Melanie Reffes

Beachfront Resort in Puerto Rico Celebrates Special Occasions
The upscale Fairmont El San Juan Hotel sits pretty on Isla Verde Beach in San Juan Photo Credit Fairmont El San Juan Hotel
Sitting pretty on Isla Verde Beach, Fairmont El San Juan Hotel, is offering milestone celebration packages that have been missed over the last year. These customized “do-over” events include weddings, family reunions, honeymoons, babymoons, anniversaries, and birthdays, among many other unforgettable festivitie...

'JustBeNevis ' Celebrates the Island as a Wellness Destination
Yoga is a popular wellness activity on the island Photo Credit Nevis Tourism Authority
The Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) is delighted to unveil a new tourism video called #JustBeNevis designed to share information on the island’s wellness experiences. “We are thrilled with the response which indicates that there is intense interest in Nevis,” said Jadine Yarde, CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority, “we made a strategic decision to t...

Nassau will be the Homeport for the 'Adventure of the Seas' Cruise Ship
Kayaking with the dolphins is family fun on the water Photo Credit Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is thrilled to welcome back long-time partner Royal Caribbean International, as the cruise line announced that Nassau will be the homeport for Adventure of the Seas, beginning this June. The Bahamas Government and Ministry of Tourism have worked closely with Royal Caribbean t...

Pastel Pretty Resort Offers Free COVID-19 Testing and Affordable Room Rates
Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino is a 237-room family-friendly resort in Willemstad Photo Credit Renaissance Curacao Resort
WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao - March 2021 - Curaçao is once again open to U.S. residents with the Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino among the first resorts on the island to welcome guests from the U.S. With nightly room rates starting at $142.00 beginning April 4, and direct flights through Miami, Ne...

All-inclusive Resort will Debut Swanky New Suites, Restaurants, and Pools
Quiet nights and stunning sunsets at Sandals Royal Barbados Photo Credit Sandals Resorts
Sandals Resorts International continues its development in the Caribbean as Sandals Royal Barbados breaks ground on an exciting new expansion, just in time for the summer season. Set to premiere July 1, 2021, South Seas Village at Sandals Royal Barbados will be home to 66 new suites, bringing the total room count to 338, which inclu...

With social distancing and other safety protocols the new vacation norm, a holiday in a private villa could fit the bill if you're looking for a pandemic getaway. Toss the budget to the breeze and live the dream in your very own secluded Caribbean retreat under the tropical sun. Of course, be sure to check your destination's COVID-19 travel requirements before making plans. Scroll ahead to see options compiled by writer Melanie Reffes for USA TODAY on several popular islands, l...

Special to USA TODAY

The beach is just the beginning at a dazzling array of you-deserve-it villas in the Caribbean.

With social distancing and other safety protocols the new vacation norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, a holiday getaway in a private villa could just fit the bill. So why not toss the budget to the breeze and live the dream in your very own secluded retreat under the tropical sun over the holidays?

These Caribbean locales don't currently require visitors to quarantine upon arri...

Special to USA TODAY
The beach is just the beginning at a dazzling array of you-deserve-it villas in the Caribbean.
With social distancing and other safety protocols the new vacation norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, a holiday getaway in a private villa could just fit the bill. So why not toss the budget to the breeze and live the dream in your very own secluded retreat under the tropical sun over the holidays?
These Caribbean locales don't currently require visitors to quarantine upon arri...

Special to USA TODAY
The beach is just the beginning at a dazzling array of you-deserve-it villas in the Caribbean.
With social distancing and other safety protocols the new vacation norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, a holiday getaway in a private villa could just fit the bill. So why not toss the budget to the breeze and live the dream in your very own secluded retreat under the tropical sun over the holidays?
These Caribbean locales don't currently require visitors to quarantine upon arri...

Luxury in a Caribbean villa

Caribbean Comeback 2020

Relax by the pool at Ocean Two Barbados Photo Credit Ocean Two Resort
A family-owned company of hotels and resorts, Ocean Hotels Barbados invites with 3 hotels on the south coast of the island. Ocean Two Resort & Residences is oceanfront on Dover Beach; Sea Breeze Beach Hotel is all-inclusive on Maxwell Coast Road and on Rockley Beach, South Beach is a chic boutique hotel ideal for families and couples.
Poolside at Ocean Two on the south coast Photo Credit Ocean Two Resort
Ocean Two Resort & ...

The perfect prescription for a good mood pick-me-up, Caribbean cocktails are easy breezy to make at home. From Sint Maarten, Aruba and Saint Lucia to …

Though the Caribbean is a more popular destination for winter or spring getaways, the islands are trying to lure travelers who have a bad case of cabin fever after five months of lockdowns, masks, surges and paused reopenings. The deals and discounts on offer are giving the high season (December to April) a run for its money.
Stringent and mandatory health and safety protocols are in place at hotels, resorts and villas during the coronavirus pandemic, so you can swap your city or suburban sur...

By Melanie Reffes, Travel Journalist
Jade Mountain is luxury living high on a hilltop Photo Credit Jade Mountain
The superstar on the southwest coast high above its sibling 600 acre beachfront resort Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain offers knock-your-socks-off gorgeous views of the Piton Peaks and the Caribbean Sea. Both resorts invite with rooms with views or more aptly views with rooms that are grand sweeping spaces with nighttime illuminating floating platforms that are called mere infinity p...