The Caribbean to Get More Guestrooms, New Properties

A slew of new properties will greet visitors to the Caribbean this winter, a testament to investors' renewed interest and confidence in the region.

Coming up in December is the Shore Club, a $100-million beachfront resort on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.

The luxury resort will feature 106 oceanview suites, from one to three bedrooms, and six villas. All units front 820 feet of white sand on Long Bay Beach, about a mile east of Grace Bay Beach, where many resorts and condominiums are located.

The Shore Club is the first development on Long Bay.

Features include a fire pit in the center of the colonnade pool (one of three pools on site), poolside cabanas, a yoga pavilion, a 12,000-square-foot spa and four dining venues, including a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant.

Rates start at $700 per room, per night, double, and include breakfast and butler service.

The 80-suite Reef by CuisinArt will debut in November on Merrywing Bay in Anguilla.

The contemporary beachfront property is in the same development as the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa but is located on the other side of the 18-hole golf course. Transportation will be provided between the two properties, and guests at the Reef will have full access and signing privileges at all restaurants and amenities at CuisinArt, which opened in 1998.

The Reef has property-wide WiFi, tennis courts and accommodations in the main building and in four beachfront buildings. The main building also includes the lobby entry and bar, a fitness center, library, boutique and the Yacht Club restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner overlooking the pool.

Breezes is the beachside restaurant and bar.

All restaurants at both resorts are overseen by Jasper Schneider, executive chef, who incorporates ingredients from the on-site, hydroponic farm.

Both the Reef and CuisinArt welcome families, and the Reef plans a major watersports program for guests.

Jamaica's newest boutique resort, Mangos Jamaica, is the adults-only, all-inclusive refurbishment and relaunch of the former Pebbles Beach Hotel on White Sands Bay in the village of Coopers Pen near Falmouth.

The 96 rooms are arranged in several low-rise, wooden buildings and each has a balcony.

The resort offers a pool and swim-up bar, a waterslide, cabanas, four restaurants and bars, wedding venues and WiFi throughout.

Rates start at $295 per room per night, double; free airport transfers are offered this month and next.

Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts has debuted the adults-only, all-inclusive Excellence El Carmen in the Uvero Alto area of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the hotel company's second resort in the area.

The 492-suite property features 12 restaurants, 16 bars, 23 pools and 19 room categories, ranging from junior suites to rooftop units with private plunge pools.

The resort is offering a 25% discount for travel from Dec. 24 through Aug. 19. High season rates in March start at $564 per room, per night, double.

Source: Travel Weekly