Cotton Tree on Grand Cayman is not only the newest property to open in the Cayman Islands but also among the smallest in terms of room count. However, the boutique resort on the northern tip of the West Bay community on Grand Cayman appears to cut no corners in terms of service and amenities.
A group of Spanish developers said they would build a $2.5 billion mixed-use resort on the Riviera Maya that will span 561 acres of beachside property. Grand Coral Riviera Maya will be built in phases during the next 10 years. Among the developers are two banks: Bancaja and Banco de Valencia.
Royal Hideaway Playacar, located in Mexico’s Riviera Maya region, is offering travel agents up to $100 for each new reservation. Agents can earn a $75 bonus for each new three-night reservation or a $100 bonus for each new reservation or four nights or more.
The 64-room Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada received the AAA Four Diamond Award recognition for the third consecutive year, which will appear in the AAA 2009 Caribbean Tour Book guide. Less than 3 percent of the more than 32,000 properties approved by AAA achieve this rating.
Best Western is offering amenities and specialized services for business travelers at more than 500 hotels in North America. Participating hotels are identified on BestWestern.com with a special icon.
Like many global tourist areas, the Riviera Maya has vast expansion plans under way among hotels and resorts. According to Javier Aranda, marketing director of the Riviera Maya Tourism Promotion Board, the accommodations split in 2007 was 10 percent luxury, 80 percent midrange and 10 percent boutique, representing 35,500 rooms.