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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Gert van Dijken, Editor |
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Curaçao: June 12, 2002 -- CaribSeek, the leading Caribbean portal, announced today the launch of a new online Caribbean magazine, CaribSeek Kaleidoscope (http://kaleidoscope.caribseek.com) CaribSeek Kaleidoscope is the first completely online Caribbean magazine presenting articles covering art, business, diving, entertainment, heritage, history, literature, music, real estate, statehood, travel and vacation ideas. CaribSeek Kaleidoscope features articles by renowned Caribbean and International writers. CaribSeek Kaleidoscope is the first multi-media and multi-lingual online Caribbean magazine, as it will feature articles in the major languages of the Caribbean, pictures, real audio and video. With CaribSeek Kaleidoscope, CaribSeek contributes to showcase and make all aspects of the Caribbean better known throughout the World. The following articles are featured on CaribSeek Kaleidoscope: - El Gran Caribe by Prof. Norman Girvan - Caribbean Hiking - Including a List of the Top Ten by M. Timothy O'Keefe - Monuments of Santo Domingo by Alicia van der Dijs - Going Underground by Michael DeFreitas - Emigración Laboral de Curazao a Cuba a Principios del Siglo XX: Una Experencia by Rose Mary Allen - Migrated Rhythm: The Tambú of Curaçao by René V. Rosalia - Caribbean with Kids by Paris Permenter and John Bigley - Saba's Underwater Marvels by Tom van 't Hof - Grenada Hashing by Michael DeFreitas - Belize - The Deep South by Mark Webster New articles will be added to CaribSeek Kaleidoscope regularly. About CaribSeek CaribSeek (http://www.caribseek.com) is the premiere portal and navigational guide for the Caribbean region connecting everyone to everything Caribbean. Our vision is to put the Caribbean at your fingertips. We are currently receiving over 7,500 visitors per day from all over the World. Together they view 30,000+ pages and each visitor spends an average of 6-8 minutes on CaribSeek: thus being over 11 (eleven) million pageviews per year! CaribSeek Kaya W.F.G. (Jombi) Mensing 18, 2nd floor Curaçao, N.A. Phone: (599-9) 560-1125 Fax: (599-9) 465-2997 E-mail: Datasoft@CaribSeek.com
I am writing to introduce myself and my establishment, La Kaiser Resort Hotel & Club in Negril www.lakaisercafe.com I believe our website speaks for us. La Kaiser is located on the site of the former Kaiser Cafe which I understand was one of the places to be years ago. Our facility is all new with all the modern conveniences, as well as a wonderful entertainment stage, bar and dining area, fully equipped accomodations and direct access to the sea via steps that wind cliffside down to the caves. I invite you to come visit us. Whether or not you have already experienced the warmth of Jamaican hospitality, come try it La Kaiser style!
COZUMEL, Mexico (June 26, 2002) ^Ö Isla Cozumel, the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean, has been recognized by a U.S. News & World Report Travel Agent Survey as the North American and Caribbean destination offering the best vacation value. The survey results were highlighted in the June 3 issue of the magazine, revealing that among 223 U.S. travel agents polled, Cozumel was at the top of the list for providing good value for money, being a safe destination and offering unique experiences such as Mayan archaeological sites, coral reefs and varied dining options. Rich in history, culture and natural wonders, Cozumel is home to the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio, the world^Òs second-largest reef system, the ecological parks of Chankanaab and Punta Sur and the island^Òs very first eco-golf course, the Nicklaus Group-designed Cozumel Country Club golf course. ^ÓWe are delighted to be named as the leading destination that offers the best vacation value throughout North America and the Caribbean,^Ô said Gaston Cantarell Diaz, president of the Isla Cozumel Hotel Association and private sector representative for the tourism foundation. ^ÓIt is exciting to be recognized for the Island^Òs dedication to offering a comprehensive experience from culture and ecology, diving and snorkeling, to beach going, dining and shopping. We have it all, at prices that are affordable and unbeatable.^Ô By the end of 2002, a $14 million renovation project of the Cozumel International Airport will be completed. The airport serves non-stop U.S. flights to and from Houston, Tex., Newark, N.J. and Charlotte, N.C., as well as a variety of charter flights. Also, a new shopping and entertainment complex, Punta Langosta, opened six months ago, and features popular dining such as Carlos ^Òn Charlie^Òs and T.G.I. Friday^Òs and a wide variety of upscale retail shops. Named "Cuzamil" by the Maya who inhabited it more than 2,000 years ago, Isla Cozumel or "land of the swallows" is located in the state of Quintana Roo, east of the Yucatan Peninsula. Cozumel, approximately 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, has an international snorkeling and diving reputation with the world's second-largest reef network featuring limestone caves, tunnels and rare black coral. Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park, a protected 30,000-acre national area covering 85 percent of the island^Òs dive sites and embracing the southern section of Cozumel, was created in 1996 for the purpose of conserving, monitoring and researching the reef formation and its natural habitat. Visit Cozumel on the World Wide Web at www.islacozumel.com.mx.
CANCUN, Mexico (June 13, 2002) ^Ö The Meliá Cancun Convention Center Beach & Spa Resort announces Rolf Salomon as Managing Director. Salomon joins the resort with 21 years of hotel management experience in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Salomon joins Meliá Cancun from Club Regina Raintree Resorts International in Mexico City, as director of hotel operations. Previously, Salomon served in management positions for eight years with Westin Hotels & Resorts in Guatemala, Indonesia, the United States and Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Salomon attended school in Munich, Germany and Lausanne, Switzerland. In the United States, he completed his education with Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, and Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. In 1990, Salomon worked as the Resident Manager of Hotel Meliá Cancun for one year. Salomon^Òs professional accomplishments include fluency in four languages including Spanish, English, German and French. He has also served on the board of directors for the Hotel Association for Colombia, the Netherlands Antilles and Mexico. The Meliá Cancun Convention Center Beach & Spa Resort, scheduled to upgrade to a Gran Meliá brand September 15th, is a nine-story contemporary hotel with Mayan temple-style architecture, 700 rooms and 31,000 square feet of meeting space in a state-of-the-art convention center. Built in 1990 and enhanced by a recent $40 million renovation, the hotel boasts a premier spa and 8,500 square feet of gardens and streams within the largest atrium complex in the Mexican Caribbean. The Meliá Cancun is located in the core of the Hotel Zone of Cancun Island, only 15 minutes from Cancun international Airport. Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts is one of the world^Òs most successful hotel companies with its four brands ^Ö Meliá Hotels, Tryp Hotels, Sol Hotels and Paradisus Resorts ^Ö with over 350 hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide. Sol Meliá^Òs 2002/2003 expansion plans include new properties in Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico and throughout Asia Pacific and Europe. Individual reservations can be through a travel consultant or by calling toll-free 1-800-33MELIA (63542). Group reservations can be made through a professional meeting and incentive planner or through Sol Meliá^Òs group desk (CIMAS) by calling 1-888-33MELIA or via e-mail: Cimas@sol-group.com. Hotel information can also be obtained by accessing Sol Meliá at www.SolMeliá.com.
PUERTO MORELOS, Mexico (June 27, 2002) ^Ö Paradisus Riviera Cancún ^Ö All-Suites All-Inclusive Beach Resort & Spa offers special group rates of $110 USD per person, all-inclusive, based on double occupancy during September and October 2002. Rate is 10 percent commissionable and valid for US and Canadian groups of 10 rooms or more by booking through CIMAS, Sol Meliá^Òs group desk. This group rate includes breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, along with available a la carte options and domestic and premium beverages. Larger groups can enjoy one complimentary suite and upgrade to a Superior Suite for each 25 suites booked. Paradisus Riviera Cancún offers complimentary group coordinators, reserved restaurant sections, a hospitality desk with house phone, welcome drinks and Mayan dance upon check-in and welcome amenities for VIP guests. The Paradisus Riviera Cancún All-Suites All-Inclusive Beach & Spa Resort recreates a Mayan Village ambience with its narrow paths and charmingly private, three-story oceanfront bungalows. It stretches between a lush tropical mangrove preserve on a 5,000 foot-long Caribbean beach, protected by a coral reef, which is part of the second largest coral reef formation in the world. The exotic 500-room Paradisus Riviera Cancún provides the perfect group setting in deluxe accommodations with terrace, ocean, garden or pool view. The resort features daily entertainment, activities and nightly shows. Guests have full-access to the resort^Òs spa including steam baths, Jacuzzi, sauna and health club, kid^Òs club, two tennis courts, four swimming pools, a children^Òs pool, daily beach activities, nightly entertainment on and off property with a free shuttle service three times daily to Cancun. Six fine dining restaurants are located on-site offering a variety of venues ranging from French, Japanese and Mexican cuisine to Caribbean dishes, plus 24-hour room service. There is also over 8,200 square feet of ballroom and meeting space perfect for business and group affairs. Paradisus Riviera Cancún features a concept of a ^Óhotel within a hotel^Ô through its ^ÓServicio Real^Ô (Royal Service). This exclusive service provides travelers with personalized check-in and check-out. Guests are greeted in a private lounge with a cold, scented towel and a glass of sparkling wine. The Servicio Real Lounge also offers continuous coffee, sodas and five different buffets from continental breakfast, canapés, sushi and fine pastries throughout the day. When entering their superior accommodations, guests choose from an assorted pillow menu, luxurious body and bath amenities and fruit basket, Night Courtesy/turndown service and personal butler and concierge. Servicio Real also offers currency exchange, 24-hour room service, free internet access, dry cleaning (for fee), secretarial services and ticketing arrangements. Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts is one of the world^Òs most successful hotel companies with its four brands ^Ö Meliá Hotels, Tryp Hotels, Sol Hotels and Paradisus Resorts ^Ö with over 350 hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide. Sol Meliá^Òs 2002/2003 expansion plans include new properties in Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico and throughout Asia Pacific and Europe. Group reservations can be made through a professional meeting and incentive planner or through Sol Meliá^Òs group desk (CIMAS) by calling 1-888-33MELIA or via e-mail: Cimas@sol-group.com. Individual reservations can be made through a travel consultant or by calling toll-free 1-800-33MELIA (63542). Hotel information can also be obtained by accessing Sol Meliá at www.solmelia.com.
PUERTO MORELOS, Mexico (July 9, 2002) ^Ö Paradisus Riviera Cancún All-Suites All-Inclusive Beach & Spa Resort in Puerto Morelos just south of Cancun, will host the second annual USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association)/TCF (Travelers Conservation Foundation) Leadership Summit Oct. 3-6, 2002. The USTOA/TCF Leadership Summit will bring together buyers, including USTOA^Ò s Board of Directors, active members, corporate event planners, incentive travel organizers and travel distribution system executives, plus leading suppliers from around the world. It will be a weekend full of events and networking for suppliers and buyers in the travel industry. Weekend events will include two days of golf tournaments, tennis, tours to the many attractions in and around Cancun and other activities for non-golfers, shared with the travel industry^Òs most influential executives. Supplier sponsors and buyer guests are not required to be USTOA members to attend this important event. Supplier sponsorships can include sellers of media, marketing services and products, air, land, sea and destination travel including DMCs, CVBs and Official Tourist Offices. Levels of sponsorship range from lobby hospitality to team and hole sponsors. During the three-day event, both a silent and live auction will be held. The auction lots will comprise of donations from suppliers around the world. All proceeds raised will directly benefit the Travelers Conservation Foundation. Funds will finance projects to protect, restore and conserve the world^Òs natural, cultural and historic treasures. For full information please refer to the TCF web site at www.tcfonline.org or USTOA web site at www.ustoa.com. ^ÓSol Meliá is honored to consecutively host the second annual summit and we predict another successful year with USTOA and TCF^Ô, said Emanuel Schreibmaier, vice president of sales and marketing for Sol Meliá^Òs Americas Division. The exotic, all-inclusive, 500-room Paradisus Riviera Cancún provides all-suite accommodations with terrace, garden or pool views. The resort features six restaurants, four of which are a la carte dining, five bars, daily entertainment, activities and nightly shows. Guests have full-access to the resort^Òs spa including steam baths, Jacuzzi, sauna and health club, kid^Òs club, tennis courts and shuttles to Cancun. Paradisus Riviera Cancún features a concept of a ^Óhotel within a hotel^Ô through its ^ÓServicio Real^Ô (Royal Service). This exclusive service provides travelers with personalized check-ins and checkouts. Guests are greeted in a private lounge with a cold, scented towel, a glass of sparkling wine or choice of assorted fresh fruit juices, coffee or tea and fine pastries. When entering their superior accommodations, guests choose from an assorted pillow menu and enjoy luxurious body and bath amenities. Continuous coffees, sodas, hors d^Òoeuvres, fine pastries, teas and international brand cocktails are served throughout the day. Servicio Real offers Internet service (free of charge), 24-hour room service, personal butlers, dry cleaning (for a fee), shoeshine, secretarial services and ticketing arrangements. Paradisus Riviera Cancún is located on the beautiful beaches of Mexico^Òs Yucatan Peninsulas. Situated near ancient Mayan ruins, the entire resort is engulfed in lavish vegetation and natural surroundings. This resort features four swimming pools, a children^Òs pool, two tennis courts, spa facilities and daily beach activities. Six fine dining restaurants are located onsite offering a variety of venues ranging from French cuisine to Caribbean dishes. Also this resort features over 9,000 square feet of ballroom and meeting space perfect for business and group affairs. Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts is one of the world^Òs most successful hotel companies with its four brands ^Ö Meliá Hotels, Tryp Hotels, Sol Hotels and Paradisus Resorts ^Ö with over 350 hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide. Sol Meliá^Òs 2002/2003 expansion plans include new properties in Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico and throughout Asia Pacific and Europe. Individual reservations can be made through a travel consultant or by calling toll-free 1-800-33MELIA (63542). Group reservations can be made through a professional meeting and incentive planner or through Sol Meliá^Òs group desk (CIMAS) by calling 1-888-33MELIA or via e-mail: Cimas@sol-group.com. Hotel information can also be obtained by accessing Sol Meliá at www.solmelia.com. ### For more information about the USTOA/TCF Leadership Summit and to inquire about various categories of sponsorship levels, contact Lisa Cherry-Perks at The Opus Group, Event Management, phone (305) 234-1077; fax (305) 234-7700; email lisa.cherry-perks@theopusgrp.com. Information on the Summit can also be found on the TCF web site at www.tcfonline.org. For more information about Paradisus Rivera Cancún contact Kathy Hernandez, YP&B, (407) 875-1111 or via e-mail at Kathy_Hernandez@ypb.com. For images of the properties highlighted in this press release, please visit www.solsearching.com.
CANCUN, Mexico (July 1, 2002) ^Ö Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts will upgrade the 680-room Meliá Cancun Convention Center Beach & Spa Resort to a Gran Meliá luxury brand with an investment of $32 million U.S., effective Sept. 15, 2002. One entire wing of the hotel encompassing 132 rooms will be dedicated to providing Sol Meliá^Òs signature Royal Service which includes private check-in and check-out, personal butler service, an exclusive pillow menu, private breakfast, nightly cocktail hours in the private Servicio Real lounge, personal concierge service, business suite, amenity upgrades and more. ^ÓThe Gran Meliá Cancun^Òs Royal Service wing will be the largest among any Sol Meliá hotels worldwide and much more comprehensive than the usual executive floor service in other hotels,^Ô said Emanuel Schreibmaier, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Sol Meliá^Òs Americas Division. ^ÓThis will be Sol Meliá^Òs 10th Gran Meliá hotel worldwide, the 4th in Latin America and the second in Mexico, joining the Gran Meliá Mexico Reforma in Mexico City.^Ô The Gran Meliá Cancun features the largest indoor garden atrium in the Caribbean, a world-class indoor spa and fitness center, outdoor spa treatment cabanas, five restaurants, two expansive swimming pools each with separate children^Òs pool area, 500 feet of white sand beach, and an executive nine-hole golf course. The hotel and convention center also offer a total of more than 31,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space. Located in the Hotel Zone of Cancun Island, the hotel is only 15 minutes from Cancun International Airport. The resort is walking distance from shops, dining and entertainment. Outdoor excursions and activities can be arranged onsite at the resort^Òs beach property. Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts is one of the world^Òs most successful hotel companies with its four brands ^Ö Meliá Hotels, Tryp Hotels, Sol Hotels and Paradisus Resorts ^Ö with over 350 hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide. Sol Meliá^Òs 2002/2003 expansion plans include new properties in Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico and throughout Asia Pacific and Europe. Individual reservations can be made through a travel consultant or by calling toll-free 1-800-33MELIA (63542). Group reservations can be made through a professional meeting and incentive planner or through Sol Meliá^Òs group desk (CIMAS) by calling 1-888-33MELIA or via e-mail: Cimas@sol-group.com. Hotel information can also be obtained by accessing Sol Meliá at www.solmelia.com.
Editors Note: The books are currently purchasable as ebooks on Amazon.com and in Europe at WHSmith.com. Corporate information on publisher(Zagada Media) can be found at www.zagada.com. Paperback version of books are due out soon. One third of the royalties received will go to endow an educational foundation called The islandGURU Foundation for supporting education in the Caribbean. More information in this Word document.
Caribbean WOW 2.0 (Amazon.com: $7.95) "From Alexander Hamilton to Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos - The Compelling History of People of Caribbean Ancestry's Impact on America" CARIBBEAN WOW 2.0 accentuates Caribbean peoples contribution to American nation building. It will forever change your perspective on U.S. social history in relationship to the Caribbean. Beginning with Colin Powell the first Jamaican-American Secretary of State and Amazon.com Jeff Bezos, whose father is a Bay of Pigs Cuban immigrant, Caribbean WOW 2.0 offers a second iteration - a step up from the 1.0 perspective of the region's importance for only fun and sun. Did you know that Alexander Hamilton was Caribbean born, the City of Chicago was founded by a Haitian, Pissaro, father of Impressionism was also Caribbean born - and America's independence was first recognized in the Caribbean - and not France as is popularly recorded in history books and popularly taught in US classrooms? Discover Alberto Vilar the Caribbean money manager and philanthropist who pioneered technology institutional fund investing and has emerged as the biggest financial support of the performing arts in the U.S, Europe and Russia. Caribbean WOW 2.0 also introduces you to Kellogg's Caribbean born CEO and many more exceptional stories of the human potential. The book also features great minds from Puerto Rico including movie star Raul Julia and heads of the Small Business Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the first female surgeon general- all Puerto Rican women. Caribbean Wow! has received 14 major endorsement, including, the late James Mitchner, and Dante Fascell, a past Chairman of the U.S House Ways and Means Committee, the Smithsonian, The Miami Herald and many more. After reading this book, you concept of the Caribbean and its immigrant population will never be the same. It temporarily shifts you perspective from looking at the region and its peoples as merely a fun stop over and forces you to see their intellectual, social, political and economic contribution to America nation building. The book, written with both humor and candor reminds one of Thomas Cahill's, important book, "How the Irish Saved Civilization," and the high level of regard it focused on the Irish contribution to Western culture. CaribbeanZEN (Amazon.com: $6.95) If you have read, Herman Hesse's Siddharta, Richard Bode's Beachcombing at Miramar or Paulo Coelho's, The Alchemist - then CaribbeanZEN is surely a book for you. It's a book written with the contemporary executives in mind- those beholden to stress and IT excesses. The book, however is a spiritual unfolding, relevant to anyone seeking to make philosophical sense of their post September 11th lives. In the Wee hours of a New Year's morning a senior Wall Street and Silicon Alley investment banker/venture capitalist, John Jacobson, is summoned in a dream. Desiring answers to philosophical questions about career, his relationship and matters of inner balance, he finds a conduit. He is to visit an old wise woman, Isha, in a small, remote, and sparsely populated island, straddling the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. He ultimately meets her for one week on this mysterious island. Their encounter exposes John to a cluster of mystical codes drawn from the heart of the cosmos and the sanctum of the soul. The revelation that Isha shares with John comes during five intense days of dialogue and incessant probing. Peters uses as motifs, a simple island setting and the monumental awareness of a "Feminine Soul" of goddess-like stature, as a paradoxical stepping-stones to explore the authentic path to self-discovery and personal enlightenment. As it were, a philosophical discussion encompassing the great thinkers, spiritualists and writers from all walks of life and diverse segments of time. Their dialogue covers wisdom and insights from The East, The West and Native Peoples. Ultimately, John's life, and those who subsequently come into contact with him, is forever changed. CaribbeanZEN, though a fictional journey into the alchemy of balance and self-authenticity - captures your real attention. The questions asked and the answers explored seem to resonate the central themes for all those on a quest for the authentic life. Peters' debut novel is a work of erudition, spiritual tension and intellectual ferment. Caribbean Oracles (Amazon.com: $5.95) "How an island visitor a century ago foresaw the new economy" Caribbean Oracles is part biography, part social commentary and part essay. The book discusses the fascinating futuristic highlights of Arthur Bird's work, "Looking Forward," published in 1899. Bird, a former American vice-consul to Haiti in the 1890s, is an unheralded American futuristic mind that wrote about bold technological insights defining the 21st century. Peters brings the genius of Bird alive by focusing on the thirty plus prediction made about America and Europe relevant to the new millennium. Robotics, expedited mail delivery, a communication boom, spousal laws against battery, anti-smoking laws and a fascination with the planet Mars are part of the amazing exactness of Birds predictions. To offer contextual depth to the work, Peters gives us a riveting glimpse into the 1890s and parallels it with our last hyper growth decade of the 1990s. The reader will be stunned by the similarity in themes and preoccupations of the time. The book is short but truly fascinating. To conclude the work, Peters throws the futuristic technology mantle on the shoulders of a new American seer and also offers some intriguing insights of his very own.
SABA-Wine Spectator, a prestigious international wine connoisseur magazine, has recognized the Gate House Restaurant for one of its annual awards to restaurants with outstanding wine representation. The awards list will be published it the August 31st Dining Guide issue, which is read by more than one million. Every year, the magazine receives over 3,000 entries into its awards program, which has three levels. This is the first time that any restaurant on Saba has received such an exceptional award. Gate House owner/operators Michel and Lyliane Job, in operation since last October, were overjoyed when the news arrived last week. They immediately celebrated with their evening guests over a bottle of Champagne. The couple said that when they decided to submit their application they felt that it would be instructive, but had little faith that they had a real chance. "We had nothing to loose," said Lyliane. Wine Spectator requested a list of wines available at the restaurant. This "vintage depth" consists of vintages and appellations for all selections, including wines served by the glass. The Jobs have 600 to 700 bottles of wine on hand, with more than 100 individual choices. Also submitted was the Gate House menu, which is French with a Caribbean/Creole flavor. Saba's Commissioner of Tourism Will Johnson, who just recently celebrated Secretaries' Day by treating some of the government administrative staff to lunch at the Gate House, commented that such recognition is bound to make Saba a destination for fine eating. In fact, this has already happened. On several occasions, the Gate House has welcomed customers who chartered a flight from St. Barts to lunch there. The guests indicated word-of-mouth recommendations had brought them. "It's a small world we live in, so our reputation is precious to us," Michel said. "The endorsement of "Wine Spectator" is a wonderful achievement for us and for the island of Saba," he added. The Jobs are not new to the wine trade. Of French birth, but naturalized Americans, they owned and operated two wine retail outlets in Boston for ten years before realizing their dream of owning a B&B in the Caribbean. "We celebrated July 4th on Saba last year and fell in love with it," says Michel. The small guesthouse was in good condition and took it minimal work to get up and running. The Jobs are currently improving the kitchen facilities: the local electrician is installing a dishwasher, a side-by-side refrigerator, and a deep freeze. The Jobs opened in October of 2001, initially only serving dinner. Lyliane explains, "Michel is a great amateur cook, but had never functioned as a professional chef. So we started slowly." This attention to detail and paced growth was a wise choice in a region reeling under the impact of 9/11 on tourism. In the meantime, the hard-working couple is serving three meals a day, every day of the week: breakfast to guests and lunch and dinner to the public. The menu is under constant revision, as the Jobs explore new avenues to diversify the product they bring to the table on an island where most everything is imported. A recent addition, for example, is that traditional French specialty, Frog Legs. Lyliane puts on special events, such as wine tasting soirées, in which she takes her guests through a tutorial on the terrace as a full-moon rises. The table, groaning with various wine goblets, bottles, and perhaps a snack to punctuate the taste of the wine, grows quiet while guests are mesmerized as lights in the distance mark the presence of the six islands within view of the Gate House. The current marketing plan includes reaching out to the marriage market, since the location with its spectacular view would be an ideal location for an intimate ceremony away from home. The hotel offers various packages to suit the customer. There is a dive package and for those who wish to explore the island, the hotel is just steps away from a marvelous hike to Saba's famous sulfur mine, which joins up with the island's most popular trail, The Sandy Cruz. "We also have a massage therapist and a yoga instructor associated with the Gate House who are ready to serve our clients on the premises," Lyliane said. With the diversity of activities, the intimate family environment, and an award-winning wine list steps away from a cozily decorated room with a view of six islands, the tourist who wants that special something lacks nothing. The Gate House is located in lower Hell's Gate, five minutes from Saba's airport. It offers accommodations in six rooms in the hotel, plus a cottage, and a villa. The Gate House has two swimming pools and is open to the public year round for lunch and dinner every day of the week. Reservations may be made to 599-416-2416 or faxed to 599-416-2550. The Gate House may also be reached via email at info@sabagatehouse.com and their web site reviewed at www.sabagatehouse.com.
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