Monday, December 31, 2012

Group Dates for Hedonism II 2013 from Go Classy Tours

Group Dates 2013
Call for special pricing 800 7CLASSY or 800 329-8145

GCT H2 January 5 - 12, 2013 
GCT H2 January 12 - 19, 2013 
GCT H2 January 19 - 26, 2013 
GCT H2 February 2 - 9, 2013 
GCT H2 February 9 - 16, 2013
GCT H2 February 16 - 23, 2013 
GCT H2 March 9 - 16, 2013
GCT H2 March 16 - 23, 2013 
GCT H2 March 23 - 30, 2013
GCT H2 April 6 - 13, 2013
GCT H2 April 13 - 20, 2013 
GCT H2 April 20 - 27, 2013  
GCT H2 August 18 - 25, 2013
GCT H2 September 7 - 14, 2013 
GCT H2 September 21 - 28, 2013  
GCT H2 October 25 - November 3, 2013 
GCT H2 November 16 - 23, 2013 
GCT H2 November 23 - 30, 2013

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Hedonism II Possible Sale


HEDONISM II IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL INVESTOR GROUP

Company to be owned by Harry Williams, Jon Gross, John Issa Family and Kevin Levee

NEGRIL, JAMAICA November 7, 2012 – SuperClubs Chairman, John Issa, announced today that he is in negotiations to sell Hedonism II to Marshmallow Ltd a new company headed by majority stockholder Harry Williams and including Jon Gross of UnWind Travel (Fluffernutters), the John Issa Family and Kevin Levee.

The group has said that upon conclusion of a deal, there will be a smooth transition of ownership with no interruption to service.  All reservations and tour operator contracts will be honoured and the property will not be rebranded and will continue to deliver and enhance the Hedonism Holiday.

Harry Williams expressed his excitement, “Hedonism II is John Issa’s legacy, the concept, formation and operation has so much of him in it.  It has been a long-term goal of mine to own the resort and to invest the funds needed to enhance its facilities to even higher standards.  We are proud that he has chosen to consider us to continue to innovate, modernize and maintain Hedonism II as the leading resort in our industry.”

 “This ownership group is ideal and should calm any fears that Hedonists have had about their beloved resort falling into hands that have no understanding or experience in this market,” said Jon Gross, CEO of Marshmallow Ltd.

John Issa added, “Hedonism II is the ultimate gem in its market, not only is the location on the seven-mile Beach in Negril ideal but it is the storied resort that all its competitors attempt to live up to.  It is an important part of my contribution to tourism and I am happy to be in discussions for it to be preserved for many years to come by people that hold it as dear to their hearts as I do.”

Kevin Levee, a 28-year employee of SuperClubs and the current General Manager of the resort added, “our first goal is to bring the operation of the resort back to 100% and to this end we are immediately investing in many of the facilities”. 

Marshmallow Ltd has a US$10 million renovation plan including room renovations, which will begin immediately on completion.

Sitting on 22 acres on Negril’s scenic seven-mile beach amid ocean views and white sand beaches, Hedonism II has 280 beach- and garden-view rooms plus 12 suites with private Jacuzzis and terraces for intimate time alone. From a wide array of Super-Inclusive water and land sports to the late night Hurricanes club, nightly themed parties and five bars,

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Breezes Grand Negril soon to be a Couples Resort - Go Classy News Feed

 Caribbean Hideaways News Feed
800 329-8145
Please see below announcement regarding Couples Resorts exciting interest in acquiring Breezes Grand Negril, with the current intention to integrate the property with Couples Negril.

As negotiations progress we will keep you posted.

COUPLES AND SUPERCLUBS IN NEGOTATIONS RE BREEZES GRAND NEGRIL,

KINGSTON, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012:- Lee Issa, Chairman Couples Resorts and John Issa, Chairman, SuperClubs Resorts, announced today that both parties are involved in firm negotiations concerning Breezes Grand Negril.  These negotiations are expected to conclude on or before November 30, 2012, at which time a more detailed statement will be issued.

During the negotiations, the operations of Breezes Grand Negril will continue normally and all forward bookings will be honoured up to and after November 30, 2012.

About Couples Resorts:
Couples Resorts, headquartered in Montego Bay, Jamaica, owns and operates four properties in Jamaica – Couples Tower Isle, Couples Sans Souci, Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril. Pioneered by the legendary Abe Issa, “father of Jamaican tourism,” each Couples Resort is an unsurpassed model of the all-inclusive resorts concept, boldly designed with local inspiration to create a harmonic sense of nature and authentic Caribbean spirit. For over 33 years, Couples has delighted guests and refined the Caribbean all-inclusive resort experience by providing unparalleled service, exceptional dining experiences and exclusive added value inclusions.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Update on Transfer from Hedonism II

Go Classy Tours has Received this Update from

 Hedonism II & Breezes Grand Negril pertaining to Transfers


Go Classy Tours is standing by their original statement on Transfers being included in 
MOST bookings made through Go Classy Tours to Hedonism II & Breezes Grand Negril 
(please see prior Blog)

800 7CLASSY

Go Classy Tours was told that transfers would be 
$30.00 per person / round trip if applicable if booked direct with the Resorts.


Even if you do not book your land portion through Go Classy Tours to Hedonism II or Breezes Grand Negril, we will be happy to offer you transfers at a cost of $25.00 Per Person in hopes of winning your future business.

Official Email from Hedonism II

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM HEDONISM

As you may already be aware, new taxation measures were recently announced in Jamaica that will impact the tourism industry. After careful consideration, the management of SuperClubs (parent company of Hedonism) has taken the decision to discontinue airport transfers for Hedonism II effective September 1, 2012.

Booked on or before June 14, 2012.
INCLUDED: If you have an existing reservation (booked by June 14, 2012), roundtrip transfers will be included at no additional charge. This applies to all existing reservations (booked by June 14, 2012) regardless of your travel dates (including groups).

Booked on or after June 15, 2012. Traveling now through August 31, 2012.
INCLUDED: If you book your stay for travel anytime between now and August 31, 2012, roundtrip airport transfers will be included at no additional charge. This applies to new reservations (booked on or after June 15, 2012) where travel ends by August 31, 2012 (including groups). No transfer service will be provided on new bookings that travel beyond August 31, 2012, unless purchased separately.

Booked on or after June 15, 2012. Traveling on or after September 1, 2012.
NOT INCLUDED: If you book your stay for travel on or after September 1, 2012, roundtrip airport transfers will NOT be included. This applies to all new reservations (booked on or after June 15, 2012) traveling on or anytime after September 1, 2012. Transfers may be purchased at an additional charge.

Friday, June 8, 2012

SuperClubs Hedonism II & Breezes Grand Negril Discontinues Tranfers to There Resorts

Go Classy Hates to be the Bearer of Bad News, but SuperClubs has announce today that transfers will no longer be included with your trip to Hedonism II or Breezes Grand Negril.

For more information call 800 329-8145

The official announcement:
 As you may already be aware, new taxation measures were recently announced in Jamaica that will impact the tourism industry.  After careful consideration, the management of SuperClubs has taken the decision to discontinue airport transfers for Breezes Grand Negril and Hedonism II effective September 1, 2012.

We are aware that there are already a number of confirmed bookings traveling after September 1, 2012. These bookings, and any others confirmed now through Thursday June 14, 2012, will receive a credit of $20 per guest in lieu of airport transfers.  All bookings taken after June 15 for travel September 1st  onward will not be entitled to this credit.
 
Thanks for your continued support of the SuperClubs collection of resorts.
 
 

Go Classy will make every attempt to seek out a reputable transfer company at the lowest possible rates.  As soon as we have found the right company, we will post on this blog.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Go Classy Tours annonces Carribbean Airline Discontinues Jamaica Flight

 URGENT NOTIFICATION 
800 7CLASSY

CARIBBEAN AIRLINES DISCONTINUES ITS JAMAICA/PHILADELPHIA ROUTE EFFECTIVE 01 JULY 2012

 
  From 01 July 2012, Caribbean Airlines will discontinue its direct service between
Jamaica and Philadelphia, U.S.A. The cancellation of this route is based on a commercial decision after careful review of the route’s performance and its future outlook. The airline will redeploy its resources to focus strategically on other routes to increase efficiency in its operations.
 
Caribbean Airlines apologizes to all affected customers. Full refunds will be issued on tickets purchased for travel after 01 July 2012 and assistance will be afforded to passengers who require reallocation on other airlines, to mitigate the impact of this change.
 
Caribbean Airlines continues to position itself to become stronger in an increasingly
competitive industry, and will continue to streamline its operations.
 
Customers are encouraged to contact our Reservations Call Centers for rescheduled travel as follows:

888 8CLASSY

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Breezes Runaway Bay sold back to Sagicor from Go Classy Tours


 800 7CLASSY
The ORIGINAL Nude Travel Agency FOR OVER 45 YEARS
Nude Travel and Resorts throughout the Caribbean and the world.
For additional information on Hedonism II, Breezes Grand Negril, N Resort, Desire Resorts, Hidden Beach and Club Orient contact Go Classy Tours.

As Published in the Gleaner
Wednesday | April 18, 2012

John Issa, chairman of SuperClubs, and Richard Byles, president and CEO of Sagicor Life Jamaica, jointly announced Tuesday that they have reached a deal on the sale of the 226-room Breezes Runaway Bay hotel to the insurance company.
Sagicor will be rebranding the property The Jewel Runaway Bay Resort effective June 1, 2012. Sagicor is also the operator of the Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa in St Ann.
The sale marks the return of the hotel to the insurance company's property portfolio. SuperClubs previously bought it from Sagicor in 2003.
The repurchase price was not disclosed.
In a joint statement issued yesterday, SuperClubs and Sagicor said they will be working together to ensure a smooth transition of ownership with no interruption to service. The employees of the hotel will all receive redundancy packages from Breezes and be available for rehire by the new operators.
SuperClubs originally leased the property in 1983 from the Urban Development Corporation through its subsidiary National Hotels and Properties.
SuperClubs now operates 10 properties in four countries, including Breezes Grand Resort & Spa Negril; Breezes Bahamas; Breezes BÅ“zios Resort & Spa in Brazil; Breezes Varadero; Breezes Bella Costa; Breezes Jibacoa in Cuba; and Hedonism II in Negril. SuperClubs also operates and independently markets affiliate ROOMS resorts in Ocho Rios and Negril, and Negril Beach Villa.
In the joint company release, Sagicor's Byles said that he sees great prospects for the property. "This acquisition increases our investment in the hospitality sector and specifically on the north coast. It is our intention to renovate and expand the hotel," he said.
 

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

SuperClubs Single Share Policy @ Hedonism II

 SuperClubs Clarifies 
Single Share Policy at Hedonism II
 For more information contact Leslie or Kim
800 7CLASSY
www.caribbean-hideaways.com

"Single share" has always been a great way for the single traveling alone to enjoy an affordable vacation. SuperClubs' policy has been very liberal and encouraging to singles, but this year there are a few changes. Beginning in 2012, only the PUB12 promotional rates will allow single share in Gardenview and Gardenview Au Natural. Special sales and promotions will not permit single share.

That's the bad news . . . The good news is you can still book into our Groups as a single share in GVR or GVAN at the lower group rate.**  This is a tremendous savings for the single!  Call us and let us show you how to have the Hedonism II vacation of a lifetime!

** Please note: This policy is subject to change without notice. The smart thing is to book early. "Early" right now, means through 2013! We have group rates available. Call now!

"Single share" has always been a great way for the single traveling alone to enjoy an affordable vacation. SuperClubs' policy has been very liberal and encouraging to singles, but this year there are a few changes. Beginning in 2012, only the PUB12 promotional rates will allow single share in Gardenview and Gardenview Au Natural. Special sales and promotions will not permit single share.

That's the bad news . . . The good news is you can still book into our Groups as a single share in GVR or GVAN at the lower group rate.**  This is a tremendous savings for the single!  Call us and let us show you how to have the Hedonism II vacation of a lifetime!

** Please note: This policy is subject to change without notice. The smart thing is to book early. "Early" right now, means through 2013! We have group rates available. Call now!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Breezes Resort and Spa Trelawny Sale Jamaica from Go Classy Tours

Go Classy Tours updated information on Jamaican Resorts

Become a blog follower for all the news and specials of Jamaica as well as other Caribbean Resort Destinations
800 7CLASSY


I write to inform you that last evening, 29th March 2012, Mr John Issa, Chairman of SuperClubs, announced that Breezes Resort and Spa Trelawny will be closing on 31st May 2012 because of the impending sale to an overseas hotel operator. This sale is viewed in the best interests of everyone involved as the new owners wish to make substantial upgrades and expansion to the property. Once the sale is finalised more details will be announced.

Our priority is you and our mutual guests.  We would like to assure you that Breezes Trelawny will be fully operational through to May 31st and therefore any guests departing from the hotel by 31st May will experience no disruption in service and resort facilities.

It is our intention to accommodate guests who expect to be in-house 31st  May, or scheduled to arrive thereafter, at Breezes Resort, Spa & Golf Club Runaway Bay, provided all members of the travelling party are age 18 years and older.  As you will appreciate, we cannot confirm this until we receive all the updated booking reports.  Our operations team will then liaise further with you on your bookings within the next two business days.

Unfortunately, and with regret, we are unable to re-protect bookings with children at any other Breezes resort in Jamaica; however, we have made contact with other all-inclusive family resorts in Jamaica for assistance with re-protection.   We will work with these partners on your behalf and communicate our progress on re-protecting each booking.  We will waive cancellation penalties and grant full refund of land portion to guests arriving with children after May 31st who wish to cancel.

We realise this change may have come as quite a surprise  to you but would like to assure you that all  our remaining Breezes resorts in Jamaica, Bahamas and Brazil continue to operate as usual and we look forward to focusing our attention on these resorts going forward.

As always, we thank you for your continued support of SuperClubs as we work to effect this change with minimum disruption to you and our mutual customers.

Sincerely,


Francine Carter Henry, Director - National Accounts

Thursday, April 5, 2012

SuperClubs to buy UDC stake in Bloody Bay Hotel

Avia Collinder, Business Writer for the Gleaner
The SuperClubs hotel group says it is in the process of buying out its partner, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), which owns half of the Breezes Grande Negril, a 200-room resort sitting on 22 acres at Bloody Bay. 
 To book any of the fine SuperClub resorts call 8007CLASSY
The property was once known as Grand Lido Negril.
SuperClubs' vice-president of marketing and environmental affairs, Zein Issa-Nakash, said the hotel group accepted an offer from the Jamaican Government for its stake in the property.
The price was not disclosed.
SuperClubs has controlled the asset since 2000. Chairman John Issa used Village Resorts to partner with the UDC to buy the property from a Finsac-controlled company called International Hotels.
Each paid half of the US$9 million for the stake in the property, beating out a similarly priced offer from Guardian Life, according to Finsac disclosures at the time.
Issa-Nakash said Monday that the original purchase resulted in each entity owning 50 per cent of the hotel.
The UDC said in response to Financial Gleaner queries that its 50 per cent holding in the hotel is held through the company Bloody Bay Hotel Development Limited, and that the sale was being handled on its behalf by the Development Bank of Jamaica's (DBJ) National Enterprise Team.
Not finalised
UDC said a sale deal had not been finalised.
"The consideration for this transaction ... is still in progress and no agreement has yet been arrived at. The ownership structure therefore remains unchanged," said the UDC corporate communications office.
DBJ, in turn, refused to confirm that it had approached SuperClubs or otherwise clarify whether the asset was publicly tendered.
"The DBJ is not at liberty to divulge any information regarding the transaction as the privatisation is in progress," said spokeswoman Claudette White on Tuesday.
"Once the transaction is concluded the press will be advised."
SuperClubs, meanwhile, is closing the deal on the sale of another hotel it also bought from Finsac in 2000, now known as Breezes Trelawny Resort & Spa. The buyer and terms of that sale have not been disclosed.
The property will be shuttered on May 31 to facilitate its takeover by the new owner.
The sale cuts the portfolio of SuperClubs properties to 10 hotels, half of which are in Jamaica.
SuperClubs exited lease management agreements for 250-room Breezes Rio Bueno, formerly known as Grand Lido Braco; the 225-room Breezes Superfun Runaway Bay in 2011, and the 124-room Breezes Montego Bay in 2009.
"Braco and Superfun were hotels that we had leased and those lease agreements had come to an end," Issa-Nakash said. "This - Breezes Trelawny - is the first hotel that was purchased from us."
The properties which remain under the brand are: Breezes Bahamas, Breezes Buzios in Brazil, and three hotels in Cuba - Breezes Varadero, Breezes Balla Costa and Breezes Jibacoa; and Hedonism II Negril, Rooms Ocho Rios, Rooms Negril, Breezes Grand Negril and Breezes Runaway Bay.
"Of the ten hotels left, half are owned; the others are leased or managed," said Issa-Nakash. "We still have five hotels operating in Jamaica which is not an insignificant number."
In a market where Spanish investors have redefined the size of large hotels in the past decade with properties of up to 1,000 rooms, Issa-Nakash now identifies a big challenge facing the SuperClubs chain as its "relatively small size with rising costs; so, our strategy is to try and expand the size of the hotels we operate."
Breezes Bahamas will be tackled within the next 12 months.
"We have approved working drawings for an expansion of Breezes Bahamas," said Issa-Nakash.
The chain has continued the shuttering of its larger properties on the island, with the latest being Breezes Trelawny Resort & Spa, which, the group states, has been sold to an overseas operator and which will close on May 31 after 10 years of operation.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Jamacia Goat Fun

Down in Jamaica they got lots of ...  goats, no seriously ... it's sad, they are hit by the cars and buses all the time.  While they are raised for food, road kill is not the intention.  When this does happen however, and the animal needs to be attended to .... well, I would like to say curried goat is really good.  Waste not, want not.  It all so works really well on that person on the bus next to you that snores .... Always Go Classy!
800 7CLASSY or www.caribbean-hideaways.com




Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Fire Mon at Hedonism II

 800 7CLASSY

Call today to book this fab meal!
Sometime there is just that meal that you can't forget.  Well, I had several of those meals at Hedonism II while I sat in the water on the Nude Beach!  There is a young man who walks the Beach with a Lobster in one hand and a Crab in the other .... ALIVE! 


He calls himself the Fire Mon ..... he should call himself CHEF Fire Mon. 






After a little negotiating on the price he disappeared to cook my meal.   Upon his return, I paid him the negotiated price and sat at my little table that I had placed in the water and dived into one of the best meals I have ever had in Jamaica.  Peeling back the aluminum foil I exposed Crab that had been cooked in Coconut milk with garlic and spices, Garlic Bread and a Lobster that was perfectly done.  OMG my mouth is watering now. 



I highly recommend that if you see Fire Mon ..... ORDER!  You will not be disappointed!