e also have received word of a few closures post 9/11. Most notably, the Harbour Village Resort in Bonaire threw in the towel. The hotel was undergoing a major renovation and the owners decided to abandon the project. On St. Vincent, The French Restaurant, thought by some to serve French food, also decided that turmoil in the post-bin Laden era would not get them through the winter. In Antigua, the Mango Bay Hotel closed its doors on October 31 based on “conditions in the world,” while Club Med closed its 256-room property in St. Lucia.

But other projects move forward. From the Dominican Republic, we hear news of a multi-billion dollar development outside Punta Cana. According to trade pub Travel Weekly, a development outfit is transforming a 30,000-acre beachfront property to become a “year-round tourist destination” called Cap Cana. Jack Nicklaus is building three golf courses, and there will be a marina, private villas and, of course, luxury resorts. Cap Cana is owned by Grupo del Caribe - they are also the manager of several of the D.R.'s airports and they already oversee more than 5,000 hotel rooms in the country.

Airlines canceled as much as 20 percent of their flights indefinitely following 9/11. Less heralded is that service to and within the Caribbean has been minimally affected. In fact, a number of new routes are being initiated for this winter. Air Jamaica has started service to Curaçao from its Montego Bay hub three times a week. Northwest Airlines began service from Memphis to Montego Bay, Jamaica (though they canceled service out of Tampa). American Airlines has increased its New York JFK-St. Maarten service from three times a week to daily, and will be flying the route 10 times a week starting December 15. And US Airways is making major inroads into the region out of Philadelphia by initiating flights to Barbados, Aruba, Antigua and St. Lucia. Also, on January 5, US Airways will resume its weekly service between Charlotte and St. Thomas and Puerto Rico. What are you waiting for?

Of course, airlines aren't the only way to explore the islands. Last month, a new fast ferry, Chogogo, was launched and makes two trips a day between Curaçao and Bonaire. The crossing takes 90 minutes aboard the neat and comfortable boat, and costs $54 round-trip. For divers, this means you can stay on one island and sample the dive sites of the other on a day-trip without ever checking out of your hotel. Or you can stay on one island and transfer to the other without losing a day of diving (for non-divers, this is because you can't dive and fly the same day).

One of our favorite ferry experiences continues to be the short hop between St. Kitts and Nevis, especially if you're lucky enough to be planted on the Four Seasons Resort shuttle between the two sister islands. The hotel now has three boats making the link to the St. Kitts airport – one sleeker than the next, and reserved exclusively for guests of the resort (the rest of us can use the public ferry, which is decent and fun). We should note that airline Nevis Express recently began service from San Juan to Nevis, and this is a great way to get here as well. Nevis Express uses small prop planes - though smaller than American Eagle's puddle-jumpers, the one-hour flight aboard Nevis Express is more comfortable (additional info: www.nevisexpress.com or 869-469-9755).

h, we digress. The Four Seasons Resort Nevis is one of the Caribbean's most expensive hotels and management prides itself on top service, something that can be inconsistent at best in any 200-room resort. On this visit, we found the Four Seasons ministrations somewhat more contrived, less personal, than we remembered. This doesn't mean that you can't have just about anything you want, at any hour of the day, and in relatively speedy terms - we just feel the interactions have a little less heart than they used to. We had a fine dinner at the main dining room, and a fairly unsatisfactory pair of breakfasts at the resort's secondary restaurant. Worth noting are the two new pools, built after the last storm that plundered this resort swept through - these are gorgeous, free-form beauties, with infinity edges that lie just above the sand at Pinney's Beach. Rooms are still quite pleasant, though we discovered they vary in size and view even more than we remembered (for instance, many of the first floor waterfront rooms do not have a view of the sea) – the marble bathrooms are still fab, the kind of place you can hang out for hours. And rates are still Stratospheric (reservations: 869-469-1111; www.fourseasons.com).

On this visit, we also stayed at Hermitage, which remains the most charming and unique of Nevis’ five plantation hotels. We love the restored wooden houses with their creaking floors and huge four-poster beds. There's just enough polish to keep the hair-and-makeup crowd ameliorated (they'll think they're roughing it), without sacrificing the authenticity of an old-fashioned inn. Your hosts, the Lupinacci family, are a wonderful bunch. Rates here are Ridiculous, but it's worth it (reservations: 869-469-3477).

While on Nevis, we didn't just slink through the posh spots. The Inn at Cades Bay, a small family-owned hotel, is a newish beachfront option that won't break the bank. It's located just above a pretty, otherwise undeveloped half-moon cove, just past the north tip of Pinney's Beach. The 16 rooms are oversized - the furnishings are island basic, but clean and bright. Each unit has a small sun terrace with a hammock facing the view, and there's a pretty pool. The management is caring, and guests have signing privileges at Tequila Sheila's restaurant next door. Rates are Pricey, but that's Nevis (reservations: 869-469-8139, www.cadesbayinn.com).

Two new activities we managed to work into our short stay on Nevis include the new Botanical Garden, which has quickly become the island's top tourist attraction. It's located close to Montpelier and offers terrific views of Nevis Peak. The seven-acre garden has an enviable collection of palms from around the world, plus orchids, cactus, fruit trees and a rainforest conservatory with an awkward - alright, make that bizarre - faux Mayan temple as its centerpiece (469-3509). We also spent time with Nikki Johnson who, with her husband Jim, runs Top to Bottom, an education-oriented hiking outfit (shouldn't it be called Bottom to Top to Bottom?). They do trips up to the top of Nevis Peak (a hard four to five hours, round-trip), hikes into the rainforest, and even a “Starlight and Storytime” beach campfire. Great for families, or anyone who wants to share in their appreciation for the Nevis environment (469-9080).

s we finish up this month's newsletter, let us just pass along that we're ensconced in the Caribbean's coolest new hotel. Check back with us in January, when we'll have a report on our visit to Puerto Rico and tell you all about our blue room, the mocha shower, the orange restaurant and the (slightly) green staff - all part of the island's happeningest new scene. In the mean time, let us know how you spent the holidays, especially if it was in the Caribbean!

eason's greetings from all of us at Rum & Reggae Guidebooks!