Top Caribbean Getaways
This winter, your favorite Caribbean destinations will be showing off a bevy of new and improved hotels, spas and restaurants. Here’s what you need to know to plan your next great getaway.
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort is the newest arrival on Mexico’s 81-mile Riviera Maya. All 491 rooms feature sleek, modern furniture, and 89 are reserved for adults only, with private plunge pools, massage tables and two whirlpool tubs.
Viceroy Anguilla Resort – The luxe but low-key CuisinArt Resort & Spa recently added a trio of three-bedroom beachfront villas, each featuring a courtyard, patio and pool. Set to open this month are three five-bedroom garden-view villas, which can be booked in a variety of configurations to suit the size of your group.
Jumby Bay, Antigua – Just in time for high season, the Inn at English Harbour puts the finishing touches on a $1.5 million renovation. Each of the colonial-style inn’s 28 rooms now features modern touches such as flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and Wi-Fi access; the beachfront bistro has been remodeled and expanded; and there’s also a new spa.
Crane Resort, Barbados – The venerable Crane Resort & Residences has been around since 1887, but the hotel isn’t resting on its laurels. This year it unveiled the new Crane Village inspired by 18th-century Bajan architecture. There’s a reception and lounge area, plus a gym, conference facility, private theater, and a variety of shops, restaurants and bars.
St. Georges Caye Resort, Belize – Set on a 320-acre spit of private sand just off the barrier reef and 20 minutes by boat from Belize City, diving- and fishing-friendly St. George’s Caye Resort recently added six bungalows — four oceanfront and two garden-view — along with a new swimming pool. The $2 million renovation has doubled the number of accommodations, and each thatch-roof bungalow features a private veranda and a fully stocked minibar.
Cotton Tree, Cayman Islands – Charming West Bay boutique resort Cotton Tree opened last March on the shores of Grand Cayman’s quiet Barker’s Beach. Each of its four two-bedroom cottages features a contemporary interior, kitchen, patio, spa bathroom and local art. There’s also a gym, pool and private spa pavilion, where guests can take yoga classes.
Golden Bear Lodge and Spa, Dominican Republic - Golfers will love Zoetry’s brand-new Golden Bear Lodge and Spa, which opens this month in Cap Cana and boasts two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses. Golden Bear’s 126 suites feature marble bathrooms with whirlpools for two, plus terraces or patios — some with private plunge pools. If golf isn’t your thing, there’s also an infinity pool, four tennis courts and a fitness center.
Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica - Couples Tower Isle, formerly Couples Ocho Rios, reopened in April after a yearlong, $30 million renovation. The island’s original all-inclusive resort now feels brand-new with a revamped, retro-modern lobby and a terrace, game room, spa, 8 Rivers restaurant and piano bar. All rooms have been renovated, and 16 ocean-view suites feature patios with plunge pools. New additions include a wedding gazebo, oceanfront veggie and juice bar, a pool grill and a dive pool.
Privilege Aluxes, Cancun, Mexico – Eight miles off the Cancun coast, sleepy little Isla Mujeres is now home to Privilege Aluxes, a 124-room boutique that woos foodies with three upscale restaurants that tempt the taste buds with inventive cuisine. Most rooms offer private balconies with soaking tubs, and Presidential suites feature terraces with ocean views and private pools. The resort, which sits on a quiet stretch of Playa Norte, also has a spa.
Radisson St. Martin Resort, St. Martin - Last July, the year-old Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa opened le Spa, a full-service sanctuary and fitness center that features a menu of body and facial services, as well as a poolside treatment cabana.
Gansevoort Turks and Caicos – South Beach style meets Grace Bay sands on Providenciales, where the Gansevoort Turks and Caicos opened last March. The stylish resort has 91 rooms (including 32 suites and four penthouses) featuring dark wood, platform beds, and bathrooms with rain showers and spa tubs. Chill out in the 7,000-square-foot infinity pool or at the Exhale Spa.
Besides the above resorts, there are countless other possibilities – both in Mexico and the Caribbean – at very reasonable prices. Pioneer Travel, the official travel agency of Quality Vacations, has great deals on the above resorts and many other destinations around the globe. For further questions, email Stephen Rhodes at: indysteve1563@yahoo.com. To book, please click here.
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The cayman Islands are great. There’s lots of good snorkeling to be done!