A torchlit dinner on the beach. A late night plunge in your oceanfront pool. The perfect tan beside a jet-set infinity pool. The sounds of your own private waterfall. There is a nexus between romantic, energetic and luxurious. Not every hotel pulls it off. You won’t find it at a traditional, grand luxury resort, or a cookie-cutter adults-only hotel. The sexiest hotels in the Caribbean just have that extra appeal, that inarticulable, indescribable, intoxicating feeling that you know the moment you meet it. Some of them are adults-only hotels, others aren’t. Some are boutique hotels, others are bigger. What unites all of the Caribbean’s sexiest places to stay is the way they enchant you, the way they charm you and their intense, palpable energy. These are the sexiest hotels in the Caribbean right now, as chosen by our all-star team of Caribbean travel experts. (And don’t miss our list of the sexiest beaches, too).
Jade Mountain, Saint Lucia If you haven’t stayed here, you’ve undoubtedly seen the pictures. The massive infinity pools, the “sanctuaries,” those jaw-dropping views of the Pitons. Saint Lucia’s most iconic place to stay is a romantic, rarefied, spectacular resort — a place so beautiful it almost feels like equal parts resort and art exhibit.
The Shore Club, Turks and Caicos It’s home to what’s been called the world’s most instagramamble pool, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg at this stunning retreat on Long Bay in Providenciales. Whether you’re staying in one of the spacious suites or its bucket-list-level beach villas, you’ll find a resort that’s endlessly captivating.
Hammock Cove, Antigua They may just be our favorite rooms in the Caribbean: the plunge-pool cottages at Hammock Cove, Antigua’s signature adults-only all-inclusive resort, a boutique luxury resort that sets the standard for the adults-only experience in the Caribbean, from its Michelin-pedigree food to its outstanding service.
Gaia River Lodge, Belize You’ll swoon over this hotel the moment you drive down the path and see the thatched roofs, walk down into the lobby and hear the sound: the rushing of the waterfalls hundreds of feet beneath your feet. This boutique gem in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest of Belize is almost overwhelming in its sense of theater and wonder. It’s perched high above a massive river and waterfalls, with fantastic food and a wellness-focused, authentic ambience. It’s indescribably beautiful, a portal to part of the Caribbean you never even considered existed.
Aire de O:live, Puerto Rico We first fell in love with the O:live brand with its original, eponymous hotel in San Juan’s Condado neighborhood. That led to the even more magnificent OLV Fifty Five just a block away. Now, there’s Aire de O:live, set at the San Juan Water Club and home to some of the most striking guest rooms in the Caribbean, thanks in large part to some breathtaking ocean-view plunge pools (cover photo). The vibe here is sexy and cool, nowhere more so than at the rooftop sushi bar and lounge called Kumo.
Baoase Luxury Resort, Curacao Curacao’s leading resort is equal parts Bali and the Caribbean: the private beach, the plunge-pool villas, the fresh, breezy, vibrant ambience. Pair that with world-class food and even better service and you get an unforgettable, endlessly romantic place to stay.
Rockhouse, Jamaica You walk out your cottage and climb down a latter into the turquoise water off the cliffs of Negril. Or you spend the day at Jamaica’s premier bathing house, part of an unbeatable wellness center. Maybe the evening is a sensual journey through jerk flavors and fine rum. Rockhouse is the essence of one of the Caribbean’s sexiest islands: a vibrant, visceral hotel that oozes authenticity.
Secret Bay There’s no more adventurous or memorable honeymoon that one spent at Dominica’s Secret Bay, the eco-focused luxury retreat that single-handedly turned Dominica into a luxury destination. But the beauty here is that you don’t actually have to be on your honeymoon to tap in to the property’s innumerable charms: afternoons at a secluded cliffside beach; in-villa massages; private plunge pools; dazzling flavors. It’s all here, and there’s nowhere quite like it.
Silversands Beach House There’s something magical about Portici Beach in Grenada, the home of one of the island’s newest places to stay: Beach House, the second Silversands-branded hotel on the island and a sleek, indulgent, brilliantly designed hotel with spectacular beach and cliffside rooms and a decidedly lovely boutique spa.
Keyonna Beach, Antigua The Bali beds, the private plunge pools, the secluded beachfront gardens. There’s just something magical about this boutique resort on the southern coast of Antigua, where the theme is barefoot chic and the vibe is all about adults-only sophistication. From the authentic, locally-sourced food to the terrific bar, this is a special, special place.
Le Barthelemy St Barth is all about glamour, luxury and jet-set chic. But Le Barth, as fans call it, just has that extra degree of breezy cool, marrying classic French Caribbean luxe with a fun, pretension-free ambience. Make sure you go for one of the beachfront suites that come with their own pools right at the edge of the sand.
Bamboo Bonaire Still something of a closely-guarded secret, this is our favorite boutique hotel in Bonaire, thanks in large part to its funky, cleverly-designed rooms (some with their own magnesium pools in the courtyard). From its fantastic on-site spa to its boho-chic vibe, Bamboo is, in short, a pleasure.
Sanctuary Cap Cana The Dominican Republic’s top adults-only resort is actually a Marriott-portfolio all-inclusive, meaning you can get Cap Cana’s exclusive brand of luxury in a wonderfully convenient package. The story here is the design, with a very cool blend of Dominican and Spanish colonial aesthetics, anchored by what is almost certainly our favorite lazy river (and swim-out rooms) in the Caribbean.
Aruba Ocean Villas Yes, thereare overwater bungalows in Aruba. And yes, they’re as good as you’d expect. Set on the southern coast of the island (very near the beloved Zeerover fish restaurant), the hotel is home to a collection of eight overwater units, some with pools, all with decks right out over the water and lovely touches like stone tubs and overwater hammocks. It’s sheer bliss on the Dutch Caribbean Sea.
The House, Barbados The champagne breakfasts, the twilight torches, the all-white lobby. Barbados is known more for old-school luxury resorts. This all-inclusive boutique hotel on the Platinum Coast is something very different indeed, with an energetic Soho House-style feel and an always-playful vibe.