, will welcome its first guests on October 10. A new member of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), the $120-million resort will be managed independently and will include 26 suites and six villas.
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| Built in Moroccan architectural style, Cap Juluca is nestled on a mile-long, white-sand beach in Anguilla. |
The adjacent Canouan Resort was rebranded as the Canouan Estate on July 1 and has become a stand-alone villa collection with access to hotel services of the Pink Sands Club. None of the 10 remaining suites of the original resort will be in operation, and only privately owned villas and residences in the rental pool will be included in the villa and residences collection of the Canouan Estate. These villas can be booked directly through Pink Sands Club or via LHW.
The Pink Sands Club and Canouan Estate team will be going through a training program until October 9. Also, from September 20 to October 9, a selection of Canouan’s key travel agents and press will be invited for a final sneak preview before the opening.
Tamarind Beach Hotel, a 39-room boutique property, will start a renovation program next year. This hotel will be rebranded after the refresh.
Sandals’ Expansion Plans For Tobago and Barbados
Representatives of Sandals Resorts International confirmed to Travel Agent recently that the all-inclusive giant is negotiating to open its first hotel in Tobago. According to a public relations representative for the company, “Sandals is in discussions with the government and looks forward to the prospect of bringing its brands to Tobago.”
Sandals representatives also told us that the Tobago House of Assembly recently held preliminary talks with Gordon “Butch” Stewart, founder and chairman of Sandals Resorts, about the proposed construction of a 750-room hotel on the island.
We were the first to bring you word that the company was already looking to expand its first Barbados property in July last year. Sandals has now confirmed that it has broken ground on a new expansion at Sandals Barbados. Dubbed “Phase II,” the project will add 222 rooms and suites to the property when it opens in November 2017. It will also add five new restaurants, three new swimming pools, an entertainment pavilion with a bowling alley and a new spa and wellness sanctuary.
Viceroy Anguilla to Become A Four Seasons Resort
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to assume management of the Viceroy Anguilla resort. Following the resort’s annual closure from August to October, the property will reopen as Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Anguilla. The new Four Seasons resort is on the island’s northwestern shore, with 3,200 feet of beachfront and unobstructed views of the Caribbean.
The new Four Seasons will have 166 accommodations, including dedicated resort guest rooms, whole-ownership beachfront private residences, 5,000-square-foot villas and vacation rental units. Among the on-property amenities will be restaurants, an 8,100-square-foot spa, pools and water sport activities.
New Digs and “Vibes”
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| The swim-up suites at Sandals Barbados include a private patio with circular soaking tub for two and en-suite spa-style bathroom. |
Meanwhile, Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort in St. Lucia, is expanding to add new Beachfront and Hillside Residences to its collection. With contemporary touches accented with Southeast Asian design elements, these homes feature spacious terraces, infinity pools and gardens, and grant full access to the five-star amenities in the resort. The new Residences will be built as they are purchased, allowing owners to add in their own personal touches. Three Beachfront residences and two Hillside Residences remain for sale.
Sugar Beach also has a newly appointed “vibe manager.” Yes, that’s Yasa Sereno’s job title and he’s tasked with creating the overall feel of the resort. Sereno works with the team on all creative levels, from setting the mood for a romantic dinner at the Bayside Restaurant to curating the playlist at the pool.
Cap Juluca for Sale?
The owners of Cap Juluca in Anguilla recently issued a written statement informing travel media that they were exploring the idea of selling the popular luxury resort. According to the statement, some false information has surfaced that the property has already been sold. However, while the statement acknowledged the possible sale, it refutes any claim that Cap Juluca has already been purchased.
“While we have entered into an agreement for the possible sale of Cap Juluca, we have not finalized the transaction, and any communication you may have received from the prospective buyer has been done without our knowledge or consent,” wrote Cap Juluca proprietors Charles and Linda Hickox.
In November 2011, it was reported that Cap Juluca was facing an auctioning off of some of its assets. According to that report, the owner of the property, Adam Aron, had reportedly failed to pay the previous owners, Charles and Linda Hickox, at the end of July and still owed some $67 million.
“As you know, it has never been our policy to solicit our guests for anything other than a return visit,” the statement read. “We would never consider approaching you for financing. We will continue to make Cap Juluca the paradise for our guests that we have strived for since 1986.”
Cap Juluca reopened under the original ownership of the Hickox family on November 15, 2012. Since taking the property back over, the Hickoxes have invested more than $12 million into it.
“If and when a sales transaction is determined,” according to the statement, “we will be happy to let you know what the future holds for our iconic property.”
Travel Agent was told Cap Juluca is currently under contract for sale to the Carlton Group, but the negotiation process is ongoing, with the sale not final. Until there is an actual formal sale, business will continue as usual. The current longtime owners, the Hickoxes, will continue to operate and manage the luxury resort, maintaining all of its staff, services and amenities.