Which Islands Are Ready for Travelers After the Storms? [Update November 2017]

Months after seeing the devastation of Mother Nature as seasonal hurricanes raged over the Caribbean Islands, many are wondering which islands are ready for winter travelers. Some islands were spared the worse weather, others sustained some damage and are busy with the work of re-building, while some were left in rubble.

If you are a traveler with reservations, be sure to work with your travel agent or the resort to be sure you are good to go. If you would like to make reservations, work with your agent or the resort and I trust this list will help you navigate your destination in the aftermath of the hurricanes.

Antigua

• Sandals Grande Antigua will remain closed in the interim and will reopen on the previously scheduled date of December 20. If you have upcoming travel plans, please call 800-SANDALS to reschedule. All other major Antigua hotels are open for business.

Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Bonaire
Cuba
Curacao
Dominican Republic
Haiti
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Jamaica
Martinique
Montserrat
Saba
St. Eustatius
St. Lucia
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Vincent
The Grenadines
Cayman Islands
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos – heavy winds and rains caused landscape damage at many of the resorts, but thankfully no structural damage was reported and the hotels are mostly open for business.

• It was announced that Beaches Turks and Caicos will be “pleased to accept guests beginning December 14.” Guests with upcoming travel plans should call 800-BEACHES to reschedule.
• Ocean Club Resort is set to reopen November 20
• Ports of Call Resort is set to reopen November 25
• Club Med Turkoise is set to reopen January 31
• Point Grace Resort will reopen and no specific date has been announced
• Sailrock Resort is planning for a December opening time frame

St. Maaretn / St. Martin:

• The Sonesta properties were seriously damaged and all reservations thru 2017 will be cancelled. This affects Sonesta Moho Beach Resort Casino & Spa, Sonesto Ocean Point Resort, and Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino.
• Beach Plaza and Belair Beach Hotel suffered serious damage.
• Esmeralda Resort has been 70% destroyed. Hotel Mercure was “damaged.”
• La Vista Hotel – some roof damage, but the roof is still there and in relatively decent shape
• Oyster Bay Beach Resort: significant damage
• Princess Heights: minor damage
• Riu Palace St. Martin – infrastructure has been severely affected but employees and guest are reported as being fine
• Summit Resort Hotel: will remain closed
• The Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa: severally impacted
• St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) reopened to commercial service on October 10. Terminals have been damaged and the number of flights in and out may be adjusted.

St. Barths – Progress is being made and they plan to hold St. Barths’ 207 Christmas Village in December and declare the music must go on with the 2018 Music Festival in January, 2018. Other 2018 events which may be enjoyed are the Bucket Regata, Les Voiles de Saint Barth.

• Eden Rock is looking at opening “next summer”
• The following hotels expect to be up and running by Thanksgiving
  • • Sunset
    • Ti Marne
    • Auberge de Terre Neuve
    • Tom Beach
    • Le Village St. Barth
    • Villa Lodge
    • 4 Epices
    • Boie des Anges
    • Les Ondines
    • Saline Garden
    • Les Sucriers
    • Les Illets de la Plage
    • Le Nid d’Aigl

  Puerto Rico

  • • • IHE Hotels which expect to be fully functional are: Hotel El Convento, Condado Vanderbilt, La Concha Renaissance Resort, Doubletree by Hilton San Juan ,Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort, and Condado Palm Inn & Suites.
      • The Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort will remain closed through the end of the year.

  British Virgin Islands

  • • • Commercial flights have resumed at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport

  US Virgin Islands

  St. Croix – The Department of Tourism continues to encourage traveler to postpone trips to the island at this time.

  St. John – Caneel Bay will be closed the rest of 2017 and Westin St. John will be closed until further notice.

  St. Thomas – Most hotels and resort are closed until further notice and suggest guests cancel all reservations through mid-November. Call you hotel directly if you are unsure.

  Barbuda – has all but been destroyed. The prime minister reported the island is “now literally rubble.”

  Dominica – Widespread devastation.

  Anguilla – Because many of the buildings were constructed with concrete as opposed to wood, they faired better in terms of structural damage than some of the neighboring islands. Repair is needed to the landscapes and aesthetics of many hotels and because of damage to the airport used to get to Anguilla, getting there is a challenge.