By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor
Small is beautiful at these bed-and-breakfasts, where the living is easy and the welcome is as warm as the Caribbean sun. Check out our top 10 picks for 2014, then start planning your intimate island escape.
Las Esquinas, Anguilla
What do you get when you combine the intimacy of home with the luxury of a private villa and the amenities of a hotel? This new, four-suite Little Harbour gem.
Sweetfield Manor, Barbados
Set up a Bajan base in this seven-bedroom, antique-filled Brittons Hill plantation house where green monkeys scamper through the lush estate and guests feel warmly welcomed, never smothered.
Lloyd’s Bed and Breakfast, Anguilla
Open since 1959 and still going strong, this 10-bedroom classic is likely the best accommodation value on Anguilla, with rates starting at just $99 a night.
Balenbouche Estate, St Lucia
You’re only 20 minutes from Hewanorra airport but you’ll feel a world away on this bucolic 70-acre estate with a quartet of one- and two-bedroom cottages.
Stone’s Throw Away, Bahamas
Enjoy sweeping New Providence views from the wraparound porch of this homey hideaway with eight rooms and two suites. Chill in the pool, or take a picnic to the beach, which is – you guessed it – a stone’s throw away down the hill.
Mom’s Place, Jamaica
This Negril B&B has all the essentials for a Jamaican getaway: a beachfront location, air-conditioned rooms, free wi-fi, and reportedly the best Dirty Bananas in town.
Sol e Luna, St Martin
Come for lunch or dinner at the French restaurant; stay for the night in one its five comfy suites, each with kitchen facilities and Orient Bay views.
Villa Safir, Bonaire
Expect a trio of ocean-view guestrooms clustered around a pool, and a warm welcome from the dive instructor owners (and their two dogs) at this hillside inn five minutes from downtown Kralendijk.
Hector’s By The Sea, Puerto Rico
Hector’s is on the island of Vieques, just a mile from the village of Esperanza (above_. But you’ll feel as if you’re a world away in three casitas spread over a rolling oceanfront expanse where the sole occupant is the owners’ horse, Gitana.
Calibishie Cove, Dominica
Compact (only four rooms), comfortable, and only a five-minute walk from the beach, Calibishie delivers “nature island” hospitality and a casual, homey ambience.