The Caribbean hotel sector is, in a word, buzzing. New hotels seem to be popping up every week, and it’s not just the traditional hotel hubs. Sure, there are new Caribbean hotels on the way in places like the Dominican Republic and Cancun, but a wave of developers are betting big on destinations from Dominica to Antigua to St Martin, and just about everywhere in between.
Here are 15 hotels, all of which either just opened or are planning to open in the calendar year 2020, all of which we can’t wait to check in to this year.
Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gustaf, St Barth The most-anticipated luxury hotel opening of 2020 is the rebirth of an iconic St Barth hotel. Barriere’s brand-new Gustavia stunner will have 23 rooms (including a pair of junior suites and 13 cottages), with inspired designs by Gilles & Boissier. It’s a major addition to the heart of what is one of the coolest towns in all of the Caribbean. Barriere calls it an “ode to Caribbean five-star charm in St Barth.” We call it the hottest opening of 2020, set for the first quarter.
Eclipse at Half Moon, Jamaica Jamaica’s most anticipated new hotel opening in years will be the new centerpiece hotel of the Half Moon resort in Montego Bay, with 57 rooms in a spectacular setting on the coast. It’s a new take on one of the Caribbean’s most legendary places to stay. Its debut is pegged for March 1, 2020.
Hammock Cove, Antigua The hottest new all-inclusive on the Caribbean circuit is the recently-debuted Hammock Cove in Antigua, an intimate, boutique all-inclusive with spectacular rooms, all of which have their own private plunge pools. Elite Island Resorts just raised the bar for all-inclusive in the wider region.
Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica The region’s newest luxury hotel just opened its doors in the fourth quarter of 2019, the first-ever Kempinski-branded resort in the Caribbean is a considerable injection of new energy to what has long been one of the Caribbean’s most under-the-radar travel destinations. The 151-room hotel is adjacent to the historic Cabrits National Park and is the brainchild of the Caribbean’s hottest luxury hotel developer, Range Developments (which currently has a Six Senses in its Caribbean pipeline, too, on the way in Grenada).
Canopy by Hilton Cancun La Isla The Caribbean coast of Mexico continues to be a hub for hotel development, and fast-expanding Hilton is adding its hip Canopy brand to the area, with the Hilton Cancun La Isla to boast amenities like a rooftop pool, a co-working space and easy access to some of the best shopping and entertainment in Cancun.
Margaritaville Beach Resort, Nassau, The Bahamas It’s remarkable how much downtown Nassau has developed in recent years, turning into a walkable, fun quarter, from the Graycliff Heritage Village to always-terrific shopping. And now, the centerpiece of the highly-anticipated Pointe project will debut this year with a Margaritaville resort and residences perched on a large marina. It’s a huge new addition to what is rapidly becoming one of the Caribbean’s coolest urban destinations.
Secrets St Martin The first new resort to debut in Saint Martin in years is a AMResorts’ first-ever hotel in the French Caribbean, an all-inclusive, 258-room hotel set on the gorgeous Anse Marcel. It’s a much-needed opening for the French side and an important addition to the island’s tourism economy. It’s set for late first quarter 2020.
Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana Another launch for the briskly-expanding AMResorts, the newest Punta Cana resort will boast 500 suites, a delightful stretch of beach in the Macao area of greater Punta Cana and even a water park. Dreams has been one of AMResorts’ fastest-growing brands, with a family-friendly focus and the company’s signature all-inclusive offering.
Alaia Belize Belize has quietly become a hot hotel development destination, with big brands on the way from Four Seasons to Margaritaville. But the most exciting launch set for 2020 in Belize is Alaia, which is targeting a late 2020 debut in Ambergris Caye. Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, it will include a rooftop pool, a spa, a dive shop and even an art gallery.
The Morgan St Maarten St Maarten is in the middle of a full-scale tourism reawakening, and it will soon have a brand-new hotel, too. The Morgan will be a new luxury hotel with 124 rooms and suites, an infinity pool, a rooftop deck and a prime perch straddling Maho and Simpson Bay beaches. It will start taking reservations in February, according to the Morgan’s web site.
Paradisus Playa Mujeres Spanish hotel giant Melia is adding yet another new all-inclusive in the region, this time in buzzing Costa Mujeres. The new 498-room Paradisus Playa Mujeres will feature 10 dining concepts, a spa, a fitness center, and a crisp, sleek look for the brand. Planned opening? The summer of 2020.
Noni Beach, a St Thomas Resort Set to debut late 2020, the new Autograph Collection-branded Noni Beach is the most highly anticipated opening in St Thomas in decades. The brand new resort, set close to Marriott’s landmark Frenchman’s Reef (which will be making a comeback in 2020), Noni will be a fresh, modern addition to St Thomas, with a boutique feel and 94 rooms.
Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence Aruba Four years after the brand left Aruba (at what is now the Hilton Aruba), Radisson is making its return to the Dutch Caribbean island. The company is coming back to Aruba with a luxe Radisson Blu resort, with plans for a spring 2020 opening on popular Palm Beach, with 208 large suites, all ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet.
Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda Dominican Republic Club Med’s first-ever Exclusive Collection hotel in the Caribbean, this new resort in untouched Miches opened its doors last month, with 335 rooms across four different “villages,” including Club Med’s popular adults-only enclave called Zen Oasis.
Planet Hollywood Cancun The relatively new Planet Hollywood resort brand is coming to the Mexican Caribbean in the spring of 2020, with a massive, 648-room, movie-inspired resort and decor and a plum perch in Costa Mujeres, joining the brand’s first regional resort, which opened at the end of 2018 in Costa Rica.