by Monique Jacob | Dec 19, 2019 | Travel Tips
Traveling internationally brings multiple questions, so we at The Champs have created this segment in our blog to offer our guests (booked and potential) some travel tips and guidelines which will help you when visiting Dominica and for travel in general. Our first topic in this segment is “Credit Card Payments“.
When it comes to payments there is little worry because International Credit & Debit Cards are widely accepted at businesses and ATMs across Dominica. However, travelers may still need to make preparations with your banks before departing for Dominica. While the main thing would be to ensure your card issuer is aware that you are in a foreign destination, here is another tip you may not have considered.
The National Bank of Dominica (NBD) is Dominica’s local bank with credit/debit card point-of-sale machines and ATMs across most businesses and popular locations on the island. This makes the island experience very convenient for most, however, NBD’s ATMs and Point-of-Sale machines aren’t currently equipped to process chip only cards (that is those Credit and Debit Cards without the active magnetic stripe). This can make payments in many places very inconvenient as most local businesses may not have a secondary machine that is chip-enabled.
While we at Hotel the Champs do have an alternate option, please contact your bank(s) or card issuer before traveling to get the magnetic stripe activated so you are not faced with any inconveniences when making payments.
We’re all about ensuring your travel convenience and we look forward to welcoming you to Dominica and Hotel the Champs very soon.
by Monique Jacob | Dec 8, 2019 | Construction, Hotel, Pool, Tour Operators
If you visit today, everything may not be in its expected place and we apologize for any mess.
Following the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Hotel the Champs needed to regroup, so we created a plan to come back better (and bigger). We relocated the restaurant and bar and rebuilt our jacuzzi and pool deck. These changes left us with open spaces and a new vision for the future of The Champs was born.
The Champs Green Makeover: The Green Resilience Project
Future Location of Rooms #6 & #7
Earlier in 2019, as part of our “green makeover”, we installed our solar panels and work began on reinforcing the foundations where the jacuzzi and bar were previously.
We intend to add two new Superior XL rooms on the middle level and build an extended stay apartment at the roadside level. The Superior XL rooms should be completed by Winter 2020.
Currently, we have halted all construction work through the 2019/20 high season to ensure there is no discomfort for our guests. And rest assured nothing affects our five-star rated customer service.
Finishing the details for the Poolside Bar
A new addition that guests will get to experience this season at the renovated pool deck is a mini poolside bar, which will be stocked with beers, sodas, and other canned or bottled beverages to enjoy while lounging at the pool.
We continue to welcome our guests and look forward to offering that signature Champs service to larger groups when these new rooms open in 2020.
Follow our blogs and subscribe to our newsletters for construction updates.
by Monique Jacob | Dec 8, 2019 | Hotel, Tour Operators
MORE FLIGHTS TO THE NATURE ISLAND DURING WINTER 2019
The idyllic charm of Hotel the Champs awaits our guests as increased flights are expected into Dominica during the high season. According to a release from Dominica’s tourism officials, airlines serving the island began adding flights in October and the increases are expected to remain in place into 2020. These new flights and schedule changes will make traveling to Dominica and Hotel the Champs much easier over the coming months.
Connecting from North America
Passengers connecting via San Juan, Puerto Rico can now take advantage of Silver Airways’ (formerly Seaborne Airlines) increase to daily flights into Dominica’s main airport, Douglas Charles Airport. The scheduled flights depart San Juan for Dominica at 3:15 pm and overnights in Dominica, departing for San Juan at 7:15 am. Silver Airways has codeshare/interline arrangements with American Airlines, Delta, United, and JetBlue, among others.
The French West Indies & Europe
French airline, Air Antilles added new routes and flights into both of Dominica’s airports effective October 25, 2019. The airline’s Twin Otter service will offer flights into Canefield Airport four-times-weekly from Guadeloupe. These flights depart Pointe-A-Pitre for Canefield at 4:25 pm allowing passengers from Air France, Air Caraibes, Corsair and JetBlue to conveniently connect into the island. Air Antilles’ ATR service from Pointe-A-Pitre operates daily with a morning arrival into Douglas Charles with onward connections to St. Maarten (Princess Juliana International) and San Juan, Puerto Rico. This flight returns in the evening connecting back to Point-A-Pitre. A new route on the ATR service is a three-times-weekly flight from Fort-de-France, Martinique into Douglas Charles Airport. This new service operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays and also continues to St. Maarten and San Juan. Air Antilles has codeshare/ interline agreements with Air Caraibes, Air France, Corsair and Winair.
Regional Connections
In October, Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT), added three flights to its service to Douglas Charles Airport, bringing the airline’s weekly total to twenty-eight flights primarily from hubs in Antigua and Barbados, connecting Dominica to the region and beyond. LIAT has interline agreements with JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways.
For More Information
In addition to these airlines, travelers to Dominica can connect into the island on interCaribbean Airways, Windward Island Airways (WINAIR), and Air Sunshine, as well as via the fast ferry services offered by L’Express des Iles and Val Ferry. More information about air and sea connections into Dominica can be found on our How to get to Dominica page and from Discover Dominica Authority.
