Overseas - Caribbean

Friday, January 04, 2008

You will not be far from a top-notch golf course with these developments, says Amanda Shiel

Caribbean
Chesterton International has launched two new developments on the islands of St Lucia and Anguilla. Both resorts will include a hotel, beach-front apartments and a full range of recreational facilities when completed in 2010.
The Raffles St Lucia development comprises a 200-room Raffles Resort, a variety of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and 72 plots of land. Further features include the Raffles Amrita spa, five swimming pools, a choice of restaurants and a Jack Nicklaus Golf Club (JNGC).
Situated on the east coast of Anguilla, the Fairmont Anguilla will consist of 360 acres of pristine oceanfront estate, featuring a variety of beaches on no less than two miles of coastline. Properties at the resort will offer spectacular sunset views against the backdrop of nearby St. Maarten.
Features of the development will include the 120-room Fairmont Resort, Willow Stream Spa, dining and recreational facilities, a beach club, a range of one-, two and three-bedroom apartments and the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club and signature Golf Course.
Chesterton and partners IMI, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts, are offering a Founders Programme at each development – a package which offers a range of extra benefits for early buyers.
Prices range from US $1,100,000 for a package with a one-bedroom apartment at St Lucia and US $1,600,000 for a package with a one-bedroom apartment at Anguilla. Reservation for the Founder’s Package requires a US $5,000 refundable deposit and is available until the end of 2007.
Contact Chesterton International on 0207 201 2070 or visit chesterton.co.uk.

Cyprus
Parador Properties are currently marketing a variety of developments that are close enough to take advantage of Cyprus’s beautiful golf courses.
The Zephyros Village apartments include a communal swimming pool and children’s playground. Prices start from £91,053 for a two-bedroom apartment.
Limassol Star apartments is situated in a five-star beachfront area, with a large communal swimming pool, special children’s pool, a tennis court and gardens. The site has been carefully designed to offer privacy and peace of mind to all residents. Prices start from £110,824 for a one-bedroom apartment, with two-bedroom townhouses and three-bedroom villas also available.
The Ha Potami Villas in Secret Valley were made for those looking for fun and sun in peace and quiet, combined with excellent road links to Limassol, Nicosia and Larnaka. Prices start from £294,941 for a three-bedroom villa and £421,171 for a four-bedroom villa.
For more information, visit paradorproperties.com or call 0800 781 4198.

Portugal
The Tróia Peninsula, a traditional weekend and holiday destination for Lisbon’s influential inhabitants, is rising into international prominence with the launch of Troiaresort, a new 440 hectare resort development which encompasses the existing Robert Trent Jones 18-hole golf course.
A range of contemporary residences, including 211 beach apartments, 79 marina apartments and 99 private villa plots, are now available. All of the apartments have water views, while the villas have views of the ocean, the lakes or the golf course. Villa owners have golf rights included.
The resort will be divided into four areas, each offering a different range of facilities and amenities.
The first phase, which comprises three hotels, a marina, casino, conference centre, commercial facilities, restructuring of the golf course and delivery of the marina and beach apartments, will be completed by September 2008.
Prices at Troiaresort range from €290,400 for a one-bedroom marina apartment to €1.3 million for a six-bedroom villa. Visit troiaresort.net or call +351 214 643 322.

USA
Walkabout Golf & Country Club is a multi-faceted resort on Florida’s Space Coast. Encompassing 1,200 acres of private nature reserve, 18-holes of golf designed by Perry Dye and a choice of high-end properties from townhouses to villas but without high-end price tags, Walkabout Golf & Country Club is the ultimate luxury lifestyle community.
The townhouses and villas have a range of facilities from hiking and jogging trails to cycle tracks, children’s pool, play area and child care facility as well as swimming pool, jacuzzi and wellness centre complete with spa and dedicated trainers and instructors.
Prices start from $398,000 (£198,000).
The Element, a 17.5 acre gated residential community at MetroWest Golf Club, is bordered by the Robert Trent Jones Senior designed golf course, which opened in 1987, and Veranda Park Town Centre.
The development is arranged into residential properties bearing the signatures ‘air’ (one-bedroom, one bathroom), ‘water’ (one-bedroom, one bathroom), ‘earth’ (two-bedroom, two bathroom), ‘metal’ (two-bedroom, two bathroom) and ‘fire’ (three-bedroom, two bathroom).
Properties themselves are ready for immediate occupancy, have a choice of balcony, patio or solarium, golf course and lake views as well as vaulted ceilings, fireplaces and walk-in wardrobes. Private garaging is also available. The whole community is pet friendly and offers WiFi hotspots.
Prices start from $163,900 (approx £81,500) for a one-bedroom ‘air’ apartment.
For more information on these developments, visit propertydealsflorida.com.

Bulgaria
Located near the village of Tankovo, Tankovo Mews offers a village setting in a courtyard house concept, with a communal swimming pool and public pavilion. The Kableshkovo golf and entertainment complex is under development 3km away.
The development includes two-bedroom villas with a jacuzzi, four-bedroom villas with heated a swimming pool and three-bedroom villas with plunge pools. Prices start from £94,766.
Set on the rolling hills just outside of Nessebar, the Nexus project provides a village setting in a courtyard house concept with 24-hour security and pedestrianised inner roads, giving a safe haven for the village. The central plaza with its communal swimming pool and public pavilion allow residents the option to socialise with other village residents or stay within their own private villas.
Property styles include studios, one-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom villas with a jacuzzi, three-bedroom villas with plunge pools and four-bedroom villas with a heated swimming pool. Prices start from £19,669.
For more information on these developments, visit buyland.co.uk.

posted on Friday, January 04, 2008 3:46:45 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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Friday, August 10, 2007

Caribbean chic

Buyers are hip to the wonderful islands of the Caribbean. Johnny Turner sees what’s on the market in some of the more sumptuous locations

The Landings is an award-winning five-star development of waterfront luxury homes on Rodney Bay, in the thriving north west of St Lucia. Its freehold residences are built around a private yacht harbour on one of the finest beaches in St Lucia. Properties overlook either the beach or the harbour with views over Rodney Bay and the calm Caribbean Sea.

More than just a residential development The Landings is a resort with an extensive range of on site facilities. A concierge service will ensure that every owner’s whim is catered for, from ensuring their fridge is stocked prior to their arrival to organising a babysitter or booking a massage. Amenities on site will include yacht mooring and slips, beach club, water sports, sunset lounge located on the pier, a gourmet restaurant, fitness club, luxury spa and salon, swimming pools, boutique, tennis courts and resort reception area. Owners at The Landings also have membership of the St. Lucia Golf and Country Club, which is a five minutes drive from the resort.

Since its launch in January 2005 The Landings has won two highly coveted Bentley International Property Awards for ‘Best Marina Development’ and ‘Best Caribbean Development.

There is a choice of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, built in a traditional Caribbean architectural style and fronting the beach, marina or channel. Apartment and balcony sizes are generous, with many properties having balconies at the front and rear of the property for alfresco dining and enjoying sunset cocktails. A one-bedroom apartment offers an overall space of 1,300 sq ft, a two bedroom 1,850 sq ft and a three bedroom apartment 2,640 sq ft. All are finished in high-quality materials such as stainless steel, exotic wood, imported tiles and stone. Air conditioning will be fitted as standard throughout.

Interiors have been designed by award-winning designer Alex Chapman & Associates, whose work includes the exclusive Cotton House resort on Mustique and the Trump Riverside development in New York. Owners have the choice of two bathroom/kitchen and general finish packages with the option to upgrade to alternative finishes and fittings. Also, the properties will be built to internationally accepted hurricane, seismic and general building codes.
Residences at The Landings are priced from $595,000 to $1.69 million. Call 0870 3891936 or see thelandingsstlucia.com.

Award-winning developer SANDS Caribbean has launched the first phase of their Adam’s Bay Luxury Beach Club resort on the island of Bequia. The island is located eight miles south of St Vincent and has been described as an undiscovered treasure in The Grenadines.

The Adams Bay resort offers a range of properties including traditional Caribbean ‘Gingerbread’ cottages located on the white sand beach, luxury hillside villas with elevated ocean views and on the ridge top sumptuous Ridge Residences with views over the beach, the Grenadines, Port Elizabeth and St Vincent.
The Adams Bay Luxury Beach Club resort has been designed with the entire family in mind, providing a variety of services and activities that will keep residents and guests entertained from sunrise to sunset.
The Beach Club features an a la carte restaurant, beach bar/restaurant, children’s play areas and club and a stunning beach with Grenadine views. There is also a boutique shopping area with a number of everyday convenience stores and a spa treatment area. Other amenities include tennis courts, boat/dock and outstanding fishing and diving.

Bequia’s average daytime temperature varies between 24ºC and 30ºC. Like its Caribbean neighbours, the island sees the usual season cycle. Its dry – and ultimately peak – season runs from December through to April, after which the rainy period sets in from May until June.
Bequia’s clear, warm waters and tropical inhabitants provide the perfect environment for diving and snorkelling, while the Atlantic breezes make sailing, windsurfing and kayaking equally popular past times. The interior mountains and moor lands of the island also offer exceptional hiking opportunities. Alternatively, joining the locals for a laid back session of fishing is also an option.
Bequia is reached by air from North America and Europe through six major gateways: Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, St Lucia, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Bequia is a short 25- to 30-minute flight from most of these hubs. The resort is situated two minutes from the airport.
Two- and three-bedroom beach cottages at Adams Bay are now available from $704,000.

Recently drawing the tourists and raising its profile by hosting the Cricket World Cup, the Caribbean offers both sports lovers and sun lovers alike a fabulous holiday destination. For those looking to find a ‘great catch’ off the cricket field, the Caribbean presents an exciting opportunity for investment. Real estate in the Caribbean and Central America can offer the serious investor many opportunities to make substantial gains on their investment in just a few years. Real estate prices on many islands continue to increase each year, but many great bargains can still to be found.

St Lucia

Located between Martinique and St. Vincent, St. Lucia covers 238 square miles. This is a physically dramatic Caribbean island, with dense tropical forests, the towering peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton, a volcano, sulphur springs, mineral baths and secluded beaches.

St. Lucia's early history is sketchy; there is some debate as to whether the island was discovered by Columbus in 1503, or by his map maker Juan de la Cosa in 1499. The French eventually settled the island in 1650, but were constantly challenged by the British which meant that St. Lucia changed flags 14 times before the British finally triumphed in 1803. The French influence is still very evident in the culture, the language spoken (Patois, a Creole-like dialect) and local cooking which still has French derivations. St. Lucia still remained British through to 1979, when it became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations.

St. Lucia presents what by most opinions is now a rarity in the Caribbean: a natural wonderland of lush, mountainous topography and a mostly undeveloped island. Currently, St. Lucia's commodities are simple: ubiquitous coconut palms, banana plantations, and radiant colors.

Development is certainly occurring, but the island will continue offering raw beauty for many years to come.

Ocean Breeze Villas

One of the most spectacular of the Superior developments, homes at OceanBreeze offer spectacular views, peace and tranquility and a glorious tropical setting. Each detached villa is designed in a distinctive Mediterranean Andalusian style with great emphasis put on quality, elegance and finish. Plot sizes are very generous and are typically between a quarter and one third acre in size. All villas come with the option of a private swimming pool with a variety of designs and sizes to choose from. There is a choice of 13 villa styles to choose from and in addition Superior can also design a custom villa for those with their own design concept.

Prices start at £150,000.

Call Superior on +44 (0)870 7504477 or by email at info@superiorworld.com

Caribbean

posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 11:17:13 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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Friday, December 15, 2006

Antigua

Antigua’s oldest properties, the Great House at Hodges Bay, is being sensitively restored back to its former glory as part of a new residential and hotel development called ‘Elle Antigua’. The former plantation home will be turned into an exclusive five star boutique hotel with 22 luxury residences in the grounds, which are being sold on a buy-to let basis.

The home, which dates back to the 17th century, is Antigua’s oldest occupied house and was built by its owner the British General Hodge who ran a sugar and cotton plantation. Built from stones that were originally used as ballast in the ships that arrived frequently from England, the building has many of its original features, such as a giant hearth. Today Hodges Bay, on the north-west coast of Antigua, is one of the most desirable residential districts due to its close proximity to the capital of St Johns and the international airport, both 10 minutes away.

The 22 freehold properties will be built in a colonial style using glass to give them a modern twist alongside traditional Caribbean materials, such as wood. They will be situated around two swimming pools, one infinity pool and one freeform pool with rock and water features, in the gardens surrounding the hotel overlooking the Caribbean. They will include two bedroom waterfront cottages with decked verandas and plunge pools, romantic two bedroom country garden cottages and contemporary two and three bedroom townhouses.

The hotel and residences will have a 24 hour butler service, with an emphasis on providing ‘a home from home’ experience. Personal touches such as the owners’ and guests’ preferences for music, flowers and magazines will be put in their home prior to their arrival. There will be a health and beauty spa, 50 cover restaurant, a convenience store, juice bar, library and lounge bar also on site.

The properties will be sold on a buy-to-let basis with owners guaranteed a minimum 6% p.a return on their investment for two years, with six weeks usage per year.

Geoff McClure, Account Director of UK and Ireland marketing agents Premier Resorts says “The mix of old meets new is a unique selling point and very different from anything else in Antigua. When you add the fantastic onsite facilities and butler service, we think Elle Antigua ticks all the boxes.”

With its 365 beaches, peaceful natural beauty and old colonial charm, Antigua has always been a popular destination for the British who with 92,500 visiting in 2005 far out-number any other nationalities. There are already daily flights from the UK and as from December 2006 there will be a new weekly budget flight available from the charter airline Excel who are offering prices from £229 economy and £489 business class. This will be particularly attractive to second home owners who may be travelling to Antigua several times a year.

The development company is Hodges Bay Estate Ltd, founded by Lanny Smikle and Linda Hillaire. Lanny has been developing residential property for over 19 years with his early working career spent at the Savoy Hotel covering all aspects of hotel management. He hopes to emulate the Savoy’s elegance and discreet standards of service at Elle Antigua. His partner Linda Hillaire, of Antiguan parentage, is a share holder,

The architects are William Saunders Partnership LLP. Founded over 150 years ago, the practice has a wide and varied client base and carries out work in many different sectors, including commercial, leisure, retail, and leisure pools.
Elle Antigua is due for completion by the end of October 2008.
Prices for a 2 bed country garden cottage (1520 sq.ft) start at US$608,000, a 3 bed town house (2582 sq. ft) start at US$581,250 and a 2 bed waterfront cottage (2744 sq. ft) start at US$1,118,000. All prices include fixtures and furnishings.
For further information visit elleantigua.com.

Caribbean

posted on Friday, December 15, 2006 2:09:08 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Caribbean cool

Buy into an unexplored gem

As we start to feel winter’s bite in a big way, those in the market for overseas property may want to dream about the perfect holiday destination. Overseas Dreams, part of the Barrasford and Bird Group, now brings to the market an outstanding investment opportunity in the form of Buccament Bay in St Vincents and the Grenadines. This off-plan Caribbean investment looks set to become one of the most sought-after opportunities of 2006 – after all, the location is currently in the build-up to hosting the Cricket World Cup in 2007.

St Vincents is the largest of the Grenadine Islands, set at the head of the Windward Island chain. Often overlooked by tourists used to more established islands, St Vincents is referred to by the tourist board as ‘the gem of the Caribbean’. This gem now looks set to reap the rewards; besides the Cricket World Cup, there is a new international airport due in 2010, as well as a government-backed building programme incorporating Buccament Bay. The strong belief is that St Vincents and The Grenadines will soon be challenging other tropical locations such as Barbados and St Lucia as the premier destination in this area.

It is also worth mentioning that at present, property prices in St Vincent are roughly one-fifth of those in neighbouring St Lucia and Barbados, which means that this could be the most attractive investment opportunity of 2006.
Buccament Bay is an exclusive development encompassing 30 acres which will offer a hotel along with separate bungalow accommodation, clubhouse and many other amenities. It will benefit from a complex manager who managed the exclusive Sandy Lane in Barbados (known as the most expensive address in the world), which speaks volumes about the aims of this premier resort.
Robin Barrasford, managing director of Overseas Dreams, says, ‘Buccament Bay is a first-class investment opportunity in picture postcard surroundings. The fact that the St Vincent government has created this initiative to increase holiday accommodation in line with the new international airport means that we are just at the beginning of something very special. Just 30 miles south east of St Vincents, Raffles has gone into partnership with Donald Trump to created an extremely upmarket resort called Trump Villas, which is host to prestigious multi-million-pound homes, all of which helps to enhance this part of the Caribbean.’

Prices at Buccament bay start at £65,000 for a one-bedroom ground-floor apartment. In addition to this attractive price, due to the overwhelming interest of this new resort there is a guaranteed rental income of eight per cent – which means those looking to invest can benefit from the rental market while watching their capital appreciate in this up-and-coming region.

Overseas Dreams is currently marketing properties in the Caribbean, Cape Verde and Dubai, and this list will increase in the new year to cover other worldwide locations offering fantastic investment opportunities.
For more information visit overseasdreams.net or call 0845 260 0900.

Caribbean

posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:45:58 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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Friday, April 28, 2006

Sunny St Lucia

We look at a choice of properties in this island paradise.

Building work is progressing to such an extent at The Landings on Rodney Bay, St Lucia, that key construction milestones are expected to be ahead of schedule. The foundations for the 66 residences in phase one of the development, using some 2,000 cubic yards of concrete, have been completed on time, with the buildings in this first phase predicted to be one month ahead.
The winning combination of sound project management, an experienced and able on-site team and excellent design planning have been contributing factors in the successful development of The Landings. With its private harbour and west facing beach, it will become a tranquil place of paradise on one of the world’s most beautiful islands.
Frank Heaps, CEO of The Landings, says, ‘We are extremely pleased to see how well this development is going and to see the structure coming together. We are well on course for the second stage to begin in November, with the full project complete by the summer of 2010. The first phase apartments will be ready for occupation early next year, in time for the opening matches of the 2007 Cricket World Cup at the nearby Beausejour Stadium.’
The five-star homes at The Landings are selling fast. Just two of the 24 residences in the first two Beach Blocks remain unsold, while 21 of the 42 apartments in the first Harbour Blocks have already been sold.
Visit thelandingsstlucia.com for more information.

Meanwhile, at Marigot Bay, the US$45 million marina resort and luxury apartment hotel currently under construction on the West Coast of St Lucia, developer Doubloon International Ltd has signed a ten-year contract to manage and operate the property.
GLA Hotels specialises in luxury independent hotels worldwide, including the Cotton House in Mustique, the Bairro Alto in Lisbon, the Royal Riviera in St Jean Cap Ferrat and the Lancaster and Bel-Ami in Paris.

‘Today’s news will be welcomed by investors - most of them British - who have bought 47 of the 57 apartments at Discovery,’ says Mike Coyle of UK-based Premier Resorts Ltd, who are marketing the properties in the UK.
The one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments together will convert into 124 hotel rooms and suites, providing owners with a 50 per cent share of the net profit from room lettings achieved by GLA Hotels.

Set in lush tropical gardens, each apartment overlooks Marigot Bay. Features include air-conditioned bedrooms, ceiling fans, tropical hardwood floors, natural tiles and state-of-the-art designer appliances. WiFi Internet access, flat screen televisions and a Bose music system are included.

As construction of the apartments proceeds on schedule for completion this summer, work is also continuing on the adjacent Marina Village which will serve Discovery hotel guests as well as the crews of yachts visiting the harbour, extended by Doubloon with new berthing and servicing facilities for up to 60 yachts.
The Marina Village, a focal point of the Marigot Bay project, will contain a supermarket, bank & cash machine, car hire facility and a French bakery. Boutiques and gift shops will include a jeweller and an art gallery as well as shops selling beachwear and casual wear, sunglasses and books.

Currently the prices of the buy-to-let apartments still available for sale at Discovery start at US$595,000 (£341,526) for a two bedroom, fully furnished luxury apartment. For details contact Premier Resorts on telephone 0800 0835561.

Caribbean

posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 10:03:39 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Panama’s pure luxury

Panama, nestled between the Caribbean and the Pacific, is the next big investment area.

Panama is an undiscovered country that boasts a wealth of natural beauty. The Central American location is only 80 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, making a trip from the Caribbean to the Pacific coast less than two hours. There are many national parks with an abundance of wildlife to be explored along with crystal clear waters of both oceans. For this reason tourists and investors alike are flocking to this tropical paradise.

Tony Sparkes, managing director of AGS Properties (UK) says, ‘Panama is going through an exciting period. In recent years many North Americans have ventured south, making this a popular destination. This increased popularity has led to a building programme which is set to dominate the international property market. With prices considerably lower than the “new countries” of Eastern Europe I believe those who invest in Panama at this early stage will undoubtedly reap the rewards over the next few years as it makes its name on the international stage.’
AGS Properties (UK) is offering a superb new apartment block situated in the bustling Panama City area. This premier property is ideally located allowing for a peaceful retreat but still close enough to allow access to all the services and amenities of the city. There are unparalleled views of the mountains and coastline as well.

The accommodation is made up of two- and three-bedroom apartments with large living and dining areas, two bathrooms and a quality fitted kitchen. All apartments also have a private terrace which can also be glazed to provide extra space if necessary. The properties also boast many other features, such as a magnificent roof terrace, perfect for taking in all the surrounding natural beauty. There is also a clubhouse with recreational area including a superb swimming pool, BBQ area, children’s play area and gym.

The apartments are being built in a prime location, says Sparkes. ‘And as the building industry steps up pace in Panama City to cope with the demand from overseas visitors and investors, this development will undoubtedly become one of the most prestigious addresses in the City. With prices starting from only £39,500 for a two bedroom apartment it is not surprising that many have already been sold off-plan at this early development stage.’
AGS Properties (UK) Ltd markets a wide range of properties throughout Panama, Brazil, Europe and South Africa – specialising in properties that suit most people’s budgets and desires. To find out more about the Panama properties, or any other developments in AGS’s portfolio, call 0870 609 3286 or visit agsproperties.com.

Caribbean

posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:20:50 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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