They’re small, they’re playful and they’re directly on the beach. What they may lack in amenities, they make up for with character. Because sometimes you just want to jump right into the water, without the long trek from your room. These are some of our favorite tiny beach hotels in the Caribbean, from simple accommodations to luxury boutiques.
Cooper Island Beach Club, British Virgin Islands
One of our favorite hotels in the Caribbean of any size, this boutique treasure on Cooper Island in the British Virgin Islands has it all: a dedicated rum bar, a soft, calm beach; a world-class restaurant and top-notch service. The best part? There are just 10 rooms.
Barbuda Belle, Barbuda
Barbuda is one of the Caribbean’s beach capitals, and this is easily the island’s top boutique hotel: Barbuda Belle, home to six beachfront bungalows and a great seafood restaurant called The Mangrove.
Le Temps des Cerises, St. Martin
Grand Case is one of the Caribbean’s greatest beach towns (and its culinary capital, too), and this little gem is right on the beach: Le Temps des Cerises, with just nine rooms done in a colorful style.
Sugar Reef, Bequia
Home to just eight rooms, Sugar Reef is a tiny jewel on the beach in Bequia, an increasingly hip but relaxed destination in the Grenadines. And while it’s small, it’s actually set on a 65 acre coconut plantation, giving you all the space you seek.
LoBleu Hotel, Guadeloupe
There’s just something irresistible about this small, 11-room hotel on the beach on the island of Terre de Haut in Guadeloupe. The rooms are clean and simple the service is warm and the beach is lovely. It all adds up to something, well, delightful. Just grab a Ti’ Punch in the lobby bar and head for the sand.
Atlantis Hotel, Barbados
This historic nine-room hotel is set in the spectacular Bathsheba area of Barbados. Popular for surfers, it’s home to an excellent restaurant and charming, New England-style rooms.
Siboney Beach Club, Antigua
Here, it’s all about the privileged perch on the sands of Dickenson Bay, one of the best beaches in Antigua. This is a throwback to the old Caribbean. It doesn’t hurt that its Coconut Grove restaurant is one of the island’s places to see, be seen and do nothing at all.
Mom’s Place, Negril, Jamaica
Set right on the sand in Negril, this cute, no-frills, family run hotel is the essence of Jamaican hospitality. And the food is great, too.
Ocean View Club, Harbour Island
This little outpost on Harbour Island in the Bahamas is chic and creative, with an emphasis on high design in a small package. It’s carved out quite a niche as an in-the-know hotel for intrepid travelers.
Villa Saint Pierre, Martinique
This decidedly affordable boutique is set on a small beach right in St. Pierre, a charming, historic village that was the Paris of the Caribbean before a 1902 volcano turned it into a Caribbean Pompeii. Now it’s a fun, laid-back beach town with the heart of a French village — and this tiny hotel is the perfect home base to explore it.