TORONTO — Several more high-profile resorts in the Caribbean have started to welcome back guests as the region continues to ramp up reopening efforts.
Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach in La Romana, Dominican Republic, Zoëtry Montego Bay Jamaica and BodyHoliday St. Lucia have all announced reopenings following their temporary closures due to the global pandemic.
Here is an overview:
VIVA WYNDHAM DOMINICUS BEACH
The family-friendly Dominicus Beach property reopened on Sept. 18 following a complete renovation of its guestrooms, lobby, nature-inspired areas, pools, restaurants and bars. In addition, new health and safety protocols set out by the World Health Organization have been implemented, while its already existing hygiene standards have been further enhanced in partnership with Cristal International Services, a global leader in quality management solutions for hoteliers.
Enhancements to the resort include a modernized lobby and guestrooms featuring colonial and modern-inspire décor. There are now four swimming pools at the resort, including a new saltwater infinity pool overlooking the beach as well as two pools with dedicated children’s areas. Onsite dining has also been expanded to include the new Tiki Bar featuring swing seating, and the Latin Fusion restaurant where guests enjoy an open-air seating and à la carte cuisine. Additionally, the La Terraza buffet restaurant, Viva Mexico and La Pizzeria have all-new décor.
For more information on the resort’s safety protocols go to www.vivaresorts.com/covid-19-update.
ZOETRY MONTEGO BAY JAMAICA
Part of AMResorts, an Apple Leisure Group company, Zoëtry Montego Bay Jamaica reopened its doors on Oct. 1 with a grand celebration attended by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett.
The parent company also celebrated the reopening of Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa on the same day, which means all four of its resorts in Jamaica have reopened their doors. Each property has done so with ‘CleanComplete Verification’ protocols in place, which takes into account every aspect of resort operations. More details can be found here.
Zoëtry Montego Bay Jamaica, located in the upscale Rose Hall neighbourhood, boasts 49 suites with a dedicated in-house concierge, and a wealth of ‘Endless Privileges’ amenities including a private beach, several pools, whirlpools and outdoor soaking tubs, a spa with gardens, yoga and meditation areas, a fitness centre, an on-site watersports centre and complimentary non-motorized water sports.
BODYHOLIDAY ST. LUCIA
After being granted COVID-19 certification, BodyHoliday in St. Lucia has reopened to guests on Oct. 1. The iconic resort has undertaken extensive measures for sanitization, social distancing and other virus-related policies to ensure the safety of guests and staff.
All visitors to St. Lucia are required to stay in COVID-19 Certified accommodation as part of the island’s strategy to mitigate the spread of the virus. St. Lucia has been widely praised for its handling of the pandemic; it was one of the first islands in the region to reopen to tourists on June 4, with cases remaining low since then.
On the resort’s reopening, Andrew Barnard, Executive Director of BodyHoliday, said: “This year has been incredibly challenging for everyone in the travel industry worldwide and we are thankful to the Government of St. Lucia for the excellent handling of the pandemic to ensure that we can get back up and running, with maximum safety for all. We have a very high number of repeat guests who are part of BodyHoliday’s extended community, and we are also looking forward to welcoming new guests who now, more than ever, want to invest in their physical and mental wellbeing.”
For more reopening updates from other hotels and resorts go to https://www.travelweek.ca/uncategorized/coronavirus-updates-from-major-sun-destination-resort-brands/.
