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Radisson's Grand Bahama acquisition part of upscale strategy

Travel Weekly
By: Gay Nagle MyersSeptember 11, 2009

Radisson Hotels & Resorts' recent addition to its portfolio of the Radisson Our Lucaya Resort, Grand Bahama Island represents a new market strategy for the hotel firm, according to Fredrik Korallus, executive vice president and COO.

Radisson currently operates resorts in Aruba and St. Martin.

"We are excited about the Grand Bahama acquisition," Korallus said of the former Westin property. "This marks our third AAA Four Diamond brand in the region and completes our Caribbean portfolio for now.

"Radisson is focused on building a vibrant new market positioning through the addition of major upscale properties, such as the oceanfront resort in the Bahamas," he said. "The facilities of the resort, combined with our passion to deliver distinctive 'Yes I Can' service, will give Caribbean travelers an exceptional hospitality experience."

The 740-room Radisson is one of two properties in the Our Lucaya complex. The other is the 478-room Our Lucaya Reef Village, the former Sheraton Grand Resort.

The destination itself complements Radisson's existing portfolio, Korallus said. "Here in the Americas we need key destinations. Our primary focus has been to enhance our city properties in the U.S., particularly New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco. When an opportunity arises to do the same for the leisure and meetings and incentive markets, as it did in Grand Bahama, we seize it."

While Radisson is targeting the U.S. market as its primary customer base for Our Lucaya, Korallus said the destination also "does well out of Latin America, South America and Europe. The strength of the Radisson brand in the Caribbean and globally will be key elements in building our future business success."

The news of Radisson's foray into the Bahamas is welcome news for the destination's tourism industry, which has been challenged by the economic recession and dwindling visitor numbers, as has much of the Caribbean region in the past year.

Radisson's expansion into the Bahamas was followed by the announcement that Sandals Resorts International will reopen the former Four Seasons resort on Exuma in the Out Islands on Jan. 22. Sandals currently has a resort in Nassau and another in Fowl Cay in the Exumas chain.

"Two highly respected brands coming into the Bahamas at this time represents a big boost for the destination and for the future growth of tourism," said Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, minister of tourism.

Our Lucaya is divided into two wings, each with a distinct personality. Breakers Cay, the main building, is the focus of resort activities. Lighthouse Pointe at the end of the resort provides more privacy and seclusion.

The resort is home to the Reed Golf Course and the Lucayan Country Club. Other facilities include watersports, four pools, Camp Lucaya for children from 3 to 12 years old, a 25,000-square-foot spa and fitness center and 90,000 square feet of meetings space, including a 40,000-square-foot convention center.

There are nine restaurants and lounges plus a cigar bar, coffee kiosk and wedding gazebos. All rooms and suites offer Internet access.

Rates through September start at $188 per room, per night, double; from October through mid-December, rates start at $209. Peak season rates in February start at $249.

Nearby Port Lucaya Marketplace offers nightly entertainment and shops to supplement the Radisson offerings. 

 Although the current operator of the Isle of Capri casino at the Our Lucaya complex plans to pull out of the Bahamas, it did extend its exit deadline through October. Government officials are reviewing applications from casino investors and operators interested in taking over the operation, said Vanderpool-Wallace.

Korallus said that "as long as there is an operator, the casino will remain open."

The Radisson is participating in the Club Grand Bahama program recently launched by the Ministry of Tourism. The program is designed to bolster the appeal of the destination by offering travelers an all-inclusive vacation option to the island.

Three tiers of pricing are available, depending upon the hotel selected. The price covers accommodations, tours, two meals a day, transfers and shuttle services.

Unlike typical all-inclusive packages, Club Grand Bahama does not limit guests to the offerings of one resort. Customers can select participating restaurants and activities regardless of where they are located.

Currently the program is centered on properties in the Lucayan Beach area, but there are plans to expand the offerings on an islandwide basis.

In addition to that program, Radisson's Our Lucaya Resort also will offer its own vacation packages and incentive programs through tour operators and agents. Collaboration on packages that feature its three Caribbean properties also is in the works, said Korallus.

"The addition of Our Lucaya will allow Radisson to profile our resorts in St. Martin and Aruba, as well," he said. "With three properties, we can offer brand support and positioning to reach even wider markets than we had in the past. We are revitalizing the Radisson brand as a leader in the upscale system. These three resorts represent our growth market strategies."

The 252-room St. Martin resort reopened in December, following an $80 million reflagging of the former L'Habitacion resort, acquired by Carlson, parent of Radisson, in 2005.

The resort's Le Spa and fitness center opened in late July.

Radisson's inroads into the Caribbean region, however, began in 1998 when Carlson acquired the former Golden Tulip hotel on Aruba and rebranded it as the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino.

The property closed in 1999 for a $55 million renovation, reopening in 2000 with a 358-room resort. The addition of its Larimar Spa in 2007 was the capstone to the project.

Antigua police testify against cruise passengers

Travel Weekly
By: Gay Nagle MyersSeptember 10, 2009

Police in Antigua testified Wednesday that six Carnival passengers kicked them, bit them and choked one officer during a brawl at the police station over a disputed cab fare.

Police even claimed that a female officer had braids of hair pulled out.

The testimony came during the opening day of the trial in a St. John’s magistrate court, according to the Antigua Sun.

The six New Yorkers have pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, battery, malicious damage and indecent language. They maintain that they were only defending themselves and that the police were in plainclothes, did not identify themselves as police offers and initiated the fight.

The cruisers arrived in Antigua on Sept. 4 aboard the Carnival Victory for a 10-hour port call. They refused to pay a cab driver who gave them a tour, claiming they were being overcharged.

After the group disputed the charge, the driver drove them to a police station where the brawl broke out.

The trial will resume on Friday.

Sandals to build business hotel in Jamaica's capital

Travel Weekly
By: Gay Nagle MyersSeptember 11, 2009

Sandals plans to enter the corporate market with Sandals City, a hotel to be built in Kingston, Jamaica.

The hotel is a departure from Sandals' all-inclusive resort concept.

Sandals Chairman Butch Stewart told the Jamaica Observer that Sandals City will have conference and banquet rooms, plus a spa, racquetball, tennis courts and a gym. The hotel will be built on Oxford Road in Kingston.

Kingston's up-market business hotels currently include the Jamaica Pegasus, Kingston Hilton, Courtleigh Hotel and Spanish Court Hotel.

Matinique- French Charm in the Caribbean

Martinique, French Antilles- Tucked away in the heart of the Lesser Antilles, the island has all the gems that the rest of the Caribbean getaways offer-from beautiful beaches to fruity, mixed drinks to delicious seafood and friendly locals.

But the Mediterranean feel that Martinique offers along with an abundance of French touches, old libraries and beautiful churches, blends Europe and the Caribbean so well that you might forget which continent you are on. Here's a sampling of some of the cool hotels, beautiful landscapes and latest news from our trip to Martinique.

Martinique Hotels

From couples resorts that are hidden and off-the-beaten path such as Le Plein Soleil Hotel and the modern luxury-oriented Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa to the family- friendly Hotel Bakaua, you can discover a hotel for just about any traveler seeking to travel to Martinique.

 
Interiors of the Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa

Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa is

Martinique's best luxury resort, the island's only five-star property. There are 50 suites, 30 of which have private plunge pools. Room #133, an Executive Suite Duplex, has an outdoor shower and a TV that rotates so you can watch it either from the living room or the outdoor plunge pool.

 
The dining room at the Le Plein Soleil Hotel

If you like the outdoors and don't mind a friendly visit from a frog or an insect or two, you'll love Le Plein Soleil Hotel. It is ideal for couples seeking to escape the outside world and all its distractions.

Hotel Bakoua, in the destination's liveliest area-near shops, restaurants and a casino-is the best family resort in Martinique. It has 137 rooms and suites, all with balconies or patios, two restaurants, a cocktail lounge, two tennis courts and a swimming pool.

Other Gems in Martinique

The Diamond Rock, similar to one of the Pintons in St. Lucia, is a great landmark to drive by and photograph. Other beautiful landmarks include the St. Louis Cathedral and the Schoelcher Library. Also, get educated in Martinique's history while visiting the Anse Cafard Slave Memorial, an ensemble of 20 colossal stone statues overlooking the sea. It serves as a reminder of the tragic night on April 7, 1830, when a slave ship sank, along with its cargo of men, women and children.

Diamond Rock,
one of Martinique’s most famous landmarks

Travel Agent magazine- 08/2009

Handbags inspired by Vodou symbols are an emblem of identity

By JACQUELINE CHARLES jcharles@MiamiHerald.com PETIONVILLE, Haiti -- Lured by the hand-sewn gold sequins with hints of red and green, and the warm hues of brown and orange hanging off a stranger's arm, the stylishly dressed woman with the closely cropped hair plowed through the crowded hotel lobby like an entranced fashionista hot after a must-have. ``Is that? Is that . . . a Vè Vè?'' she asks, her voice tinged with a bit of uncertainty as if her curiosity could no longer withstand the suspense. The Vè Vè handbag is more than a glittery fashion statement. Inspired by Haitian Vodou designs, it's an emblem of identity in the shape and scale of an open Birkin bag that is quickly making a name for itself and its Haiti-born designer. ``This is a good everyday bag,'' Phelicia Dell, 38, says modestly, about her traditional yet modern handbags, which retail between $70 and $120, and are winning accolades in and out of Haiti. With bags large enough to carry to the market but sophisticated enough for an evening on the town, Dell's Vè Vè Collections (CollectionVeve.com) has become a statement of the ingenuity and creativity of Haitian artisans. Her own journey from struggling artist to sought-after handbag designer in just four years is itself a story about life after tragedy, and about what women in poor countries can do once empowered. Earlier this year, Dell was selected as the best emerging handbag designer after winning the Diane von Furstenberg global handbag design competition. An American fashion icon best known as the creator of the ever-popular hip-hugging wrap dress, von Furstenberg asked thousands of women to create a bag reflective of their country's local traditions, based on identical patterns. She launched it through Vital Voices Global Partnership's artisan program. The nongovernmental organization, co-founded in 1997 by then first lady Hillary Clinton, works to empower women in 120 countries. ``Each bag is made by hand,'' von Furstenberg told The Miami Herald, ``and I think that makes each piece have a special emotional connection to its origins.'' Von Furstenberg said Dell's winning design, a handcrafted clutch in a neutral tone with a painted design paying tribute to the love and strength of Haitian women, was modern but true to Haitian traditions. ``She was able to perceive and translate the directions of our design team and that she showed a great attention to detail and was involved in the whole process are all important qualities for a designer to possess,'' von Furstenberg said. Dell, who first competed among Haitian designers to represent her Caribbean homeland before beating out women from Guatemala, Nigeria and Cambodia, still is wowed by the fact that von Furstenberg ``fell in love with the design.'' ``It feels good to have somebody recognize your work,'' says Dell. ``It helps me understand that I need to help others through my own work. I feel a bigger sense of responsibility.'' That need to help others has taken Dell from being a one-woman designer to an employer of 13 artisans who help craft her bags ``from soul by hand.'' Though she often seeks inspiration from Haiti's Vodou culture, some bags are inspired by love and nature.............See More

Thrills & Spills during the Aruba Rembrandt Regatta, The Island's latest International Sailing Event

ORANJESTAD - The first Aruba Rembrandt Regatta took place on August 14 – 16, featuring three days of fun, action and competitions among yachts, beach catamarans and sunfish, complemented by nightly festivities at Café Rembrandt. The program included an around-the-island race for cruising and racing yachts. More than 37 sailing vessels and a host of national and international competitors signed up, ranging in age from 16-year-old Marc Rooijakkers of the Rafaga to 79-year-old Ernie Kervel of the Ocean 505.

Variable wind conditions created some exciting and hectic moments. From Curacao, the D-Trip of Sergey Boer was victorious in the Racing Class, finishing at just over 5-1/2 hours, while the Venus Callipyge of Hans van der Straaten took first in the Cruising Class. The Aruban captains, however, were strong competitors; the Tranquilo of Anthony Hagedoorn and the Eva Luna of Eric Mijts, regatta organizer, came in second overall in the two categories. Third place was taken by Team Ibis of Curacao’s Karel van Haren and Italy’s Paolo Grazzini with his Supermario and almost-all-female crew.

Sharing in the fun, Theo Valize took first place in beach cats; Ramon Kervel in sunfish. Windsurfers were out in full force as well; Amanda Westera in New Kids; Mack van der Eerenbeemt in Super Kids; and Nicole van der Velden in Pro Kids were the winners.

Sandals buys closed resort in Bahamas, plans upgrade

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Sandals Resorts International said it would buy a high-end resort on Great Exuma in the Bahamas that closed earlier this year as the recession cut deeply into the region's crucial tourism industry.

Sandals, based in Jamaica, will buy the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay for an undisclosed sum and reopen it in January.

First it will invest at least $12 million to upgrade the 500-acre property, CEO Adam Stewart said Monday.

Sandals is prohibited from disclosing the purchase price by a non-disclosure agreement, but Stewart said the original developers invested more than $300 million on the property, which opened in 2003 and includes 183 suites, an 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman and a 133-slip marina.

"We are acquiring one of the most spectacular pieces of real estate in the Caribbean,'' he said.

Stewart told The Associated Press his company plans a number of upgrades, including outdoor cabanas for spa treatments, an authentic British pub, a piano bar and a new half-acre pool that will be three times the size of the existing one.

It also will build a retail arcade to replace the casino. The acquisition comes as tourism struggles in the region.

Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality Research reported this month that Caribbean hotels had an average drop in profits of 16 percent in 2008 and projected "further profit deterioration" this year amid steep discounts and special offers.

"It has been a very tough year for everybody ... but our company will definitely come back stronger when things come back," Stewart said. Sandals Emerald Bay, as the property will be known, is the company's 14th resort and the third in the Bahamas.

Miami Herald- 08/26/2009

Destination Spotlight - the Spirits of St. Augustine, Florida

St. Augustine, Florida is known for its lingering spirits.  The best way to experience them is through a evening walking tour, complete with haunted schoolhouses and cemeteries!

I decided to take the walking tour offered by A Ghostly Experience.  They claim to tell stories from actual records.  "All of our stories are researched through records from historical libraries, church documents, personal diaries and personal interview. Nothing is made up, and no artificial special effects are used during the tour. If you see something while out there, you'll know it's real!" 

I have to say, it was an exceptionally good tour.  Our guide led us throughout the old city.  More important, I personally had an experience at the Castillo.  More on that later.

Interestingly, they claim to have very few "wayward" or "lost" spirits in St. Augustine.  This is because a Catholic Priest, who did not want people profiting from this phenomenon, found and elevated these spirits.  Let me explain, wayward spirits are those that have not accepted their deaths.  Usually, the wayward spirit comes from a person who has died in a tragic and sudden way.  The theory is that the highly charged emotional nature of their energy is too connected to a strong desire on the physical world - so that their consciousness is too consumed with anger, fear, longing, etc. and cannot 'relax' enough to see their way home.  Murders often create stories of wayward spirits bent on revenge.  Those that have died waiting for a loved one to return will continue to wait in their old house, often meddling with the new owners.  Wayward spirits can often create mischief or mishaps because of their intense energy. 

(For an excellent series of accounts on elevating wayward spirits, I suggest a book by Mary Summer Rain called Phantoms Afoot, an excellent series of adventures about a couple's attempts at "Helping the Spirits Among Us" to find their way home.)

St. Augustine guides claim that their spirits are of the type that choose to return and wander around.  The theory states that some spirits, after going to the next realm, may choose to return to the physical world as if they still have a body.  They are considered friendly in that they are not bent on causing problems.

People claim to see a young girl appearing at the old entry gates into town, at a certain time after midnight.  They all claim she is standing at the gates and waiving at the passing cars.  Legend has it that this girl was a daughter of a famous gatekeeper and wanted to grow up to be just like her daddy.  She died before she had that wish.  Now, she watches the gate in spirit form.  There is also a lawyer that used to walk the cemetary in his life.  Now, he continues to walk the area, enjoying the sites. 

Also, St. Augustine has a rich and sordid history, especially when it comes to slavery, war and disease.  These types of events often cause energetic moments that become imprinted into space.  People claim to see what looks like real people, dressed in old-fashioned costumes, reenacting events in history. 

For example, at the Castillo de San Marcos, there were 3 soldiers that died while firing a cannon.  Many see these three men, fully dressed in colonial militia garb, at the top of the garrison loading the cannon, as if there are actors reenacting some event. (Note: They won't talk about these soldiers on the Castillo tour.  You will have to take the walking Ghost Tour in order to hear this story.) 

When we were approaching the Castillo, I personally 'felt' some movement above and looked up, right at the cannon.  2 minutes later, our guide was telling us the story of the 3 militia men and pointed to the very same cannon that had caught my eye!  Unlike wayward spirits, the St. Augustine guides claim that these phenomenon are merely imprinted energy, so strong, that it can be seen by the naked eye, for an instant and only at certain times.

Whether or not you 'believe' in spirits is not important.  Everyone likes a ghost story... at night... right outside an old cemetery!