Antigua, Turks and Caicos Top Hottest Luxury Destinations
While emerging Caribbean islands are great for growth, several travel experts are reporting that three particular islands are especially hot for luxury travelers not looking to go off-the-beaten path.
Antigua “Antigua is wonderful, so easy to get around the island with so many cool boutique resorts, 365 separate beaches, beautiful white sand sky blue water,” she said.
And there’s another big reason to visit: “Great cuisine,” said Sally Smith of The TravelSmiths. Indeed, Antigua and Barbuda just held its first-ever Restaurant Week to widespread acclaim.
Turks and Caicos Lee Friedman, founder and advisor of Mango Tree Travel, an affiliate of Jetset World Travel, said it’s especially ideal for families with young children.
“Turks and Caicos is [hot for families],” she said. “Families with young children cannot get enough of Turks and Caicos right now.
And Friedman also you can’t ignore that Turks has arguably the best beach in the entire Caribbean region.
“Plus, it’s hard not to love Grace Bay Beach,” said Friedman. “Beaches will forever be a popular option among families seeking the complete, all-inclusive experience, but we love sending families to smaller, more intimate resorts.”
So, where is she sending them instead?
“We’ve been sending lots of families with kids under age five to the Sands at Grace Bay, which has spacious suites at a more affordable price point than many other Turks and Caicos hotels, plus a fantastic pool and restaurant for little kids,” she said.
“We’ve also encouraged several families to split their stay and combine a resort experience with a very unique stay for two to three nights in the more untouched ‘Middle Caicos,’ at a tiny hotel called Dragon Cay Resort, which may have one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.”
St Maarten/St. Martin “Although airfare to [Saint Maarten/St. Martin] recently has been brutal, there’s some great properties for our clients to see. The beaches are spectacular, the culinary experiences are wonderful. It is easy to get around the island with a vehicle,” said Sally Smith of The TravelSmiths. “
“St. Martin also has two sides of the island,” she continued, “one of French dissent, the other of Dutch descent, which makes for an interesting dichotomy, when it comes to your choice of restaurants and cuisines.”
Anguilla “Anguilla is awesome. In addition to some killer beaches, there’s a wildly good live music scene,” said Zach Stovall, travel expert, content strategist, photographer, videographer, and writer. “Great options for food. Elvis’ Beach Bar, Dune Preserve, and Gwen’s Reggae Grill are beach bars you stumble in and never want to leave. Cap Juluca, Four Seasons, Aurora Anguilla are all great options to stay.”
