There are many ways to plan a great Caribbean trip — and a few wrong ways too. One way is to focus on where you want to go. But another is to focus on where you want to stay —  to focus your journey around something special, like nature, diving, romance, luxury, great food or even art. When your hotel has designed itself around these special things your job as a guest becomes a pleasure. The experience can then be more authentic and holds its own scale of quality and value. Here are some places to stay for just about every kind of stay you can think of right now.

Tortuga Bay — the luxury boutique

This isn’t the biggest hotel in Punta Cana — and that’s a very good thing. An oasis of luxury in a region full of sprawling resorts, this is a private, tranquil gathering of villas, set on a marvelous beach and designed by the late Oscar de la Renta. Great hotels do indeed come in small packages.