Luxury Caribbean: High-end highlights
The Caribbean has upgraded and added properties in recent years and is once again among the world’s leading destinations for those looking for the ultimate in upmarket comforts and thrills, says Nigel Tisdall
Wow! Flying into St Barth on a small prop plane, my wife and I are knocked out by the views over this tiny French island with A-list credentials.
First there’s the sight of Gustavia harbour filled with gleaming superyachts, then a scary moment as we swoop down to a landing strip that’s just over 2,000ft long with a dazzling white beach at the end. Let’s hope the brakes work.
My phone pings a message welcoming me to the EU (no roaming charges here) as a sporty valet in white speeds us across the topsy-turvy hills to Hotel Le Toiny, a chic, five-star sanctuary where every suite comes with a private heated pool, Sonos sounds and Bamford toiletries.
A jaunty ride in a customised Land Rover gets us to its spacious beach club, while dinner is served under the stars on a panoramic terrace with a DJ. Yes please, we’d love to try the tasting menu that saunters confidently from Perrier-Jouet to Sauternes with ambrosial stops at red snapper tartare and beef short-rib ravioli.
Tomorrow we’ll go exploring in a lipstickred MINI Convertible (“la ‘It’ car de l’île”, the concierge assures), checking out the unspoilt beaches, divine pâtisseries and chi-chi bikini shops. Could our holiday get off to a better start than this?
Checking-in
Serene, safe and well-presented beach resorts have long been the bedrock of the luxury Caribbean holiday.
Some of the most attractive and enduring, such as Coral Reef Club in Barbados, Jamaica Inn in Jamaica and Hotel Le Toiny on St Barth, are still privately owned – a point worth stressing now that global brands such as Four Seasons, Kempinski and Mandarin Oriental are present in the region. While sun, sea and sand remain staple attractions, local character is not far behind.
“More and more of our clients are looking for authentic properties,” says Paul Cleary, Managing Director of Caribtours.
“They prefer small, family-run hotels rather than large resorts that don’t necessarily offer the personalised experience found in boutique hotels.”
He cites Montpelier Plantation & Beach in Nevis and Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel in Grenada as good examples – significantly, these are two of just six Relais & Chateaux properties in the Caribbean.
Convenient access (most flights from the UK arrive in time for a swim and a sundowner), paired with longstanding cultural connections and a shared love
of cricket and sailing, are all sound reasons to pitch the Caribbean ahead of alternative sunshine destinations such as Dubai and the Indian Ocean.
The hurricanes of September 2017 were bad news for some islands but, 18 months on, agents can give this a positive spin now that many of the affected luxury resorts have reopened looking better than ever.
“St Barth and Anguilla are definitely back on the radar,” confirms Caroline Beckett, Senior Product Manager for the Caribbean at Elegant Resorts. She flags up Belmond Cap Juluca on the latter as a place “definitely piquing clients’ interest”.
Last month Carolyn Brown, Anguilla Tourist Board Director for the UK, announced that visitor figures for this small, beach-ringed British Overseas Territory had reached a 26-year high.
And similar upbeat statistics have come in from Antigua, Barbados and Jamaica – and it’s a boom with a clear message: the Caribbean delivers satisfied customers time and again.
What’s new?
Flights: British Airways ( ba.com) is refreshing its entire Gatwick fleet including a new World Traveller Plus seat: Boeing 777 flights will now have a dedicated cabin with space for 52 of these rather than 24. The airline is adding extra flights to Barbados from April and to Kingston, Jamaica, for the peak summer season from June to August.
Hotels: New in Jamaica, about 30 minutes from Jamaica’s international airport in the Trelawny region, the new Excellence Oyster Bay ( excellenceresorts.com) is set close to both the Caribbean and mangrove lagoons. The all-inclusive luxury resort, fronting over two miles of secluded white sands, has a range of villas featuring their own oversized plunge pools and spa baths. Several upmarket restaurants include those with Asian, Italian and seafood themes. There’s also an extensive spa.
Beside the splendid sweep of Grenada’s Grande Anse Beach, Silversands ( silversands
grenada.com) has 43 minimalist luxe rooms, nine four-bedroom villas and the longest swimming pool in the Caribbean.
On the north coast of Antigua, newlybuilt Hodges Bay Resort & Spa ( eleganthotels.
com) is the latest addition to the Elegant Hotels portfolio – 79 of its 122 rooms are premium category, from £230 including breakfast and kids’ club.
On Anguilla, zestfully-designed Malliouhana ( aubergeresorts.com) comes with 64 rooms and suites, superb infinity pools and complimentary yoga and beach fitness classes, from £927 room only.
In St Vincent and The Grenadines, The Liming ( thelimingbequia.com) on Bequia has been created by Scottish hoteliers ICMI with 13 one- to five-bedroom villas and a restaurant. All properties opened in November or December 2018.
Trade incentives: The Caribbean
Tourism Organization UK & Europe (CTO) has a Caribbean Roadshow that will visit 13 UK cities between April 9 and September 19 2019. For details contact Florian Devillers ( devillersf@caribtourism.com).
Top luxury experiences
On the water: Ignore the party catamarans and send clients on
“Clients often prefer small,
family-run hotels rather than large resorts that don’t
necessarily offer the personalised experience found in boutique hotels”
Paul Cleary, Managing Director, Caribtours
Tradition ( tradition-sailing.com), a 40-year-old hand-crafted sailing boat once used for trading cargo between the islands. Now restored and based in Sandy Ground, Anguilla, it offers enchanting day-trips sailing to Prickly Pear Island for a fine lobster lunch, with plenty of mimosas, rosé and rum punches along the way.
Foodie heaven: Set 1,000ft high in the rainforested hills of St Lucia, the 250-year old Rabot Estate is where luxury chocolatier Hotel Chocolat ( hotelchocolat.com) grows its organic cocoa. It’s home to an adults-only designer hotel and spa, but the real draw is Boucan, a restaurant with a panoramic view of Petit Piton. A visit here can be combined with a stay at Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort (viceroyhotelsandresorts.com), which enjoys a billion-dollar location between the Pitons.
Spa bliss: GoldenEye ( goldeneye.com) is a hip beach resort on Jamaica’s north coast centred on the clifftop villa where Ian Fleming wrote all 14 Bond novels. With accommodation ranging from beach huts to villas it’s an excellent pick for couples and families but the star turn is a lagoon-side ‘Field Spa’ that guests can reach by paddleboard or swimming.
Gardens of delight: Grenada frequently wins medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the expert-led tours of its private gardens, nurseries and historic homes organised by Caribbean Horizons ( caribbeanhorizons.com) are a delightful insight into island life. Base your clients at the beachfront Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel ( calabashhotel.com), a Relais & Chateaux member, which has delightful lawns and tropical gardens.
Tourism talk
“The Caribbean has long been famed for its top-class accommodation, whether it’s a fully-staffed private villa, an eclectic boutique property, understated barefoot luxury or a high-end family-focused all-inclusive property.
“Agents should stress that flair, flavour and vibe abound here and the region has a high level of repeat guests for good reasons.
“As Ainsley Harriott’s recent TV series showed, cuisine has become a key draw thanks to the islands’ abundant seafood, tropical fruits, award-winning cocktails and culinary experiences ranging from laid-back beach shacks and food festivals to rum tastings and white-gloved service in a designer restaurant.” Carol Hay, Director of Marketing UK & Europe, Caribbean Tourism Organization
Where to book it
CARIBTOURS – 020 3553 7543
Seven nights in Grenada at Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel costs from £2,040pp staying in a Junior Suite, including transfers, half board (for bookings 1 May-31 October 2019) and return flight from London with UK airport lounge passes.
caribtours.co.uk
ELEGANT RESORTS – 01244 897581 Seven nights combining four in a Deluxe Beachfront Room at Belmond Cap Juluca, Anguilla, with three in a Junior Suite at Hotel Le Toiny, St Barth, costs from £5,835pp including transfers, breakfast, return flights from London via Antigua and UK airport lounge passes.
elegantresorts.co.uk
“Agents should stress that
flair, flavour and vibe abound here and the region has a high level of repeat guests for good reasons”
Carol Hay, Director of Marketing UK & Europe, CTO