41-45_ttg_lux_caribbean update 27/2/09 14:04 Page 45
John MacMullen. “What the luxury guest
Islands which
is expecting this year is value.”
MacMullen says the Landings will strive
depend so heavily
to deliver on resort amenities. For Ritz-
Carlton, the value-add means offering
on tourism
‘Reconnect’ packages which include
cannot sustain
breakfast and resort credit.
“Places like Parrot Cay in the Turks and
under-occupancy
Caicos and Carlisle Bay in Antigua are
offering big discounts,” says Exsus’s Roach.
and discounting
“We’d never normally see such offers at
Easter. At Parrot Cay it’s like free half-
over a long
board – they’re now throwing in dinner.”
period of time
Free night offers (which are in effect a
reduction in rate, however hoteliers
present it) have been as significant as the
two weeks for the price of one offer at
Half Moon in Jamaica offered with
for summer now but they’re not,” says ITC Classics, for example.
Exsus Caribbean product manager Free nights have always been common
Deborah Roach. in the off-season, but half-price
Speaking at the Caribbean Hotel & accommodation for the coming winter
Tourism Association Marketplace, held on 09/10 sounds alarm bells.
St Lucia in January, the island’s tourism The airlines too are more prepared to
CAP MAISON
minister, Allen Chastanet, said some hotels discount than previously. “There was a
ST LUCIA by Philippa Jacks had a mere 20-30% of the forward time not so long ago when we’d get a net
bookings for winter 09/10 than they’d rate and that was it for the year,” says
One luxury hotel keen to showcase itself at normally expect by that time. This has now Caribtours’ Cleary. “But we are getting a
CHTA was Cap Maison, the new 21-villa improved but there is still concern. special offer in every day from the airlines
property on the north-west coast of St Lucia, at the moment.”
officially opened in December. The property Transatlantic fallout Of course, the luxury market is to some
got off to a strong start, with 60% occupancy Last year was worrying enough for some extent recession-proof. “Luxury clients
over Christmas and 80% over New Year. All islands, particularly those more will still travel, but take one or two very
but one of the villas have been sold to dependent on the US market. Bermuda good holidays instead of three of four,”
investors, mainly Brits. saw total arrivals fall 5.2% January on predicts Ritz-Carlton senior vice-president
Its style is Mediterranean, with a Spanish November; St Vincent and the Grenadines Ezzat Coutry. “That client who books
and even Moroccan feel in places, with dipped 10.4% from July to January. Sandy Lane year after year and always
beautiful curved brick ceilings in communal Grenada and the Cayman Islands had flies Club is still going to do it.”
areas. Each villa can be subdivided into marginal growth from the UK, and total The Caribbean cannot survive on the
smaller rooms and suites, and guests can visitors to Jamaica were up by 4% in 2008. luxury sector – or the UK market – alone.
either cook for themselves or have a chef UK arrivals to Barbados were down 1.6% Islands which depend so heavily on
cater for them. over the whole of 2008 compared to 2007 tourism cannot sustain under-occupancy
There is a real focus on cuisine, with a – the first time there’s ever been a decrease and discounting over a long period of time.
lobster lunch on Sundays, a wine-pairing in the UK market. But for now at least, the UK’s high-end
menu on Saturdays, and even a ‘rummier’ But luxury hoteliers I spoke with at operators are optimistic. “It all happened
– a sommelier for rum, with 28 types at his
Below: Jalousie
CHTA insisted there will not be massive so quickly,” says Roach. “If the economy
disposal.
Plantation in St Lucia,
rate reductions. picks up we could be pulling in winter
which relaunches as the
General manager Ross Stevenson was at
Tides Sugar Beach, after
“If you do that, it takes ten years to bookings before Christmas. I’m not
Cobbler’s Cove in Barbados directly before
a $100 million investment
recover,” says Landings sales director overly worried.”
coming to Cap, and in the 1990s was GM at
The Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath and von
Essen’s flagship Cliveden House.
“I came back to St Lucia because of Cap
Maison,” he tells me. “In the last two to three
years St Lucia’s started to come through, with
properties like Jade Mountain and The
Landings raising the island’s profile. It’s
moving in the right direction away from a
dependency on all-inclusive, which in turn
leads to great restaurants and bars.”
Ross admits there are fewer forward
bookings than he would like, but says
offering a better-value proposition, with free
rounds of golf, spa treatments or upgrades,
should appeal to the market.
Cap Maison might not suit clients seeking
privacy: when a telephone rang I wasn’t sure
if it was in my villa or next door. The property
also needs a little time to mature – it looked
a little scrubby in January as the gardens
were so undeveloped. But once the hotel has
had its final polish, it is certain to impress.
Recommend the three bedroom Ocean-
view villa suite with rooftop pool and terrace
for maximum privacy and stunning views.
Cap Maison, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Tel: 001 758 457 8678,
capmaison.com
45
feature caribbean
spring 09
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