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Travel Report
GM Picks for Secret Treats © Armando Goedgedrag
Paradise Marriott Collection Goes Local
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xpat Montrealer Jacques Hamou, whom we remember from his past longtime position as GM at Chateau Champlain here in Montreal, has been General Manager of the St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort & The Royal Beach Casino for the past few years now. And he is one of the eight executives chosen to be part of the Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Resorts new GM picks program. This select group of Marriotts have spearheaded a program to help their guests sleuth out the best locally-inspired spots and activities so they can really get to know the area. They have enlisted their General Managers as the perfect private concierges to point out the hidden gems for those who actually live in these idyllic locations. Upon check-in guests receive their secret pick cards. For example, Hamou highly recommends the volcano hike up Mt. Liamuiga, which is not for the faint of heart, but it results in a bucket list-worthy panoramic view of the island, and big bragging rights as it takes about five hours! His pick for local eats are the Farmer’s Market and the Fari
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Organic Farm, and for real ‘limin’ nightlife, he recommends Vibes Beach Bar all the way. And his favorite beach? Sandy Bank Bay! The program includes Marriott resorts in Curacao, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Grand Cayman, Cancun, St. Thomas and Aruba. And the GM Pick recommendations span the gamut from best beaches for a private swim or romantic picnic, to the hottest spots for freshest fish, to artisan shops for locallymade wares. They also include the most unique activities specific to the region like Stingray City in Grand Cayman for a surreal encounter with the creatures, or Teatro Cancun where you can immerse yourself in the colorful ancient traditions of the cultures, including live music and dance shows in the Cancun/Riviera Maya region. Today’s savvy traveller is seeking far more than the traditional excursions and who better to recommend them than someone who actually lives there? It’s a welcome new program from Marriott to help their guests truly connect with their host destinations. Visit: www.paradisebymarriott.com. SUSAN CAMPBELL @suectravel