Yes, luxury is in the details. But luxury is also in the big things — it’s about making sure that guests never want for anything — that they always have what they need — and that no request goes unanswered, no problem unsolved. When we look at luxury resorts, we examine primary factors: design, room quality, amenities (from wellness to sports), food and beverage and, most importantly above all, service quality.
Sure, many hotels have great pools, beaches, tennis, golf, clubs and restaurants — but the greatest resorts take those and by some magnificent alchemy turn them into something more. That’s ultimately the difference between a hotel and a resort, and between a resort and a luxury resort.
These are the Caribbean’s luxury resorts right now.
#1: Four Seasons Resort Nevis A regular among the top luxury resorts in the Caribbean, this Nevis standout is just about the most complete resort in the Caribbean, from its beautiful rooms to its top golf course to its immaculate service. And in the tradition of the best luxury resorts, it does it all without a hint of pretentiousness.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Set on Seven Mile Beach, among the best beaches in all of the Caribbean, this is the company’s greatest Caribbean resort, with a magnificent spa, exquisite food and world-class service.
One & Only Ocean Club One of the region’s legendary resorts, this Paradise Island signature on the beautiful Cabbage Beach is a throwback to the Old Caribbean, with utterly warm service, capacious rooms and its famous Versailles gardens.
Round Hill There’s just something magical about this small hotel, part-owned by Ralph Lauren (who also designed the main guest rooms), and something remarkably authentic. It’s the true Jamaican experience in a breathtakingly beautiful package.
Cap Juluca.
Belmond Cap Juluca If any hotel has a better beach in the Caribbean, we haven’t found it. Stunning Maundays Bay is the setting for this recently-rebranded Anguilla institution, with voluptuous guest rooms and impeccable service.
Sandy Lane, Barbados.
Sandy Lane Still beautiful after all these years, Sandy Lane is still the resort that defines Barbados, featuring grand, elegant luxury and the kind of pomp and circumstance few can match.
Cheval Blanc Saint Barth Isle de France LVMH’s only hotel in the Caribbean lives up to the marque, with an outstanding spa, terrific French-Caribbean food and a wonderful, breezy design on the sands of Flamands Beach.
Eden Roc at Cap Cana This Relais & Chateaux resort in the luxury enclave of Cap Cana is famous for its food, but it also boasts splendid guest rooms (with plunge pools) and a new beach club featuring on-the-sand units.
Eden Rock St Barths.
Eden Rock St Barths Set on St. Barts’ most iconic beach, St Jean, this former Rockefeller retreat is a magnet for bon vivants the world over, from its fashionable rooms to the out-of-this-world Jean-Georges restaurant. But it ranks near the top of this list for its almost impossibly good service.
Le Guanahani It may not be the most famous hotel in St. Barth, but it’s a superstar, thanks to the island’s best resort beach and a playful-yet-elegant, French Caribbean decor. Oh, and the spa doesn’t hurt either.
Jumby Bay Antigua and Barbuda’s leading private island destination is a haunt of celebrities, thanks to unspoiled beaches, sweeping grounds and a great culinary scene.
Tortuga Bay Tucked away in a sea of everything-included resorts, this boutique, whose rooms were designed by Oscar de la Renta, remains a jewel. (It’s currently under renovation).
Cap Maison, St. Lucia The island of St. Lucia is no stranger to luxury, but this boutique at its northern tip does it better than the rest, with a true gourmet philosophy, brilliant rooms and the kind of luxury that pervades every detail of your stay.
The Shore Club, Turks and Caicos Providenciales’ newest resort is also its best, with impressive construction, warm service and a remarkable fusion of South Beach and the Caribbean. The rooms? In a word, gorgeous.
Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado Beach Puerto Rico’s toniest hotel is set on the onetime Rockefeller Estate, making for a marvelous marriage of old and new. The Jose Andres restaurant is alone a reason to visit.
Zemi Beach Anguilla’s newest resort has leaped to the head of the pack, thanks to a privileged perch on Shoal Bay East, a dauntingly good spa and an attention to detail that produces one of the Caribbean’s best rum menus.
Petit St. Vincent The best hotel in the Grenadines is this private island escape, with a small collection of hillside and beachfront villas and a cheeky, wind-in-your-hair vibe that makes you feel like Robinson Crusoe with a Centurion card.
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Four Seasons Resort Anguilla The former Viceroy is now a Four Seasons, taking a property whose infrastructure was already world-class and adding the Four Seasons touches and service that take good to great.
Amanyara Bali meets the Caribbean at this remote Providenciales, Turks and Caicos getaway on the island’s Northwest Point Marine Reserve. The beautiful “pavilions” are wonderful indoor-outdoor living exemplars.
St. Regis Bahia Beach This Puerto Rico escape is among the most complete in the Caribbean, with just about anything your heart desires, from tennis to golf to rainforest hiking to, well, you get the point.
The Palms, Turks and Caicos Set on the iconic white sand of Grace Bay Beach, this wonderfully grand resort has massive rooms, a terrific culinary offering and truly excellent service.
Secret Bay The hotel that thrust Dominica into the consciousness of luxury travelers the world over, this tiny resort is just about perfect, with ultra-cool villas with private pools and 24-hour concierges.
Le Sereno Set on the lovable Grand Cul de Sac beach in St. Barth, this high-design, spectacular hotel (which now has a sister on Lake Como) is the epitome of the fashionable St. Barth retreat.
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa A new kind of resort for the Caribbean, this Seven Mile Beach newcomer has modern, crisp design, a robust food and beverage offering and service that raises the region to a new level.
Pink Sands Club The newest hotel in the Grenadines is a paean to the grand luxury resorts of yesteryear, with bold colors an old-fashioned grand hotel set on beautiful sand. It’s turned the tiny island of Canouan into a full-fledged luxury destination.
The rainforest spa at Sugar Beach.
Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort The story at this St. Lucia signature is the setting, at the base of the Pitons, with one of the most marvelous beach views you’ll ever see, without compromising on any amenities. The rainforest spa is a standout, too.
COMO Parrot Cay This private island retreat is a celebrity haven for a reason, thanks to levels of privacy, exclusivity and luxury that are hard to find. And then there’s the spa, which is everything you’d expect from a COMO property.
La Samanna Perched high above the incomparable Baie Longue, St. Martin’s standout resort has superbly designed rooms, excellent food and a Cap Ferrat-meets-the-West Indies vibe.
Carlisle Bay Perhaps Antigua’s flagship resort, this Leading Hotel of the World is the archetype of understated Caribbean luxury, set on the sort of beach that made Antigua famous in the first place.
Peter Island The leading hotel in the British Virgin Islands, this private island retreat’s standout is its raw natural beauty — unless you want to talk about what may be the most beautiful spa in the Caribbean.
Colony Club Some hotels speak to the soul of an island, and the Colony Club does just that as perhaps the quintessential Barbados hotel, from its traditional architecture and utterly comfortable rooms to its lovely West Coast beach.
Half Moon There’s something for everyone here, a favored destination for everyone, most notably Queen Elizabeth II, all set on a sprawling property that leaves you wanting for nothing (make sure you stay in the wonderful West Cottages). And the food is excellent, too.
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas The best hotel in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a classic Ritz-Carlton, with a beautiful little beach, a great location and service unmatched in the rest of the territory.
Jade Mountain It’s not as much a luxury resort as it is a luxury adventure hotel, with its famous three-walled rooms set high above the St. Lucian coast. Because sometimes the great luxury is raw, unadulterated beauty.
Ladera The hotel that first popularized the three-wall concept, this Soufriere-area resort has stunning rooms with impressive local craftsmanship, a truly authentic Caribbean resort located right on the Pitons UNESCO World Heritage Site.