Best Luxury Resorts in the Caribbean

The Bahamas has all the variety you’re looking for

With 2,000 beaches throughout 700 subtropical islands, the Bahamas offers dozens of bespoke luxury experiences just waiting to surprise you. The Four Seasons Ocean Club on Paradise Island off the island of Nassau has been a playground for celebrities since it opened in 1962. Expect beachfront villas, secluded cottages French-inspired gardens, and great golfing nearby. The chic Grand Isle Resort on Great Exuma island is noted for its proximity to the region’s festivals and regattas, sport fishing, and scuba diving. The one-thousand-acre resort complex Baha Mar delivers three stunning resorts – the Grand Hyatt, the Rosewood, and the SLS Baha Mar – an enclave with tropical grounds, a casino, a private beach and water park, plus dozens of restaurants, and ample spas.

Anguilla is tops, with culinary goodness and live music.

“Tranquility wrapped in blue” is the aptest slogan for Anguilla, a British territory touting perfect weather and crystal-clear turquoise waters. The music scene here lends a lot of Caribbean rhythm to sunset cocktails, and the island’s more than 100 restaurants lay out a welcoming and delicious spread. A host of luxury resorts on Anguilla include Belmond Cap Juluca on the silky sand of Maundays Bay, the Kelly Wearstler-designed Four Seasons, and the elegant Malliouhana Resort, flanked by two beaches on Long Bay.

St. Barts surpasses even its own image

Luxury is truly this island’s middle name. The jewel of the northeast Caribbean is a heady whirlwind of French sensibilities, with an elevated sense of style and luxury-leaning passions. Exquisite restaurants and gorgeous boutiques prop up the island’s sultry stretches of sand and tony beach clubs. The golden sand of two sweeping beaches along two separate bays is home to the Rosewood Le Guanahani, its charming cottages strewn along the paths of lush gardens. The Eden Rock in St. Jean Bay offers an adventurous spirit, its modern glamor punctuated with rugged cliffs and blue waters – and its guest register filled with iconic celebrities.

Antigua sweeps you off your feet

The Land of 365 Beaches sports 95 miles of pink and white sand, quiet coves, and distinct British essence. Yachting and regatta sailing are popular here, as are watersports adventure out along the dazzling coral reefs. Set on 300 blissful acres, Jumby Bay Resort wins the day here, a very special private island hideaway. Guests arrive by private yacht – just a short trip from the airport and you’re there. The spin on high-end all-inclusivity here is accented with things like sea-to-table dining and all-white soirées, cooking classes, and catamaran afternoons.

St. Lucia will effortlessly charm you all day long

With volcanic peaks, breathtaking waterfalls, lush forests, and quiet beaches – St. Lucia is a natural masterpiece. This mountainous British Commonwealth has a French flair due to a history of trade-offs between the two nations. The tropical splendor here makes an ideal backdrop for a number of luxury hotels. The ultra-private luxury cottages of the Viceroy Sugar Beach are nestled within 100 acres of rainforest, with water sports adventure and family fun within easy reach. The secluded, family-owned Cap Maison at Smuggler’s Cove delivers boutique hotel-style opulence along with gastronomic guilty pleasures fusing Caribbean and French flavors.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines are your new favorite escape

The “Vincies” has been a favorite getaway for decades, guests are drawn to its out-of-the-way seclusion and private-island postcard perfection. Petit St. Vincent Resort, opposite the island of Carriacou, yields high-end/low-fi glamor with a spritz of ritz, legendary within discerning circles for the stunning private villas and the signature flag-system room service. Mandarin Oriental Canouan is a true hidden gem, with oceanfront villas and hillside retreats oozing historic Caribbean charm.