Posts Tagged ‘Caribbean Property’

London consortium secures investment in Sugar Beach Villas

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Cardea logo

Cardea Property Consultants are pleased to announce that a London-based consortium headed by British property developers Anthony Lyons and Gary Wilder has secured a substantial investment in the 130 acre Sugar Beach resort development in St Lucia.

The funds will be used to complete the US$100 million redevelopment of The Jalousie Plantation, creating a resort with 112 luxury rooms, 46 private residences, two white sand beaches, three new restaurants, four bars, a unique rainforest spa and walkway, a scuba centre, kids club and games rooms.  The resort is being rebranded as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2011.   Architects Lane Pettigrew Associates have been hired for the revamp.

Lyons and Wilder bring a wealth of property development experience to the project, having been involved with such projects as the O2 Centre and Earls Court developments in London, and more than US$57.8 billion in transactions since the late 1990s.   They will be joining the board of Jalousie Ltd where owner Roger Myers will remain as Chairman and majority shareholder.

Roger Myers comments: “We welcome our new partners, who bring an unrivalled depth of property development experience and we look forward to working with them as The Jalousie Plantation continues its multi-million dollar transition to Sugar Beach.”

Myers has over 35 years experience in the leisure industry covering restaurants, pubs health spas and hotels. He was a founder and Chairman of the Pelican Group which developed a hugely successful chain of restaurants in the UK including Café Rouge, Dome and Mama Amalfi. After the sale of the group to Whitbread, he became a founder and Development Director of Punch Taverns plc, a company that grew to become a Footsie 100 company and own over 6000 licensed premises in the UK.  He now lives in St Lucia and is exclusively focused on the development of Sugar Beach.

The Viceroy Hotel Group, keeper of The Tides brand, will manage the hotel when it is rebranded and re-launched as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2011.

There are 64 luxurious one and two bedroom hotel villas available for ownership, each with a private plunge pool and ocean or Piton views.  Prices range from US$700,000 to US$2.1million.  Owners are entitled to four weeks usage per year and a minimum 5% rental guarantee from villa handover until the end of the first year after the hotel re-opens.
 
The hotel villas at Sugar Beach are all fully furnished and are being sold as freehold.
There are also 41 Private Residences available for purchase.  Each of these meticulously appointed spacious homes has two to six bedrooms with spectacular ocean and piton views.  Prices range from US$2.4 million to US$6 million.

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Caribbean Homes Magazine

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Situated on the exclusive south west-tip of St Lucia are the twin peaks of the Pitons, the islands best-known landmark. Rising dramatically out of the turquoise ocean to over 2,000 feet these mountains cradle the Val des Pitons at their base. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of outstanding natural beauty, and is also the location for a new five-star resort being constructed on the site of the original Jalousie Plantation.

Roger Myers, the former owner of the Cafe Rouge restaurant chain, bought the hotel in 2005 and is now spearheading a $100million transformation programme aimed at turning it into one of the Caribbean’s premier resorts. Managed by elite brand The Tides, part of the Viceroy Hotel Group, the resort will be rebranded at the end of 2011 as The Tides Sugar Beach.

Work on the project is well under way, and some of the major features have already been completed. These include a striking bar and club in the main building of the new hotel, where Roger Myers’ impressive personal modern art collection adds an uber-cool feel to the resort. Other amenities include two white sand beaches, beach club and lounge, gourmet restaurants, water sports centre, marine reserve for snorkelling, games room, children’s play centre and a swimming pool.

A focal point of the resort is the Rainforest Spa, which consists of tree house treatment cabanas connected by wooden walkways that snake up the side of the hill under the rainforest canopy.

The strong focus on detail and design extends to the hotel rooms, which are actually luxurious colonial villas incorporating individual plunge pools and vast terraces with incredible views. Architect Lane Pettigrew is responsible for the redesign of both the resort and the luxury Sugar Beach Villas that are nestled in small clusters among the 130 acres of rainforest around the resort. Butler stations for each cluster take care of the individual needs of each guest.

Each of the freehold hotel villas is available to purchase fully-furnished. Prices start at US$700,000 for a one-bedroom villa and go up to US$2.1million for a superior deluxe two-bedroom villa.

Owners are entitled to four weeks personal usage of their villa each year and will also receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled. The purchase price of the villa determines the points allocated to each owner in the pool. Owners will also benefit from a guaranteed minimum return of 5% until the end of 2012.

There are also 31 meticulously appointed Private Residences available to purchase. These secluded Residences feature open living and dining areas perfectly designed for entertaining, complete with infinity-edged pools. Each spacious detached island home affords spectacular Piton or oceanfront views and can be used as little or as often as you wish. If you would like to rent out your residence, The Tides will manage everything for you providing the best of both worlds; the seclusion of an exclusive island home and the five-star marketing and management to enhance rental when not in use. Prices range from US$3million to US$7million for a three, four or five bedroom residence.

A little further along the beach British Aristocrat Lord Glenconner, who originally discovered the site between the Pitons in 1982, has put his name to five contemporary freehold residences to be known as Glenconner Beach. These immaculate homes are positioned directly on the beach with uninterrupted views of the bay and the Pitons. Also designed by Lane Pettigrew with a modern twist on traditional Caribbean style with five or six bedrooms, the homes afford luxurious swimming pools and extensive terraces. Owners are also able to meet with Lane to discuss any minor alterations or changes to perfect their ideal Caribbean residence. Each has five or six bedrooms, with prices from US$7million to US$9million.

The Jalousie Plantation has enjoyed 20 years of successful operating history, with a proven demand for the resort and average annual occupancy rates recorded at around 70% for the last five years. The St Lucian Government is vetting new developments very carefully and has granted owners at The Tides Sugar Beach a 15 year holiday on income tax and a 50% waiver on annual property tax for five years.

Properties of this calibre, in terms of beachfront location and an elite hotel management brand are 30-40% more expensive in Barbados. The accessibility is also a key selling point with daily direct flights to St Lucia from the UK, USA and Canada. What’s more, the UNESCO World Heritage Status of the Val des Pitons ensures protection from neighbouring overdevelopment, giving Sugar Beach the exclusivity you would find in other wealthier Caribbean Islands such as Anguilla, St Barts or Mustique.

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Foreign Property Buyer

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Female property investors are becoming increasingly confident about the overseas property market; Cardea Property Consultants, sales and marketing agents for Sugar Beach villas in St Lucia, have sold luxury villas totalling $14.5 million in their first six months of operation. Since the all-female agency set up in December 2009, four private residences and three freehold rental pool villas have been sold.

Their success is down to several factors:

- They are selling properties on a Freehold basis which is very unusual as beachfront land is leasehold in St Lucia
- Owners receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled and then split between owners proportionately according to the purchase price of their villa
- The developer is not reliant on bank finance to complete the renovation and the project.

There is a number of reasons to buy investment property in St Lucia:

A sound investment: St. Lucia offers the same advantages as other Caribbean properties, with prices currently 60-65 per cent less for the equivalent floor space. The island’s tax regulations ensure minimal taxes on re-sales; no estate taxes and no tax on rental income for the first 10 years of ownership (15 years for Sugar Beach).

Culture: St. Lucia provides the best of both worlds: a laid-back friendly island atmosphere with modern amenities and North American building standards. Influenced by a blend of African, French and English traditions, St. Lucians are known as the friendliest people in the Caribbean, if not the world. The island hosts a wide array of cultural festivals, giving visitors a true taste of the tropics.

Security: St. Lucia is a stable, independent nation, providing visitors with an established and trusted banking system, excellent medical services and a safe tourism environment.

Accessible location: St. Lucia is an ideal location for those looking to escape the cold winter months. It is easily accessible from London Heathrow and London Gatwick from where there are 5 flights per week with British Airways and 3 flights per week with Virgin. St Lucia is also accessible by sea as a popular cruise and sailing destination.

A tropical paradise: St. Lucia offers rainforest hiking and walking, some of the world’s best sailing, the Piton mountains and golden sand beaches.

Cardea Property Consultants, sales and marketing agents for Sugar Beach villas in St Lucia, have sold luxury villas totalling $14.5 million in their first six months of operation. Since the all-female agency set up in December 2009, four private residences and three freehold rental pool villas have been sold.
Lisa Basire, marketing director, puts Cardea’s success down to several factors. She says: “Sugar Beach is being sold on a freehold basis, which is extremely unusual in St Lucia as beachfront land is leasehold.

“We have been able to sell new-build rental pool villas, which form the accommodation for the resort because the existing hotel – the Jalousie Plantation – has 20 years of trading history. That’s why Sugar Beach is able to offer owners an exact 37.5% of the pooled room revenue rather than paying a split of the profit because they know what the running costs are and they know the occupancy levels. For added confidence, purchasers of these fully furnished rental pool villas enjoy a minimum 5% rental guarantee from handover and for the first 12 months after the hotel (Jalousie Plantation) re-opens as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2011.”

Owners are entitled to use their villa for four weeks each year. For a one bedroom villa this is the equivalent to a saving of around US$23,100 each year.

Lisa continues: “We are finding, however, that the three bed – roomed private residences are the most popular purchases. I think the reason for this might be that the type of purchaser coming in at this level is more focused on retaining privacy and anonymity.”

“Another positive of Sugar Beach in this difficult world market, is that the developer is not reliant on bank finance to complete the $100 million development, giving investors’ peace of mind that the resort will be re-developed as planned.”

Most investors at the Sugar Beach resort are primarily from Britain making up 56% of the total purchases, followed by Europeans and Americans which together make up for 30% of the sales. Buyers of the Private Residences get all the benefits of the ongoing US$100 million redevelopment of the former Jalousie Plantation resort which will redefine the concept of luxury when complete and re-launched as the Tides Sugar Beach Resort in 2011.

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Daily Express

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

Inheriting in the Sun

By David Hoppit

WORLD leaders are making noises about demonising tax havens, popular with bank robbers and dodgy dictators, but there’s less agreement between governments on the odious inheritance tax.

Plenty of idyllic destinations do not have it – including many Caribbean islands, Australia and New Zealand, Singapore and parts of Europe. Portugal, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Sweden and Switzerland are all good places for those wanting to beat the tax, while closer to home; the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are also worth considering. 

Unlike the US, where only the very wealthy are taxed at death, ordinary Britons  – people who have worked and saved all their lives (and paid their taxes) –  have 40 per cent of their estate above the £325,000 threshold grabbed by the Inland revenue at death. So almost anyone owning a detached house in the South-east is clobbered.

Last year, some six per cent of British estates (about 35,000) had to fork out nearly £4billion to the Government in inheritance tax (IHT). It is not surprising therefore that many families are looking to move overseas, to countries where the living is easy.

To change your domicile permanently, it is safest to remove all assets from the UK. Even keeping a second-home foothold is risking one’s entire estate being liable for the full tax. If you trust your children and live for seven years you could give them the money to buy a house to which one might return for ‘holidays’ – but  care must be taken even then.

Those idyllic Caribbean islands are pretty tempting. Apart from having to batten down the hatches every decade or so when a hurricane brushes by, the lifestyle is most agreeable. Bequia is the largest of the islands in the glorious Grenadines, south of St Vincent.

Modest tourism and a small (30-acre) development called Adams Bay will go some way to solving the problems created by the loss of agricultural jobs.

The development is in Caribbean style and some of the houses are truly grand. Prices range between £430,000 and £1.65million. Buyers should allow in their budget for a further £6,000 to £35,000, depending on the purchase price, for fees, taxes and stamp duty but afterwards taxes are low and there is no inheritance tax.

St Lucia is another great place to live. There is no VAT on property, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. The Jalousie Plantation, between the famous twin peaks known as the Pitons, is having a $100million facelift and is due to reopen in 2010 as the Tides Sugar Beach. Properties there cost between $700,000 and $6million.

There are, however, cheaper options in the Caribbean area.  Gary Hooper and his wife Pamela from Maldon in Essex have bought two properties through Prestigious Properties, one at Silver reef in St Kitts and another at Alexandra, in the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

They cost about £145,000 and £250,000 respectively.

Mr Hooper, whose company designs and builds bespoke kitchens, bathrooms and home studios, said: “At this stage of our lives we saw them as the perfect solution for holidays and a  potentially good investment.

“We are not ready to retire yet, but when the time comes we will look very seriously at moving to one of the islands.”

However, one doesn’t have to jet away to tropical islands to escape inheritance tax. There are, for example, the Channel Islands, all of which are inheritance tax-free, but there are problems. Property on Guernsey tends to be prohibitively expensive while Jersey accepts only a few incredibly rich new residents a year.

Three times larger than Jersey and 10 times the size of Guernsey is the Isle of Man. It is a beautiful place to live.

So, if you’ve worked hard all your life and saved a few bob – and live in a house worth more than about £325,000 – an island retirement might be well worth considering.

If you fear missing your chums, rest assured they will waste no time visiting you and they might even move next door…

INFORMATION:

St Lucia and other Caribbean property – Prestigious Properties 0208 812 4734

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Caribbean Property Magazine

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Life is sweet at The Tides Sugar Beach

There is a certain exclusivity about the South of the island of St Lucia that the North cannot quite capture. It may have something to do with its absence of large towns, and perhaps the fact is connected to why it’s smaller communities are so relaxed, welcoming and friendly.

Perhaps it’s the squiggly roads which wind around ancient volcanic hills that help retain the charm and perpetuate the inaccessibility and privacy of the South. Or perhaps it’s those grand dames of volcanoes themselves – Gros Piton and Petit Piton that grace the South Western coast – two towering cones of majestic rock that dominate the skyline.

These volcanoes and the lush valley that hangs like a lazy hammock between them are part of a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a perfect white sand cove and the best scuba diving and snorkelling on the island where the volcanoes descend into the sea.

It is also the ultra exclusive home to the world renowned and much loved Jalousie Plantation resort. Ask any St Lucian or wealthy visitor about Jalousie and their gaze will turn wistful and a knowing smile will course across their face. For this is St Lucia at its best, and soon it will be better still.

Jalousie Plantation is in the process of a US$100million renovation. The resort will be rebranded as The Tides Sugar Beach and on completion in 2011 will offer 5 star hotel and spa facilities, three new top quality restaurants and an extended white sand beach. The traditional St Lucian wood cabanas in which guests stay are to be modestly extended to reflect their Heritage Site status and transformed into 85 luxurious white and pastel villas and offered for sale to those who value this truly exclusive location.

The freehold villas range in size from 1,064ft² to 2,272ft² and each is fully furnished and comes with its own private plunge pool and sensational views of the ocean and the iconic Pitons. No other building permissions will be granted on the 192 acres of rainforest and pristine beaches which will ensure there is no risk of over-development.

The properties will include one bedroom villa (from $700,000) one bedroom deluxe villas (from $705,000) two bedroom deluxe villas (from $1,410,000) and two bedroom superior deluxe villas (from $1,685,000).

The Tides Sugar Beach will be the first Caribbean development to be managed by Los Angeles-based Kor Hotel Group, operator of The Tides, an elite brand with resorts in the world’s most desirable locations. The Tides brand is synonymous with luxury and owners will have full use of all the facilities of the resort and can enjoy the benefits of being a Tides hotel guest. These benefits will include a 24 hour butler service, 3 gourmet restaurants, a late night bar, swimming pools, a Rainforest spa, a scuba diving centre, a children’s club and a beach club and lounge located on the beautiful white sands.

Marco Bonini, Sales Director of Sugar Beach Villas says: “Buying a villa at Sugar Beach is a great investment. Owners may use the property for four weeks of the year with their villa forming part of the rental pool for the remainder of the year. The developer then guarantees the owner a minimum 5% pa return immediately on completion and for the whole of the first year of operation.

“Owners will receive a 37.5% share of the total hotel room revenue which will be pooled between the properties. The amount is taken directly from the room rate without any deductions and is split between the owners proportionately according to the purchase price of their villa, set at project launch.”

Another great incentive for UK buyers is that the dollar exchange rate can be fixed a $1.72 to the £ for a limited period of time which offers a fantastic saving compared with current exchange rates which are closer to $1.45. If you combine this with the fact that comparable properties in Barbados are 30-40% higher, then buying at Sugar Beach makes great sense.

Marco Bonini continues: “This is definitely an ‘investment without the worries’ option. The initial outlay at Sugar Beach may be slightly higher than for other developments in St Lucia, but because of the high standard of facilities, maintenance and management and its fantastic location, rental yields are likely to be 50-60% higher.”

Another incentive for property investors is that they do not have to pay Capital Gains, Inheritance tax or VAT in St Lucia. A tax efficient way to buy property is to form a local company. Whilst Directors require an Aliens Land Holding License, the Vendors tax (payable on the selling price of a property) which is 10% for foreigners, is reduced to a share of Transfer tax of only 0.5% if the property is the only asset belonging to the company.

There are direct scheduled flights from London Gatwick, Manchester, Toronto, Montreal, Miami, Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta making St Lucia more accessible for those wishing to invest in a second property or retirement home. It also means that tourist traffic for the discerning traveller is now at its highest ever, resulting in higher rental returns and property appreciation, for those who choose to invest here now.

Marco Bonini concludes: “The international airport is only 35 minutes from Sugar Beach this part of the island still feels like its just been discovered. When I arrive at the ridge of the Val des Pitons and look over the glorious bay, for me it is the most beautiful spot in the Caribbean. There is no doubt that the South of St Lucia has a very special exclusivity and charm, but if a buyer wants the best on the island then without doubt, Jalousie Plantation’s transformation and tie-in with The Tides will make Sugar Beach the cleverest investment in the Caribbean too.”

For further information please contact Lisa Basire at Sugar Beach Villas on +44 (0)20 8812 4773 or visit www.sugarbeachvillas.com

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Easier.com

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Adding a touch of sweetness to St Lucia

Caribbean property specialist, Prestigious Properties, is pleased to introduce a unique investment opportunity to buy an exclusive retreat in one of the best locations in the world – on the island of St Lucia.

This summer, a new team joined together to invest US$100 million to rebuild The Jalousie Plantation to the truly 5 star, world-class standards this idyllic location commands.

Prestigious Properties are pleased to announce that Los Angeles-based Kor Hotel Group, operator of The Tides, an elite brand with resorts in the world’s most desirable locations, will manage the new resort, reopening it as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2010.

With locations on some of the most unique and awe-inspiring beaches in the world, The Tides Sugar Beach in St. Lucia is set to become the brand’s first Caribbean offering. Sister properties include The Tides Riviera Maya at Playa Xcalacoco on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, The Tides Zihuatanejo on Playa la Ropa, on the Mexican Riviera, and The Tides South Beach in Florida.

Jalousie Plantation has been owned for the past three years by the Barnard family and Roger Myers (who founded and developed the successful Café Rouge chain and Punch Taverns plc in the UK). The Barnard’s company; Sunswept Resorts will conclude their management contract at Jalousie when the hotel closes for redevelopment next year, whilst Roger Myers will continue to take the project forwards.

Located in Saint Lucia’s magnificent Val de Pitons, Sugar Beach affords the enviable location of a UNESCO World Heritage Site within a spectacular 192 acres of rainforest and white-sand beaches. Sugar Beach will comprise 85 luxurious state-of-the-art villas, including one-bedroom villas ($700,000), two-bedroom villas ($1,310,000), two-bedroom deluxe villas ($1,210,000) and two-bedroom superior deluxe villas ($1,510,000). Each villa comes with its private plunge pool and sensational ocean and piton views.

The newest addition to The Tides collection will feature the brand’s distinctive offerings, including a prime coastal setting, provocative design, intuitive service and an array of refined and modern amenities designed for the spirited traveller. Personal Assistants, a Tides feature, will anticipate guest needs and assist them in accessing and enjoying the transformational experiences found on St. Lucia.

Locally grown and influenced cuisine and a holistic wellness program will offer ocean-inspired dishes and sustainable, marine-based spa products and treatments. The resort will unveil The Tides signature spa approach, guiding guests on a journey toward the discovery of their essential selves.

Villas are available for purchase as a buy-to-let investment, where owners are able to use their villa for four weeks holiday per year whilst also receiving a share of the hotel room profits. And with a guaranteed minimum rental return of 5% per annum from villa handover and for a further year after the hotel opens; huge demand in these villas is anticipated.

Marco Bonini, managing director of Prestigious Properties said: “This is an exciting time for us. With Roger’s 35 years of experience in the leisure industry and the level of investment and commitment pledged to this refurbishment, it will ensure that every aspect of the development is revisited and improved upon, transforming it into a world-class tropical resort in a totally unique setting.”

“St Lucia is becoming the destination of choice in the Caribbean for those who want a piece of paradise. With its superb location that has been 15-20% annual appreciation, and with the dollar rate still so favourable to British and European buyers, I’m confident that those with intelligent money to invest will snap up the villas. The protection ensured from the World Heritage status is also unparalleled, ensuring no risk from overdevelopment”.

Roger Myers who is based in St Lucia added: “Our unique location attracted interest from prestigious resort operators around the world. Kor Hotel Group’s high standards, proven experience and the energetic enthusiasm of their leadership convinced me that together we can create one of the best resorts in the world.”

“With an international brand of The Tides’ stature and Kor’s expertise behind the development – having already established various developments worldwide which have won a number of prestigious awards and media accolades – the value of real estate will rise dramatically, ensuring maximum appreciation of the property and higher room rates, which in turn will enhance the rental returns substantially.

“I am confident that like the other Tides resorts, once completed, Sugar Beach will provide our guests and owners with a truly special and inspiring destination.”

For further information, visit prestigious-properties.co.uk

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Property4Media

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Adding A Touch of Sweetness to St Lucia

Caribbean property specialist, Prestigious Properties, is pleased to introduce a unique investment opportunity to buy an exclusive retreat in one of the best locations in the world – on the island of St Lucia.

This summer, a new team joined together to invest US$100 million to rebuild The Jalousie Plantation to the truly 5 star, world-class standards this idyllic location commands.

Prestigious Properties are pleased to announce that Los Angeles-based Kor Hotel Group, operator of The Tides, an elite brand with resorts in the world’s most desirable locations, will manage the new resort, reopening it as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2010.

With locations on some of the most unique and awe-inspiring beaches in the world, The Tides Sugar Beach in St. Lucia is set to become the brand’s first Caribbean offering. Sister properties include The Tides Riviera Maya at Playa Xcalacoco on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, The Tides Zihuatanejo on Playa la Ropa, on the Mexican Riviera, and The Tides South Beach in Florida.

Jalousie Plantation has been owned for the past three years by the Barnard family and Roger Myers (who founded and developed the successful Café Rouge chain and Punch Taverns plc in the UK). The Barnard’s company; Sunswept Resorts will conclude their management contract at Jalousie when the hotel closes for redevelopment next year, whilst Roger Myers will continue to take the project forwards.

Located in Saint Lucia’s magnificent Val de Pitons, Sugar Beach affords the enviable location of a UNESCO World Heritage Site within a spectacular 192 acres of rainforest and white-sand beaches. Sugar Beach will comprise 85 luxurious state-of-the-art villas, including one-bedroom villas ($700,000), two-bedroom villas ($1,310,000), two-bedroom deluxe villas ($1,210,000) and two-bedroom superior deluxe villas ($1,510,000). Each villa comes with its private plunge pool and sensational ocean and piton views.

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Tropical Sky Blog

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

St Lucia’s Jalousie Plantation to undergo major redevelopment
Written by Tropical Sky

The Jalousie Plantation, one of Tropical Sky’s best-loved resorts on the Caribbean island of St Lucia, is set for a major redevelopment and rebrand.

It’s planned to close in May 2009 and reopen as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2010 in conjunction with the Kor Hotel Group, who already run several Tides properties in other exclusive locations. The St Lucia resort is already fantastic, so we’re really excited to see it being made even more spectacular.

One of its most unique features is definitely its location – set in a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the twin Piton peaks that St Lucia is famous for. The resort has white-sand beaches lapped by the Caribbean Sea and no less than 192 acres of rainforest, and all this attracted Kor Hotel Group to approach the Jalousie Plantation, as its owner Roger Myers explained:

“Our unique location attracted interest from prestigious resort operators around the world. Kor Hotel Group’s high standards, proven experience and the energetic enthusiasm of their leadership convinced me that together we can create one of the best resorts in the world.”

This sounds good to us, and looking at some of the other Tides hotels, including The Tides South Beach in Florida, The Tides Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and The Tides Zihuatanejo on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, we’re sure its going to be one of the Caribbean’s most luxurious destinations.

A $100m renovation will go into creating The Tides Sugar Beach’s 150 villas and guestrooms with private pools, four restaurants, an array of recreational activities, and amenities including a beach lounge, a comprehensive fitness centre and a world-class spa.

It’s billed as fusing chic European, African, Asian and Caribbean influences and will also feature Personal Assistants to help guests make the most of their holiday experience. We can’t wait to see the results.

In the meantime, you can still visit The Jalousie Plantation until it closes on 4 May 2009 and it will keep offering its first class service and facilities until then.

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