It’s a claim few can make, but I was, in fact, a pioneer in Port-of-Spain: the first man ever to lounge, lather and generally luxuriate in room 1121 at the sparkling new Hyatt Regency Trinidad. Un-trod on was the bamboo floor, un-steamed-up was the European-style frosted-glass shower, and un-woken-up-to were the panoramic views of the Gulf of Pariah.

Yes, I dared go where no business traveler had had the good fortune to go before — to the first full-service, 5-star business hotel to open in Trinidad and Tobago since 1962 (the year the twinisland nation gained its independence). Indeed, the Hyatt, a posh, 22-story sanctuary in the center of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing city, is more than the sum of its square feet. It’s a sign of the times: Trinidad, flush with petro-dollars — the island is the top producer of oil and natural gas in the Caribbean and the fifth largest in the world — is quickly becoming a M.I.C.E. destination of the highest order.

Between 2002 and 2006 the number of business travelers to Trinidad increased by more than 30 percent, from 66,000 visitors to almost 87,000. As of 2007 it ranked second among Caribbean islands in overall wealth. And by 2009 Trinidad will have nearly doubled its stock of first-class hotel rooms and state-of-the-art conference venues. The 428-room Hyatt joins the recently renovated Trinidad Hilton and Conference Center, with 40,000 feet of meeting space, and the soonto- be-completed 144-room Cara Suites and Conference Centre. The latter is located within five minutes of the airport, now a WiFi zone in its entirety.

Part of the $253-million International Waterfront Development project, the Hyatt anchors an eightacre esplanade as sleek as the twin office towers going up on its opposite end. Some of the major industry players in the islands, as well as the Association of Caribbean States, will have their headquarters there, and they’ll no doubt make good use of the hotel’s 43,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, the most in the Caribbean, not to mention its full-service restaurant and its 9,000-square-foot spa. In 2009 the Hyatt plays host to the 34-country Summit of the Americas and the 54-country Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

The southernmost of the West Indian islands, Trinidad is “a gateway to North and South America as well as the rest of the Caribbean,” said Ernest Littles, president of Trinidad’s Tourism Development Company. “Thirty-five percent of our convention business visitors come from North America, 33 percent from the Caribbean and South America, and 11 percent from Europe.” In 2006 Delta Air Lines launched non-stop service from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta (ATL) to Piarco International Airport (POS) in Portof- Spain, becoming the sixth major carrier serving the city.

From the beaches of Maracas Bay to bird-watching at the worldrenowned Asa Wright Nature Center and the steel-pan jazz played, rather fittingly, on refashioned oil drums, incentives are as plentiful as the palm trees. Salivating customers line up to sample Bake and Shark, Trinidad’s famous fish sandwich, and some of the world’s finest rum is never far away.

Carnival, the month-long pre- Lenten party, is Port-of-Spain’s perennial main event, filling the streets every February with massive masquerade bands and the pulsating beat of soca music. Groups can join in and “play mas,” as it’s called — just order your costume on line — or watch from the streetside grandstands with a cold Carib, Trinidad’s ubiquitous national beer, and a camera close at hand.

Year-round, neighboring Tobago offers the quintessential Caribbean mix of white sand and emerald waters, plush resorts and abundant natural beauty. Ideal for the preor post-meeting trip, a visitor can go reef diving, hike the Western Hemisphere’s oldest rainforest and feast on fresh lobster, all in a day. The 20-minute flight to Port-of- Spain leaves on the hour, although upscale ac commodations, including the sumptuous Hilton Tobago Golf Resort & Spa, allow those interested to extend their stay.

CONVENTION CENTERS

THE CASCADIA HOTEL & CONGERENCE CENTER
Serviceable, comfortable and unpretentious as a hotel, the Cascadia as conference center is a perfectly peaceful, slightly-out-of-town alternative. Set on 25 acres of lush hillside in St. Ann’s Valley just a 10-minute taxi ride from downtown, it boasts an environment utterly free of distractions and yet easily accessed from the international airport. Its 7,000 square feet of function space include a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,000, as well as five fully equipped conference rooms for small meetings. It may be the service, though, that really sets the Cascadia apart; a superb staff attends to the smallest details with speed, savvy and good humor.
THE CASCADIA HOTEL & CONGERENCE CENTER
67 Ariapita Rd., St. Ann’s,
tel 868 623 4208,
http://www.cascadiahotel.com

THE NATIONAL CARNIVAL & ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Billed as the new “home of Carnival” in Trinidad, this 15,000-seat, spaceship-like complex with glass roof and state-ofthe- art audio and lighting systems is one of the biggest and most expensive projects under way in the country. The new center will be located on the 260-acre Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain’s largest open space and long the site of major Carnival events. When not full of colorfully costumed revelers, the center will serve as the city’s premier events venue, hosting concerts and exhibitions year-round. Completion is anticipated for the end of 2009.

NATIONAL LIBRARY
With its distinctive pyramidal form and the historic Old Fire Brigade Building at its fore, the National Library, opened in 2003, certainly stands out. Situated in downtown Port-of-Spain and surrounded by historic landmarks, it offers up an array of modern event spaces for anything from small meetings to major exhibitions. An amphitheater with seating for 440 is ideal for product launches, a seven-story rotunda capped by a cylindrical skylight has hosted numerous exhibitions, and an audio-visual room with theater-style seats and space for 100 is perfect for presentations. Several meeting rooms, equipped with multimedia projectors and outdoor balconies, are available for small gatherings.
NATIONAL LIBRARY
Hart and Abercrombie Streets,
tel 868 623 6962,
http://www.nalis.gov.tt/nationallibrary.htm

WALTER FRONT PARK CONFERENCE CENTER
This 43,000-square-foot center, part of the massive International Waterfront Development project, is housed in the new Hyatt Regency Trinidad, making it the Caribbean’s largest conference center attached to a hotel — and the only one on the island with sweeping ocean views. Spaces range in size from the Regency Ballroom’s 16,000 square feet (without columns to obstruct sight lines) to the 10,000-square-foot multi-purpose exhibition space. Both are equipped with state-of-the-art audio and visual technology, and translation services are available for international meetings such as the upcoming Summit of the Americas.
WALTER FRONT PARK CONFERENCE CENTER
1 Wrightson Rd.,
tel 868 623 2222,
http://www.trinidad.hyatt.com

MEETING HOTELS

HILTON TRINIDAD AND CONFERENCE CENTER
As Trinidad’s longest-standing business hotel and the only “upside-down hotel” in the Caribbean, the 412-room Hilton is a national landmark. Built into the side of a mountain, visitors enter through the lobby on the top floor and descend down the hillside to recently renovated guestrooms. The government of Trinidad, which owns the building, invested $40 million in upgrades and refurbishments to the property, including a major expansion of conference venues. The more than 40,000 square feet of space includes 31 meeting rooms, the largest of which can accommodate as many as 1,000 people, and the smallest a group of 12. $$$$
HILTON TRINIDAD AND CONFERENCE CENTER
Lady Young Road,
tel 868 624 3211,
http://www.hiltoncaribbean.com/trinidad

HYATT REGENCY TRINIDAD
An infinity rooftop pool and grill, a 9,000-square-foot spa, breezy waterfront terraces and picturesque ocean views: you could easily mistake this 428-room, 5-star business hotel for a laidback leisure resort on neighboring Tobago. But step outside and you’re in the heart of the city, blocks from the skyscrapers of downtown Port-of-Spain. As the centerpiece of the new International Waterfront Development project, the “modern signature landmark of Port-of-Spain,” the Hyatt is far and away the most impressive property on the island. It’s also the only hotel with immediate access to the Waterfront Park Conference Center. $$$$
HYATT REGENCY TRINIDAD
1 Wrightson Rd.,
tel 868 623 2222,
http://www.trinidad.hyatt.com