NEW YORK -- Rob Barrett, owner of Antigua Resorts, describes his
newest property as an "undeveloped gem."
In March, the hotelier acquired Palm Island, a 24-room resort on
an island of the same name in the Grenadines. The property had been
owned and operated by the Caldwell family since the 1960s.
Currently, Palm Island is undergoing a renovation that will
increase the room count to 42 units. All of the units will have air
conditioning, teak furnishings, ceiling fans, wet bars with
refrigerators, hair dryers and in-room safes. Turndown service as
well as room service for continental breakfast and afternoon tea
will be available.
Barrett said the units will be larger than average. The two room
categories are beachfront and palmview, but Barrett added an
unusual touch: "coconut treehouses," private residences on stilts
that are about six to eight feet above the ground. The treehouses
will offer the same amenities as the regular guest rooms.
Barrett is positioning Palm Island as a small boutique hotel
that caters to an upmarket clientele. Rates will be inclusive, and
the resort will target mainly couples, with an eye on
honeymooners.
Barrett said Palm Island works for travelers looking for
destinations that are not overly developed. Guests can sign up for
water sports, go on walking tours, tool around the island on a
bicycle or go on picnic lunch excursions. There will be daily
excursions to other islands as well as trips to Tobago Cays for
snorkeling and scuba diving.
Facilities and activities at the resort will include five
beaches, two restaurants, two bars, an open-air "sandcastle"
theater, a swimming pool, tennis courts, nature trails, a yacht
club, sailboats and areas for snorkeling and windsurfing.
Barrett made arrangements to secure airlift, mainly out of
Barbados, to Palm Island. When guests arrive in Barbados, they will
be transferred by plane to Union Island, a trip of about 45 to 55
minutes.
Once they land in Union, they will be transported 300 yards by
golf cart to a launch for a 10-minute transfer to Palm Island. At
Palm Island, guests will find there are no automobiles (the mode of
transport is golf carts), and there are no formal check-in and
checkout times.
Check-in or checkout are scheduled on the basis of flight times.
The resort will have its soft opening in November. Barrett said he
plans to have about 200 agents come to the resort on a
familiarization trip.
The hotelier said he is looking for other properties similar to
Palm Island -- intimate, undeveloped and located in a unique
setting -- to add to his portfolio. "[This is] what tourism is
going to be all about in the 21st century," he said.