Barbados has its landmark historic places. The Garrison in Bridgetown, with its parade ground and UNESCO World Heritage designation, anchors the island’s story (including the George Washington House). St. Nicholas Abbey draws visitors with its centuries-old Jacobean mansion and rum estate history. Gun Hill’s signal station and lion statue still look out across the countryside […]
Is bigger better when it comes to cruise ships? Royal Caribbean certainly believes so: its Icon Class of cruise ships are the largest afloat in the world. The debutant Icon of the Seas, launched in 2024, weighs in at nearly a quarter of a million gross tons and carries more than 5,600 passengers. In fact, […]
From the world-class resorts in Antigua to the laid-back, beachy charm of neighboring Barbuda, there are quite a few reasons why travelers are flocking to the twin-island paradise, which is seeing record visitor numbers for the destination. Whether you’re looking to plan an active getaway, a classic beach vacation or something in between, here are […]
A dip in the ocean and lounging by the resort pool are quintessential components of a Caribbean resort vacation, but for a stay that literally drips with luxury there’s no topping a private swimming pool attached to your suite. Rooms with plunge pools are increasingly common at high-end resorts, set a step above “swim-up” rooms […]
Dutch St. Maarten may get more attention than its French neighbor — it has the island’s airport and the bulk of its bigger hotels— but French St. Martin abounds with charms of its own, from lovely boutique hotels to some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean. The relaunch of one of St. Martin’s premier […]
Saint Lucia’s Anse Chastanet resort (the sister property to Jade Mountain) has a host of familiar amenities, including a spa, cooking classes, chocolate making classes, and water sports activities like scuba diving, paddle boarding, and kayaking. But it’s also the rare Caribbean property that’s a true adventure sports destinations. Located on the beach that lends […]
Overwater villas at Caribbean resorts aren’t just a novelty — they’re also among the most luxurious and beautiful accommodations you can stay in. And while all of the bungalows perched above the waves have their charms, some stand out among the rest. Here are our picks for the top overwater guest villas in the islands. […]
Nearly everyone who travels to Jamaica has heard of Bob Marley and reggae music, but far fewer know about mento, the traditional folk music of rural Jamaica which has lyrics focused on everyday country life (not unlike traditional American country music) and is played on acoustic guitars, banjos, hand drums, and a rhumba box, a […]
The oldest bar in Aruba still draws a big crowd almost any time it’s open, even if these days tourists tend to outnumber oil workers elbowing their way into Charlie’s Bar for a cold beer or rum drink. Arriving on a weekday afternoon at the bar in downtown San Nicholas — traditionally an industrial town […]
The Morningstar Buoy Haus Beach Resort is about the closest you can get to a private island atmosphere without ever having to leave St. Thomas. Partly that’s a function of geography: located at the foot of a massive cliff guarding Charlotte Amalie Harbor, the resort feels particularly isolated despite its close proximity to both the […]
When Aruba’s Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort opened in 1987, it made sense for the hotel’s restaurant to be built in the shape of a boat shipwrecked on the sand: while Eagle Beach didn’t exactly resemble a desert island back then, it was far more deserted than it is in 2024. These days, the elegant […]
The Frenchman’s Reef resort has been a landmark standing watch over St. Thomas’ Charlotte Amalie Harbor for more than 50 years, and its recent rebirth as the Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef may be its spiffiest incarnation yet. Originally opened as a Holiday Inn in 1972, the iconic clifftop hotel, the biggest […]
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