New Caribbean resorts due in 2026

A cluster of Caribbean resort projects is still targeting 2026 openings, but the pipeline is already splitting into two stories: properties taking bookings now, and at least one marquee project slipping behind schedule. (islands.com) In Barbados, Blue Diamond Resorts opened bookings in March 2025 for what it then called Royalton CHIC Barbados, with a Spring 2026 debut and 220 adults-only suites on the island’s west coast. Islands’ April 2026 roundup lists the same project under the Royalton Vessence Barbados name, with 13 restaurants, four bars, a spa and butler service. (royaltonresorts.com) (islands.com) Punta Cana has one of the biggest additions on the board. The Palace Company said in December 2025 that Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana had opened reservations ahead of a Spring 2026 launch, with two 18-story towers, 19 restaurants, nine outdoor pools, a water park and an 18-hole golf course. (thepalacecompany.com) Another Punta Cana entrant, Secrets Macao Beach Punta Cana, is listed by TravelPulse as a 2026 opening with 406 rooms, nine restaurants, three pools and an adults-only all-inclusive format under Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection. (travelpulse.com) The backdrop is a hotel market that is still filling rooms. Caribbean Journal reported in March that regional hotel revenue reached $2.67 billion in February 2026, while Islands, citing STR data via Caribbean Journal, said occupancy reached 76.5 percent, up 2.6 percent from a year earlier. (caribjournal.com) (islands.com) Developers are not all building the same product. Barbados and Punta Cana projects lean heavily on the all-inclusive model, while Six Senses Grand Bahama was pitched by InterContinental Hotels Group in 2022 as a lower-density resort-and-residences project centered on sustainability, villas and beach frontage. (ihgplc.com) That Grand Bahama plan now looks less certain for 2026. The Tribune reported on January 15, 2026, that the roughly $250 million Six Senses project had “yet to break ground,” despite earlier targets to start work in 2024 and open in 2026; the paper said the developer did not respond before publication. (tribune242.com) Elsewhere in the region, TravelPulse has also flagged 2026 openings in Barbados and Grand Cayman, including Crystal Cove, Turtle Beach and the 382-room Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa, showing that the buildout is broader than a single island or brand. (travelpulse.com) For travelers, the practical divide is simple in April 2026: some resorts are already selling rooms for this year, while others are still selling a timeline. The Caribbean’s 2026 expansion is real, but the opening calendar is not moving at the same speed everywhere. (thepalacecompany.com) (tribune242.com)