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Visit the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean
by Lorraine Weston
Most of us are not fortunate enough to live on an island. So, when thinking about where to take a vacation, an island location is a great choice. The Caribbean Ocean is dotted with many beautiful islands for vacationers. Three of these - St. John, St. Croix, and St. Thomas - are known as the US Virgin Islands.
The Virgin Islands are extremely popular, and yet still have beautiful nature preserves and beaches for people looking for a relaxing vacation. Each island, although similar, offers something different, and every vacationer will be able to find just the right activity or location that they want.
The island of St. John, the smallest of the three, is ideal for tourists who want to experience the unspoiled beauty of nature and the local wildlife. There are habitats to explore and wonderful underwater creatures to be found in the tropical waters off the white sand beaches. Even those who have never snorkeled before will be lured into the activity once they see the brightly colored fish and other marine life such as urchins and starfish.
If you want to be outside on your vacation, but you like a little more activity than looking at wildlife, then St. Croix is the island for you. This island caters to those who enjoy sports and being out on the water. You can fish, scuba dive, sail, hike, or jump aboard a boat for a tour of the area. This island also has great places you can visit to eat and shop, and the prices are great, too!
If the resort life is for you, try staying on the island of St. Thomas. You won’t be disappointed with this location: it offers beautiful sand and surf, delicious cuisine, and excellent entertainment. You can enjoy your vacation at a fast or slow pace, and sleep in until lunchtime if you want!
If you find it hard to choose which island to visit, take a bit of extra time and visit all three Virgin Islands! You’ll enjoy every minute and when it’s time to leave, you’ll already be planning when you can come back.
Discover Virgin Island Vacations and Traveling in the Caribbean at www.travellingportal.com/virginisland/
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
Visit the Caribbean Island of Curacao
by Lorraine Weston
If you’ve ever traveled in the Caribbean, you will have heard a variety of languages spoken, depending on what islands you visited. If you take a trip to Curacao, you’ll hear English and Spanish – but its primary languages are Dutch and Papiamento. This colorful mix of languages describes Curacao well: exciting, vibrant, and a wonderful place to visit.
If you wonder why Dutch is spoken on this island in the Caribbean, you need to know that Curacao is the largest of five islands in a group known as the Netherlands Antilles. Dutch settlers made this island their home, and their culture and traditions integrated with those of the local people. The official language, Papiamento, shows this integration: it is a mix of Dutch, African, Spanish, and Portuguese languages! The atmosphere and culture of this island are something no tourist should miss.
If you like a party, you’ll want to visit Curacao at carnival time! The festivities, which take place before Lent, are well-known and are a great place to hear excellent music. If you want a quieter vacation, look to the pristine scenery and beaches for beauty, peace and quiet.
Make sure you save room in your travel bags for souvenirs – Curacao is famous for its huge selection of duty-free products. Shopping here is a pleasant experience, as you can see the sights of each city and town as you wander from shop to shop. Watch for the island’s historic buildings when you are in the main cities.
The tropical climate is most enjoyable, especially if you like to be outside on the beach or taking part in sports or other leisure activities. Illnesses and disease that are found in other tropical locations are very scarce here, so you can enjoy your vacation without worry. Do make sure to use sunscreen and insect-repellant if you are going to be out of doors for more than a few minutes; these are good precautions that will help you to have a wonderful stay without worrying about bug bites or sunburn!
Discover reliable Curacao Vacation information at www.travellingportal.com/curacao/
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
The Caribbean’s Best Boutique Hotel – Villa Nova on Barbados
by Kriss Hammond
The Caribbean’s Best Boutique Hotel – Villa Nova on Barbados
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
It’s a noisy and distressful world, pressing on the senses in all directions. You travel for a changeable environment — peace, relaxation, calm — and the avoidance of annoyance. I think that is the proper description of luxury stated by Wilde.
Villa Nova is a classic hotel outpost of considerable desideratum that is ensconced in the sugar hills of Barbados, recently capturing these awards: ‘Hottest Hotel in the World’, from Conde Nast Traveler Magazine; Tattlers’ ‘Prestige Hotel of the Year’; and in 2003, ‘Boutique Hotel of the Year’ from the World Travel Awards.
But the award I would give Villa Nova is ‘Best Hotel For Solitude’. After spending four days in the retreat, I never heard one airplane overhead or a single motorcycle backfire; no cars rushing by, or senseless boom boxes or any other annoyance. The only fidelity was the JVC CD-player in my room, stocked with classic standards. What I did listen to was the softness of the morning rain on the bocage of palms — Fishtail Palms, Lady Palms, MacArthur Palms, Chinese Fan Palms, and Prickle Palms. While peering out the Caribbean-style shuttered windows I heard a hummingbird’s wings buzzing a flower. My biggest offense was leaving the property at all. The counterpoise to all this silence is peaceful sleeping. With the ozonated negative ion air and the comfy plushy pillowy mattresses, I never slept better anywhere I have ever traveled. If you have any type of sleep disorder the Villa Nova will put your nocturnal abberations back into proper sync with the absence of any mental power of your own.
The entrance to Villa Nova is a drive bordered with cascading ferns and thickly shaded by mature mahogany trees. Near the entrance to the house (it is billed as a Hill Country Manor) are three cabbage palms towering over the premises. Just arriving is a prerequisite to halcyon.
Shrubs and flowering trees of the greatest variety and fragrance give beauty to Villa Nova the year around. The resort boasts Barbados’ largest Queen of Flower Tree (Lagerstroemia Speciosa); the flamboyant or flame trees (Delonix Regia) and the yellow pouri (Tabebuia Serratifolia) and the frangipani (plumeria) add a coat of many colors. African tulip trees (Spathodea Campanulata) and ylang-ylang trees (canaga odorata), whose blossoms are used as a base to many perfumes, add the aromatics. The enormous bearded fig tree (Picus Citrifolia) by the swimming pool terrace is the national tree of Barbados and it has pride-of-place on the nation’s Coat of Arms, as well as on the Royal Standard of Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados.
The fig and tall stately mahoganies and Spanish Ash (Lonchocarpus Benthanriamus)
Just below the al fresco dining terrace rests the beautiful blue tiled pool that is paved all around with a cool-to-the-foot coral stone courtyard. I was in the middle of the pool that is as dark (at certain angles) as any hidden local shady swimming hole, gazing at the foliage splendor, when The Birdman seemed to appear right out of the bush. The Birdman is Villa Nova’s resident gardener, but he should have his own CD pressed for the bird whistles and trills he mockingbird mimics. ‘All the birds know me; they build nests in the gazebo where I go.’ He kept me entertained with the bird calls of the Pee Witter, Cane Sparrow, Yellow Bust, Morning Doves, and Wild Pigeons, and I bet he could imitate the buzz of a hummingbird!
‘I am determined to travel through life first class.’
— Sir Noel Coward
The international jet set has discovered Villa Nova. Mick Jagger once flew over from his private home on Mustique. Liv Ulman graced the terrace with her grace. Boyance has made a dramatic and flamboyant entrance. Even Tony Blair, Prime Minister of England, stayed here. In fact Villa Nova once was owned by Sir Anthony Eden, former Prime Minister of England. He retired here, but Winston Churchill sought him out and even the Queen of England slept here, staying no doubt for the solitude. Noel Coward must have penned his motto while poolside.
The true luxuries of Villa Nova are the gardens wrapped around the coral stone cliff rural landscape. Eden found his ‘Eden’ while gardening and raising mango and papaya trees and vegetables and herbs. Villa Nova is an oasis set on a hillside that provides for complete privacy 900 feet above sea level, with temperatures five degrees lower than on the Platinum Coast to the west. Trade winds blow thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean and up over the uplands keeping the nights even cooler. Warm duvets on the bed keep you warm throughout the night.
An open verandah runs around three sides of the main reception rooms to the north, east, and south of Villa Nova, keeping these rooms delightfully cool and shaded. The east and south verandahs look out onto lush lawns with flowerbeds, the fine old mahogany trees, and some of the tallest cabbage palms (roystonea oleracea) on the island. To the southeast from the gazebo distance sugarcane fields testify to the area’s continuing agricultural wealth, a panoramic view across seven miles of rolling green Uplands country to the Atlantic. In the foreground is the pool copse and beyond is Moncrieffe Plantation.
Villa Nova presents a very interesting southern façade broken by a curved wall (apse) with a portico supported by fluted columns, projecting beyond the verandah, and a wing to the west. The ceiling of the portico and verandah is vaulted; a door with a pleasing fanlight leads to the dining room.
The music room is a long room of 31 feet with the apse bearing to the south. The piano was once owned by Rupert Murdoch of worldwide media fame. In the Private Dining Room the 1890 mahogany dining table is from the Queen’s Park House, headquarters of the British Regiment that was once stationed in Barbados. This table bears the ’scars’ of the officers’ spurs as they literally put their feet up on the table to relax with their glass of port. The table is of local mahogany and creates a fine balance to the room.
Doors are a feature of the reception rooms at Villa Nova. In the tropics you want plenty of doors to welcome the breezes. The drawing room has ten doorways; three to the north, two to the east, three to the south, and two to the west. The doorways of the reception room are fitted with inner doors of fine lattice work, and they can be closed on gusty days to exclude the wind. This interesting type of inner door is not frequently seen on the island. Although this makes for a very airy and cool room, it presents a difficulty in the furnishings of such a room, but British innkeeper Lynn Pemberton has a touch and flash of interior design that she must have ripped from the pages of the London Sunday Times lifestyle section. Throughout the cozy sitting areas in the Drawing Room there are several interesting pieces of furniture, including Chinese Chippendale chairs — copies that were made locally on the island by Fitz Walcott. For evening entertainment backgammon and chess boards are found about the room.
Butler trays once belonging to Sir Anthony Eden are still used in the bar that once was the ‘Morning Room’ or breakfast room because it faces the eastern sun; the old wine cooler is in the Nova Room. Terry O’Neill black-and-white portraits of Dean Martin, John Lennon, Marlene Deitrich, and Liz Taylor cozying up with David Bowie grace the bar walls, the center stone for nighttime aperitifs. My favorite photo is a shot of Lee Marvin wearing an Indiana Jones fedora (with a shot glass and whiskey bottle placed strategically in front of him) sitting at some bar somewhere, not unlike this one — you could tell Lee was out on a hell-raising night.
The Berbice or planters’ chairs have been in the house for many years and they offer great relaxation just off the reception area, with wings on the armrests that fold out — you can place your feet up just like the Royal Regimental officers!.
To the west of the drawing room there is a mahogany staircase leading to the original bedrooms on the second floor. A few bedrooms are still rented out in the original part of the home; Eden’s bedroom has been converted to a library and guest computer room. The hotel’s entrance hall is paved with blue and white marble tiles, a traditional soothing welcome to visitors in the tropics.
The historic Villa Nova has 15 acres of walled tropical gardens for total resort privacy, but it is also an ideal venue for business retreats, conferences, receptions, and private dinner parties. For meetings the Villa Nova offers private dining or the use of the music room or the exclusive Salon Privé or Nova Room for smaller groups. For all-day conferences audio/video equipment is on hand as well as computers and secretarial services. The al fresco Gazebo overlooking the cane plantations seats up to 50 for a buffet lunch or dinner or hosts 75 for cocktails and canapés.
One night the only Bajan bird warbling was the delightful tunes by local singing sensation Rose Mary Phillips, adding her clear vocal jazz impressions to an island tourism networking dinner party.
‘Give us the luxuries of life and we will disperse
with its necessities.’ — J.L. Motley
You arrived for privacy and peace and calm and luxuries and Villa Nova delivers . . . with a personalized greeting card in your room.
There are only 28 Nina Campbell designed suites throughout the property, mostly in the newer addition grafted north of the hotel’s apse. Each suite has a garden terrace, en suite shower, and separate claw-foot tub that you don’t see too often, with the hottest water imaginable. Barbados is renowned for its clean water and air. A bidet is an added touch of luxury. The air-conditioned rooms were a little too cool for me and with a little adjustment the natural atmosphere was imbued.
The suites have built-in voltage adapters for all your electronic necessities. I found the VN slippers each morning on exiting the bed. The thickest towels in the world are here. There is a bumpershoot in the huge hall closet and at the hotel exit. A NewspapersDirect daily print-out of the London Times is in the Drawing Room, which I snuck to the pool each afternoon.
Patterned gray dyed sisal rugs cover the Guyana hardwood floors, giving my suite a tropical feel; spider monkeys are brocaded on the day settee in front of the Sony Trinitron TV. For an on-demand sampling of DVDs, just call the front desk and they hook up the movie. A turndown service magically appears in the evening — they know when you are not in the room — they don’t want to annoy you.
The VN’s Zen-like staff arranges golf outings on championship courses, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, horseback riding, sailing or other water sports, or even horseracing, polo, or cricket matches; for in-house sports play tennis on the resort’s two floodlit courts or workout in the air-conditioned fitness room. I preferred the 23×8 meter freshwater swimming pool and the trills of the Birdman’s birds.
In 1831, Barbados experienced one of the worst hurricanes in its history, which destroyed many buildings and totally ruined the island’s sugar crops. By all historical accounts, this hurricane also destroyed the Great House where Edmund Haynes lived and from where he managed his three sugar estates: Haynesfield (Wakefield), Belle Mount (Belmont), and Claybury, totaling over one thousand acres.
On July 10, 1834, the new house, or Villa Nova, was blessed by John Gottlich Zippel, Minister of Mount Tabor Moravian Church, and this event is recorded in the church journals now in the Government Archives; Mount Tabor Church is situated half a mile east of Villa Nova, built circa 1825 on land given to the Moravian Mission by Edmund Haynes.
Villa Nova was separated from these sugar lands in 1907 and sold to the Barbados Government. For the house and six and one-half acres of wooded gardens, the government paid 800 pounds or US$1,900.
You can live at Villa Nova year around in
Kriss Hammond , Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave Your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
Searching for St. Lucia Resorts? No Shortage Of Accommodations On This Island
by William Lezubski
While searching for St. Lucia Resorts, you will find there is no shortage of accommodations for travelers looking for traditional Caribbean living! The growth of all inclusive hotels and resorts on the island’s north coast rivals most other Caribbean destinations, where you will find most of the sand beaches, alluring sunsets, sports action, nightlife, and entertainment.
A St. Lucia Resort experience would not be the same without a variety of accommodations, and the extensive selection of choices range from conventional caribbean hotels to beachfront luxurious all inclusive resorts, such as the Sandals hotels. One admired property is the Club St. Lucia by Splash, which is nestled among 65 lush tropical landscaped acres, divided into five themed villages, and is centered around a Seaside Cove filled with fun-filled activities, and vibrant nightly entertainment.
Another favorite is the Coconut Bay Resort & Spa, which is located on the islands southern shore. It’s only 10 minutes from St. Lucia’s Hewanorra airport, and guests can start enjoying their vacation within minutes of their arrival. This resort is situated on 85 acres bordered by a honey colored beach, and offers a wide range of amenities with outstanding value for couples, and families.
If bringing together paradise and the best inclusive resort experience is what you’re looking for in a holiday, honeymoon, or wedding, then look no further! The most outstanding ultra all-inclusive caribbean accommodations by Sandals in St. Lucia offer a choice of three luxury vacation hotels.
Sandals Grande St. Lucian Resort is built in a traditional British Colonial style, set on an isthmus with the Caribbean Sea located to the north, and the peaceful Rodney Bay on the south. Every guest room and suites feature a private balcony or patio and all the services imaginable. The Sandals Halcyon Beach St. Lucia is a laid-back retreat, and seems to be a favorite for Europeans searching for a relaxing get-away.
Sandals Halcyon Beach St. Lucia is known to be a relaxed haven for guests looking for a carefree escape! It boasts three gourmet dining choices including the stimulating Pier Restaurant. This property has 170 air-conditioned rooms and suites, with every amenity you can dream of, pampering your every need.
A part of the Signature Spa Collection is the spectacular Sandals Regency St. Lucia Golf Resort! This impressive couples-only retreat is situated on 155 acres with a dramatic half-mile crescent-shaped beach, and includes a large pool with a swim-up bar, impressive waterfall, and romantic bridges to take a stroll on under the midnight stars. This resort features the new villas on Sunset Bluff a luxurious enclave perched atop a coral bluff overlooking the Caribbean.
About the author: William Lezubski (Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC), and Certified Travel Counsellor(CTC) -
William is a professional in the Travel Industry and is the owner and author of “Discount Caribbean Vacations Web Site” available at www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
Volcano Walking in St. Kitts A Tropical Wonder
by Kriss Hammond
Volcano Hiking in St. Kitts – Tropical Wonders!
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
Getting to the island of St. Kitts late at night is something out of a 1940s film noir.
Connecting to the last flight to the island from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a puzzle. When you get to the San Juan airport, no one is around, no gate agents or even the lonely janitor swabbing the floor. The flight coupon for St. Kitts said Gate A1, but the first gate is B2. There seems to be no A1. I walk the length of the concourse. I finally find a flight attendant that informs me that Gate A1 is downstairs. You can’t see it from Gate 2.
Escalatoring down to a sea of people, the A gates are crowded with late night fliers, all flapping off to different Caribbean points. A short shuttle takes me to the plane. Rain is splashing everywhere; quickly loaded, the American Eagle Bombardier bounces down the runway and into the night, the props grinding in the wind.
The flight to St. Kitts’ Golden Rock Airport is about an hour. Landing on the jumbo jet approved runway seemed longer. There is no jet port; the wind seems to whip the carry-on out of my hand. Hang on to your hat. A short custom interlude and it is off to the Jack Tar Resort. Everything around Basseterre, the capital, is close at hand.
Get Your Dive Gear Here OnlineCaledonia charters from Great Britain and Signature Tour charters loaded with Canadians are the primary budget flights to the island, subsequently the English language gets a brisk workout of crisp British and drawling Canadian accents, most notable after a few rounds at the hotel bar. Signature Tours has an agent desk at many of the local hotels. There are no direct flights to or from St. Kitts from the United States, only through San Juan, where you go through U.S. customs on the return.
The Frigate Bay area is one of the most developed areas on St. Kitts, with an additional casino coming soon. Jack Tar Village, also known as the Royal St. Kitts Casino, also known as Allegro Resort, sleeps astride salt ponds, away from the beach — the oldest resort on the island. I had gambled at Jack Tar 12 years prior, arriving by Windjammer at Banana Bay on the southern peninsula — again late at night.
There are only 3,000 rooms on St. Kitts, more are planned under a controlled growth plan by the progressive government (as of 2005, about 5,000 rooms). White Hall, on the north shore (Atlantic side), will eventually have hotels, housing, resorts, and convention services. Jack Tar is on the more benign drier side of the island. Walking through the bush will ensnarl you in cacti; that is how dry it is on this side of the island.
Driving is British style — on the left. Often people park their cars along the narrow roads west of Basseterre, making the journey slow and painful, but leisurely; time to slow down, island time. The constant trade winds blowing down the sole volcano cool any road rage.
‘Wot - You’re British?’
Even though St. Kitts is an independent nation and a former crown colony, the attitudes are still a sort of British stiff upper lip with a Caribbean lilt. The locals are well educated, with a strong middle class, all with a hang loose attitude, and not arrogant like the Bahamians. St. Kitts is a well-kept garden, clean and comfortable.
The currency is the EC or Eastern Caribbean Dollar, with the Queen of England embossed on the notes. You can get one-dollar coins in round or octagonal coins. The exchange rate was about 2.6 EC to the US$1 when I was there. The American dollar is accepted everywhere, as are credit cards in the major establishments. Get a wad or two. The Royal St. Kitts Casino slots take only U.S. coins.
Book Your Online Resort NowYou have to love a country that paints its government house pink. I think that is the Caribbean influence because Basseterre — the capital — was historically a French town. The French split the island down the middle with the British, the French taking the southern and northern ends, with the British sandwiched in the middle. The British ended up with the entire island after the Treaty of Versailles in 1783.
The government re-elected the unicameral government for another 5 years, encouraging an entrepreneurial climate on the island. The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis also has its American political roots. Alexander Hamilton was born on Nevis, and his home is now a national museum in the dual capital of Charlestown. William Jefferson, the grandfather of Thomas Jefferson, built the family’s sugar fortune near Basseterre, in the foothills of the rain forest.
The Food Is Fabulous
The dual island nation grows fresh and healthy food. No one on the island goes hungry. Think of one big macrobiotic landscape. I was asked by the Ministry of Tourism what restaurant I enjoyed the best, and I had to admit there was no bad restaurant. They all served fresh, clean, tasteful, and large quantities of the locally grown staples. Salt fish is a main staple, but you will find tuna, red snapper, grouper, sea bass, mahi mahi, pork feet, beef, and all types of vegetables. The potential for aquaculture could compete with agriculture on the island, if fully developed, as the government plans.
Fisherman’s Wharf at harbor side on the west side of Basseterre Bay is managed by the Ocean Terrace Inn, and it is a great local hangout for the best in seafood, barbecued meats, baked yams, potatoes, and fresh vegetables. This is one of my favorite spots. The atmosphere reminds me of a Caribbean era long past. During the day, dine at Ballahoo in town, again a local preference. For more on dining see our short dining guide for St. Kitts and Nevis.
Beautiful Basseterre
Basseterre is one of the finest examples of Caribbean architecture in the West Indies. In 1991, ‘The Beautiful Basseterre Committee’ was formed; its main objective is to prevent the town from developments inconsiderate of the surrounding areas and architecture. It is also through various means encouraging owners of existing incompatible buildings to implement changes and give their building a look which conforms with the traditional architecture.
The focal point of Basseterre is the ‘Circus’ dominated by the ‘Berkeley Memorial.’ A look to the northwest and you will see ‘The Palms.’ Liverpool Row is a traditional West Indian street with a variety of styles, and if you look south you will see the Treasury Building, which has been standing for more than a century. It has been renovated and will become a National Museum. Across Bank Street you will discover the Barclays Bank with a new façade influenced by the Beautiful Basseterre Committee. Here you will also discover the Ballahoo Restaurant building, which was in fact completed in 1992, even though it appears to have stood for centuries. All this can be seen from the Circus.
At Independence Square you may admire the Georgian House, with beautifully cut stones. The Courthouse is almost a replica of a 19th Century building, which was destroyed by the fire in 1982. While in Independence Square you will identify old baking ovens in the gardens of several properties.
Taking the route from Central Street to Church Street you will discover the Government Headquarters, completed in 1996.
The Caribbean architectural style is beautiful, it is unique and nowhere is it more revered, respected, and recreated than in beautiful Basseterre.
History of St. Kitts & Nevis
Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
Kriss Hammoned, Editor, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
Catch a Tan at Southern Palms Beach Club in Barbados
by Kriss Hammond
Catch a Tan at Southern Palms Beach Club in Barbados
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
There are unexpected pleasures and surprises when you travel, that’s why it is so much fun. When I stepped onto the Southern Palms Beach Club property in Barbados’ Platinum Coast, I went back to a genteel, Victorian era — an architectural timeless period piece.
Have you ever looked at antique tintypes of buildings frozen in time? The Southern Palms Beach Club is a traditional Barbadian plantation resort, an interlude between the past and present, with guests and staff burned forever into the daguerreotype plates.
I first noticed this special appeal at the Monday evening Manager’s Rum Punch social at the Circle Terrace where I met the tall, British hotel manager, Britta, dressed in a sort of Victorian era and white lacey evening gown. Later, I found out she races her own thoroughbred, Granite, at the Garrison Savannah racetrack, the historic British military site (www.barbadosturfclub.com, or call 426-3980). I sipped a special Southern Palms Piña Colada and listened to a sewing company magnate from Canada tell me that he has been staying at the Southern Palms each year for decades, staying for months to outwit the brutal Canadian winter.
Get Bronzed At The Southern PalmsThe pink property sits on one of the largest beaches in Barbados, with over 1,000 feet of its own velvety, coral sand to stick the toes in. Young palms are growing in the sand in front of the resort. The resort is not quite on the Caribbean, and it is not quite on the rougher Atlantic side, either.
Located in the south end of the island in an area known as St. Lawrence Gap, the resort is close to bistros, nightclubs, and chattel house shopping, but it also has nightly entertainment, barbecues, calypso bands, sporting tournaments, and its own duty-free shop. The entire complex makes it so convenient not to leave, except maybe to watch the running of Granite.
Click for Bridgetown City GuideThe Southern Palms is really a great place to stay for weeks or months at a time, as testified by the Canadian. Many Canadians and Europeans have discovered the property. What I liked about my ground-level suite was the balcony/patio offering fully-glassed Caribbean-style verandah doors for seclusion, opening into a living area, kitchen off to the side, and bedroom that had a feel of a homey apartment. You have windows on both sides of the unit so I immediately turned off the air-conditioning, popped open the bedroom windows and swept the patio doors open to catch the breezes. The bedroom closet was enormous, made for long-term living. Each unit at the resort has telephone, radio, TV with lots of stations, and cool ceramic floor tiles.
The Southern Palms is actually more than one complex, and each three-story building (The condo unit is 4 stories.) has its own uBook The Southern Palmsnique moniker: The Palm Court, Jasmine Court, Capri, Lady Smith, Banyan Court, and the Carlisle Rooms, which I suspect are the most upscale on the property. Southern Palms offers 92 units, in three categories: rooms, suites, and condos.
I found my way back to my suite each evening by counting the number of 6-foot high wrought iron lamp poles along the garden walkway. The resort has a secure but secluded feeling about it at all times.
Guests can dine nightly at the Club’s Rondelle Restaurant, but you have so many other options, so here is a brief run down of the dining and entertainment you can expect:
A snack menu is available in the bar area from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and room service is available from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for breakfast, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for lunch, dinner, and snacks. Fresh breads and pastries are made in-house daily, or you can dine in your room — each family-style suite comes with a complete set of utensils and cookware and full refrigerator and stove. I have to admit, I have never seen so many kitchen utensils in any resort that I have ever stayed at. The Thomson family, which once owned the largest travel agency network in Canada, really loves their resort.
I really enjoyed the value of the buffet breakfasts on the beach at the Garden Terrace Restaurant (7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.), but you can also choose à la carte or continental. They serve fresh juices, wonderful coffee, cereals, breakfast-to-order, and you can catch the early morninng ocean breezes on the wide deck.
Happy hour is nightly, except Monday, from 6-7 p.m. in the Khus Khus Bar, also on the beach. The British tradition seeps into the pores of the hotel again with daily complimentary High Tea each afternoon at the Crescent Pool from 4—4:30 p.m.
There is a guest laundromat on the premises. Meeting rooms hold up to 100 people. I did not see guest Internet access at the hotel, but there is a well-run Internet café just a few blocks away. There are Swedish massages available at the ‘The Palms’ unisex beauty salon on the west end of the property, as well as the talents from the Robert Fielding School of Hairdressing, and also Vidal Sassoon (428-8712). The Best of Barbados Souvenir Shop is also on the west end, and the Koko Palms Gift Shop is in the Lobby. There is a book swap cabinet and games available in the lounge, just ask for the key from the front desk. You are only about 12 minutes from the airport, away from the capital at Bridgetown, and the hotel offers free guest parking.
Kriss Hammond , Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave Your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
A Stay At Old San Juan In Puerto Rico
by Clint Leung
One of the most used departure ports for cruise ships in the Caribbean is San Juan in Puerto Rico. We decided to arrive a day early to San Juan in order to see some sights before our cruise ship departure. San Juan, known as ‘La Ciudad Amurallada’ (the walled city), was founded in 1521 and is the oldest city under the US flag. During the 16th century, the Spanish used it as a point of departure for expeditions to the New World. Fortifications in the Old San Juan section of the city repulsed numerous attacks from the English and the Dutch during those years. Today, Old San Juan is a charming seven square block commercial and residential area with cobblestone streets.
The cruise ship terminal is actually located near the south side of Old San Juan so instead of booking a hotel in the beach resort area of San Juan, we decided to book one right in the old section for close proximity to the terminal as well as the local sights. The $17 US taxi ride from San Juan’s airport to Old San Juan was about half an hour. During the ride, I was impressed by how developed the city was compared to many other cities I’ve visited in the Caribbean. The beach high-rise hotels along the north side of San Juan were visible from the highway. Our stay for the night was at the Hotel Milano which is right on Calle Fortaleza, which is one of the major commercial streets in Old San Juan. The hotel was clean and comfortable but not luxurious which was okay with us as the price was very affordable. Its quality was probably
comparable to a Travelodge or Days Inn. A very pleasant surprise was the free continental breakfast at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. It gave a nice view of the neighborhood from the top.
We spent the day and evening walking the many cobblestone streets and alleys in the area. There are over 400 restored colonial buildings from the 16th and 17th century here. There were also several plaza squares and parks. One of the nicest services offered in Old San Juan is a free shuttle bus which covers two different routes through the district. There was a bus stop about 1/2 block away from our hotel which was very convenient. Riding on the shuttle buses through both routes gave us a
good overview of Old San Juan. We were able to stop off at several points of interest including the huge El Morro fort. After our visits to each attraction, we just had to wait for the next bus to come by to continue our tour. In the evening, we did get lost while walking since many of the streets look very similar. But with our map, we eventually found our way back to the street where the Hotel Milano was. We decided to dine at one of the nearby restaurants for authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and were not disappointed. My lady especially adored the two different plantains we ordered.
When it was time to go to the cruise ship terminal, we just took a short five minute ride from our hotel. Our short stay in Old San Juan was definitely worthwhile and hassle free. A stay in Old San Juan is highly recommended for those who will be taking a Caribbean cruise with San Juan as the departure point. The only
disappointment I had with San Juan was that I was hoping to do some scuba diving in the area but from the reports I read, the waters off the city are quite murky with limited marine life to see. This is likely the result of San Juan being such a busy port. The decent scuba diving sites are about 2 hours east of San Juan. So perhaps in a return trip to Puerto Rico, I will plan to make a trip to the east part of the island.
Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.
Provided By: Travel and Leisure
Noches en El Convento Hotel – San Juan’s Convent Hotel
by Edwin Ali
Noches en El Convento Hotel – San Juan’s Convent Hotel
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
Old San Juan, a bristling city of over 40,000 people, is not only one of the most cleanest cities in the region, but boasts of accommodation fit for the rich and famous as well as those who pay more attention to their pocket-book rather than the luxurious surroundings.
Accommodations range from US$150 a night in quaint and impeccable rooms in 18th-century historical buildings to US$1,500 in suites and villas, which are the favorite destination for celebrities and the rich and famous.
The warmth and friendliness of the people of Old San Juan is matched only by the delicious cuisine and luxurious accommodation to be found in different parts of the city of magnificent 18th-century Spanish architecture and cobblestone streets..
History has it that the island of Puerto Rico, 110 miles by 35 miles, with a population of nearly four million, was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Antilles in 1493. The Spanish newcomers named the island San Juan Bautista in honor of St. John the Baptist and found it populated with Taino Indians.
Spanish Conqueror Juan Ponce de Leon was the island’s first Governor when Puerto Rico became Spain’s most important military outpost in the Caribbean and the target for several attacks. In 1521, concerned about threats from English and Dutch enemies, Spain began constructing massive defenses and fortifications around the city of San Juan.
In 1898, after the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States under the Treaty of Paris. In 1917 the U.S. Congress granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. The island has a Governor who is elected every four years. It has a resident Commissioner in Washington who represents the island’s interest but does not have a vote in Congress.
The island is blessed with magnificent beaches, rain forests, stunning caves, inhabited islands, pristine reefs and more than 500 years of glorious history, which collectively offer a wide range of activities, including hiking, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, golf or tennis.
The Hotel El Convento, located in the heart of historic Old San Juan is setting new standards for comfort and luxurious service for its 58 exquisitely appointed guestrooms and suites, with surroundings reminscent of the former 16th-century convent. It is hailed as a privileged environment of elegance, replete with unparalleled luxury and impeccable personal service.
Establishment of the Convent followed the granting of a petition in 1646 to war widow Doña Ana de Lansos y Menendez de Valdez by King Phillip 1V. She was the granddaughter of Don Diego Menendez de Valdez, a captain general of the Spanish amy and governor of Puerto Rico from 1582 to 1593.
Doña Ana de Lansos y Menendez de Valdez, widow of Captain Pedro de Villate Escovedo, inherited a vast fortune on her young husband’s death in 1625, in an attack by the Dutch, who, with the French and British, were constant enemies of Spanish pwoer in the Americas. Childless, Doña Ana resided across from the cathedral on a property where two houses she had provided for as a war hospital and a religious school were destroyed in the war-torn island.
There was no convent in Puerto Rico at that time. To enter a cloister, a lady had to travel to Havana or Santo Domingo, or all the way to Europe. Young ladies’ prospects for marriage were reduced with every new battle in the wars of the Indies. To pay for the convent construction and maintenance, Doña Ana donated her home and its adjoining land, a rectangular plot, sold all her possessions in a move hailed by many as a great contribution.
The soldiers of Colonial Spain garrisoned in the Old City erected the three-story convent, designed by an army engineer. The walls (sun-baked clay brick) were three feet thick to withstand Indians, European enemies, hurricanes and tropical heat. Doors and grilles over slottred windows were mahogany and ausubo (ironwood), a dark wood from the West Indies that increases in strength with age.
The building’s characteristic Spanish features were an enormous, open interior courtyard framed by tiered balconies and arched corridors. Nuns’ cells were tiny rooms with single beds and straw mattresses. The spacious chapel had a domed ceiling.
In July 1651, the Monastery our Lady Carmen of San Jose was inaugurated, better known as the Carmelite Convent. Doña Ana was the first to enter the cloister and became the mother superior. With her were her sister Antonia and four protégés.
The Convent on Cristo Street, was and still is adjacent to the Plaza of the Nuns, the city’s second oldest park. Across the street is San Juan Cathedral built in 1521. The one-story structure with a thatched roof was destroyed by a hurricane and rebuilt starting in1540. The Western Hemisphere’s oldest cathedral, it is one of the few examples of medieval architecture remaining in the New World.
The first Carmelite Convent in the Americas housed the nuns for over two and a half centuries, (252 years). On December 9, 1903, the Archbishop of San Juan decided further repairs were too costly and the nine remaining nuns and two novices moved a few days before Christmas.
Vacant for a decade or more, the church purchased the abandoned building from the Carmelite nuns in 1913 for $151. They rented it first as a retail store then a dance hall. Then, for the next forty years, it served as a flophouse without running water, sanitary facilities or elecltricity, just as in the 1600’s. In 1953, the ruin was a parking lot for garbage trucks.
It was slated in 1957 for bulldozing to build a badly needed downtown parking garage just as an urban renewal program began taking roots in Old San Juan.
In 1959, with Operation Bootstrap, Ricardo Alegria from the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture persuaded Woolworth store heir, Robert Frederick Woolworth, a resident of the State of Maine, to purchase the convent property from the Archdiocese of San Juan for $250,000 and transform it into a deluxe hotel named El Convento. It sparked the development of business, tourism and employment in Old San Juan.
Three years of hard work converted the decayed structure into the hotel. Two floors were added to the original convent’s three stories, creating 100 rooms, including ten suites at that time.
The interior designer, accompanied by a photographer and Mr.Woolworth, journeyed throughout Spain to find furniture for the hotel. When he couldn’t get authentic pieces from Spain’s Golden Age, he commissioned reproductions of enormous chandeliers, wrought-iron fixtures and decorative tiles. All wood objects, furniture, louvered doors and overhead beams were handcrafted of walnut or mahogany. Lampshades were goatskins. while bedspreads and rugs were woven in Granada by gypsies.
Edwin Ali, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
Edwin Ali, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave Your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.
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Royal Luxury at the Royal Pavilion, Barbados
by Kris King
Royal Luxury at the Royal Pavilion, Barbados
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
An avenue of perfectly aligned Royal Palms leads to the exquisite Fairmont Royal Pavilion. This magnificent resort is surrounded by eleven acres of lush tropical gardens and private ocean front property in the parish of St. James on the scenic West Coast of Barbados. The Fairmont Glitter Bay, sister resort of The Royal Pavilion, resides within the same property, a quarter mile away, and as a guest of The Royal Pavilion you will be encouraged to enjoy the amenities offered at both resorts.
All 72 ocean front deluxe rooms overlook the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean, and feature private terraces that open onto a seven-mile stretch of smooth white sand. All bedrooms are decorated in soft Caribbean tones, air-conditioned and furnished with king- or twin-size beds. Seersucker bathrobes and bathroom amenities are provided along with a fully-stocked mini bar, hair dryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, cable TV, in-room safes, clock radio, direct dialing telephone with voice mail, and twice daily maid service.
A luxurious three-bedroom private Villa set among spectacular gardens accommodates up to six guests. A spiral staircase leads the way to an upstairs bedroom with a lovely ocean view from the balcony. A sitting area and two additional bedrooms are at ground level with views of the colorful gardens. The Villa is approximately 1,100 sq. ft. and overlooks Café Taboras, the pool, and the Caribbean. The same amenities are provided at the Villa as in the deluxe rooms. Although it must be noted that certain amenities are not available at the resort, such as, sofa beds, refrigerators, kitchen facilities, or whirlpools, non-smoking rooms are available.
The Palm Terrace Restaurant overlooking the Caribbean features international and local cuisine in an elegant, romantic setting. A delicious lunch on the open-air terrace began with fresh Spicy Ahi Tuna and an entrée of grilled Mahi-Mahi, Herb Jasmine Rice with stir-fried Vegetables and Tabouleh Salsa. I tried hard not to indulge my sweet tooth but was completely won over by the incredibly smooth and tangy Mango-Chocolate Torte placed before me. Who could resist?
Café Taboras is open for those seeking lighter fare, such as pizza, pasta, and other alternative menu items. You can also walk over to the Piperade Restaurant at The Fairmont Glitter Bay for a change of scene and cuisine, as this lovely restaurant, with it’s Moorish arches and cool ocean breezes, sits so close to the sea you can almost feel the salt spray on your face. Guests of either property have full signing privileges beBook The Royal Pavilion Onlinetween hotels.l
Kris King, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
Kris King, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave Your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.
Provided By: Travel and Leisure