Resort spas have become almost as common as fitness centers on amenity lists, but while it’s simple enough to carve out some space for a few treatment rooms, there are some spas that offer a true “experience” to go along with your massage, facial, or other treatments. Here are our picks for the Caribbean spas that truly define the term “destination” spa.
Here are the best spa resorts in the Caribbean right now.
Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic
Newly reimagined, The Spa at the Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic combines a destination spa and health and wellness center; the 18,000-square-foot enclave includes a hydrothermal circuit with a sauna, steam bath, vitality pool, cold water pool, thermal loungers, Kneipp Walk, and an outdoor pool. The Spa Cafe keeps the good vibes going with healthy breakfast and lunch menus and all-day drink service for a selection of 10 smoothies and other refreshers.
The Palms, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
The spa at this luxe Provo resort is a gated oasis with treatment rooms opening onto tinkling fountains and loungers set beside a placid courtyard pool for post-treatment bliss. Zareeba is a North African word meaning “protected enclosure”; it’s also the setting for a signature whole-body treatment at the spa designed by a Caribbean herbalist and featuring a foot ritual that soothes with crushed local queen conch shells and essential oil.
Kimpton Seafire Resort, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
A giant soaking tub may be the most prominent feature of The Spa at Seafire, but we also love the gorgeous mosaic tile that gives the spa a sense of permanence to go along with the wellness. From the beaded light fixture in the lobby to waiting rooms hidden behind curtains and decorative wall panels reminiscent of corals, this is truly an oasis by the sea.
The Body Holiday, St. Lucia
The Body Holiday doesn’t have a wellness program; the whole resort is one. From food to activities to atmosphere, this St. Lucia hideaway is all about enhancing your zen, so of course the spa is exceptional. Set on a hillside and resembling an Indian royal palace, the BodyHoliday Wellness Centre is home to the Pavitra Ayurvedic temple, a fitness center, spa rooms, dance studio, and thalassotherapy pool, as well as a skin clinic and BodyScience Clinic. One-hour daily massages are included with the price of a stay at this unique luxury all-inclusive resort.
COMO Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos
This private island hideout for camera-shy celebrities who just want to chill in the Caribbean enhances guests sense of calm with a world-class spa. The Shambhala Retreat has treatment rooms overlooking the North Caicos Channel and lives up to its name (“peace” in Sanskrit) with Asian inspired treatments, a meditation hut, an infinity pool and sundeck, a sunny yoga pavilion and jacuzzi tub set in a flowering garden.
GoldenEye, Oracabessa, Jamaica
Even super spy James Bond wasn’t above a little rest and relaxation, and the FieldSpa at GoldenEye — the former home of 007 author Ian Fleming — delivers both in abundance. Set on the edge of the GoldenEye Lagoon, the cottage-like spa’s massage, salt scrub, herbal wraps, and facial treatments utilize ingredients made on site, with services delivered in an private open-air setting. Signature treatments include a sugar scrub incorporating Blackwell Rum.
Sanctuary Cap Cana, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
The thatched-roof treatment rooms surrounding a private pool at the Sanctuary Spa lend a village-like atmosphere to a ‘community’ devoted entirely to wellness and relaxation. Immersive ‘rituals,’ a hydrotherapy journey, a salon and snack bar are all part of the experience.
Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Tropical gardens, a waterfall and lagoon pool, and a meditation labyrinth combine to create a serene sanctuary at this luxurious waterfront resort. The treatment rooms at the Fern Tree Spa are all beautiful, but repeat guests know to book early for the ultimate indulgence of a massage or other body treatment in one of the spa’s overwater bungalows.
The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas
This Four Seasons resort is famed for its fine dining and sumptuous seaside accommodations, and the spa is equally refined. Enclosed in a grove of palms and ferns, the spa villas are the setting for a wide range of treatments that include bathing rituals and the signature Bahamas Rhythm Massage, which combines a deep-tissue massage with rhythmic breathing techniques.
Sugar Beach, St. Lucia
The spa at this Viceroy resort, set on one of the loveliest beaches in St. Lucia, resembles a treehouse — if your childhood tree fort was located in a tropical rainforest and included treatment rooms crafted from natural materials and featuring island inspired body care using volcanic spring water, cocoa, and other local ingredients.
Amanera, Playa Grande, Dominican Republic
Aman Resorts’ exclusive beach sanctuary honors native Taino traditions in its unique palette of spa treatment options. Set on a clifftop surrounded by jungle, the spa offers multi-day healing journeys informed by Taino spirituality as well as more typical massage and facial treatments; even with these, however, guests are welcome to join guided walks into gardens full of herbs used in traditional medicine.
Amanyara, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
A quartet of treatment pavilions and a yoga “sala” are part of Amanyara’s holistic wellness experience; spa treatments utilize local ingredients like organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, while globally recognized experts are often on hand to lead wellness programs on therapeutic bodywork, sports fitness, stress management and mindfulness, and other topics.
Facing one of the top beaches in the Caribbean and backed by the heights of Nevis Peak, the Four Seasons resort includes a spa that has services tailored to adults and children alike, from massage and facials utilizing local herbs to wellness-enhancing yoga classes. A private evening spa experience for couples include a bottle of wine, a signature Nevisian massage, and dinner for two under the stars.
Cheval Blanc, St Barts
French barefoot elegance defines this St. Barths resort, and spa services are an essential component of the Art de Recevoir experience. Treatments are delivered in breezy spa pavilions by “alchemists” using exclusive Guerlain beauty products and rituals as well as four-handed massages, aesthetic facial sculpting, and hot stone massages using local volcanic rocks.
Sandy Lane, Barbados
Iconic, refined, and exclusive, the Sandy Lane resort in Barbados includes a 47,000-square-foot spa — truly a “world unto itself,” as the resort describes it. An admitted monument to decadent relaxation, the spa blends elegant decor with stony grottos hewn from the local landscape, where therapists proffer services. A long list of unique amenities includes an amethyst and Thai massage room, a crystal cold room, a Rhassoul pink clay experience, and cryotherapy treatments.