Changing Locations

We're changing locations today and going south. Instead of driving all the way, which takes about 1-1/2 hours, our brilliant leader is providing transport most of the way via catamaran. So we'll cruise down the coast from Gros Islet to Soufriere past St. Lucia's famous Pitons. How cool is that? Then we'll drive the rest of the way. I am excited.

My Mum, Grandmother, and Grandfather lived in St. Lucia for many years. My two older sisters and brother were born here. I have many good memories of listening to those stories Mummy and Granny told about St. Lucia. I haven't been here in years, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to experience this beautiful island and share it with you.

St. Lucia Rendezvous - Tuesday, September 30, 2014

These trips are not all fun and games, as you might think. We still have to work. Sometimes our itineraries are so jam packed, we don't have time to even dip our feet in the beautiful ocean or jump in the pool. We packed a lot into my last trip, and I certainly did learn a lot. This one is a little more paced, and a few of our spent time yesterday in Calabash Cove's beautiful infinity pool, while waiting for lunch at the pool bar.

Today we take some time to experience one of the island's attractions - Aerial Tram Adventure. I'm excited. There is one more thing to check off my bucket list, plus I'll be able to tell you all about it when I return. Perhaps you'll check this adventure off your bucket list on your next trip to St. Lucia with Bridgetown Travel Agency.

So while I wait for this huge tub to fill beyond the jets to ease some of the achy bones from going up and down and around this beautiful resort yesterday (no getting old jokes, please), and before I order breakfast to my room, I'll do some work and send vouchers to my day pass clients and schedules of day pass arrivals to my hotel partners (www.CaribbeanDayPass.com). Work can't done, as Granny would say.

Mag

Insensitivity

I am dealing with a client who won't pay her final payment. She's got her roommate on hold. If she gets cancelled, the roommate will have to pay a higher rate for a single room. It's amazing that one person can be so insensitive and show no remorse at all. Not cool, not cool!

I Need Personal Blog

I really need a personal blog because I just have too much to say that I can't put on this travel blog. LOL.

Wait, I do have another blog that's just sitting there. Hhhmmm... I have to find a name for it.

Couples Barbados. It's a Done Deal!

Bridgetown Travel Agency congratulates Couples Resorts on the new Couples Barbados. Welcome to Barbados!


COUPLES RESORTS AND CASUARINA BEACH CLUB CONCLUDE NEGOTIATIONS FOR ALMOND CASUARINA BEACH RESORT, BARBADOS 


Montego Bay, January 14, 2013 - Glenn Lawrence, CEO Couples Resorts announced today that Couples Resorts and Casuarina Beach Club Limited have concluded negotiations for the lease of the 280 room Almond Casuarina Beach Resort, in Barbados, effective February 10, 2013.

Under Couples Resorts management, the resort will operate as Casuarina Beach Resort through May 31, 2013, offering the same facilities and amenities currently being provided. During the period of February 10 – May 31, Couples Resorts will embark on a US$ 3 million facilities and property upgrade program designed to bring the resort up to the Couples Resorts standards. 


The upgrades will include: 

• New décor and amenities in public areas and guest rooms, 
• New pool and Jacuzzi,
• New Spa and Salon, 
• New Gym with state-of-the-art equipment and designated Yoga gazebo, 
• New piano bar/lounge. 

Effective June 1, 2013 the resort will be rebranded as Couples Barbados® and will become the island’s first and only all-inclusive resort exclusively for adult couples.

“We are thrilled to launch our first-ever venture in Barbados and believe this property located on the vibrant South Coast to be the perfect addition to the Couples Resorts family of boutique-style hotels,” states Couples Resorts  CEO, Glenn Lawrence. “We look forward to introducing this resort to a new Couples audience and we are proud to provide our loyal Couples guests with another destination for them to call ‘home’”.

“Couples Barbados staff will surpass guest expectations for a Caribbean all-inclusive vacation by delivering the romance experience and quality inclusions synonymous with the Couples Resorts brand”, says Randy Russell, Couples’ Senior Vice President and Chief Romance Officer®. 

“Our Barbados guests will enjoy:

• Complimentary internet café and WIFI, 
• Unlimited premium brand drinks, 
• Gourmet dining options, 
• In-room dining, 
• 24 hour food service, 
• Personalized mini-bars, 
• Ipod/MP3 docking stations, 
• Piano/sports bar/lounge, 
• Tennis with instruction, 
• All taxes and gratuities 

All set in a stunning beachfront location with lush gardens certain to reignite the spark that first brought the couple together.” 

Couples Barbados will redefine the meaning of all-inclusive on the island by introducing an array of exclusive value-added inclusions, specifically: 

• Free Roundtrip transfers from Grantley Adams International Airport 
• Free weddings and renewal of vows 
• Free golf (transfers and greens fees) at The Barbados Golf Club 
• Free Glass Bottom Boat Ride, including swimming with Sea Turtles 
• Free Sunset Catamaran Cruise 
• Free Scuba Dive 
• Free Body Boarding, Wind Surfing, and Hobie Cat Sailing and Kayaking with instruction
• Free Shuttle to Oistin’s Fish Fry – a Barbados MUST-DO
• Guided Barbadian Green Monkey trail walk 

About Couples Resorts:

Couples Resorts, headquartered in Montego Bay, Jamaica, owns and operates four properties in Jamaica – Couples Tower Isle, Couples Sans Souci, Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril – and now one in Barbados – Couples Barbados  Pioneered by the legendary Abe Issa, “the father of Jamaican tourism,” each Couples Resort is an unsurpassed model of the all-inclusive resorts concept, boldly designed with local inspiration to create a harmonic sense of nature and authentic Caribbean spirit. For over 35 years, Couples has delighted guests and refined the Caribbean all-inclusive resort experience by providing unparalleled service, exceptional dining experiences and exclusive added value inclusions. For further information please visit Couples Barbados.

About Almond Casuarina Beach Resort:

The hotel known as Almond Casuarina Beach Resort, which was for several years managed by Almond Resorts Inc, is the property of Casuarina Beach Club Ltd which is owned by Goddard Enterprises Limited, The Barbados Shipping & Trading Co. Limited and Almond Resorts Inc. (“Owners”). This announcement follows on from the decision of the Owners to divest their investment in Casuarina Beach Club.

Source: Couples Resorts

Visit: http://www.BridgetownTravel.com/Couples-Resorts

Almond Casuarina to Become Couples Resorts' New Couples Barbados

News from Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation that Almond Casuarina Beach Resort, an Almond Resorts property, is now going to be owned by Couples Resorts out of Jamaica. Couples owns very upscale resorts in Jamaica, and having one in Barbados will be great for tourism.

Look out for a fabulous vacation from Bridgetown Travel to "Couples Barbados".

Thursday, 03 January 2013 18:56

The stage is being set for a Jamaican hotel operation to take over one of the Almond’s properties in Barbados.

---

Casuarina Beach Club Limited and the Jamaican based Couples Resorts are now locked in negotiations concerning the 280 room property in Barbados.

According to Chairman of the Casuarina Beach Club Limited Anthony King the negotiations are expected to conclude by January 31st.

In a press statement, it was pointed out that during the negotiations the operations of Almond Casuarina Beach Resort will continue normally.

All forward bookings under the Almond Casuarina Beach brand will be honoured up to May 31st 2013.

After that date the resort will be re-branded at which time it will be operated under the Couples Resorts brand.

Source: CBC

Good things do come in threes - at least today

As I was telling you, I'm working on a fitness vacation called Soca Fitness Vacations. This one I'm creating on my own from start to finish.

Ok, so there is this saying that good things happen in threes. Who believes that mess anyway. I never really did. But today, I had three awesomely good things happen. So maybe I'm starting to believe this stuff.

1. I hired a "Communications Manager" that writes the most awesome press releases. The woman is brilliant. She delivered a draft to me today that blew me away. I usually write these press releases myself (like I do with everything else), but I have been wanting to hire her for a very, very long time. I finally jumped the gun so that I can work on other things while the professional handled the job. Pleased is the word that comes to mine. I can't wait to get the word out and get this ball rolling.
2. I received a reservation for Soca Fitness Vacations from...drum roll...LONDON! What a wonder. After inviting a yoga instructor who teaches at one of the most exclusive hotels in the Caribbbean to my fitness event, he asked to teach at mine. What!? I really, really never expected that. It was quite an honour, I must say. Hopefully we can work somethng out to mesh London and Barbados instructors. But, next thing I know, I'm getting reservations from London. I'm still shaking my head!
3. Tonight I spoke to my marketing and PR person. Yes, I hired another professional to help me reach my goal of making Soca Fitness Vacations into something bigger than just another one-time trip. From the first few sentences, I knew my girl and I would work well together. I knew I hired the right person. She's smart, intelligent, and she knows marketing and PR. I expect good things from this one.

So those are my three great happenings for the day. Next time something good happens, I'm expecting two others to follow it. ;) Time will tell.

Mag

Vacation Savings: Bridgetown Travel

Sandals Acquires Yet Another Property in Turks & Caicos

This man certainly goes for what he wants. Sandals just this past month acquired LaSource in Grenada, and now an adjacent property to the existing Beaches Turks & Caicos in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. 

This new property will be called Key West Luxury Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos.

Key West Luxury Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos

BUTCH STEWART BUYS THE VERANDA RESORT IN TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

Butch Stewart

Sat, Dec 01, 2012

After almost two years of negotiations, Jamaican hotel magnate Gordon “Butch” Stewart has finally bought The Veranda Resort & Residences, a five-star fully-inclusive property located on Grace Bay beach. The multi-million dollar sale to Sandals Resorts International by Faez Limited will become official on December 17th, 2012, officials told The SUN.

Mark Durliat, Chief Executive Officer, Grace Bay Resorts, said: “While the sale of this magnificent property was not anticipated so early in its establishment, we feel proud to have been the operators who established it as among the top five-star fully-inclusives in the Caribbean.

Our team will work hand-in-hand with Sandals Resorts International to provide a wonderful experience for all during the transition, and we remain grateful and indebted to our staff, without whom the success of The Veranda and its rapid growth over the past three years would not have been possible.”

Grace Bay Resorts, the developer and owner of the world-renowned Grace Bay Club, has managed The Veranda for the past three years since its opening in 2010, and will cease direct management and supervision of all operations, effective with the close of the sale.

The Veranda will be transitioned to Sandals Resorts International as an expansion of the award-winning Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa and will honor all previous bookings. Officials said Grace Bay Resorts will work closely with the Sandals Resorts International staff at The Veranda over the next several weeks to ensure a seamless and successful transition during the holiday season.

Beaches Turks & Caicos

The Veranda, which is an $80million, five star fully-inclusive 123-room residence-style resort, is located right next to Beaches Resort and Spa, with only a beach access separating the two properties. Sitting on 11 acres and boasting 800 feet of beachfront, The Veranda is made up of one, two, three and four-bedroom cottages and 40 studios and has a total of 168 keys. It is built in the Key West/Caribbean style.

Earlier this year, The SUN broke the story that Stewart and Veranda owner Andre Serruys of Britain, held several meetings about the multi-million sale which would make Stewart the largest single owner of beachfront property in Providenciales and increase his majority percentage of hotel rooms in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Veranda is an $80 million investment, but it was reportedly sold for around $100million.

With the integration of The Veranda into Beaches Resort, the Butch Stewart resort will have a total of 875 keys and over 1,100 bedrooms, mainly suites, making it the largest hotel on the Turks & Caicos Islands. 

Beaches Turks & Caicos employs around 1, 400 people and with the acquisition of The Veranda, that figure would go up to about 1,800 employees. It has one of the best beaches in the Caribbean and the third-rated barrier reef for scuba diving in the world. The hotel also boasts the largest water park in the Caribbean and with 16 restaurants, it has more restaurants than any resort in the Caribbean.

When Stewart first established operations in the Turks & Caicos he took over a small hotel of just 150 rooms with limited facilities. At that time, American Airlines was offering one flight a day from Miami. In order to expand, Stewart chartered five airplanes from Continental Airlines to help create additional airlift. These aircraft serviced key sites namely Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Atlanta and had the effect of putting the Turks & Caicos on the map as a top Caribbean destination.

Earlier this month, Butch Stewart’s Sandals Resorts International bought a four-star hotel that recently closed in the eastern Caribbean nation of Grenada.

Stewart says he will invest $100 million to convert the former La Source property of 100 rooms into a 265-room complex. It will be renamed Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa and it is scheduled to open in early 2013 and become the 14th Sandals resort in the Caribbean.

The resort is located on Pink Gin Beach and is currently closed. It was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and didn't reopen until February 2008.

Source: The Sun

Japan Airlines to Serve KFC on Select Flights

Japanese love KFC! Who knew?

NEW YORK -- They're calling the flights "Air Kentucky Fried Chicken."

LaSource Resort in Grenada Acquired by Sandals Resorts

Sandals just acquired LaSource Resort in Grenada. This will be Sandals' 14th resort, and will be renamed Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa. Contact us for more information on this or any Sandals or Beaches resort.

Read the story here: Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa: A New Resort in a New Location.

And....in this Corner!

The fight for Almond Beach Village is on! And the winner is....

Will it be Barbados businessman, Bjorn Bjerkhamn of Jada Construction, Paul Doyle of The Crane hotel, or Butch Stewart of Sandals Resorts? We shall soon see.

According to local news, Bjorn Bjerkhamn of Jada Construction pulled out the "nationality card". Oh, no, he didn't! Oh, yes! He did. :) I think all Bajans would be proud if the hotel can be bought by a Barbadian. But, as someone said, we'd love them to do something really special with it, and not make it just another hotel.

THE FIGHT FOR OWNERSHIP of Almond Beach Village is heating up.

Yesterday, construction magnate Bjorn Bjerkhamn of Jada Construction Limited pulled out the nationality card as he openly declared his strong interest in taking over the St Peter hotel.

“We are Bajans; we are not Jamaicans nor are we Canadians,” Bjerkhamn told the MIDWEEK NATION yesterday, in an obvious reference to two of the main bidders – Jamaican hotelier Gordon “Butch” Stewart of the Sandals all-inclusive hotel group and Canadian-born Paul Doyle, owner of the Crane Resort.

“We have the experience, we have the expertise and we have the money,” he added.

Source: Nation News

Sandals Looking at Purchasing Almond Resorts Barbados

Almond Resorts has been in financial crisis for a long while. They sold off their St. Lucia properties, and last week there was talk of Almond Resorts employees taking pay cuts or purchasing more shares in the company.

However, Butch Stewart, of the famed Jamaica-based Sandals Resorts, has just announced an interested in purchasing Almond Beach Village, located in the northern parish of St. Peter, Barbados, 40 minutes from Grantley Adams International Airport. Sandals has been trying to get into Barbados for years, and actually bought the old Paradise property here some years ago. However, for whatever reason, and people go back and forth between a few different reasons, that deal fell through. Sandals did announce last year that they were looking into purchasing property here and in Grenada, as I posted earlier. 

It is reported that Sandals' engineers are to be on property today at Almond Beach Village to do an evaluation of the property, while Almond Resorts execs will also meet this morning to discuss the fate of all three properties (Almond Beach Village - in St. Peter on the Northwest Coast; Almond Casuarina Beach - in Christ Church on the South Coast; and Almond Beach Club - in St. James on the famed West Coast, also called the Platinum Coast).

I do like the tranquility of Almond Beach Village, and being there is really like being on a quiet vacation, with a lovely beach as the icing on the cake. But if the property is for sale, why not a thriving company like Sandals Resorts or Beaches Resorts? From what I know about Sandals, it would definitely be transformed into a top notch 4-1/2 - 5-star resort. And from what I know about Butch, the man has a keen sense of business acumen and has transformed his company into a thriving enterprise. Also, Almond Resorts is a Trinidadian-owned company, so it would still not be a locally owned property if Sandals were to make that purchase. I do wish that there were a group of Barbadian businessmen with the wherewithal (and I know there are a good few) could get together and keep these properties, that are already on Barbados soil, Barbadian-owned. That does not look like it will happen.

Let's wait and see how things evolve after today's meetings.

Pictures are copyrighted by Bridgetown Travel Agency, LLC. No unauthorized use without permission.

Sandals Resorts looking to expand

Sandals is once again looking at Barbados, but this time for a Beaches Resorts. They are also looking at Grenada for an intimate Sandals property. I was wondering where they'd put a Beaches in Barbados and figured it would have to be somewhere near the South or East Coast, the only areas where a property like a Beaches Resort would fit without knocking down a bunch of already existing buildings. One place I can think of is the Long Beach area near the airport. There was a hotel there that was for sale for quite some time, and is now demolished. I don't know what's become of it. I'll keep an ear out for further developments on Sandals and Beaches in Barbados and Grenada.

I Love the Caribbean!

I love the awesome Caribbean. I have been to South America and plan to get to Europe this year. But every time I decide to venture to other lands far away, I always end up back in the Caribbean. I love the color of the ocean, the color of the sky, the warmth of the sun, the sand in my toes, the accent of the people, and the taste of the delicious Caribbean food.

I'm from the Caribbean island of Barbados. So I guess that's where my love of the warm Caribbean comes from. Barbados is the eastern-most island in the chain of Caribbean islands. It sits off by itself, while the other islands are lined up in a "chain".

There is nothing better than seeing the island take shape as I fly over and get closer and closer, anticipating the hopefully smooth landing. Then walking outside across the tarmac and feeling the hot sun soak into my bones. Then I know I'm at home, or close to home if I've had the pleasure to land in a Caribbean island other than Barbados.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, all Caribbean islands are not the same. Some are huge, like Jamaica, some are small like Tobago. They all have different customs, variations in music, variations in food. One big difference is the difference in speech. Most people think all people from the Caribbean sound alike, or they cannot tell the difference. Trinidadians speak differently than Jamaicans, who speak differently than Barbadians, who speak differently than Grenadians. It's kind of like the difference between the North and the South (United States). However, we represent one West Indies, filling us with pride and love for our special Caribbean countries.

In 2012 I will venture off to another continent, but my first love will always be the Caribbean.

If it Kills Me!

It is a tough thing for an entrepreneur to know when to stop working. Travel agents are a rare breed of the classic workaholic entrepreneur.


There are tons of emails in my inbox. It's the life of a travel agent. Emails from suppliers, magazines, travel email marketing companies, hotels, cruise lines, travel sales reps, and the list goes on. It's how travel agents get our information. Sometimes it's necessary and requested, other times it's not needed at all and unsolicited. 


There are Web sites that need to be maintained with updates and fresh content to be added. Clients that need to be looked after, handheld at times, and those looking for a travel agent's expertise. 


As travel agents, we tend to sometimes work from dust till dawn. It is a never-ending cycle. When most people are off for the day or the evening, a travel agent has just one more thing to do. We relish in our work. We'd be crazy not to love it. Hard work won't kill us (I think), but my goal is to slow down, take it easy, enjoy life, and have a blast while still getting the job done.

What a problem to have!

Ok, so a travel agent has to keep learning in order to keep on top of all things travel. Well, at least a good travel agent does. Well, I've got problems. October and the fall are usually busy, busy times for seminars and agent learning trips. There is so much going on right now that I'm struggling to find the time to do one or the other or all. I can't do just one, because all are important. What's a girl to do? I know, I know...you're probably saying, "I wish I had that problem."

It ain't exactly a walk in the park. When we travel to seminars, learning conferences, or these educations trips, our day usually begins at 7:00 a.m. and goes through anywhere from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., depending on the schedule for that day. So it's a long day visiting hotels in the hot sun, walking until our feet hurt, dropping in the evening from sheer exhaustion, and getting up the next morning and doing it all over again.

These learning trips are necessary, but to choose which is most important when they're all important and happening all around the same time.... What's a girl to do? 

Happy Kadooment Day!

It's Grand Kadooment Day in Barbados. Kadooment Day is the grand finale to Crop Over Festival, our carnival. Crop Over Festival, started in the 1780's and revived in the 1940's, signifies the end of the sugar cane harvest, or the end of the crop season (crop is over). A kadooment is a big "to do", the last day of Crop Over Festival.

Crop Over Festival is normally five (that's f.i.v.e.!) weeks long from the first Monday in July to the first Monday in August. These days the festivities start in May! That, my friends, is about 14 (fourteen) weeks! That's a long festival season. But we like it. :) During Crop Over we have fairs, calypso/soca competitions, a kiddie costume parade, arts & crafts festivals, heritage festivals, outdoor markets, all kinds of shows, dances, and music everywhere.

Now for the big parade, in the rain (as usual, it seems). Today (Kadooment Day) you'll see lots of band members (paraders) in elaborate costumes jumping (parading) in big bands playing the latest music. It is a sight to see. You'll see people of every nationality, colour (I had to spell that the Bajan way), creed, belief, age, and even visitors from different countries jumping in a band.

I'll be there! Will you? You got your costume? Which band are you jumping in? :) Well, I'm not jumping this year. I did once and it was a great experience. No, I will not show you my picture in costume. Well, if you're not here this year, make sure you contact us at Bridgetown Travel for Crop Over Festival 2011. Plans are already underway, so call us so you don't let next year miss you! Wait...don't call today, though. ;)

Pictures later.

Goodbye 2009!

I was a little dissatisfied with 2009. A lot of things happened: some were in my control, and some were out of my control. I'm usually such a go-getter, but I finished December off in a funk (mood) for a lot of reasons, from which I'm slowly emerging, I'm happy to say. I'm looking forward to a better, well-structured 2010.

Writing

I always find that I write what can be considered a novel when I'm replying to emails, but I can never seem to keep up with my blog.  Hhmmm...  A lot of what I reply to friends can really fit with my blog, actually. Maybe I ought to transfer some of that here. No personal stuff, of course. We'll see.