Byline: Paris Permenter & John Bigley

WHAT'S NEW

Many Caribbean islands have seen the development of new properties, from all-inclusives to luxury resorts. The past year marked the formation of an alliance between Wyndham International Inc. and Viva Resorts; the 10-year deal makes the chain the largest brand in the Caribbean and rebrands the Viva properties as Viva Wyndham. Hilton also added an all-inclusive brand, Coral by Hilton.

Islands under the U.S. flag remained strong, but the greatest growth was seen in the Dominican Republic and Cuba. And while the larger islands have seen their share of tourism increases, small islands from Exuma to tiny Canouan are garnering a greater share of the limelight through new luxury resorts.

The growth is fueled by increasing demand for a destination close to the U.S. mainland, an expanding market that is now served by airlift capacity that has surpassed pre-9/11 levels.

FACILITY UPDATE

ARUBA

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The Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino completed a $15 million renovation that refurbished all 559 guest rooms and suites. The resort also offers a convention center with 22,000 square feet of meeting space.

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Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort and Casino opened the island's largest spa, a 2,500-square-foot facility. The 480-room resort also includes 3,232 square feet of meeting space.

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Adjacent to the 413-room, 20-suite Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Marriott's Aruba Surf Club is under construction, with a planned November opening. The 450-villa vacation ownership property will have villas in a rental pool; guests have use of the hotel facilities, Mandara Spa, and the hotel's 8,655 square feet of indoor meeting space.

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The Radisson Aruba Resort and Casino offers high-speed wireless Internet service in all guest rooms and meeting facilities. The resort has re-instituted its Planner's Choice program, offering complimentary event options June 1 to December 19 plus double Radisson rewards June 1 to September 30. Each group receives an in-room amenity for attendees one night during the group's stay, plus a choice of one complimentary event, coffee breaks (three maximum, contingent on group size), or a master account credit up to $5,000. The 358-room resort offers more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space.

BAHAMAS

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The Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay has opened with 183 guest rooms, including 43 suites. The resort has a Greg Norman - designed golf course, a spa, and tennis courts. Later this year, the resort will add a full-service marina. There are 13,022 square feet of function space.

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Atlantis, Paradise Island is undergoing a $600 million expansion to be completed by late 2006. The hotel, presently at 2,300 rooms, will add 1,200 rooms as well as water attractions. Approximately 100,000 square feet will be added to the Atlantis Convention Center, nearly doubling its capacity. The project includes a new exhibit hall and a 50,000-square-foot ballroom. South of the main arrival area of the new hotel will be space for outdoor functions for up to 5,000 people.

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Adjacent to Atlantis, Ocean Club, now the One&Only Ocean Club, will add three villas, for a total of 109. The villas will include professional kitchens; around-the-clock butler service will be available. The expansion project will also include new retail space, a 1,500-square-foot boardroom, an expanded fitness center, and a second 18-hole golf course on nearby Athol Island. The project is scheduled for completion late this year.

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The 850-room Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace Casino is completing a $12 million renovation. The resort's meeting space has also received a new look with renovation of the 13,400-square-foot Crystal Ballroom.

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On Grand Bahama, Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach completed the first phase of a $2 million renovation of its 276 guest rooms. The project added a children's program to the all-inclusive resort, which has a 400-seat theater.

BERMUDA

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After closure because of hurricane damage, Sonesta Beach Resort Bermuda is set to reopen in May and is being rebranded as a Wyndham. The 247-room resort will include 100 new rooms. The 12,000 square feet of renovated meeting space can host up to 300 attendees. Over the next two years, the resort will add 38 one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites.

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Also closed after damage last season by Hurricane Fabian, the 593-room Fairmont Southampton reopened in mid-April after a $60 million restoration project (which included renovations that began before the hurricane). Its sister property, the 410-room Fairmont Hamilton Princess, has completed a total of $32 million in renovations. The Fairmont Southampton features a new 23,000-square-foot Willow Stream spa with three spa lounges, one each for men, women, and couples.

CAYMAN ISLANDS

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The $400 million Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is set to open this fall with 365 rooms and suites and 69 private condominiums. The resort will include a nine-hole Greg Norman - designed golf course, a tennis center, The RitzKids Ambassadors of the Environment program by Jean-Michel Cousteau, and a 20,000-square-foot spa. The Ritz-Carlton has 13,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, including the Cayman Islands' largest ballroom.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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Opening in the fourth quarter of this year, the 228-room Hilton Santo Domingo will be on the Malecon, a seafront boulevard, and will anchor a mixed-use facility. The hotel will offer the country's largest casino, a health club, and three executive floors with access to a 20th-floor executive lounge. Meeting facilities will include two boardrooms, five flexible meeting rooms, a 7,203-square-foot ballroom, a 2,312-square-foot junior ballroom, and a foyer, for total meeting space of close to 17,000 square feet.

JAMAICA

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Half Moon Montego Bay has undergone an $8 million refurbishment of its guest rooms, replacing three blocks of beachfront suites with 68 beachfront rooms and suites. The project also renovated the resort's conference center and ballroom.

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Sandals Whitehouse is scheduled to open in December on the island's south coast, 90 minutes from Montego Bay airport. The 360-room all-inclusive will include 54 suites. The resort will offer 11,000 square feet of meeting space including an indoor amphitheater.

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Sandals Ocho Rios and Grande Sport Villa Golf Resort and Spa by Beaches will be combined to form the 522-room Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach and Villa Resort. Grande Sport is undergoing a $10 million refurbishment of public areas, conference facilities, spas, restaurants, and villas, remaining closed through December, when the newly combined resort is scheduled to reopen.

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Negril's 140-room Couples Swept Away is adding 72 rooms. The resort offers 1,360 square feet of function space for up to 80 attendees.

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Beaches Negril Resort and Spa has opened a new spa, the largest facility in the resort chain. In June, the west coast property unveiled an 18,000-square-foot water park.

MEXICO

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Along the Riviera Maya, Iberostar Paraiso Lindo Resort opened adjacent to Iberostar Paraiso Beach and Iberostar Paraiso del Mar. The 446-room, all-inclusive resort has two presidential suites and 62 junior suites. The resort includes a 15,683-square-foot conference center, and is adding a Pete Dye - designed golf course in 2005.

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The Hilton Cancun Beach & Golf Resort has opened with 426 guest rooms, 23 suites, and 82 villas. The 30,000-square-foot meeting complex boasts 16 meeting rooms with a 1,900-person capacity.

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Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort opened a new spa with 30 treatment rooms and nearly 20,000 square feet of space in the clubhouse of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Moon Palace. It features a private Spa Golden Suite with a private sauna, steam room, double Jacuzzi, dressing room, two spa treatment tables, and a golf view. The 2,031-room, all-inclusive resort has 200,000 square feet of function space, which includes a 38,000-square-foot grand ballroom.

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Aventura Spa Palace, an adults-only resort in the heart of the Riviera Maya, has 1,266 rooms. The Harmony Convention Center, with the latest technology, opened in spring 2003. Its 55,000 square feet of flexible function space can accommodate up to 1,400 guests. Outdoor events can also be accommodated on Aventura Spa Palace's oceanfront terraces. Aventura Spa Palace offers an array of spa treatments.

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For smaller gatherings, the Xpu-Ha Palace has 464 rooms, located in an eco-park within the lush jungle of the Riviera Maya. Its facilities can accommodate up to 300 guests. Activities include kayaking, ecological tours and botanical workshops, and snorkeling in its own lagoon.

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Presidente InterContinental's Paraiso de la Bonita Resort & Thalasso Spa has opened 20 minutes south of Cancun's international airport. The 90-suite resort has a 1,400-square-foot meeting room, a private beach, and a 22,000-square-foot Thalassotherapy spa.

PUERTO RICO