Travel Agent - March 3, 2008 - (Page 58)

HOT NEW HOTELS Here are 40 must-see properties that have opened or repositioned since January 2007 HOW DID WE COMPILE OUR LIST? We turned to Travel Agent magazine’s top in-house destination editors and freelancers, who have traveled the world to sample some of the best; we also consulted with three industry experts and globetrotters: Ignacio Maza, executive vice president of Signature Travel Network; Suzanne Hall, senior director of marketing and development, land products for Ensemble Travel Group; and Albert Herrera, vice president of Virtuoso’s Hotels and Resorts Program. The Caribbean The Mediterranean Village at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa—Antigua The $70 million Mediterranean Village at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa (www.sandals.com) is an elegant retreat; we predict that besides attracting loyal Sandals fans, it will also draw an affluent, hip Gen-Y crowd, who will want to “see and be seen” at the huge freshwater pool with swim-up bars and luxurious cabanas, which are equipped with Wi-Fi. The top accommodations here are the One-Bedroom Villas, which have their own plunge pools and Jacuzzis, but we preferred our Penthouse Suite (#4501) because of its dramatic views of the Caribbean, and the entire resort for that matter. Contact Jennifer Ross, manager, retail partnerships, Unique Vacations at 305-284-1300. Maxim Bungalows—Puerto Plata, The Dominican Republic Singles are strongly encouraged to visit the highly anticipated Maxim Bungalows (www.maximbungalows.com), two properties set to open in Puerto Plata. Maxim Bungalows, Cofresi Beach, will debut March 15 while its sibling, Maxim Bungalows, Juan Dolio, is scheduled to open in September. The hotels are mainly for the Maxim magazine readership, 29-to-36-year-olds, singles and even couples looking to live the good life. Aside from a posh pool area with hip cabanas, guests of the Maxim Bungalows at Cofresi Beach can unwind at the huge 17,000-square-foot spa and on the 54-foot Maxim yacht, Independence. Contact Adriana Acosta, sales manager for Maxim Bungalows, at 809-970-3364, ext. 35060 or aacosta@maximbungalows.com. Villa Aquamare—Mahoe Bay, Virgin Gorda At Villa Aquamare (www.villaaquamare.com), the 62-foot Azimut power yacht and 36-foot Tiara cruising yacht are available to rent, and make a fine perk to the three 8,000-square-foot villas that have just opened here on Virgin Gorda. Each villa has five bedrooms and large outdoor showers The Bahamas The Cove Atlantis—Paradise Island Chic design, a high level of service, two nightclubs and a hip pool scene have made this resort a must for jetsetting clients. Soaring 22 stories into the sky, The Cove Atlantis (www.thecoveatlantis.com) is home to 600 suites, all with great ocean views. We found it to be the ideal complement to the just-opened Reef Atlantis, which is more geared toward families. Contact Brent Hall, national sales manager, leisure sales at 954-809-2175 or brent.hall@kerzner.com. Cable Beach Resort and Crystal Palace Casino—Nassau We recently checked out the $145 million repositioning of the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort and its sister property, Wyndham Nassau Resort, which comprise Cable Beach Resort and Crystal Palace Casino (www. cablebeachresorts.com). We stayed in Sheraton’s Ocean View Room #583 and loved the balcony, which offered partial pool and ocean views. The Ocean Breeze Suites, however, are the “wow” factor here, since they offer wraparound, private terraces, plus bedrooms with adjoining parlors for wet bars—ideal for entertaining. And while we highly recommend Atlantis for gaming, The Crystal Palace Casino was about half as crowded and the table minimums were about half as expensive. Contact Vince Angelo, Sheraton Cable Beach Resort’s hotel manager at vince.angelo@ sheraton.com. 58 | TravelAgent March 3, 2008 http://www.sandals.com http://www.thecoveatlantis.com http://www.maximbungalows.com http://www.cablebeachresorts.com http://www.cablebeachresorts.com http://www.villaaquamare.com

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Travel Agent - March 3, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor From the Publisher Special Supplement: Planet Hollywood Florida: We Checkout Four Hotels in Key West, the Southernmost Point in the Continental U.S. Europe: Ruthanne Terrero’s Tuscan Adventure Pacific/Asia: Five-Star Hotels in Bangkok Las Vegas: Where Your Clients Go for Golf Outings Central & South America: Starwood Leads Expansion by Hoteliers in Latin America Pacific Northwest: The Fairmont Empress Celebrates its 100th Birthday this Year Alaska: Take a Tour of Anchorage Alaska Briefs Caribbean & Bahamas: La Romana in the Dominican Republic Offers Fun and Pampering Cruises: The Key to Success for River Cruise Lines Full Panama Canal Transits Cruise Briefs Cover Story: Hot Hotels Special Supplement: Spa Specialist Hotels: Venice Beach Eco-Cottages Hotel Briefs Auto Europe: Company Offers Competitive Prices and High Commissions Agency Profile: The Travel Society Charts a Course for Expansion Revelex Revolution: Deal with Am Ex affirms status as Major Provider in Travel Industry Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Volunteer Leadership Future of Hawaii’s Cruise Industry Panda Travel, USA Caribbean News In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - March 3, 2008

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