Bookshelf: Frommer's Caribbean 2007
By Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince
Wiley Publishing, 2006
784 pages, $21.99
It all began with a small book called "Europe on $5 a Day," an ode to the joy of overseas travel.
That first Frommer's book, published in 1957, became the cornerstone of what is today several hundred guides spanning the world. This latest Caribbean guide carries on the Frommer tradition of independent comment and cost-conscious travel.
Must-read sections cover what's new in the Caribbean; where to find the best of the Caribbean for beaches, golf, family vacations, shopping and nightlife; and how to plan a Caribbean getaway (the passport issue is covered, although the erroneous dates given for implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative reflect the early printing deadline for the book and not the authors' information).
This is a thorough, informative and delightful read. It's a thick book to tuck into the carry-on, but with the restrictions on liquids, there's now room for a book of this size.-- G.N.M.
Beverly Nicholson Doty, president
of the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association, has been
nominated for the post of commissioner of tourism
by John deJongh, governor of the U.S. Virgin
Islands. Her nomination must be confirmed by the U.S.V.I.
Legislature.
If confirmed,
Nicholson Doty would assume the post recently held by Pamela
Richards.
Nicholson Doty
has led the U.S.V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association for the past 14
years. She was named executive director of the year in 2000 by the
Caribbean Hotel Association and served as vice president of the
Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives for three
consecutive terms.
Air
Jamaica starts Barbados service
Air
Jamaicas plan for the eastern Caribbean was set into
motion with the launch of a daily, nonstop flight from New York
(Kennedy) to Barbados.
There is onward
service to St. Lucia four days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays,
Thursdays and Sundays) and Grenada three days a week (Tuesdays,
Fridays and Saturdays).
Hey,
single parents: Need a break?
Single parents,
take heart. Beaches Resorts is offering its fifth
annual Single Parent Fun program at its four
resorts in Jamaica and Turks and Caicos from May 1 to 31 and from
Aug. 17 to Oct. 31.
Activities for
the adult guests include cocktail receptions while the kids are at
supervised movie nights.
The program must
be booked for three or more nights and can be combined with Beaches
25% discount for 2007 travel.
St.
Maarten unveils passport special
St. Maarten
hopped on the passport bandwagon with an incentive package for
holders of new or renewed passports issued after Dec. 15,
2006.
The St.
Maarten Bucks program, which offers $100 in on-island
money for use at participating restaurants, hotels, car agencies
and retailers on Dutch St. Maarten, is valid through
2007.
For details on
participating hotels, click on packages under the accommodations
section on www.visitsxm.com.
NWA
launches St. Thomas route
Northwest
Airlines has launched nonstop Saturday service from
Detroit to St. Thomas, culminating discussions between the Virgin
Islands Port Authority, the Department of Tourism and Northwest
over the past several years.
A spicy
new name
Mount
Cinnamon on Grand Anse Beach in Grenada is the new name of
the former Cinnamon Hill Hotel. The property, closed for the past
several months, will reopen with 21 renovated villas on April 10 to
host Cricket World Cup teams and fans.
The villas are
the first phase of a project that will include a 200-room,
family-friendly resort, although no date has been announced for
construction.
Elite
Island increases commissions
Elite
Island Resorts boosted its commission rate from 13% to 15%
for hotel and package bookings at its nine Caribbean
resorts.
Gay Nagle
Myers is Travel Weekly's Caribbean editor. E-mail her at [email protected].