What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Caribbean

Anguilla

The swanky Cap Juluca, Maundays Bay (tel. 888/858-5822; www.capjuluca.com), is already one of the most posh properties in the Caribbean, attracting movie stars and the like. But new investors envision a total renovation priced at $80 million. Construction will be carried out in phases, so that the resort will remain open.

Antigua and Barbuda

North Beach Cottages (tel. 268/726-6355) is one of the most isolated resorts in the area. It lies off the coast of Barbuda, a satellite island of Antigua. Four rustic cottages, reachable only by boat, are tucked along miles of sandy beaches, Cottages, with all meals, rent for about $400 daily The Frigate Bird Sanctuary is nearby, and snorkeling among the hawksbill turtles is a delight.

Barbados

Sea Foam Haciendas, Worthing (tel. 246/435-7380), is attracting more and more visitors to the less expensive south coast. At this resort, wide balconies offer ocean views from the dozen or so 2-bedroom, fully equipped units. A shuttle carries passengers along the beach-lined western coast. In winter, apartments cost a high of $250 daily, and are available in the off-season for $170.

The Cayman Islands

Aqua Bay Club, at the western end of Grand Cayman's Seven Mile Beach (tel. 800/825-8703; www.aquabayclub.com), is a compound of 21 luxury one- and two-bedroom condo rental suites. All are newly renovated and beautifully furnished.

Native restaurant Casanova's at 2828 Old Fort Building in Georgetown (tel. 345/949-7633; www.casanova.ky), is known for its abundant local seafood and traditional Italian cuisine. Main courses begin at $16, and portions are heaping.

The Dominican Republic

A new highway linking Santo Domingo to the city of Samana on the east coast opened to the public in June of 2008, cutting the travel time between the two cities in half. JetBlue Airways (www.jetblue.com) has launched flights from Orlando to Santo Domingo, and Delta Air Lines (www.delta.com) has begun daily service from Atlanta to the city of Santiago. This service joins Delta's existing nonstop flights between Atlanta and Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, and Punta Cana.

Velero Beach Resort, Cabarete Bay (tel. 809/571-9727; www.velerobeach.com), with its view of the scenic bay and long, sandy beachfront, is one of the newest resorts to emerge at this port. It's a compound of privately owned condos, some 60 in all, ranging from standard hotel rooms to penthouses with 2 or 3 bedrooms. On-site facilities include a fitness center, massage center, and outdoor pool.

The largest development in the Caribbean is occurring at Punta Cana on the east coast, where more than $6.5 billion is being invested in mega-resorts that will cover a combined 33,000 acres. Several upscale hotels and marinas will arrive during the next decade. Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and Westin are just some of the new developers who have signed on. Stay tuned.

The biggest news in the entire Caribbean Basin is the development of Capa Cana (www.capcana.com), a luxurious resort that will comprise of condos and villas, a casino, polo grounds, 3 Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses, and several hotels, including a Trump Organization property and a Ritz-Carlton. The first hotel to open is the Sanctuary Cap Cana Golf & Spa (tel. 809/544-4343; www.altabellahotels.com), a five-star resort constructed in a Spanish colonial style. Facilities include, a private beach, a luxurious spa, eight theme restaurants and 11 bars.

New luxury resort Agua Resort & Spa, has opened at Uvero Alto (tel. 866/757-AQUA; www.aguaresort.com), 24 miles from Punta Cana. The least expensive rental, a junior suite, features such extras as a deep soaking tub and a spacious walk-in closet, plus 24-hour room service and twice-daily maid service.

Jamaica

One of the best sources for villa rentals on this lush island is Linda Smith of Jamaica Villas (tel. 301/229-4300; www.jamaicavillas.com). Using her 25 years of experience on island, she inspects and evaluates every property. In winter, villa rentals begin at $3,750 weekly, and are lowered to $1,900 in the off-season.

Grenada

Paradise Bay Beach Resort & Spa on Paradise Bay (tel. 473/405-8888; www.paradisebayresort.net), is a true retreat. It offers 9 well-furnished villas set on 8 lush acres, with forest trail hikes and easy walks along the beach nearby. The rates, which range from $150 to $185 per day, include fine island cooking, house drinks (including occasional champagne), massages, water sports, horseback riding, and scuba diving.

St. Lucia

WestJet has announced a seasonal nonstop service from Toronto to St. Lucia. The weekly service will fly from mid-December through April.

The Landings (tel. 758/458-7300) in St. Lucia, a five-star luxury resort on Rodney Bay (www.rockresorts.com) will be one of the most luxurious resorts St. Lucia has ever seen, featuring a private four-acre yacht harbor and all the fixings. It also includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, luxury pool, and an elegant spa.

Cap Maison (www.capmaison.com), a residence-style boutique hotel featuring 50 rooms and 22 privately owned condos, is set to open in early 2009. The Ritz-Carlton St. Lucia (www.ritzcarlton.com) is being developed at Half Moon Bay and is scheduled to open for the 2010/2011 season.

Rodney Bay Marina (www.igy-rodneybay.com) is set to open in winter 2008/2009, with 252 fully reconstructed slips. Shops and restaurant facilities are also being renewed.

Bequia

On the grounds of a 28-acre plantation, Firefly Bequia, formerly known as Spring on Bequia, (tel. 784/488-8414; www.fireflybequia.com) has undergone extensive renovations to emerge as the first five-star hotel on this small island in the Grenadines. Expanded to include 18 luxurious bedrooms, the hotel is built on a hill to catch the trade winds.

Traditional French cuisine, the best on Bequia, is served at Maria's French Terrace, across from the Dinghy Dock on Fort Street in Port Elizabeth (tel. 784/458-3422; www.marias-french-terrace.com). A fine selection of dinner choices ranges from freshly caught seafood to boeuf Bourguignon. The fixed-price menu costs from $15 to $18.

Turks and Caicos

Beneath a placid surface, the political climate in this British Crown Colony is roiling with accusations of government corruption, political favoritism, and shady development deals. The uproar has been so vocal and so far-reaching that National Geographic recently included the Turks & Caicos on its ecotourism "watch list," citing light-speed development for damage to the country's most precious resources.

Air Turks & Caicos (www.airturksandcaicos.com) has acquired Sky King Airlines, essentially consolidating the island's two airlines into one. Spirit Airlines (www.spiritair.com), which has been offering nonstop flights between Fort Lauderdale and Providenciales, announced that it is suspending flight service into Provo indefinitely, effective August 1, 2008.

Meanwhile, hotel development continues at a breakneck pace in Provo. Construction has begun on the Resort on Dellis Cay, which includes a Mandarin Oriental hotel. Ground was also broken for the Tanai five-star luxury resort on its 60-acre Northwest Point property near the Amanyara resort. The complex will have the largest infinity-edge swimming pool in the Caribbean and an adjacent 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio. Construction is expected to be completed in 2010.

Also in the works is the multimillion-dollar Toscana luxury resort on Grace Bay, which will feature a world-class Italian restaurant, Girasole, overseen by Manhattan star chef Waldy Malouf.

Phase one of the Nikki Beach Resort Turks & Caicos (www.nikkibeachhotels.com) opened for business in 2008. The resort features 48 rooms, the Nikki Beach Club, VIP Ultra Lounge, and the largest mega-yacht marina in the Turks & Caicos

The massive new Pirates Island Water Park at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa (www.beaches.com) should be open for business in January 2009. Even those who aren't staying at the Beaches resort can buy a day pass and make use of the water park facilities, which will include a surf simulator, a lazy river, seven waterslides, and a zero-entry pool.

The 143-unit Veranda "Caribbean village" luxury resort complex on Grace Bay has been resuscitated months after construction halted due to dried-up funds.

Fairways Bar & Grill, at the Provo Golf & Country Club (www.provogolfclub.com), has reopened after a renovation under new management.

Construction began on the 6-acre beachside Children's Park on Lower Bight Road. The park, which will feature direct public beach access, recreational facilities, an indigenous botanical park, and a crafts market, should be open by the end of 2008.

For shopping enthusiasts, the Middle Caicos Co-op Artisans' Studio has a new outlet in the Providenciales airport departure lounge. The co-op, which has a lovely shop in Provo's Blue Hills, sells locally made handcrafts such as fanner-grass baskets, model sailboats, straw hats, dolls, and more.

The U.S. Virgin Islands

On St. John, the smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the West Indian Rhumb Lines Restaurant, Cruz Bay (tel. 340/776-0303; www.rhumblinesstjohn.com) journeys from the Caribbean to the Pacific Rim for its inspiration. Try the fresh mahi-mahi in banana leaf or the Cuban mojo pork in garlic and citrus.