17 New Caribbean Hotels opening in 2026 All told, last year was a relatively light one for Caribbean hotels; while there were some stunners, a number of the most anticipated properties set to open in 2025 ended up, well, not actually opening. What that does mean is that there’s a very healthy pipeline of exciting new hotels slated to welcome their first guests in 2026 in the Caribbean, from hip urban hotels in places like Grand Cayman to new luxury resorts in emerging destinations (Four Seasons’ Cartagena outpost) to large-scale all-inclusive resorts in trending hotspots like Punta Cana. It should be a very eventful year for Caribbean hotels. Here are 17 different properties set to open their doors in the Caribbean this year — and ones we’re particularly stoked about. One of our favorite all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean is launching a big expansion this year, with three new, distinct resorts [...]

Havanatur S.A. launches Pride Tourism product line The launch of the Turismo Pride (Pride Tourism) product line by the Havanatur S.A. International Group of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies is one of the latest developments in the sector. On its official platforms, Havanatur explains that, aimed at the global LGBTQ+ community, Pride Tourism presents the island to potential international clients as an open, safe, diverse, and respectful destination. During the launch ceremony, the familiarization trip for Mexican tour operators to Cuba was also unveiled, along with the presentation of the Fiesta de Colores Festival, an event dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, scheduled for May 14-19, 2026, between Havana and Varadero, as Infotur reported. LGBTQ+ tourism has become one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic segments globally. Experts also highlight the high level of customer loyalty, higher average spending than that of the general tourist, and a growing demand for safe, inclusive, [...]

Guacamaro’s Tour: Sustainable tourism with a community focus in Matanzas By: Rachell Cowan Canino /Photos: Courtesy of the project There are places you visit and places you inhabit, even if only for a few hours. Guacamaro’s Tour belongs to the latter category. Just a stone’s throw from Varadero, Cuba’s main beach resort, this Local Development Project (LDP) is rewriting the tourism narrative in the province of Matanzas, demonstrating that beyond the bridges and all-inclusive hotels, there is a profound, authentic, and transformative Cuba. We are greeted by Judith Rodríguez Reyes, the project director, in a setting that could well be the prelude to the experience: the intense green of the Matanzas mountains serves as a backdrop while the first birdsong announces that here, nature sets the pace. Judith is not your typical hotel executive; she comes from the world of rescue and the Red Cross, and the perspective of someone who [...]

What the song "Guantanamera" doesn't tell you A collaboration by Yoanna Cervera/ Photos: Guantanamo Travel When dawn breaks in Cuba, the light always chooses the same spot to appear first: the easternmost point of the island. That's why the people of Guantánamo proudly say that they receive the sun before anyone else, as if each sunrise were an exclusive gift. So when someone hums "Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera," they may not realize they are unwittingly invoking the land where the day is born first. And what follows is an invitation to explore it. The City of Guantanamo: Straight streets and much more Before venturing into the mountains and coasts, it's worth stopping in the provincial capital. Guantánamo is a city laid out in a grid pattern, with straight, wide streets that distinguish it from the colonial design of other Cuban cities. Those who walk its streets discover a unique feature: many architectural [...]