Rooms With a View

Boutique boltholes, beachfront hotels and over-the-water villas, the Caribbean offers it all. Here are seven of the best…

Ladera Resort, Saint Lucia

You get a view with a room at this boutique hotel. All 37 rooms feature an open wall, so you can admire 360-degree views of the sea and Pitons. Set on a volcano ridgeline high above the sea, the hotel is built on Rabot Estate, one of Soufrière’s oldest cocoa plantations. Every room comes with binoculars and a star chart, so you can gaze up at the skies when darkness falls.

Castara Retreats, Tobago

These 16 treehousestyle hillside lodges provide a bird’s-eye view of two stunning backdrops – crescent-shaped Castara Bay and lush rainforest. Set in two acres of tropical gardens, the self-catering lodges are handcrafted in cedar hardwood, sustainably sourced from the island’s rainforest. The vibe is laid-back, with only the sounds of surf and birdsong disturbing the peace.

Sandals Royal Caribbean, Jamaica

You can enjoy sea views beneath you, as well as all around you, thanks to glass floors in the bedrooms of the resort’s over-the-water Tahitistyle bungalows. The villas come with pampering butler service, lights for night sealife viewing and outdoor tubs. There’s also a private beach and a dragon boat to take you to the mainland if the serenity somehow palls.

Montpelier Plantation & Beach, Nevis

Built around an 18th-century sugar plantation in the foothills of Nevis Peak, this boutique hideaway offers Relais & Chateaux hospitality with AAA Four Diamond food, fine wine and aged rums. Surrounded by 60 acres of tropical gardens, there’s a choice of premier or plantation rooms, a ‘green’ garden suite with bamboo flooring and wide jalousie windows for cooling air flow.

Quintessence Hotel, Anguilla

The ‘Q Hotel’ is Anguilla’s latest ultra-luxe hotspot and is lavishly furnished with highquality furnishings, Swedish Hastens mattresses, antiques and a fine collection of Haitian Art. The nine luxury suites and villas are set in tropical gardens overlooking the white sands of Long Bay. Executive Chef, Dominique Thevenet, serves Caribbean cuisine with a French twist in the fine-dining Julians restaurant, plus there’s an infinity pool, yoga pavilion, spa, and 24-hour butler service.

Lumina Point, Stocking Island, The Bahamas

The only way to reach this hidden gem, off Great Exuma, is by the hotel’s private boat. With views over Elizabeth Harbour and Turtle Lagoon, the 12 water-front rooms, with large verandahs and outdoor showers, are within toe-dipping distance of the sea. There’s a private beach, farm-to-table restaurant, spa, yoga and sailing for those who stir from their loungers.

Mahogany Bay Resort, Belize

Inspired by the rustic charm of Belize and the elegance of British colonial architecture, Mahogany Bay Resort offers 205 apartments with private beachfront access and saltwater pool overlooking the bay. Swim with the friendliest of sharks in Shark Ray Alley or relax in the wellness centre with spa and yoga services. The resort is a popular choice for divers, who come here to explore the Belize Barrier Reef.