Where to find the soul of the ‘real’ Caribbean

Benjamin Parker finds 20 authentic places to stay where visitors can get under the skin of these islands

The peculiar thing about the Caribbean is how people often view it as a single entity. They’ve “done the Caribbean” if they’ve flown into to a single island, travelled from airport to resort, and quaffed piña coladas for a fortnight. This barely scrapes the surface. Each nation, fringed with the most desirable of beaches and cobalt waters, has its own piquancy and nuances.

Yes, a cricket team might unite it but you wouldn’t ask for “oil down” – a Grenadian-spiced stew of breadfruit, meat and vegetables stewed in coconut milk – at Carnival in St Kitts, and Dominica is, as I’ve been told by frustrated locals many times, not the same as the Dominican Republic.

To encounter the individual rhythm of each place, there are plenty of places to stay that get you close to the soul of an island. This doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on comfort, as some of the most luxurious resorts ensure their roots are firmly entwined in their environment. The boutique leanings of these hotels show some authenticity, whether it is design that respects heritage – even if it is modernised or fused with other influences – or a bolt-hole that’s become an island institution. Grab your shades and go exploring.

MOUNT CINNAMON GRENADA

This small-scale property sits on a steep hillside above the southern end of Grand Anse beach, one of the Caribbean’s loveliest strands – a long curve of soft, white sand, shaded by sea grapes, almond trees and palms; although it’s the island’s tourist heart, the hotel is set slightly apart. From the outside, the whitewashed, terracottaroofed buildings have a Mediterranean look. Within, you’re blasted with uplifting colours (lime green, bright orange and cerulean blue) that leave you with snapshot of cool Grenada: fun and upbeat, chic and informal.

Rooms from £328; telegraph.co. uk/tt-mountcinnamon

THE OTHER SIDE BAHAMAS

A diminutive, solar-powered beach camp on Eleuthera Island provides the perfect antidote to action-packed Harbour Island (yet it’s still only seven minutes away by speedboat). Four communal tents make up the centre, with a dining room, play room, library and large-scale honesty bar sprinkled with vintage knick-knacks, a wroughtiron chandelier and enough liquor to sink a pirate ship. Choose from one of three tents lining the beach – Out of Africa meets The Blue Lagoon – or a handful of hillside “shacks” higher up for a solid roof.

Rooms from £463; telegraph. co.uk/tt-theotherside

BELLE MONT FARM ST KITTS

Bill Bensley, best known for his high-end properties in Asia such as The Siam in Bangkok, designed this seriously luxurious organic farm, which offers hillside splendour on a former sugar plantation. It embraces modern Caribbean style, with a traditional look – a colonial elegance with dark woods, louvred doors, roll-top baths and vivid local art – but 21st-century facilities. Discovering the West Indies-inspired cuisine is one of the highlights of a stay here; rich and inventive, it makes the most

OUT OF THE BLUEJumby Bay Island, Antigua, main; The Liming Bequia, left