One thing that didn’t stop for very long during the pandemic was hotel construction, particularly in the Caribbean. The region’s hotel pipeline continues to grow, with both large resorts, all-inclusives and boutique hotels of every shape and size continuing to pop up across the islands of the Caribbean.
That will continue in 2023, with a wave of new hotels opening their doors from development powerhouses like the Mexican Caribbean (where new hotels seem to pop up just about every week) to classic beach destinations like Cable Beach and Punta Cana.
We’ve gathered a list of the new Caribbean hotels we’re most excited about in 2023, with some that just opened their doors in the last quarter and a number that will be opening up for the first time this year.
Westin Beach Resort St Thomas, US Virgin Islands There is no more significant hotel opening in 2023 than this: the new Westin St Thomas, a dramatic transformation of the former Marriott Frenchman’s Reef in St Thomas. Set on the signature hotel site in St Thomas, the new Westin Beach Resort and Spa will have 392 rooms (28 suites), broad meeting space and a dazzling pool deck. So much has changed since the original property shuttered after Hurricane Irma in 2017 — and the property now finds itself in one of the booming tourism destinations in the whole Caribbean. It’s now accepting reservations for stays beginning May 15, 2023.
Goldwynn Resort Nassau, The Bahamas This sleek new resort is a stunning addition to New Providence’s famous Cable Beach, with a luxe, residential layout that’s a new kind of property for the north coast of the island. The highly-anticipated project by The Wynn Family is billing itself as a new destination: the “Riviera Bahama,” and looks to be sufficiently chic to justify it. It’s targeting an opening date of early February.
Secrets Impression Isla Mujeres This is part of the AMR Collection’s new “Impression” sub-brand, one that offers a more luxurious, elevated experience than the traditional Secrets; and it’s opening its doors in a boutique-style, adults-only, all-suite resort on tiny, fabulous Isla Mujeres off the coast of Cancun. It’s opening March 15.
Sandals Dunn’s River, Jamaica This is probably the most anticipated all-inclusive debut of 2023: the return of Sandals to Dunn’s River. The new property, a transformation of the former Jewel Dunn’s River resort, will have 250 rooms and suites, five pools, two river pools, nine bars, 12 restaurants and even complimentary greens fees at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in Ocho Rios. It is opening May 24 and already taking reservations.
Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya The third product of the alliance between Margaritavile and Karisma Hotels and Resorts (the other two are in Cap Cana and the Riviera Cancun), this is the first Margaritaville Island Reserve all-inclusive resort that will be strictly adults only. Set to open April 1, it will feature Margaritaville signatures like JWB Steakhouse and the pizzeria called Frank & Lola’s, along with new room categories and what the company bills as the first-ever beachfront Landshark Brewery, a concept that made its debut at the Cap Cana resort.
Sunset Reef, St Kitts St Kitts’ newest boutique hotel, which is already open, is a spectacular cliffside retreat with just seven rooms in a vibrant, boutique gem of a property. All of the seven rooms are unique, with large, residential-style concepts and terrific views. Notably, the hotel also offers full buyouts.
Belnem House, Bonaire In April, Bonaire will open its a new boutique hotel in the heart of Kralendijk, with a lush, tropical design, a partnership with top local operator Wannadive and, interestingly, pool apartments that are effectively the first swim-up rooms in Bonaire.
Aire de O:live, Puerto Rico The sexiest new hotel in the Caribbean, the Aire de O:live in Isla Verde is the third property in Puerto Rico from O:live founders Loisse Herger and Fernando Davila, who are transforming the San Juan Water and Beach Club into a sleek, innovative beach hotel with marvelous rooms and a sizzling rooftop restaurant and lounge. The hotel already opened its first rooms last year, and is still transforming more floors of the property into “Aire” rooms.
Waldorf Astoria Cancun The only current Waldorf-Astoria in the Caribbean (the former Puerto Rico Waldrof shuttered years ago), this new addition has 173 rooms and suites, all of which have individual balcony-front soaking tubs and ocean views. It’s also home to a massive spa with 21 treatment rooms and a broad, beautiful, 100-acre oceanfront property.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Hilton’s second hotel in Aruba (the brand also has the signature Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort on Palm Beach) is set near spectacular Eagle Beach, with several pools (including one for kids and one that is adults-only) and, most importantly, the brand’s signature: large, eminently comfortable suites. The resort is opening on Feb. 16.
The Seaborn at Frenchman’s Reef, Autograph Collection The Westin isn’t alone. The new-look Frenchman’s Reef will actually have two hotels, including this beachfront member of the Autograph Collection. The Seaborn will have 94 rooms, nearly 20,000 square feet of meeting space and three dining concepts, including a beach bar called The Salt Shack. Like the Westin, it has pegged an April launch.
Dreams Flora Punta Cana Apple Leisure Group’s AMR Collection, which is now part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection, is the fastest-growing portfolio of all-inclusive resorts in the region, and that include another soon-to-debut property in Punta Cana: the Dreams Flora Resort and Spa, debuting in February in a lush setting on Punta Cana’s Cabeza de Toro beach.
Margaritaville Beach Resort Ambergris Caye Belize The first boutique Margaritavile resort in the Caribbean, this Ambergris Caye-area resort will also be a residential resort that guests will access only by boat. Amenities will include two pools, a bocce court, pickle ball, a spa restaurant and two bars.
Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Set at the crossroads of the Caribbean in Panama, the second Sofitel Legend in the Caribbean Basin (joining its magnificent hotel in Cartagena) is a breathtaking, historic 159-room luxury resort in the heart of the intoxicating, charming Casco Viejo, Panama City’s buzzing old city.
Jewel Palm Beach Punta Cana Playa has quietly transformed two former Dreams resorts in the Dominican Republic into the Jewel brand: fiirst with the recent debut of the Jewel Punta Cana, and now with this month’s launch of the Jewel Palm Beach Punta Cana, with 500 rooms. Both are the first Jewel resorts outside of Jamaica.