Tag: Caribbean

Sandals Resorts In Key Caribbean Holiday Destinations Reap The Rewards Of Earthcheck Programme

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The Sandals Resorts brand has built itself a sterling reputation over the years and has long been synonymous with luxurious Caribbean holidays. Management at Sandals have proven that they are not satisfied to rest on their laurels as they continue to raise the standards they have set for themselves. Most notably, over the course of the past 12 months Sandals have been hard at work building an equally stellar reputation in the field of eco-friendly tourism.

A year ago Sandals announced the launch of their environmental management programme across all their Caribbean hotels and resorts with the Sandals Earthguard powered by EarthCheck.

Since then, the Sandals chain of resorts have reportedly come a long way with their flagship hotel the Sandals Royal Bahamian recently receiving a silver rating by EarthCheck while the Sandals Negril, one of the most popular with travellers booking luxury Caribbean holidays, has proudly maintained its platinum status previously acquired in 2008 under the groups former certification body, Green Globe.

Under the EarthCheck programme, Sandals have identified six key pillars necessary to reduce their environmental impact and improve their green credentials:

Staff Awareness
Energy Management
Waste Management
Control of Hazardous Substances
Social and Cultural Development
Water Conservation

Sandals work in the area of water management and water conservation has been particularly impressive given the number of travellers who stay at the many Sandals resorts during their holidays in the Caribbean and the demands that such a high level of occupancy places on water supplies. Across all Sandals Resorts water from ice machines are recycled and used for irrigation, while the Sandals resorts in Ocho Rios, Jamaica has been harvesting well water to reduce its reliance on municipal supplies.

EarthCheck CEO Steward Moore stated the following of Sandals achievements, This achievement highlights the long term commitment that Sandals Resorts has shown to the communities and environment of the Caribbean. Theyre well ahead of most governments and industry players globally as a result of their efforts, and serve as a leader in the field of sustainable practices.”

All-inclusive Inland Resorts Versus All-inclusive Beachfront Resorts

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Are you interested in taking a vacation to the Caribbean? Whether you are looking to visit Jamaica, the Bahamas, or another popular vacation destination, you may be pleased to know that you should have access to all-inclusive vacation resorts. All-inclusive vacation resorts are resorts in which you are given access to number of onsite services and amenities, which have basically been paid for in advance.

When looking to vacation at an all-inclusive vacation resort, you are urged to do more than just examine resorts. A number of popular vacation resorts and travel companies offer vacation packages that are commonly referred to as all-inclusive vacation packages. All-inclusive vacation packages typically include more than just a stay at a popular vacation resort, but also your airline reservations, as well as your food and your drinks. If you are looking to simplify the process of planning a vacation, all-inclusive vacation packages are something that may be of assistance to you.

Whether you choose to buy an all-inclusive vacation package from a local travel agent, directly from the resort, or from an online travel company that partners directly with the resorts, you will find that you have a number of different options. One of the many decisions that you will have to make are focused on the resort that you get to stay at. Vacation resorts come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. Your two main options involve inland vacation resorts and beachfront vacation resorts, both of which are usually available in the form of all-inclusive vacation packages.

If this is your first time vacationing in the Caribbean, you may be unsure as to which type of resort you should stay at. Of course, it is important to take into account your own wants and needs while on a Caribbean vacation. With that in mind, one thing that you can do is examine the advantages and disadvantages of inland vacation resorts and beachfront vacation resorts and then compare your findings. A few of the most influential advantages and disadvantages to both inland vacation resorts and beachfront vacation resorts are outlined below.

Perhaps, the biggest advantage to choosing to stay at an all-inclusive beachfront vacation resort is the activities that you should have access to. As previously stated, all-inclusive vacation resorts often include overnight accommodations, airline reservations, food, drinks, and entertainment. It is no secret that beachfront vacation resorts give you more activities to choose from. It is also important to mention that many of those activities, like scuba diving tours or scuba diving lessons, may be included in the cost of your all-inclusive beachfront resort stay.

It is also important to mention the beauty of all-inclusive beachfront vacation resorts. When staying at an all-inclusive beachfront resort, you are, literally, right along the beach. This is not only ideal for gaining access to fun and exciting beachfront activities, but is also ideal for creating a romantic environment. This romantic environment is ideal if you are vacationing in the Caribbean with your spouse or your romantic partner. Although inland all-inclusive vacation resorts as beautiful as well, nothing really compares the beauty of most Caribbean beaches.

As for vacationing at an all-inclusive inland resort, you will also find that there are a number of benefits to doing so as well. One of those benefits is the cost. When examining the cost of vacationing at an inland all-inclusive vacation resort, you may find the cost a little bit lower. With that in mind, the savings are typically not huge in nature. In fact, that is why many individuals decide to pay the extra money, no matter how large or small it is, to stay at an all-inclusive beachfront resort.

In all honestly, the decision as to which type of all-inclusive resort you would like to stay at, when visiting the Caribbean is your decision to make. Although all-inclusive beachfront resorts come highly rated and recommended, it is important to keep your own wants and needs in mind. Should you decide that an all-inclusive beachfront resort is where you would like to stay while on your next Caribbean vacation, you will want to examine Superclubs.com. Superclubs.com has a large selection of affordable, yet quality all-inclusive vacation packages for most of the Caribbean islands.

Sandals Launches New Interactive App To Help Couples Plan Customised Caribbean Weddings

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Sandals Resorts got busy promoting weddings and honeymoons in the Caribbean during the recent Caribbean Travel and Cultural Fair which took place at the Vanderbilt Hall of Grand Central Terminal in New York City earlier this month.

During the event, Sandals launched a new interactive online wedding designer application for couples planning tailor-made Caribbean weddings at Sandals Resorts.

The new user-friendly app named, Your Wedding, Your Style, allows loved-up couples to customise their destination weddings with the help of an online wedding portal where more than 7,000 photographs have been uploaded. Users can then choose their flowers,colour scheme, decor, place cards, the wedding cake and much more.

Speaking at the Caribbean event, Sandals CEO Adam Stewart, said: “The new bride is tech-savvy so we were forced to move away from packaged weddings. Brides have the option to have their destination wedding, reception and honeymoon planned online or over the phone.”

The event also held a contest where military couples from the United States were invited to submit an essay stating why they deserved a Caribbean wedding at a Sandals Resort. The finalists gathered in Vanderbilt Hall for an official bouquet toss for the chance to win a WeddingMoon of their choice. Maria and Jason Yates from New Jersey caught the bouquet and they chose a Jamaica wedding worth $8,000.

Mr Stewart announced a surprise to the disappointed couples just after the bouquet toss that they would all receive free Caribbean honeymoons at a Sandals Resort.

Sandals Resorts offers plenty of idyllic spots for romantic Caribbean weddings and the hotel group has luxury resorts in tropical destinations including St Lucia, Antigua, Jamaica and the Bahamas.

Couples getting married abroad at Sandals Resorts can choose from a several settings for their island nuptials including soft sandy beaches for intimate beach weddings at sunset, nuptials within lush tropical gardens, or ceremonies in grand ballrooms.

The new interactive app is just one of the programmes that is available from the Sandals Resorts official website and hopeful brides and grooms will also be able to plan their destination weddings with the help of wedding guru, Martha Stewart. Wedding packages include including Flutter of Romance, Seaside Serenade, Island Paradise, Vision in White and Chic & Natural.

“I think we have another big hit on our hands. Our Martha Stewart wedding packages helped to put Sandals weddings on the global market. With this new product, I’m certain brides will find a Sandals wedding an attractive option. Every day at Sandals we go to work to make it better for two people in love, that’s what Sandals is about,” added Mr Stewart.

Starwood Hotels To Open New Westin Resort For Punta Cana Holidays In 2013

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Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide is planning to build a new resort in the Dominican Republic after it signed an agreement with development partner Grupo Punta Cana. The Westin Puntacana Resort is expected to open to tourists taking Dominican Republic holidays in late 2013 in the Playa Blanca area of the Puntacana Resort and Club complex.

The new resort will have 204 luxurious rooms including 16 suites, and guests going on holidays to the Dominican Republic can enjoy facilities such as a large swimming pool, full service spa, fitness centre, 24-hour business centre, meeting and wedding rooms, children’s club, walking trails, lobby bar and a poolside grill.

Brian Povinelli, the Global Brand Leader for Westin Hotels and Resorts, commented: “The Westin Puntacana Resort is a highly anticipated addition to our growing resorts portfolio, offering travellers a refreshing, island retreat on one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean.

“The new resort will offer all of the Westin brand’s signature programs and amenities, designed to inspire wellbeing and send guests home feeling better than when they arrived.”

During holidays in the Dominican Republic, travellers staying at the new resort will also have access to first-class amenities at the Puntacana Resort and Club, such as championship golf course, nine gourmet restaurants, a Six Senses Spa, a 1,500-acre ecological reserve and three miles of pristine white sand beaches.

The resort is the first of two Dominican Republic hotels that Starwood Hotels and Resorts is planning to open over the year or so. The first property, Four Points by Sheraton Punta Cana Village, is due to open in October, 2012 and is also being developed by Grupo Punta Cana.

Punta Cana is situated on the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean and travellers from all over the world head to the region every year to experience tropical Punta Cana holidays amid stunning natural scenery that is made up of white sand beaches, turquoise ocean waters, lush green landscapes.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Starwood Hotels and Resorts to be able to share the Puntacana experience with even more travellers as they visit the Dominican Republic,” stated Alberto Abreu, the Executive Director of Hospitality at Puntacana Resort and Club.

He added: “The Westin Puntacana Resort will allow even more visitors from around the globe to experience the one-of-a-kind beaches, weather, and activities available in our country, and at our resort. We look forward to welcoming more guests into the Puntacana family as we move forward with this project.”

Sandals Launches Wedding-themed Incentives And Competition For Travel Agents

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Sandals Resorts has launched a new incentive programme and competition for qualified travel agents to boost the sales of upgraded wedding packages at its Caribbean resorts.

The Sell and Celebrate incentive will see agents receive a 50 high street voucher for every upgraded package sold for destination weddings at Sandals Resorts.

Agents who sell the upgraded packages can send the information to their local Sandals Business Development Manager with details on the booking and any tips and advice for other travel agents. These entries will then be entered into a national draw with a fantastic prize of a seven-night break at any Sandals Resort up for grabs.

Sandals Resorts are a popular choice for couples getting married abroad and the company has a wide choice of properties that offer all inclusive, upscale accommodation and picturesque Caribbean settings.

Beach weddings are a favourite and these can be enjoyed at any Sandals Resorts across Jamaica, St. Lucia, The Bahamas and Antigua.

Brides and grooms who are looking to splash out for their weddings abroad can choose from a range of themed Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart including Flutter of Romance, Seaside Serenade, Island Paradise, Vision in White and Chic & Natural.

Couples can also choose the customisable Sandals’ standard WeddingMoon package which offers the perfect excuse to extend the celebrations of Caribbean weddings and stay on for a romantic honeymoon while enjoying all inclusive programmes, luxury facilities and fu activities at Sandals Resorts.

Destination weddings can be tailor-made to suit the individual requirements of the bride and groom and with the help of the wedding guru Martha Stewart, they can choose everything from the resort destination, the idyllic setting for their ceremony, accommodation, wedding dcor, cake, flowers, and the colour scheme.

Travel agents have until 31st May, 2012 to take advantage of the incentive and in addition, Sandals Resorts will be launching the Catch the Bouquet competition where one beautiful floral arrangement will be given away each week between 29th March and 31st May, 2012.

All agents have to do is spot the wedding bouquet, which is hidden in a picture in the I DO magazine supplement that will be delivered to travel agencies from 2nd April, 2012.