Representatives of Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour recently announced that the opening of the first Park Hyatt hotel in the Caribbean region is now scheduled to debut on November 1.
Earlier this year, Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour had announced the hotel would debut this summer.
Travel Agent breaks down this story as well as Belmond’s ongoing Caribbean expansion plans and a new Fairmont Hotels and Resorts property in St. Lucia.
Meet the New Park Hyatt St. Kitts
The 126-room resort will span the secluded beach of Banana Bay and will heavily focus on art, culinary experiences and immersive excursions. The hotel will be home to three signature restaurants, a destination resort spa and wellness center, and indoor and outdoor event spaces.
All 78 rooms and 48 suites will overlook Banana Bay. Each room’s decor will showcase views of the Caribbean Sea and the islands beyond, with luxurious touches such as private balconies and terraces, local artwork, rain showers and deep soaking tubs. Premium suites will have private rooftop swimming pools and sundecks. The three-bedroom Presidential Villa will be equipped with a private infinity pool, wellness area, personal butler and private chef.
The resort will showcase exceptional local and international cuisine through three distinct dining experiences.
The Great House, reflective of a grand colonial home, will offer all-day dining, a Rum Bar, herb garden, chef’s table, and a conservatory serving plantation afternoon tea. The Fisherman’s Village will serve ocean-to-table lunch and dinner perched on the water. Its design will echo the huts and berths that once lined the coastline of St. Kitts. The Stone Barn will provide an adults-only dining experience with "food from the hearth" and an extensive wine list.
The Sugar Mill Spa & Sanctuary will be home to nine treatment rooms, destination inspired therapies, and a 1,750-square-foot, 24-hour fitness club. A luxury destination unto itself, treatments will incorporate local herbs, and the shadow of the resort’s Sugar Mill will provide a relaxing location for daily yoga and meditation. With dramatic views of neighboring Nevis, the resort will provide non-motorized water activities, including snorkeling, paddle boards and kayaks. The Lagoon pool will be dedicated for family enjoyment and for an adults-only option, the Rampart pool will be available.
Visit stkitts.park.hyatt.com
Inside Belmond’s Ongoing Caribbean Expansion Plans
We sat down with representatives of Belmond on Tuesday and got the latest news regarding the company’s ongoing expansion to the Caribbean.
Samantha Strawford, brand communications director for Belmond, told Travel Agent the company’s plans to fully renovate and re-launch Belmond Cap Juluca remain on schedule.
In May, Belmond announced that it has signed agreements to acquire Cap Juluca, a luxury beach resort on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, British West Indies.
The addition of the 96-room resort marks an important milestone in the strategic development of the Belmond brand, which is committed to doubling the size of its portfolio by 2020.
Belmond expects to carry out a top-top bottom renovation of the resort at the end of the 2017/2018 festive season, including the development of 25 new beachfront villas or suites, bringing the resort’s total inventory to 121 rooms.
This is now the company’s second property in the Caribbean, along with Belmond La Samanna, perhaps one of the most LGBT-welcoming hotels in the Caribbean.
This IGLTA-certified hotel, located in St. Martin, is arguably the best hotel in general on the island. The Belmond company as a whole is very LGBT-welcoming and is actively marketing toward this clientele.
In fact, Belmond, a global collection of 46 iconic hotels, trains and river cruises, appointed the company’s first director of LGBT sales back in May of 2015.
The property offers all the amenities one would expect from a five-star hotel from swanky beach cabanas to a 15-foot-long infinity pool. This is also a great spot for LGBT clients with families as the hotel also offers its unique Camp La Samanna, which provides such activities, as treasure hunts for children.
Belmond Eyeing St. Barth’s?
Strawford would not give specific islands Belmond was looking into at first, but when when Travel Agent asked if St. Barth’s was being considered as a location for a future Belmond hotel, she confirmed the island was on Belmond’s wish list.
“St. Barth’s is definitely an island we would consider and would love to possibly expand to, but we really haven’t targeted any specific islands yet,” she told Travel Agent. “But St. Barth’s and islands like St. Barth’s are where we see Belmond going in the Caribbean.”
Visit www.belmond.com
Fairmont to Open New Luxury Hotel in Saint Lucia
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts recently announced plans for a new luxury hotel in Saint Lucia, the Fairmont Saint Lucia at Sunset Bay.
Expected to open in late 2019, the 120-room property will have 40 private residential villas and be set on 25 acres and 1,870 feet of beach front on the southwest coast of St. Lucia.
The Fairmont Saint Lucia at Sunset Bay will be 20 minute from the international airport and will be the island’s southernmost luxury resort, Fairmont said, offering access to the destination’s natural landscapes, beaches, waterfalls, rainforest and the Piton Mountains.
WATG and Wimberly Interiors will spearhead the architecture an design of the project, which will aim for a contemporary look with a focus on preserving and enhancing the natural environment, particularly conserving micro-ecosystems of small mango groves and protecting the beach from tidal erosion.
Built into a natural amphitheater, each of the property’s 120 guest rooms and suites and 40 residential villas will have unobstructed views across the bay. The resort will also have four restaurants and bars; a 9,000 square foot Fairmont spa; pool facilities including a main resort pool, children's pool and adult pool with cabanas; private marina with moorings for yachts; and approximately 10,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting and function space.
Nearby adventure activities will include paddle surfing, mountain biking, and hiking. Guests will also be able to take in the pool or spa, or connect with local culture in the nearby fishing village, the source of many local foods and ingredients on resort menus.
Fairmont Saint Lucia at Sunset Bay will join Caribbean and Mid-Atlantic sister properties Fairmont Royal Pavilion in Barbados, and Bermuda's Fairmont Southampton and Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, A Fairmont Managed Hotel.
Visit www.fairmont.com and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all your latest travel news. Be sure to follow Travel Agent’s Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike and Instagram @pike5260.
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