Daily Archives: April 30, 2017

Experience a new level of luxury at the Bahamas' most elegant resort. Sandals Royal Bahamian is a blend of European sophistication with an exotic offshore island adventure. Once a favorite of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, today it offers two sky-sized colonnaded pools overlooking the emerald sea, Global Gourmet dining at 10 specialty restaurants, and an award-winning Red Lane Spa. Experience the royal treatment at this glamorous all-inclusive resort featuring the all-new River Pool Swim-up Suites with butler service, two pristine white-sand beaches, and exclusive VIP airport transfers in a Rolls-Royce or Mercedes-Benz for butler guests.

as reported by the Pan American Health Organization.

Nestled along Nassau's renowned Cable Beach, Sandals Royal Bahamian's luxurious rooms and suites deliver the old world charm and understated elegance of the 1940's alongside modern innovations, including the magnificent River Pool Swim‐up Suites. Choose from the grandeur of the Balmoral Tower or the Windsor Tower, featuring walk‐out suites set directly on the beach, or find peace and tranquility in the quaint cottages at the Royal Village.

Royal Windsor Tower Swim Up Crystal Lagoon Suite Learn More

Take a complimentary ferry to the resort's own Sandals Island for exotic offshore adventures. There are two secluded beaches to choose from‐one for relaxing and the other for exploring an area reputed to be the best in the Bahamas for snorkeling. The chic beach club features a pool with swim‐up bar, whirlpool and a casual restaurant. You'll find shaded hammocks and private cabanas for a romantic and playful rendezvous. It's paradise found‐and included‐just minutes away!

Few resorts in the world can match the exceptional fine dining selections at 10 specialty restaurants. Or the hospitality at 8 bars serving unlimited premium spirits. Each restaurant boasts its own authentic ambience and dcor, with masterfully prepared menus from internationally trained top chefs. Best of all, at Sandals no one's counting servings of anything including exclusive Mondavi Wines and Appleton Estate Rum.

Sandals is always looking to raise the bar when it comes to the Luxury Included Experience for our guests.

Our exclusive partnership with Mondavi Wines raises the standard of the included wines poured at our all‐inclusive luxury resorts. We also provide an amazing selection of wines for sale on our Manager's and Chairman's lists.

We have designed the bars exactly where they should beright on the beach and directly over the oceanto give you a truly authentic island experience. We've even created bars inside our beachfront pools. White-sand beaches and Caribbean rum concoctions are the inspiration for high-spirited gatherings, so take a seat and let the party begin.

and many, many more...

Grown in Jamaica's misty Blue Mountain range, Jamaica Blue Mountain's coffee possesses an unmatched superior flavor and it's included throughout all our specialty restaurants, French-style cafs, Club Sandals Lounges, self‐serve coffee stations, and indulging room service. Sandals Resorts offer the perfect pick-me-up day or night.

No one throws a party like Sandals because here every night is a celebration.

Amphitheater

Piano Bar

Live Shows

Talent Night

Live Bands

Carnivale Party

Art Auctions

Caribbean Night

Charity Casino

White Night

Authentic English Pub

Scuba diving at Sandals truly offers you the very best in equipment, staff and unbelievable dive sites ‐ all included! From regulators, BCD's, masks, snorkels, fins and tanks to state‐of‐the‐art, twin diesel Newton boats and expert guidance from our PADI certified dive professionals ‐ we've taken care of everything.

Sail away and indulge in a vast array of all-inclusive water sports. With our top‐of‐the‐line equipment, professional staff and unparalleled tropical locations, you can choose to fly across the water ‐ propelled by wind, motor or muscle-power ‐ or dive beneath its pristine surface.

Tennis, day and night, on lighted courts surrounded by fragrant tropical flowers and cool breezes that flow through towering trees. Volleyball on pillow‐soft sand. Exciting tabletop games such as pool tables and table tennis to enjoy. Plus, our multi‐million dollar fitness centers are equipped with state‐of‐the‐art Life Fitness equipment and complimentary certified instructors.

Slip into any one of seven extraordinary pools at Sandals Royal Bahamian. Reminiscent of the epic grandeur of ancient Rome, towering arches and majestic statues edge two vast colonnaded oceanfront pools‐each with sophisticated outdoor lounge seating and lively swim‐up bars. Meanwhile, on Sandals Island, a pool with a swim‐up bar is just steps from the sea.

Our unprecedented Butler Service, only available in our very highest level of suites, provides our most discerning guests with an unimaginably supreme standard of service and luxury, where your every need is anticipated. Your personal butler is trained in accordance to exacting standards by the Guild of Professional English Butlers, which provides butlers and valets to nobility and celebrities worldwide.

A place overflowing with extraordinary privileges, unique experiences, and exceptional service for concierge guests of Sandals Resorts. Extravagance is blended with remarkable amenities that completely redefine genuine hospitality and allow guests to enjoy one-on-one service and complete relaxation in the comfort of a stylish lounge.

At Sandals, all gratuities are included. From bellhops, to waiters, to bartenders, all tips are taken care of. In fact, only personal butlers are allowed to receive tips. Enjoy Sandals Resorts industry-leading hospitality and personalized service, and leave your wallet at home.

TRAINING ‐ Great opportunities are available for Sandals staff members through Sandals Corporate University, a program where Sandals Resorts employees can experience reputable education and training programs and in turn, provide you with the best Luxury Included experience possible.

When you tie the knot at Sandals, you get a FREE Beautiful Beginnings Wedding - or use the value toward creating the wedding of your dreams. After you've exchanged your vows, you can begin your happily-ever-after with endless ways to enjoy your time together, from suites so exotic and romantic, we named them "Love Nests Suites", to intimate dining beneath the moonlit sky, hand-in-hand strolls along the beach, and every land and water sport under the sun. All included.

Staying connected with loved ones is easier than ever at Sandals Resorts. Enjoy FREE INTERNET ACCESS throughout your vacation from any device, anywhere on the resort including all rooms.

Relax and enjoy your stress-free ride with non‐stop airport resort transfers featuring air-conditioning and comfortable, spacious seating. Or, opt to arrive in style in a private luxury vehicle from our first class fleet, which is available for an additional cost. Butler guests who book 7 paid‐nights or longer enjoy free private round‐trip airport transfers in a Rolls-Royce or Mercedes luxury sedan.

Classic European rituals are reinterpreted with a distinctive Caribbean flair at the exclusive Red Lane Spa at Sandals Royal Bahamian. Take the time to let us envelop you in natural botanicals & you will feel renewed for a lifetime. Whether it's the perfect setting for your spa experience or your favorite tropical infused aroma, we will adapt our treatments to your personal preferences.

Island Routes offers luxury adventure tours that range from completely exhilarating to delightfully sedate. No matter what your speed, you'll gain insider insights and a whole new perspective on this beautiful paradise that we call home.

Five Star Diamond Award

World's Leading All-Inclusive Resort

Offering you the very best in world-class hospitality

an exotic offshore island

Loading...

NOW FROM $444 PP/PN

Loading...

NOW FROM $425 PP/PN

Loading...

NOW FROM $419 PP/PN

Loading...

NOW FROM $412 PP/PN

Unlimited Premium Spirits

When drinks are Included, there's always a party!

Complimentary

rolls-royce/ mercedes

private transfers

for all

butler suites

Flight schedules vary by season and are subject to change.

the choices are all yours, all included, all the time.

Scuba diving & Water Sports

Penthouse Fitness Center

Red Lane Spa

Nightly entertainment

Link:

Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island, Nassau ...

The site in the Bahamas where the now-postponed Fyre Festival was to happen is on "lockdown" by the island country's government.

Private security guards were seen Saturday protecting the main site where people had been slated to sleep in luxury tents.

On Sunday, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism told ABC News, "Customs has the area on lockdown because [festival organizer] Billy [McFarland] has not paid customs duty taxes on the items that he imported" for the event. "He and his staff have left the items with a security company guarding it."

ABC News is attempting to reach McFarland for comment in regard to the tourism ministry's statement.

Customs duty taxes are often levied on goods transported internationally.

Fyre Festival said in a statement Friday that it had to import many items to essentially build a city because the private island of Fyre Cay where the luxury concert event was to take place, lacked "the physical infrastructure" needed "to fulfill on that vision safely and enjoyably for our guests."

News of a lockdown at the site comes after festival organizers released a statement Saturday trying to explain what happened with the festival, which was postponed amid a storm of complaints posted on social media.

The event, tickets for which cost up to thousands of dollars, erupted into what the tourism office called "total disorganization and chaos" after hundreds of prospective concertgoers landed in the Bahamas. The planned lineup included Ja Rule, Daya and Tyga.

On Saturday, the organizers promised in a statement posted to the festival's website that "all festival goers this year will be refunded in full. We will be working on refunds over the next few days and will be in touch directly with guests with more details."

"Also, all guests from this year will have free VIP passes to next years festival," the statement read.

The statement also said that the Fyre Festival was created by technology entrepreneur McFarland and rapper Ja Rule after a "partnership over mutual interest in technology, the ocean, and rap music."

"This unique combination of interests led them to the idea that, through their combined passions, they could create a new type of music festival and experience on a remote island," the statement continued. "They simply werent ready for what happened next, or how big this thing would get."

The statement then explained that interest in the festival quickly went viral. Festival organizers experienced what they called "roadblocks" after realizing that the island didn't have the infrastructure needed for the event.

"So, we decided to literally attempt to build a city," the statement read. "We set up water and waste management, brought an ambulance from New York, and chartered 737 planes to shuttle our guests via 12 flights a day from Miami."

The Fyre Festival organizers said they plan to hold a festival in 2018, but "at a United States beach venue."

Ja Rule spoke out Friday via social media, saying he was "heartbroken" about what happened in the Bahamas. He also maintained that it was not his fault, but he is "taking responsibility" and is "deeply sorry to everyone who was inconvenienced by this."

McFarland, 25, who told ABC News he was unaware of an investigation into his festival, cited bad weather as the reason why the festival stalled, pointing to a storm that approached the island Wednesday night and broke their water lines.

He added that all attendees slated to attend the festival have now departed the island, unless they were accommodated in rental properties they personally obtained.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in a statement Friday said it was "extremely disappointed" with how events unfolded around the festival.

"Hundreds of visitors to Exuma were met with total disorganization and chaos," the statement continued. "The event organizers assured us that all measures were taken to ensure a safe and successful event but clearly they did not have the capacity to execute an event of this scale."

Hallie Wilson, one attendee who said that she and her friends spent $4,000 to celebrate a friend's bachelorette party, told ABC News that she and more than 100 others landed back in Miami after spending hours trying to get a flight.

"It's been the longest 24 hours of our lives," she added.

Another attendee Trevor DeHass told ABC News that despite the Fyre Festival being promoted as an all-inclusive upscale weekend, he said that he and his friends were served two slices of bread, a slice of cheese and a small salad for dinner Thursday.

ABC News' Courtney Condron, Taylor Maple, Scott Withers and Michael Rothman contributed to this report.

Read more from the original source:

Fyre Festival site on 'lockdown' by Bahamas government - ABC News

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

It was a valiant effort by Team Bahamas in their FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup debut, but a late surge in the third period fell just short.

The Bahamas suffered a 3-2 loss to Switzerland in the final fixture on last nights schedule in the National Beach Soccer Arena at Malcolm Park.

Lesly St Fleur and team captain Gavin Christie scored goals for the Bahamas while Glen Hodel scored two for Switzerland while Noel Ott added the other.

Bahamas goalkeeper Julio Jemison delivered an inspiring performance in his first game for the national team at the senior level.

We came out with nothing to lose, we actually came out more calm than they did. People didnt expect us to perform that well against a team on that level, two of the best players in the world. We came in with the mindset with nothing to lose and we wanted to leave it all on the field. I think we did that today, we were just unlucky.

I didnt think we were out played, the other team was just lucky enough to get one extra goal, he said. All players dream for is to play at this level and playing in your home country makes it even more exciting. It was my first ever competitive game so it was definitely one to remember for me. You only get one chance to make a first impression so I just had a mindset to get out there and do all I can do, stop as much goals as I can.

St Fleur got the scoring started just 21 seconds into the game with a penalty kick that deflected off the cross bar and found the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead.

His second shot on goal just seconds later missed wide left and the Bahamas dominated time of possession early.

Switzerlands first shot on goal, a strike from Ott, was saved by Julio Jemison, who also saved a penalty kick just moments later.

The Bahamas physical style of play appeared to play into the hands of the Swiss team as they drew several penalties in the first third.

Ott had his second penalty kick blocked, but he would level the score just seconds later careening a deflection to tie the score 1-1 with 6:53 left in the first.

Jemison and Swiss keeper Valentin Jaeggy each anchored their teams defensive effort in the first third en route to a 1-1 tie.

Switzerland went ahead on a header from Hodel at the 1247 for a 2-1 advantage.

The Bahamas missed several scoring opportunities in the second, most notably an open-field two-on-one where St Fleur and Gary Joseph came up empty.

Hodels second score, a bicycle kick which found the back of the net, gave Switzerland a 3-1 lead with just under 10 minutes left to play in regulation.

Backed by an eager home crowd, the Bahamas would score a late goal in the third to pull within one. A throw in from Jean Francois found Kyle Williams who headed the ball to Gavin Christie, who scored with 5:43 left to play.

The teams performance was pretty good, we had a lot of chances at goal and at this level you have to score, you have to put away your chances and I think in the end thats what hurt us, Christie said.

Were very familiar with them, we know the players, weve trained with them, we played against them. We knew what to expect and theyre a very good team, very technical team, so we had to play them with the high press and not give them a lot of time on the ball.

The attention for Team Bahamas now shifts to Saturday nights matchup against Senegal, who scored a 9-0 win over Ecuador.

Its a totally different team so itll be a totally different game with different tactics, he said. They are a very strong team, very big team, very fast team and they had a tremendous win so they will be coming on a high looking to get another one. We will have to put in a new game plan for them.

Swiss head coach Angelo Schirinzi said he expected a hard fought, well-played match. Bahamas is a tough team, it was a very close game, if they mark, maybe they win, but it was the experience of Switzerland that I think made the difference. I expected them to play like this because I know them very well, he said. I think Senegal and Ecuador have to be very careful of this Bahamas team.

In the opening match of the day, Iran topped Mexico 3-2. Iran goalkeeper Peyman Hosseini scored the first goal of the tournament and made a crucial save at the end of the match.

Senegal looked dominant in a 9-0 win over Ecuador in the other Group A matchup.

Making their sixth tournament appearance, Senegal dominated the match from the kick-off and jumped into a 3-0 lead after the first interval.

Italy was the high scorer for the night with a 12-6 win over Nigeria in a Group B matchup. Gabriele Gori followed his impressive scoring exploits in European qualifying with six goals.

A crowd of 3,300 was on hand for night one of the tournament.Groups D and C will make their tournament debuts today.

Japan takes on Poland at 3:30pm followed by defending champions Portugal against Panama at 5pm, Brazil against Tahiti at 6:30 and the nightcap, United Arab Emirates against Paraguay at 8pm.

See the original post:

Bahamas Suffers 3-2 Loss To Switzerland - Bahamas Tribune

Miami Herald

Long-delayed Bahamas resort Baha Mar will begin receiving paying guests soon Miami Herald The third time wasn't the charm for the star-crossed Bahamian mega-resort Baha Mar. Originally slated to open in December 2014, the resort missed three scheduled openings before last week's ribbon-cutting for the first hotel in the complex, the Grand ...

Follow this link:

Long-delayed Bahamas resort Baha Mar will begin receiving paying guests soon - Miami Herald

Asheville School's Alec Sands.(Photo: COURTESY PHOTO)

Special thanks to Asheville School for this press release:

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (April 28, 2017) Asheville School junior Alec Sands hails from the Bahamas. For the week of April 15, he returned home to represent his country in the CARIFTA 2017 Swimming Championships.

The CARIFTA Games were founded in 1972 by the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA); these games included track and field events open to people from Caribbean countries. Today CARIFTA Swimming is a stand-alone competition that represents water sport championships open to countries throughout the larger region.

Young people from 26 countries compete to win points for their country's team. Sands was selected as one of seven boys to compete for the Bahamas in the oldest age category, 15-17. This was Sands' fourth time competing at CARIFTA, and at age 17, his last.

He made the most of this year's competition.

Sands was elected as co-captain of the boys team for the Bahamas, he won gold as part of the 4 x 100 medley relay, and he scored points with two fourth-place finishes in individual swims in the 200 IM event and the 200 Free event.

Sands was excited to finish his last CARIFTA with a gold. "We weren't seeded to come in first," he said. "Everyone stepped up. It was a lot of fun, and it was nerve wracking."

The CARIFTA Championships are held over four days, and swimmers can swim in two sessions per day. The competition is demanding, and Sands worked hard as a team captain to encourage his team. "I looked out for the younger swimmers; I motivated them," he said. "It was tough competition. We were competing against people from over 20 countries, and there was really fast swimming."

The Bahamas boys team came out on top of the competition and won the 2017 CARIFTA Swimming Championships. Congratulations to Alec Sands and his team on their win!

Sands also had a great year swimming for the Blues. Asheville School's swim team took third place in the NCISAA State Championship meet in February 2017. Sands had two second place finishes: in the 500 Free and as part of the boys 400 Free relay. He earned All-WNC honors for his season and set several individual school records.

Follow the HS Huddle on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/hshuddle, Twitter atwww.twitter.com/acthshuddleor Instagram atwww.instagram.com/high_school_huddle

Read or Share this story: http://avlne.ws/2qhlvPc

Read the rest here:

Blues' Sands shines in Bahamas meet - Asheville Citizen-Times

The Bahamas boys and Cayman Island girls came away with team titles at the 2017 CARIFTA Championships held in Nassau, Bahamas. Stock Photo via Funky Trunks

Both the Bahamas boys and Cayman Islands girls walked away with team titles at the 2017 CARIFTA Championships held in Nassau, Bahamas, with both earning emphatic victories in the points standings.

On the boys side Bahamas put up a staggering 459 points, nearly 100 clear of the runners-up from Guadeloupe (361.5). For the girls, the Cayman Islands put up 408 points, topping Trinidad & Tobago (332) and Jamaica (328.5).

Combined, Bahamas was well ahead with 799.5, followed by Guadeloupe (662) and Cayman Islands (621.5). Bahamas dominated the medal count with a leading total of 60, though Trinidad & Tobago managed to top the gold medal charts with 20.

The high point winners for the 11-12 age group both came from Bermuda, asElan Daley(80 pts) andSam Williamson(79) took the honors respectively.

Daley swam a plethora of events, picking up a total of five victories in the 50 back, 200 IM, 50 breast, 100 free and 50 free, including the middle three all coming on the third night of racing. Her time of 27.50 in the 50 free was the top 11-12 performance of the meet (642 FINA Pts). Williamson also swam a multitude of events, earning five victories as well with a sweep of the breaststroke and IM events.

Gabriela Donahue (57) of Trinidad and Tobago andNkosi Dunwoody(48) of Barbados earned top honors in the 13-14 category. Like Daley and Williamson, they both earned five individual wins apiece. Donahue swept the breaststroke events and added wins in the 50 fly and 50 back, while Dunwoody, like Williamson, swept the breaststroke and IM events.Ali Jackson of the Cayman Islands had the top 13-14 performance of the meet with her win in the 100 free in a time of 58.22 (714).

The 15-17 age category sawLauren Hew(67) of the Cayman Islands andPatrick Groters(61) of Aruba dominate, earning six wins each. Hew swept the backstroke events and added wins in the 100, 200 and 400 free. Groters also swept the back events, and added wins in the 200 and 400 IM and 400 free. Groters had the top four FINA point scoring swims in the age group, led by his 200 IM time of 2:04.69 (764).

James is currently a university swimmer for the Laurentian Voyageurs, where he is studying economics. Along with swimming, he also loves hockey. He's in his 11th season as a competitive swimmer.

See more here:

Bahamas, Cayman Islands Win 2017 CARIFTA Championship Titles - SwimSwam