ALIS CALA award winners named

CORAL GABLES, Florida – Winners for the ALIS CALA Deal of the Year Awards were announced on Wednesday at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel in Florida.

The Strand, Turks & Caicos in Turks & Caicos Islands was named Development of the Year 2024. The Strand, Turks and Caicos, part of the Leading Hotels of the World, is a luxury boutique resort in Providenciales on Cooper Jack Bay.

Developed by John Fair, director of BBF Cooper Jack Ltd., The Strand opened on November 23, 2024. The development cost was approximately $180 million.

Development award (l. to r.): Jonathon Zink, The BHN Group; John Fair, Fair Capital; Rogerio Basso, IDB Invest

With 2,230 feet of oceanfront, the property offers 60 Suites, 22 Villas, and 19 Private Residences, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass doors, terraces, and infinity pools. Guests enjoy bespoke services, water and racquet sports, and boat tours from the marina. The on-site DelMar restaurant blends Asian, Latin, and Mediterranean flavors, and a spa and “Maestro in Residence” program will debut in 2026.

Finalists in this category also included the Royalton CHIC Antigua, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort in St. Johns, Antigua & Barbuda and Sandals Saint Vincent and The Grenadines in St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

The Jewel Palm Beach Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was named Transaction of the Year 2024. Playa Hotels & Resorts sold the Jewel Palm Beach Resort to Anacaona de Inversiones, a Dominican Republic-based investment fund, marking a strategic portfolio optimization for Playa.

The 500-room property, undergoing extensive renovations, will be rebranded under Hyatt's Vivid brand, the first of its kind in the country.

The acquisition, valued at $68 million, represents Anacaona's entry into the Dominican tourism sector, creating over 1,100 jobs and stimulating local economic growth. The project has full support from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Tourism and necessary permits.

Finalists in the category also included Hotelaria AccorInvest Brazil in Brazil and the Zemi Beach House Anguilla, LXR Resorts in Anguilla.

Deal of the Year Awards committee members included: Rogerio Basso (Chair), Patricia Boo, Gary Brough, Liam Day, Marie Dexter, John Fareed, JP Ford, John McCarthy and Darrin Phillips. For the ALIS CALA Transaction of the Year Award, committee members included: Paul Weimer (Chair), Letvia Arza-Goderich, Raul Calvet, Alexandra Lalos Church, David Larone, and Ricardo Mader.