The West Indies are made up of many spectacular islands and are one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. This large archipelago that separates the Caribbean from the Atlantic includes The Greater Antilles like Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as well as the Lesser Antilles, made up of much smaller islands, like Dominica and St. Vincent, part of the Windward Islands. Turks & Caicos, St. Lucia, Barbados and Anguilla are just a few of the others. No matter where you plan to go, if you’re looking for a luxurious place to stay in this region, along with breathtaking tropical scenery, you can’t go wrong with these especially alluring resorts.
Rosalie Bay Eco Resort, Dominica
Rosalie Bay Resort is not only one of the most alluring properties in the West Indies, but it also one of the best budget-friendly beach hotels that offers one of the best values in the Caribbean. Set on the west coast of the island of Dominica, known as the “Nature Island of the Caribbean,” this eco-friendly resort offers an array of activities, including jungle hikes, organic cooking tutorials and daily yoga classes. You’ll also find an onyx-lined saltwater pool and the nature-inspired, oceanfront Glo Spa where you can sign up for signature River Stone massages, seaweed wraps and papaya enzyme facials. Guests can also learn about sea turtle conservation and spend time on the beautiful black sand beach where the creatures safely nest. Accommodation options include cozy cottages, all air-conditioned, set among 22 lush acres, each featuring private verandas and flat-screen TVs.
Parrot Cay Resort By Como, Turks & Caicos
Parrot Cay Resort By Como is a top luxury Caribbean resort, located on a private island northeast of Provo in Turks & Caicos, that can only be reached by private boat. The property offers the ultimate in a customized, highly personalized vacation experience with a wide variety of packages that include custom-designed excursions as well as intimate dinners. You can choose to eat in your villa, in one of the multiple on-site eateries, or on the beach. The cuisine is organic whenever possible, fresh and Caribbean inspired. By choosing the COMO Shambhala Spa Retreat, you can arrange for a hot river stone massage or a private yoga class. Those who want to get more active can take out complimentary snorkel gear or kayaks. Guest rooms, suites and villas all offer elegant features throughout, like private verandas and four-poster beds draped in white voile. As you stroll the island, keep an eye out for celebrities – stars like Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, David Copperfield and Demi Moore have all stayed here.
Sandy Lane, Barbados
Decked out in signature pink, Sandy Lane offers a haven of tranquillity in a luxurious, romantic retreat renowned for unparalleled service and distinctive touches throughout. The ideal place for those who want to get active, you’ll find a multitude of amenities, including three golf courses. The most noteworthy is the ultra-exclusive, world-famous Green Monkey golf course, which includes a separate apparel line that can only be purchased after completion, as well as a tennis center and a full menu of water sports. If your goal is to just relax, you can do that too, by heading to the 47,000-square-foot spa that offers a wide variety of massages, facials and body treatments. The elegant rooms are all sumptuous and spacious, ranging from 700 to over 7,000 square feet and include a full in-room wet bar as well as a personal butler.
Four Seasons Resort, Nevis
Four Seasons Resort, Nevis is an especially serene beachfront hideaway that combines West Indian hospitality with world-class elegance. Set along Pinney’s Beach on the site of a former sugar and coconut plantation, the spacious, seaside-inspired rooms are outfitted with gorgeous mahogany furnishings, botanical prints by a local artist and pineapple carvings. The open-air Mango, set just a few feet above the water, offers contemporary Caribbean fare and views of neighboring St. Kitts, and, guests can also enjoy the sybaritic spa, an 18-hole golf course, game room and turtle conservation program. Unique options include experiences like local bush tea lessons, Dive and Dine with the executive chef and Garden Tours with an in-house botanist.
Malliouhana Hotel And Spa, Anguilla
Regarded as one of the finest resorts throughout the Caribbean for more than three decades, Malliouhana offers some of the most spacious guest rooms on the island, set across 25 ocean-gazing acres with one-and-a-half-miles of pristine beach. Standard rooms start at 800 feet and include a private patio or terrace for enjoying beach or garden views as well as a marble bathroom. Its restaurant is a legacy of Caribbean dining, known not only for its to-die-for-setting but the diverse array of fresh, sea-to-table offerings, inspired by Caribbean and Mediterranean fare. When you want to go for a swim, choose between two freshwater pools or nearby Meads Beach where you can snorkel, water ski and windsurf to your heart’s delight. Afterward, take advantage of the spa, offering a variety of enriching treatments that incorporate leading-edge technology, healing agents and local minerals in order to support health, balance and vibrancy.
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort sits at the foot of the El Yunque National Forest along the edge of the sparkling sea in a romantic Caribbean coconut plantation setting. Guests of this five-star resort enjoy breathtaking views and beach access along with plenty of upscale amenities. Tee off on the golf course, relax at the seaside pool and soothe sore muscles by getting a customized massage at the full-service spa. Guest rooms are extra spacious and include pillowtop beds with down comforters, exposed wood beams and large, furnished terraces that lead to stunning ocean views. When it’s time to dine, you can savor a taste of Greece and the Mediterranean at Paros Signature Restaurant.
Cotton House, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The only full-service resort on Mustique, the Cotton House offers the chance to enjoy idyllic beaches that sit at the edge of cerulean waters in a place known as a haven for celebrities and royalty. Oceanfront rooms and suites include walkways that lead to the beach, or you can choose from luxury cottages and elegant ocean-view suites. No matter which you select you’ll enjoy a pillow menu, bathrooms with marble fittings and French doors that open onto a private veranda. Most boast private plunge pools, and full unpacking and pressing services upon arrival are included too. Breakfast and dinner are served at the Veranda Restaurant, including dishes based on locally sourced seafood like lobster risotto and pasta with crab, while casual lunches are offered at the Beach Café or poolside.
Jade Mountain Resort, St. Lucia
Jade Mountain Resort is a five-star luxury resort set high on Morne Chastanet, overlooking the Piton World Heritage site and the glistening expanse of the Caribbean. An intimate and exclusive adults-only hideaway, Jade Mountain is popular among celebrities looking for seclusion and privacy as well as couples seeking a romantic escape. As an exclusive “resort within a resort,” its luxury suites are located at Anse Chastanet Resort, created to harmonize with the Caribbean environment in a new level of sophistication. Individual bridges lead to the extraordinary infinity pool suites, each featuring an open floor plan with a bedroom, living area and private infinity pool, all with jaw-dropping sea and mountain views. Each unit also offers an “unplugged” experience, meaning no TVs, radios, phones or Wi-Fi, though you can access the Internet at reception if you find it too hard to completely disconnect from the chaos of the real world.
Petit St. Vincent, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Another ideal spot to totally unplug and relax, Petit St. Vincent is a 113-acre private island resort framed by two miles of pristine white sands. The lack of room TVs, phones and even planned activities is especially appealing to those looking to indulge their most luxurious, ultimate private island fantasy. Choose from beachfront cottages, complete with alfresco living and dining areas, some of which sit on a bluff overlooking the sea. Should you wish to have complete privacy, just hoist your red flag, which signals staff to stay away. If you hoist the yellow one, you’ll probably receive whatever your heart desires, from a lift to the beach bar to food and drink. You can use the same system at the beach, just raise the yellow flag and you can have a picnic lunch or drinks brought right to your hammock. The full-service spa offers Balinese massage, and you can also enjoy sailing, kayaking, diving, fishing trips, hiking, yoga and more.
Hermitage Bay, Antigua
Hermitage Bay offers quintessential barefoot luxury as a five-star resort that managed to transform how most view all-inclusive properties. Its luxury cottages are tucked into 16 acres of lush tropical gardens, fronted by a gorgeous beach with sumptuous sugar-like sands. Sip Champagne (only the finest) from your private infinity plunge pool and relax with Garden Spa treatments influenced by ancient Eastern concepts of chakra. The all-inclusive plan includes three meals a day and an afternoon snack, premium-brand drinks, house wines and Champagne, with the gourmet cuisine focused on locally sourced ingredients mixing the best of Modern European cuisine with Caribbean favorites and American classics, served in a multi-tiered restaurant overlooking the cerulean waters. When you want to get active, you’ll find yoga and Pilates classes as well as the chance to snorkel, kayak and windsurf.
Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada
Spice Island Beach Resort is a luxurious all-inclusive resort and one of the most elegant properties on Grenada, surrounded by brilliant tropical gardens, with its lavish suites dotting a quarter-mile of beachfront along the edge of calm, swimmable waters. Choose a signature Seagrape Suite and you’ll enjoy soaking in an opulent whirlpool tub with sea views, along with a large patio and private garden. Relax with the one you love in the double hammock (or enjoy it all to yourself), while gazing at breathtaking Caribbean sunsets and enjoy fine dining with lavish buffets and elegant continental cuisine served with a wide array of fine wines, all garnished with the spectacular beauty of Grand Anse Beach. The fully inclusive experience also includes premium label drinks and wines, golf green fees, tennis and cycling, and non-motorized water sports like ocean kayaking and snorkeling.
Excellence Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Excellence Punta Cana offers five-star luxury in a colonial village-style resort that faces a 30-mile stretch of white, powdery sands. This all-inclusive, adults-only property is especially popular for weddings and honeymooners who appreciate the round-the-clock room service as well as the special couples’ menu at the world-class spa with all sorts of indulgent massages and other heavenly treatments. Activities include coastal horseback rides, yoga, whale watching and zip lining, though you can also spend your days napping in a hammock if you choose. Dine at one of the multiple restaurants and sip exotic drinks at any one of the bars. There are two enormous swimming pools – and even private swim-up suites with amazing sea views. The all-inclusive plan includes meals, unlimited premium alcoholic beverages, 24-hour room service, water service at the beach and pool, daily activities and nightly entertainment – special nights like an upscale barbecue, feature live music too.
Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, Scrub Island
This private island in the British Virgin Islands is home to Scrub Island Resort, surrounded by four idyllic white sand beaches and shallow coral reefs for convenient access to some of the best snorkeling and diving sites. During the day, head to the Ixora Spa for a host of relaxing treatments, lounge in a hammock along the water, or charter a catamaran to explore the neighboring islands – if you can tear yourself away from your suite, room or villa. Each one offers spectacular sea views, while the three to five-bedroom villas include large verandas and private infinity pools as well as attentive porter and chef service. A wide range of dining options are also offered, ranging from gourmet cuisine to casual dining, with all dishes prepared using the freshest local and imported ingredients, including Caribbean seafood and locally grown produce.
