To the uninitiated, Caribbean holidays conjure images of white sand beaches, turquoise seas, those idyllic tropical sunsets and plenty of rum cocktails. And of course this is an accurate picture. But for those in the know, the diverse islands of the Caribbean offer so much more.
Take the popular island of Barbados, known as ‘Little England’. This island can be a cultural haven with festivals like the Holder’s Season, a world-class golfers’ and polo players’ paradise, a spa and foodie’s heaven and a celebrity spotters dream.
St Lucia is another favourite that just keeps on getting better with diverse luxury accommodation, a world renowned Jazz Festival, those incredible World Heritage Site Pitons, its own rainforest where you can go mountain biking, a walk in volcano, botanical gardens and top spas.
Antigua is loved for its vibrancy and colonial history with great spots like Nelson’s Dockyard and English Harbour as well as its sailing and regattas.
Jamaica is a legend in its self with strong art and artisans from its reggae roots to top musicians like Alicia Keys who come to the island to record. Jamaica has great family activities like Dunns River Falls, sporting legends like Usain Bolt and everything from yoga on the beach to coffee plantations in the hills and a literary heritage to blow you away. You can even stay in Ian Fleming’s former house, GoldenEye.
Even tiny islands like Anguilla offer something unique, in this case, the best feet in the sand dining you’re likely to experience and a great love of letting a beach party evolve.
For incredible scuba diving, the Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos are hard to beat.
And all these islands welcome those in search of romance with everything you need for the perfect overseas wedding or exotic honeymoon.
Caribbean holidays come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to accommodation too. There’s understated elegance at Cobblers Cove and Coral Reef Club on Barbados, Carlisle Bay on Antigua and Hotel Le Toiny on St Barths.
There are glitzy five-stars where guests come to see and be seen like The Sandy Lane Estate on Barbados and Round Hill on Jamaica.
The Caribbean has the low down on buzzing all-inclusives with major players like Sandals. Or there are less hectic, more serene all-inclusives like Blue Waters Hotel in Antigua and wellness meccas like The BodyHoliday on St Lucia.
Then there are the gentle, family run hideaways like Maca Bana on Grenada and boutique gems like Atlantis on Barbados as well as the one-off stunners like Jade Mountain, St Lucia.
Private villas are a great option for Caribbean holidays, not just for groups and families but for those who want the privacy and freedom they offer. Most Caribbean villas have dedicated staff, which makes for a considerably different experience of un-staffed villas closer to home. Of course if you can’t live without all the amenities of a resort, there are many villa resorts where you can have your self-catering or private chef, but also enjoy the resort’s restaurant, spa and golf course as at Royal Westmoreland in Barbados. There are plenty of charming, lower key resorts too – try Fort Recovery on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands or the charming Villas at Stonehaven on beautiful Tobago.
For more inspirational ideas to enrich your Caribbean holiday make sure you review our Caribbean special interest pages which as packed full of yachting, hiking, diving, sports, culture suggestions and more.
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Accommodation by Island for Caribbean Holidays
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