BEST OF THE CARIBBEAN
What's not to like about a place where the sun is always warm, the drinks are cold and the music is hot, hot, hot? But even here there are favorites, and our second annual readers’ poll uncovers all your favorite things.
Best All-Around DestinationU.S. Virgin Islands
They’re close, they’re American and they’re diverse, all of which helped push the U.S. Virgin Islands to the top of our readers’ list over last year’s winner and current runner-up, Jamaica. The three are different from the bottom up − St. Croix was formed by a buckling of the seafloor, while St. Thomas and St. John are volcanic. And though separated only by a 2-mile sound, bustling St. Thomas and laid-back St. John are almost polar opposites. St. John’s miles of national parklands appeal to nature lovers, St. Croix’s preserved heritage draws history buffs and St. Thomas’ shopping lures those with room to spare on their charge cards.
RUNNER-UPJamaicaJamaica is 144 miles long − big enough to have every type of terrain common in the region except a true desert, and diverse enough to accommodate every conceivable kind of vacation. It has a unique and distinctive culture, and its contributions to the rest of the world − from jerk seasoning to reggae to Red Stripe − are legendary.
HONORABLE MENTIONMexico
The Mexican Caribbean has a little bit of something for everyone. Cancún is urban and urbane, with sizzling nightlife and languid beaches. Cozumel, once a sleepy diving mecca, has emerged as a sophisticated place for real R&R. New developments farther down the coast draw aficionados to tour Mayan historic sites and to sample the boutique hotels that stretch south toward Belize.
Luxury Resort with the Most Understated EleganceGrand Lido Negril
Unobtrusive, meticulous, impeccable: Grand Lido Negril’s marble, glass and stone buildings house 210 suites. Although large in size, the hotel looks after guests one by one with impeccable service, from having waitresses patrolling its beach to 24-hour room service. A formal restaurant serves fine meals as a pianist serenades diners. Guests can feel a little like royalty on Princess Grace’s honeymoon yacht, now the host of Grand Lido’s sunset and champagne cruises. After an evening of indulging, guests can soak in their private Jacuzzis.
RUNNER-UPLittle Dix Bay
Laurance Rockefeller’s vision for Little Dix Bay was a resort characterized by low-key luxury. His dream has been realized in this property, whose cottages and guest rooms complement the lush grounds without cluttering them. The resort’s gourmet restaurants add to the sophisticated charm.
HONORABLE MENTIONCaneel Bay
Another of Rockefeller’s creations made our list. Favored by celebrities of every stripe, Caneel Bay Resort has co-existed with its gemlike setting among seven bays and beaches for decades. The unassuming resort provides a respite from ringing phones, blaring televisions and other electronic distractions. Guests can further zone out with a Thai massage or a sunset champagne picnic. Caneel is vintage Old Caribbean; the original rooms had no air conditioning, though guests now have a choice of whether to cool themselves naturally or artificially.
Most Opulent Luxury ResortAtlantis
It’s amazing what you can do with a couple hundred million bucks. The property on which the Atlantis sits has always been spectacular − on a barrier island that separates Nassau harbor from the Atlantic Ocean. What visionary developer Sol Kerzner put on that property is just as arresting. The visual theme of the resort is taken from the Lost Continent, and it is Disneyesque in the sense that even the smallest detail has been thought through and no expense has been spared in creating the illusion of authenticity. The Royal Tower, one of five accommodation options, is the centerpiece. Its lobby, the Great Hall of Waters, leaves no surface unadorned. A glittering gold shell on the 70-foot ceiling draws the eye up, but the murals, sculpture and ornate fountains give it plenty of competition. The resort’s casino is the largest in the region and is packed with Dale Chihuly glass sculptures. With three lagoons and a fabricated archaeological site, Atlantis has taken the idea of opulence to another level entirely.
RUNNER-UP (tie)Four Seasons, Nevis
Four Seasons Resorts are well-known for luxury, and the one on Nevis is no exception. Reception is in a building styled after a plantation great house. Frosted-glass French doors partition the bedroom and living areas in the executive suites, which are richly appointed with mahogany, rattan and marble. The free-form infinity pool is surrounded by palm trees, and the palm-lined beach, Pinney’s, is one of the most picturesque in the Caribbean.
Cap Juluca
Giving the impression of Moorish villas scattered along a beach, Cap Juluca’s whitewashed buildings gleam against the blue of ocean and sky. Huge marble baths and French doors that open to the ocean accent accommodations that are lavish in every sense of the word.
Luxury Resort Where You Feel Most PamperedFour Seasons, Nevis
Guests’ desires seem to be anticipated at Four Seasons, Nevis. Oversize bath towels and thick terry bathrobes hang at the ready, masseuses perform beachfront rubdowns and attendants deliver iced face towels poolside. For anything they haven’t thought of, the concierge is at guests’ beck and call around the clock.
The full-service spa offers a variety of massages, facials and beauty treatments, from hairstyling to French pedicures, for even more pampering.
RUNNER-UPCap Jaluca
Before you set foot on the resort’s 179 acres, service begins with an escorted trip from the St. Maarten airport. Raise a flag on your beach umbrella, and an attendant will appear to fulfill any request.
HONORABLE MENTIONLa Samanna
Set on secluded Baie Longue, La Samanna is the luxury resort on St. Martin. Inside its white stucco villas, suites and rooms, Mediterranean influences tastefully mix with tropical colors. There are only 81 rooms − with fully stocked bars and private terraces − perfect for spoiling yourself with 24-hour room service.
Best Family Resort for Kids Under 10Beaches Turks & Caicos
Grace Bay, with its endless arc of sand and its resident dolphin, JoJo, is famous. Beaches ups the ante for the preteen set with activities available 12 hours daily, supervised so the adults can relax, too. From building sandcastles to staging plays, a swim-up soda bar, Sega Dreamcast gaming and their own private island with waterslides, Beaches is designed to help families have fun. After the kids’ club closes, parents can arrange baby-sitting to take advantage of the restaurants around the Bay. RUNNER-UPAtlantis
In addition to eye-popping décor, Atlantis is a full-on fun park for kids. There are five waterslides (including one that runs down the side of a faux Mayan pyramid and through an aquarium filled with sharks), water channels to float though on an inner tube and the Discovery Channel Camp, where kids search for buried treasure and get up close and personal (but not too close) with the sharks.
HONORABLE MENTIONFDR Resort
When families arrive at FDR, they’re assigned a Vacation Nanny to do everything from feed the infants to entertain rambunctious older children. A kids’ club, French classes, windsurfing lessons, talent shows and more give the little guys plenty to do while parents chill out.
Best Family Resort for Kids Over 10Atlantis
The same things that make the Atlantis a standout for preteens make it fun for subadults, too. High-speed races down the twin waterslides, a variety of sports and exploring The Dig give teens all the adventure they can handle.
RUNNER-UPBeaches, Turks & Caicos
The kids’ club program at Beaches has a counterpart for older siblings, and it’s just as much fun. Teens can windsurf, play football, go on a supervised boat cruise and hang out with others their own age.
Best Resort for a Family ReunionBeaches, Turks & Caicos
Beaches is a good choice for a retreat − only don’t expect the family to sit and rehash the time great-aunt Griselda accidentally flashed the milkman. With this prime position on a prime beach, kids’ programs and proximity to everything on Providenciales, your flock will be creating their own memories instead of just reliving old ones.
RUNNER-UPAtlantis
All the things that make it so entertaining for kids also make Atlantis a great place to gather the far-flung relations. The complex is so big that feuding first cousins will see each other only when they want to, and everyone else can enjoy their vacation together.
HONORABLE MENTIONCarimar, Anguillla
With just 23 rooms, this resort could become a private retreat for a large family. Its wide, sandy beach, comfortable rooms and low-key style make it a warm place to gather.
Best Undiscovered DestinationTurks and Caicos
Apparently, a lot of you ventured to Turks and Caicos after its second-place finish last year and wanted to share your love of the tiny archipelago with your fellow readers. Home to the world’s third largest coral reef system, Turks and Caicos draws divers and snorkelers to its shores. Each of its eight inhabited islands has its own personality worth getting to know, from upscale Providenciales to tranquil Middle Caicos to stately Grand Turk and tiny Salt Cay, home to just two small hotels.
RUNNER-UPBelize
Belize’s reefs, rain forests, Mayan ruins and proximity to the U.S. make the country a prime candidate for tourism growth. With the opening of a new tourism village last December and its addition to cruise lines’ ports of call, Belize is poised to become the must-see spot in the region.
HONORABLE MENTIONAnguilla
A flat coral island with fabulous strands, Anguilla is still trademark Old Caribbean in style and substance. Perched on the northeast shoulder of the Lesser Antilles just above St. Martin, it’s most famous for its luxurious retreats and endless uninhabited acres of pure white beach.
Best Spa ResortLeSport, St. Lucia
Not only is LeSport one of the Caribbean’s largest and best spas, it’s also a luxury all-inclusive. Fitness doesn’t stop at the steam room, either, with guests choosing among activities ranging from the conventional (step aerobics) to the slightly unusual (fencing, archery and nature walks). Two spa treatments per day (that’s right − per day) are included in the room rate, so it’s likely they’ll have to pour you into your seat on the airplane after a week in this place. If further relaxation is needed, you can meditate in the relaxation temple or sunbathe au naturel before dining at one of the resort’s three restaurants, which feature fine dining with a healthful twist.
RUNNER-UPSandals Royal Bahamian
If the lobby of the Royal Bahamian doesn’t wow you, you’ll need to proceed directly to the spa because clearly you’re too stressed out to appreciate it. This property on New Providence Island is far enough from Nassau to stay serene, but close enough to take advantage of all the sights and restaurants the Bahamian capital has to offer -- assuming you can muster the ambition to leave the property.
HONORABLE MENTIONSandals, Antigua
Down-island in latitude and in style, the Antigua branch of Sandals is immensely popular with wedding parties and honeymoon couples. Fronting gorgeous Dickenson Bay, its options include individual beachfront suites with conical roofs and private patios.
Best All-Inclusive ResortSandals Royal Bahamian
It’s no coincidence that Sandals (and Beaches) properties place highly in our annual reader poll in many categories. Consistency, attention to detail and service are articles of corporate faith, and the staffs work diligently to deliver. Even within this elite group, however, the Nassau property is a standout. Rich materials − mahogany, marble, oak − create a sophisticated atmosphere, and you can have pommes frites and a pint in the property’s English pub or be ferried over to the resort’s private island just off the beach. The amenities go on and on − six upscale restaurants, water sports (including diving), a show club, billiards room, spa, even golf − and it’s all included.
RUNNER-UPGrand Lido, Negril
Relatively small at 210 suites, Grand Lido nonetheless has all the amenities you expect at an inclusive, plus some you might not, such as dry cleaning, golf and scuba lessons. The property is drop-dead gorgeous and the service impeccable, plus it’s in the region’s most fabled party town.
HONORABLE MENTION Breezes, Bahamas
With a prime location on Nassau’s Cable Beach, Breezes is a perennially popular choice. If the activities on the beach and in the nearby casino aren’t enough, the staff keeps things hopping with trapeze and trampoline clinics, steel bands, merengue dance classes, fashion shows and dance contests.
Best Small HotelEdgewater Inn, Barbados
A modest resort on the east coast of Barbados, Edgewater won honors for the second year running. The hotel has only 20 rooms, but it also has a 9-mile stretch of beach. Even when the hotel is full, you can count on nearly a half-mile of beach all to yourself. Facing the Atlantic, Edgewater is on the least developed side of Barbados, and the central mountains rise behind the property, offering nature walks, bird-watching and hikes up to the water falls that grace the island.
RUNNER-UPCompass Point, Bahamas
One of Island Records mogul Chris Blackwell’s eclectic hotels, Compass Point is a colorful collection of gingerbready cottages scattered over a palm-speckled beachfront. Although it’s a favorite with rock ‘n’ rollers and supermodels, mere mortals always seem to have a good time here as well.
HONORABLE MENTIONAnse Chastanet, St. Lucia
Year in and year out, Anse Chastanet receives raves for the killer views from the rooms, the pool, the restaurant and just anyplace on the grounds. Looking down to the sea with the Pitons in the distance offers a view few places can match. Tailor-made for lounging and soaking up the scenery, this petite property also has a spa and diving services.
Most Romantic Resort, Hotel or InnCouples, Ocho Rios
Even people who aren’t part of a couple say Couples is a stellar resort. Built in 1949 as the Tower Isle, it was the first modern hotel on the now-famous north coast, and though expanded and renovated many times since, it retains a taste of 1950s Hollywood glamour. Yes, there’s a spa (where you can get scrubbed, waxed and polished for your intended), and four gourmet restaurants and 24-hour room service − all part of the inclusive rate. Add to that a wedding (or vow renewal) and a private island to escape to afterward, and the reasons for its popularity are clear.
RUNNER-UPAnse Chastanet
The dramatic views that make this such a popular small hotel make it romantic as well. If you want seclusion, you’ll find it here surrounded by 600 lush tropical acres. The suites feature showers with a view, and there’s a new spa to enhance the mood with his-and-hers massages.
HONORABLE MENTIONJamaica Inn
The Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios is vintage Old Caribbean. Set on its own reef-protected beach, each room has a balustraded terrace overlooking the ocean. The inn is family-owned and run and has a large coterie of repeat guests. The palm-lined grounds are a popular site for weddings, after which the happy couple may retire to the Blue Cottage − a private one-bedroom cottage right on the beach − to begin the honeymoon.
Best Eco LodgeMaho Bay Camps
With the Virgin Islands National Park as its backdrop, Maho Bay Camps doesn’t intrude on the spectacular setting. The 114 hand-built tents are nearly obscured by the lush foliage. You’ll need to rethink your image of a tent, too. Each is equipped with electricity and a propane stove, and even has a separate sitting area and private deck that overlooks the sloping property and gives views of one of St. John’s prettiest beaches. The grounds include a restaurant and general store, and the secluded beach is ideal for quiet water sports such as kayaking and snorkeling.
Best Local CuisineJamaica
Jerk − whether chicken or pork − rules, but there are plenty of other choices. While fire-breathers can’t get enough of the hot stuff powered by incendiary Scotch bonnet peppers, those with a plainer palate have discovered patties (pastries filled with seasoned meat), salt cod and ackee (the national dish) and even bammy (cassava cakes). I-tal, Jamaica’s own vegetarian cuisine that grew out of the Rastafarian religion, has found an audience among vegans and carnivores alike.
RUNNER-UPAruba
Aruba’s cultural influences include Spain, the Netherlands, Africa, South America and Taíno, and the local criollo cooking is appropriately diverse: goat stew, iguana soup, fried plantains, stuffed Edam cheese, baked custard with caramel sauce and kadushi, a hearty soup made from a cactus of the same name. Seafood is popular, too, and Arubans know how to handle everything from fresh fish to crustaceans in a way that’s offbeat but still pleasing to continental diners.
HONORABLE MENTIONSt. Martin
There’s so much French influence that it’s sometimes hard to tell where the Provençal leaves off and plain island cooking begins. Lolos are the place to find native fare. These open-air stands use empty oil drums as barbecues and serve up some of the tastiest beach-side fare in the region.
Best International CuisineSt. Martin
As we said, it can be hard to separate the criollo from the continental here, but bistros, cafés and fine-dining establishments serving classical French are everywhere, along with enough other cuisines to satisfy a United Nations caucus. St. Martin’s lush culinary landscape lets visitors bake in the sun by day and sample the world’s best foods by night.
RUNNER-UPJamaica
The same cultures that influenced Jamaica’s indigenous cuisine also left restaurants all over the island. There are authentic Italian, French, Chinese and even Middle Eastern eateries.
HONORABLE MENTIONAruba
The cultural stew that formed the Netherlands Antilles blends tastefully in its creole fare, but there are also purists who prefer their cultures one at a time. So Aruba also boasts ample examples of classic European fare, along with tasty South American and Indonesian cuisines.
Best Local RumMount Gay
One of the oldest rums in the world − perhaps the oldest − Mount Gay has been produced at the same distillery on Barbados since 1703. Smooth and rich, Mount Gay blends effortlessly and is as refreshing as a Bajan waterfall on the rocks.
RUNNER-UPAppleton
While Barbados claims to be the birthplace of Caribbean rums, Jamaica’s sugar estates have been pumping out the liquid gold almost as long. Appleton is the country’s best, distilled on a historic estate and available in varieties spanning the spectrum from dark to light, all the way to white. The 12-year-old bottlings are especially tasty.
Best Local BeerRed Stripe
Jamaica’s Red Stripe emerged as your hands-down favorite Caribbean brew for a second year. With just five ingredients − malt, corn, hops, yeast and water − the recipe hasn’t changed at all since 1934. CT&L readers aren’t the only ones who think highly of Red Stripe. During the past two decades, the light, golden beer brewed by Desnoes & Geddes earned top awards in numerous international competitions.
RUNNER-UPCarib
Again the runner-up in this category, Trinidad and Tobago’s Carib is full-bodied, clear and refreshing after a day of diving, surfing or just limin’.
Best Local MusicJamaica
For a small region with an even smaller population, the Caribbean has contributed mightily to the world’s fund of great sounds. Jamaica has produced the most widely known musicians, along with an abundant crop of styles: rocksteady, ska, reggae and dancehall. A little-recognized, though strong, contingent of jazz artists were born here as well, led by guitarist Ernie Ranglin.
Best Bar for SunsetRick’s Cafe, Negril
Facing west over the cliffs of Negril Bay, Rick’s is the perennial winner here. The scenery is unbeatable, the location in a premier party town is perfect, and when you add in celebrants leaping from the cliffs into the water below, you’ve got a show that can’t be stopped.
Best Bar on the BeachSoggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke, BVI
Soggy Dollar snatched the best beach bar prize again this year with good reason. Even the lack of easy boat access doesn’t stop regulars and newcomers from downing its patented Painkillers, listening to the barkeeps’ island tales and dining on flying-fish sandwiches.
Best bar with Live MusicFoxy’s Tamarind Bar, Jost Van Dyke, BVI
This bar began as a temporary place for proprietor Foxy Callwood to serenade an impromptu crowd. He now holds forth nightly, improvising calypso songs about his guests, drawing visitors from all over the world. There’s plenty to take away, too, from tapes of Foxy’s more memorable tunes to T-shirts and barware. Local specialties, such as rotis and fresh grilled fish, fuel dancers who twirl to the point of exhaustion.
Best Nightlife, Large CitySan Juan
If you can’t find something to amuse you in San Juan, you need to check your pulse. It’s a late-night town, with the action cranking up around 10 p.m. and lasting until. The Old City is ground zero, with piano bars in many of the cafés, clubs and discos. But to say you’ve partied here, you need to get out and about to clubs like Babylon and the show bar in the Wyndham El San Juan, where the whole city goes to salsa.
Best Nightlife, Small CityOranjestad, Aruba
Winning for the second year in a row, Oranjestad steams after dark with loud Latin music and party-minded crowds working the plentiful casinos before diverting to the city’s many late-night dance clubs. Arubans like to dance and they like to laugh, and they like it when you dance and laugh along with them. The hours belie the size of the city, too, with the revelry carrying on way past the wee hours.
RUNNER-UPNegril
Cliffside bars like Rick’s, the Pickled Parrot and LTU draw locals, affluent travelers and young party animals of all persuasions for sunset cocktails. Later on the action moves to clubs like The Jungle, where the crowds sweat it out to reggae and dancehall until dawn.
HONORABLE MENTIONCozumel
This diver’s destination has slipped out of its black-rubber past into a level of sophistication that no one would have predicted even a few years ago. Carlos’n Charlie’s has moved to a new location on the waterfront, but it still draws in herds of those hard-partying Texas sorority girls, as does the infamous Se–or Frogs. Joe’s, just off the square and the place for lobster and live music, is still cooking, too. And there are now upscale options: Havana Club is the prototype cocktail lounge with lithe couples sipping to sultry jazz wrapped in wisps of premium cigar smoke. It’s all good.
Friendliest PeopleJamaica
Jamaica wins again, and the engaging personality of the place − reflected in dazzling white smiles − is the real winner. Jamaica is large enough to have developed a very rich culture, and if you’re open to Jamaicans, they’re proud to show you the best their home has to offer. And as you can see from the many mentions above, that’s quite a lot.
RUNNER-UPAruba
It’s hard to feel exclusive about things when your native language is made up of Spanish, Portugese, English, Dutch and Ta’no. Aruba welcomes everybody, and unless you have some kind of distinctive accent, who’s to know you’re not a native? Tell them you’re a visitor, though and they’ll go to any length to make sure you have a good time.
HONORABLE MENTIONMexico
Hospitality is an obligation in Mexico, and the people of the Caribbean coast in particular discharge this duty with delight and the greatest of grace. They seem to be amused by Americans, too, and that only contributes to what is an already cheerful atmosphere.
Best GiftRum
It’s what family and friends request when they hear you’re going to the Caribbean, and you oblige them with bottles of Mount Gay, Appleton, Cruzan and Bacard’. Of course, you have to keep a few for yourself, making that carry-on bag a bear to stuff in the overhead compartment. One sip or heartfelt thank you will remind you that the strain on your back was worth it.
RUNNER-UPJewelry
Whether it’s an inexpensive wooden necklace or a precious tanzanite ring, jewelry remains a favorite souvenir. With direct connections to the gem-cutting centers of the world and tax-free status, many of the islands offer an unmatched quality and variety of jewelry at prices far below what you’d pay at home.
HONORABLE MENTIONArt
The most personal of memorabilia, local art has a unique charm. Vibrant paintings of tropical scenes, unmistakable blue and green Earthworks pottery and Puerto Rican santos let travelers bring the real Caribbean back home.
Best Shopping CityCharlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Stealing the top spot again, Charlotte Amalie has more than 400 stores tucked between Waterfront Highway and Main Street. In addition to megafranchises Columbian Emeralds and Little Switzerland, the district is populated with galleries displaying local artwork, boutiques offering discounted designer fashions and music stores playing sounds of the Caribbean.
RUNNER-UPPhilipsburg, St. Maarten
A duty-free port, St. Maarten lures shoppers with bargains on everything from loose gems and French cosmetics to Gucci handbags and DVD players. For some native culture, galleries peddle wood carvings, handmade jewelry and guavaberry liquor.
Honorable Mention Nassau
Even without its famed straw market, Nassau, and particularly Bay Street, continues to induce travelers to break open their wallets for the fine jewelry, ancient maps and clothing from designers like Gucci to local batik manufacturers.
Best Duty Free StoreColumbian Emeralds International
The favorite by a landslide, Columbian Emeralds International has more than 35 stores in the region, from Bermuda to Cancún. Columbian Emeralds doesn’t only carry the green gem. Pearls, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanite and other jewels are embedded in earrings, necklaces, bracelets and watches. Best of all, you can take them home duty free.
Best View From A Hotel RoomLadera Resort, St. Lucia
It’s no coincidence that the resorts that took honors in this category are in St. Lucia. With its trademark Pitons knifing up out of the Caribbean, St. Lucia is one of the most beautiful places in the world, let alone the region. Ladera maximizes the scenery by leaving one of the walls of its rooms open. No glass. No wood. Nothing but air between you and a breathtaking view.
RUNNER-UPAnse Chastanet, St. Lucia
Like Ladera, Anse Chastanet was built to take advantage of its jewellike setting on 600 acres overlooking a button-hook shaped bay padded with soft, silver sand. The Pitons loom in the background. Owner/architect Nick Troubetzkoy arranged the lodging so guests can drink in the surroundings at every turn.
HONRABLE MENTION Jalousie Hilton, St. Lucia
If you just can’t get enough of those Pitons, this is your place. The Hilton, which fronts its own private beach on Jalousie Bay, is nestled between Gros Piton and Petit Piton. Its villas and villa suites are scattered across the hills behind the bay.