The Royal Westmoreland Journal

Members Of The England Cricket Team Hit The Gym @ Royal Westmoreland

Members of the England cricket team and coaching staff hit the gym this week at Royal Westmoreland, Barbados, in order to prepare for the up coming Stanford Super Series in Antigua.

With millions of pounds up for grabs many of the players have decided to stay at the Caribbean's most prestigious resort in order to acclimatise and to keep fit in the estate's state of the art fitness facilities. The award-winning Robert Trent Jones Jnr designed golf course has been left strangely empty, a testament to quite how serious they're taking the tournament!

Interactive sales map

We've introduced a new interactive sales map to the sales website to help you find your perfect property.

It's easy to use: hover your mouse over the map to see a preview of what's for sale in that area and click to find out more.

England’s 2009 winter tour of the West Indies

The England cricket team's winter tour of the West Indies begins on Wednesday 21st January when they arrive in Barbados.

If you'd like to be here for the cricket, give us a call:
UK: (01524) 782503
Barbados: (246) 422 4653

England's tour of the West Indies 2009
21 Jan: England team arrive, Barbados
25– 27 Jan Three-day practice match, Barbados
29– 31 Jan First-class match, Barbados
21– 22 Feb Two-day match, Barbados
26 Feb– 2 March Third Test, Kensington Oval, Barbados
27 March Third one-day international, Kensington Oval, Barbados
29 March Fourth one-day international, Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Visit the ECB website

June golf course update

This is a great time of year for the Greens Team to get on with major projects 'out of season', and we've had a fair amount of rain in the past week which has been fantastic for the course.

Picture 1 is the view from the new 11th tee area which we're about to construct - you can see a new bunker being put in.

Picture 2 is a view down the 13th hole with beautiful sea views at the rear of the green.

Picture 3 is the view from the new 5th gold tee which is now completed and looking good for the season ahead.

We'll be extending a number of holes on the course to bring it over 7,000 yards to keep up with the demands of modern golf courses.

Australian cricket team at Royal Westmoreland

Here's a photo of our club professional Matthew (far right) with 4 members of the Australian cricket team, currently over here playing against the West Indies.

From left to right: Tim Neilsen, Richard McGuiness, Ricky Ponting, Greg Blewett.

Mullins Beach webcam

We've installed a new webcam at Mullins Beach. Now you can gaze longingly at the sunshine, sandy beach and blue sea as well as our beautifully manicured golf course from your computer!

View the webcams - select which you'd like to view from the 'Choose a camera' drop-down.

The final round of the Royal Westmoreland Cup

"It's the last day of the Royal Westmorland tournament and the top 5 teams fighting for a place in the top three are Harrowby Trading, Shepherd Offshore 1 & 2, HSBC Bank of Bermuda and PwC.

The sun was shinning and after at spectacular beach party at Mullins beach it's all to play for on the final day."

*****

At the end of the day Tradewinds/CGI took first place followed closely by Harrowby Trading and in third position Liverpool legends team Celerant Consulting.

After three days of golf and sunshine the overall tournament winners were:
1st: Harrowby Trading
2nd: Tradewinds/CGI
3rd: Buckinghams

Nearest the pin winners:
Nearest the Pin, Hole 12 – sponsored by Eurocopter:
Ansari Muhajiri (4 feet 5 inches) Harrowby Trading.

Nearest the Pin, Hole 15 – sponsored by Knight Frank:
Graham Walker (2 feet 11 inches) PwC.

Day two of the Royal Westmoreland Cup

HSBC Inter team challenge

Nearest the pin winner sponsored by HSBC Private Bank - Andy Sandeman (7 feet 1 inch) part of the HSBCPB Team.

"Day two and after last night's beach party, today's performance will depend heavily on who got off the coach at Hole town or who was tucked up in bed.

For the newcomers to the course yesterday was a chance for them to find their feet around the course and so today's ranking may hold some surprises."

*****

At the end of the day the top two teams and winners of the HSBC inter team challenge were:
1st: Harrowby Trading
2nd: Shepherd Offshore

The First Royal Westmoreland Cup is over

We'll be back soon to update you on how the event went and show you some pictures. Suffice to say, it was a great success!

Ladies lead the locals!!!!

The first day of the inaugral Royal Westmoreland Cup has seen the only female team take the lead in the three day competition.

Buckinghams International which is being captained by Nicky Morris has beaten off the other 13 teams with a score of 91

Tradewinds International and Video Europe are following in second and third place respectively.

The tournament was launched last night with a Caribbean rum punch reception when all the teams where welcomed to the resort by Greg Schofield - Resort Director.

The competition has teams entered from the UK, USA and other local islands and has been a fantatstic opportunity to see the Royal Westmoreland resort at its finest.

Tonight the competitors will be spending a sophisicated evening at Wispers, which has been sponsored by Diamonds International.

Golf news from Simon, the Golf Course Superintendent

This years Barbados Open was won by Bill Longmuir after a birdie blitz on the back 9 of the final round to finish -10 par. Ian Woosnam made a good start to his senior career with a respectable -4 par and will now compete on the US senior tour.

We recently opened up a new tee on hole number 8 which will lengthen it by 50 yards - it’s a par 4 that's gone from 365 yards to 415 yards from the Gold tee. We also plan to lengthen whole number 5 which is a par 5 at 472 yards and should go up to around 540 yards from the Gold tee.

Live Royal Westmoreland Webcam

We've just set up a live webcam on the clubhouse, overlooking the 9th green and fairway, with the Caribbean Sea in the background.

Click the image to view the live webcam!

The Royal Apartments - latest sales news

Construction is really advancing. Since the last newsletter, the superstructure of building number two has been built. The success of the 1st phase has prompted the release of the 4th building on a ridge with beautiful views across the large lagoon pool and beyond to the deep blue water off the island's Platinum Coast.

One bedroom from US$580,000
Two bedroom from US$935,000
Three bedrrom from US$1,350,000

Indulgence Spa offers new Hydrotherm Massage

Indulgence Spa is pleased to be the only spa on the island licensed to offer the extremely relaxing and therapeutic Hydrotherm Massage.

Imagine you're floating on a bed of water. You're about to experience a complete body massage – but you aren't going to turn over once! Lying on two warm water cushions, kept at a pleasurable 37 degrees, you remain face up throughout the entire treatment. Your whole body is supported in perfect spinal alignment. The usual disruption of turning over halfway through your treatment is avoided. The sensation of floating and the feeling of warmth envelop you….

The relaxing warmth of the Hydrotherm System promotes an immediate sensation of well being, enhancing the therapeutic effect of the massage. The gentle heat of the water helps to soothe painful areas allowing the therapist to work more deeply with less discomfort for you.

Through water displacement rather than through physically lifting you, Hydrotherm permits the therapist to work using your body weight as the source of pressure, facilitating a deeper, more holistic massage technique.

Hydrotherm is safe and effective for pregnant women, the elderly, and clients with existing back problems. And it goes without saying that it is a perfect choice for anyone else wishing one of the most comfortable massage treatments available!

To make your appointments please call (246) 419-4507

Royal Westmoreland Corporate Cup latest news

The Royal Westmoreland Corporate Cup is taking place between 16th – 20th April 2008. We're delighted to have amongst our teams celebrity footballers David O'Leary and Pat Jennings who will also be holding a Q&A session at the awards dinner on the Saturday evening.

Tournament sponsors HSBC Private Bank will be hosting a tournament within a tournament during Friday's play with the teams being split into four groups and going head to head. The winners will be announced at the exclusive HSBC Private Bank beach party at Mullins beach restaurant on the Friday evening.

For further information or to book a team please visit www.royalwestmorelandcup.com

'Woosnam's senior moment' - Sunday Times article

"The man who led Europe to victory at the K Club in 2006 hasn't appeared in a tournament since he withdrew from the Irish Open last May. It is almost a year since he played two competitive rounds. No wonder the Welshman is looking forward to next week's DGM Barbados Opn, where he expects to be fit enough for his long-awaited debut on the seniors circuit."

Everyone at Royal Westmoreland is looking forward to the tournament, and is very happy to hear of Woosnam's return.

DGM Barbados Open golf tournament at Royal Westmoreland

The DGM Barbados Open is being held from 5th March to 7th March 2008 at Royal Westmoreland and will feature Ian Woosnam in his first senior tour event.

Find out more about the event

Introducing our latest development, Petrea Heights

The latest development within the Royal Westmoreland Estate, Petrea Heights offers two distinct opportunities to own a Caribbean home of considerable style and taste, with prices starting from US$1.65m.
Special pre-construction offer - we'll pay your US$200k deposit or take that as a discount!

Townhouses
These unique townhouses are available in a 3 or 4 bedroom layout. Each surrounded by formal lawns and landscaped garden areas, some will also enjoy views of the 11th fairway and the Caribbean Sea beyond. The homes will feature high vaulted ceilings, spacious fully air-conditioned bedrooms with ceiling fans, and en-suite bathrooms.

Courtyard Villas
The exclusive Courtyard Villas are available in a 3 or 4 bedroom layout. This secluded setting within lush tropical gardens provides complete privacy with select properties at the head of the development offering magnificent views across the estate towards the Caribbean Sea. The villas will feature high vaulted ceilings, spacious fully airconditioned bedrooms with ceiling fans and en-suite bathrooms.

Find out more about Petrea Heights

Experience a new level of Caribbean luxury at Indulgence Spa, Royal Westmoreland, Barbados

The exclusive Royal Westmoreland estate, with its opulent villas and world-class facilities, on the beautiful island of Barbados, has added yet another level of luxury to its world-class facilities with the opening of Indulgence Spa at Mullins Bay.

Guests were invited to join owner, John Morphet for cocktails and canapés to celebrate the launch of the Spa on Wednesday 19 December, where tours of the new luxury facilities and beauty treatments, provided by qualified therapists, were available.

The launch of Indulgence Spa (formerly Suga Suga), situated next to Mullins Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Barbados, is part of a recently announced US$500m investment to purchase the neighbouring 250 acre Lancaster sugar cane plantation, on which he will build 250 new properties, 10 acres of luxury retail development and a second 18-hole championship golf course with new clubhouse.

The new Indulgence Spa offers a unique and secluded environment featuring a waterfall pool, gym, five therapy rooms with all Elemis products, a nail studio (four stations), air-conditioned lounge and Spa Café with direct TV. Members and guests can enjoy full day and half day luxury spa programmes.

Morphet purchased the famous Mullins Beach Bar and Spa to form a stunning new beach club for Royal Westmoreland villa owners and rental guests. Now both can enjoy the Indulgence Spa facilities seven days a week, with treatments provided by a full team of qualified therapists plus a full personal service at Mullins Beach on the glorious Platinum Coast.

With a choice of villa rental opportunities available for guests there has never been a better time to escape to the Caribbean! Light, spacious, elegant and supremely comfortable, Royal Westmoreland’s luxurious Caribbean-colonial style villas are beautifully designed to make the most of Barbados’ perfect year-round climate.

Discretely set within fabulous mature gardens ablaze with a tapestry of colour, and adorned in most instances by a private pool, they combine superb outdoor living space and magnificent views, with cool, expansive interiors offering the ultimate retreat. All are equipped to the very highest standards and come with a dedicated housekeeper to assist with daily tasks, and optional chef.

As for neighbours, you’ll be in excellent company. Successful Ryder Cup Golf Captain Ian Woosnam, ex-soccer star Gary Lineker, several Test cricketers and many 'Captains of Industry' from the UK, Ireland, Canada and the USA, are amongst many luminaries who have purchased homes on the estate.

For details of the latest Villa Rental packages or to book online visit www.royalwestmorelandholidays.com

John Morphet commented, "Royal Westmoreland is the premier luxury resort in the Caribbean and now with the new Indulgence Spa offers something extra special for guests and members to enjoy. With world-class championship golf, our own beach club, bar and spa and another 250 acres on which to build luxury villas, we will ensure the matter stays beyond doubt for years to come."

For further information about Indulgence Spa please telephone +1 (246) 419 4507, or contact the UK office on +44 (0)1524 782503. To view the Elemis menu of treatments available at Indulgence Spa, please visit www.royalwestmorelandholidays.com.

US$500m Royal Westmoreland investment will cement Royal Westmoreland as the largest and best luxury golf resort in the Caribbean

250 new properties and an additional 18 holes of golf as part of US$500m investment will cement Royal Westmoreland as the largest and best luxury golf resort in the Caribbean

To strengthen Royal Westmoreland's position as the premier luxury golf resort in the Caribbean, owner John Morphet is investing US$500m to purchase the neighbouring 250 acre Lancaster sugar cane plantation, on which he will build 250 new properties, 10 acres of luxury retail development and a second 18-hole championship golf course with new clubhouse. As part of this extraordinary investment, he has also purchased the famous Mullins Beach Bar and Suga Suga Spa, which are being completely refurbished to form a stunning new beach club for Royal Westmoreland villa owners and guests.

John Morphet plans to develop the additional 250 acres with stunning new properties, most of which will have golf course and Caribbean views, and has already appointed one of Atlanta's top planning, architecture and landscape firms to carry the project forward. Tunnell-Spangler Walsh and Associates, who were involved in the original development at Royal Westmoreland, will plan the next phase of development, maintaining Royal Westmoreland's reputation for an expansive resort layout featuring designs sympathetic to Bajan tradition, without resorting to pastiche.

Royal Westmoreland will also be the first resort in the world to feature golf by both legendary course design brothers Robert Trent Jones Jnr. and Rees Jones. The second 18 is being designed to be as spectacular as the first, and Rees Jones knows it will be tough to better his brother's work – but is determined to do exactly that.

"It is quite simple, really," said John Morphet. "Royal Westmoreland is the premier golf resort in the Caribbean and I intend it to stay that way. 36 of the best holes of golf in the world, our own beach club, bar and spa and another 250 acres on which to build luxury villas will ensure the matter stays beyond doubt for years to come."

Bill Tunnell, Principal-in-charge at Tunnell-Spangler, with over thirty years of professional experience in planning and architecture, has designed residential, commercial and golf projects in fourteen US states, Europe and the Caribbean.

"To renew the relationship with Royal Westmoreland is a fantastic opportunity," he said. "Our knowledge of the estate will enable us to plan and design the next phase to the exacting standards required at Royal Westmoreland and we are very much looking forward to working with Rees Jones on the development of the second 18-hole Championship golf course."

Royal Westmoreland, known as one of the most exclusive golf locations in the world, is already a popular destination amongst some of the great sporting icons of our time. Successful Ryder Cup Golf Captain Ian Woosnam, soccer star Gary Lineker, and Ashes cricketing heroes Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff, plus many well known "Captains of Industry" from the UK, Ireland, Canada and the USA all own properties on the Estate.

New fleet of golf buggies

A new fleet of 70 golf carts is now in operation.
These wonderful new carts are from Club Car and offer superior ride and comfort over the old carts.

Summer projects on the Royal Westmoreland golf course

Although the estate can often seem a little quieter in the summer months, behind the scenes it's a hive of activity as several renovation and upgrading projects have been taking place on and off the golf course.

Tee renovations
Several tees have been added or renovated during the summer. On the 3rd hole, two new upper tees have been added. These new tees will not only present a new challenge but also help to spread wear more evenly.

The 7th blue tee has also been extended to help spread the effects of play, and has moved back slightly, extending the hole by a few yards.

The blue teeing area on the 15th hole has also been renovated to not only extend playing coverage but also level out the playing surface as tees can move and subside over the years. Some of the tees didn’t warrant a complete rebuild but simply needed to be graded to level out the playing surface. This was the case on the 5th and 7th gold tees where the turf was stripped before the tees were levelled and the turf replaced.

The advent of modern technology has had a tremendous impact on how far and straight a club golfer can drive a golf ball. This can make some of the original design spec of a course become redundant. Luckily Westmoreland has withstood the Titanium revolution quite well, so only a couple of new tees will need to be constructed to bring some of the original features of the course back into play. One such hole is the 8th. A new gold tee is being constructed to bring the bunkers back into play. All other tees will then move a teeing ground back, i.e. reds to the old white tee and so forth. Other tees that have undergone reconstruction include the ladies tee on the 6th and also the gents blue tee on the 15th.

General course maintenance
The wonderfully manicured fairways and greens that we all enjoy playing on don’t happen by accident! Unfortunately no golf course can ever be in perfect condition for 365 days of year, as essential maintenance projects have to be undertaken to ensure the greens and fairways stay free of disease. Coring and top dressing is one of the practices which keeps the greens in tip top shape.

Cart paths
Several areas of cart path were dug out and replaced during the summer. Cracks and bumps are often caused by advancing tree roots, which can get under and buckle the paths. A new path has been added to give access to the south end of the range, including an area to park carts.

Around the Clubhouse
In early summer the lake on the 9th was dragged to alleviate the algae and pondweed that builds up over a period of time. The lake has also being fitted with a fountain.

A new 'starters box' has been installed beside the putting green. This will enable us to better control the tee times and importantly the pace of play.

A new fleet of 70 golf carts are now in operation. The new carts are from Club Car and offer superior ride and comfort over the old carts.

To make way for the extra new carts we have also had to build a new bagstore unit. The new storage housing gives us the ability to hold more bags in a safer environment.

Holiday special offers

We currently have an excellent selection of holiday special offers available on the website:

Spa Package
valid until 30th November 2007

Winter offers
valid 3rd January - 30th April 2008

Summer offers
valid 1st May - 30th November 2008

All of these special offers can be used when booking online as well as over the phone. Visit the special offers page.

Indulgence Spa, Mullins Beach

Situated next to Mullins Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Barbados, Indulgence Spa by Royal Westmoreland' has 5 therapy rooms, a nail studio, and an air-conditioned lounge and Spa Cafe.

Its unique and secluded environment also has a fabulous waterfall swimming pool and secret cave, luxury sun loungers and complimentary towels.

'Indulgence Spa' offers an excellent range of Elemis treatments and specialises in full and half day luxury spa programmes. Specially choreographed body treatments combine Thai, Swedish and Hot Stone movements. All body and facial treatments use exclusive Elemis products that are also available for purchase.

Make time for you at 'Indulgence Spa by Royal Westmoreland'.

The Royal Collection - New at Royal Westmoreland

For the ultimate luxurious holiday, Royal Westmoreland have introduced the Royal Collection: a beautifully appointed 4 bedroom luxury villa located in the heart of this world renowned resort.

Along with this wonderful villa, a Royal Collection holiday also benefits from...
• private 4 seater buggy
• full time housekeeper
• private chef (50 hours) each week
• 1 complimentary spa treatment each day
• complimentary golf for all villa guests
• complimentary access to the Sanctuary Gymnasium
• complimentary access to the Royal Westmoreland Beach Club
• starter food pack
• Champagne upon arrival
• airport transfers

Visit the Royal Westmoreland holidays website to find out more and book online.

The Royal Westmoreland Cup golf tournament

The inaugural Royal Westmoreland Cup is being held on the estate 16th - 20th April 2008.

The tournament is open to a maximum of 20 teams - each consisting of 4 players - and is a unique opportunity for UK, North America and Barbados based businesses to entertain clients and build strategic relationships.

Interested? Visit the website to find out more www.royalwestmorelandcup.com

Introducing Christopher the Concierge

We'd like to introduce you to Christopher Pitt, the Guest Services Manager at Royal Westmoreland. He heads up the Guest Services Department and is responsible for the day-to-day running of all guest-related activity on the estate.

Christopher and his team can handle any planning aspect of your holiday, from check in to check out, and work hard to ensure you have an excellent Caribbean experience. From simple things such as booking a baby sitter, through to more demanding arrangement like booking a private jet, their services include booking restaurants, catamaran cruises, tennis lessons, golf lessons, private cooks, spa treatments and so on.

Feel free to contact Christopher and his team when you're here - they'll be happy to help.

The Residences at Ocean Drive

The Residences at Ocean Drive is the latest development opportunity to be released on our prestigious estate, bordering the 13th fairway and consisting of 8 plots ranging in size from 43,000 sq ft to 79,000 sq ft.

This magnificent elevated location offers outstanding sea views as well as capturing the refreshing breeze year round from the cooling trade winds.

Select your own plot and choose from a range of existing designs, or use the services of an architect to design your dream property - either way, you can be confident that the Royal Westmoreland construction team will produce your home exactly to your specification.

Find out more about The Residences at Ocean Drive >>

The Seven Wonders of Barbados

According to the Barbados Tourism Encyclopedia website, there are 'Seven Wonders of Barbados':
• Harrison's Cave
• The Baobab Tree
• Jacobean Mansions
• Morgan Lewis Mill
• The Bridgetown Synagogue
• Cannons
• The grapefruit tree

Hurricane Dean

As you may have heard on the news, Barbados was threatened by Hurricane Dean on August 16th 2007, though only under 'Tropical Storm Warning' as it would only be hit by the outer bands of the storm. The island started to batten down from as early at 12:30pm as its residents prepared for the wind and rain that had been predicted. Stores and homes alike put up hurricane shutters to protect their buildings and contents, with people stocking up on non-perishable items, water, batteries and other necessities.

Here at Royal Westmoreland we went through pretty much the same procedure, ensuring that all pool furniture and anything that could become an airborne missile was securely locked away and that there were enough supplies on site to look after our guests should there be significant damage or power outages.

The majority of 'bad' weather (mainly lots of rain and some wind) was felt in the morning of Friday 17th, and continued into Friday afternoon as the tail end of the storm passed over the island. Luckily there was no damage to report from Dean. All is fine here now and back to normal!

The neighbouring islands and those countries in Dean’s path are in our thoughts.