Above: the Marriott Port-au-Prince in Haiti
Last year was full of great new hotel openings in the Caribbean, and 2015 should be more of the same. There are new hotels slated to open across the region, some large, some small, along with some cool properties that just opened at the tail end of 2015. Here are favourites, from those that just debuted to those whose doors will open at some point in 2015.
Marriott Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Set for a soft opening next month, the Marriott project is as much about boosting the local community in Haiti as it is about hospitality. In what could be a new kind of urban hotel model, Marriott’s Port-au-Prince hotel will be focused on the local and the sustainable, from sourcing Haitian coffee to Haitian-inspired cuisine to weekly local art markets.
Condado Vanderbilt, Puerto Rico
This regal property in San Juan’s Condado neighbourhood just opened at the end of December. It’s a venerable, historic that could become another magnet for the Caribbean’s reigning urban destination.
Sandals Barbados
Last year’s new Sandals Grenada was a game-changer for the brand and the wider all-inclusive industry; we’re excited to check out the company’s first Barbados hotel when it opens at the end of January.
Baha Mar, Bahamas
The Caribbean’s largest resort project is a collection of major-branded hotels, with three set to debut in late March in Nassau: the Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, Rosewood at Baha Mar and SLS Lux at Baha Mar. This is one of the most anticipated hotel openings in the Caribbean in years.
Belle Mont Farm, St Kitts
Kittitian Hill is a kind of luxury eco-boutique, although it seems to have created its own new category. It’s set on the untouched northern portion of the island. While it’s a wider development, the property’s Belle Mont Farm debuted at the end of December with a collection of high-end guesthouses.
Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, Jamaica
Hyatt’s officially in the all-inclusive game, and its newest property (which opened at the end of 2014) is rather exciting. The Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall is located at the beautiful former site of the Ritz-Carlton in Montego Bay, adjacent to an equally-all-inclusive family resort called Ziva. We’re excited about the all-inclusive sector’s major new player.
Gansevoort Dominican Republic, Playa Imbert
Gansevoort’s second hotel in the region (along with its Providenciales outpost) is a collection of 48 large suites. The contemporary, design-focused property, which is now open, is a welcome addition to the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
Moon Palace Jamaica Grande
Set for completion in February, Palace Resorts’ latest Caribbean hotel is a transformation of the former Sunset Jamaica Grande. The property will include more than 700 guest rooms and suites on the longest stretch of private beach in Ocho Rios.
Sheraton Ocean Towers, Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena has grown to become one of the hottest hotel investment markets in the region, and Sheraton is planning to debut its new property in a pair of towers in the Bocagrande beachfront area of the city later this year.
Sonesta Ocean Point, St Maarten
This new high-end, adults-only all-inclusive resort in St Maarten is a sleek, luxurious addition to the island’s hotel stock. It’s a group of 129 suites, along with three bars and a Mediterranean restaurant called Azul. Its soft opening was at the end of last month.