If you’re heading to this British Overseas Territory in the northeastern Caribbean, you’re most likely interested in fine dining, beach bar hopping, great diving and pampering at a luxury resort.
The undisputed stars of the island, though, are its jaw-droppingly beautiful beaches, from Meads Bay to Shoal Bay to the out-of-this-world Rendezvous Bay.
Thankfully, they all come with some seriously good places to stay, from the boutique to the large resort.
Here are our favorite places to stay on the island right now.
A masterpiece of understated elegance, the Four Seasons resort on Anguilla’s northwest coast has an assortment of rooms and suites arrayed along the beach, most with water views. If you decide you like it so much you don’t want to leave, they’ll happily sell you a residence to call your own. The resort’s bluff top Salt restaurant is known for its fresh seafood and outstanding locale; other amenities include a private beach club, spa, fitness center, sports pavilion with tennis, rock climbing, and basketball, and a kids club.
The legendary Ocean Club resort in The Bahamas, which has been a Four Seasons since 2017, is marking its 60th anniversary this year.
To celebrate, the property has announce plans for new programming, brand partnerships and room and amenity renovations.
That will be headlined by a planned renovation of its Crescent Wing set to begin in August.
The design concept was “inspired by the exquisite natural setting, rich local culture, and glamorous legacy” of the hotel, according to Four Seasons, with plans for completion by mid-December 2022.
Additional property-wide upgrades are also in the works, including a at DUNE by Jean-Georges, the gym, the Versailles Pool, Ocean Pool and the Spa.
That will entail a brief closure during low season, with the property closing from Aug. 29 to Oct. 2, 2022 to focus on the changes.
The new Crescent Wing will be unveiled in February 2023.
“2022 marks a special year for all of us here at The Ocean Club, as we celebrate our storied past, present, and future. Throughout the last six decades, the property has become an iconic grande dame of the Caribbean, with so many incredible stories to tell, and this year, we want to bring these stories to life,” says General Manager John Conway. “Since opening our doors, the heart and soul has been our treasured guests and employees, some of whom have been with us almost from the very beginning. A special milestone, we are honoring these employees, the stories of our past, our current guests and future generations, as we welcome a new glamorous era in style.”
Aruba, The Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands are among the Caribbean destinations leading the region’s tourism renaissance.
Indeed, the Caribbean’s tourism industry is bouncing back in a big way, with some destinations approaching or even exceeding record visitor arrival numbers.
That includes destinations like The Bahamas, the USVI, Aruba, Jamaica and, of course, the Dominican Republic, which remains the region’s most popular destination by volume.
The US Virgin Islands, for its part, which was among the region’s first destinations to reopen amid the pandemic, has helped lead the way, with sizzling arrival numbers and continued airlift growth. That’s likely to continue following the destination’s announcement that it would be waiving testing for all domestic US visitors.
According to ForwardKeys, a data partner of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, several destinations, including Aruba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas, are proving among the “most resilient” in the region based on confirmed arrivals for the summer.
The beach at Resorts World Bimini in The Bahamas.
That includes Mexico, where the Caribbean coast of the country has seen dazzling numbers so far in 2022.
Nicola Madden-Greig, president of the CHTA, said on average, hotels and resorts in the region would be approaching close to 80 percent of their pre-pandemic performance this year.
“These are all great indicators which point to traveler confidence and demand for the Caribbean,” she said. “We are seeing the fruits of years of hard work by the industry and governments throughout the region to invest in our tourism product and our people, and to broaden our appeal as we find new ways to provide a diverse and exciting experience for our visitors.”
The Renaissance resort in Aruba.
Some destinations are setting all-time records, she said, as investment continues to keep pace in new and expanded hotels. (Nearly 30,000 hotel rooms are currently in development in the Caribbean-Mexico region right now, according to STR).
The biggest question is just how strong the summer season will be; last year saw all-time records across the region, with pent-up demand and remote work defusing the idea of the summer as an “off season.”
Early indicators, however, show that the “hot” summer will continue again in 2022.
Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic.
“While the cost of travel increases worldwide due to these and other factors, we will continue to focus on providing value and exceptional traveler experiences,” Madden-Greig said. “This is particularly important in our highly competitive global marketplace. Despite these challenges, we anticipate over the coming weeks and months to see a proliferation of deals and special offers by the industry to continue to appeal to travelers’ desire to come to the Caribbean.”
Sandals Resorts International has officially opened its 16th resort in the Caribbean: the new Sandals Royal Curaçao.
The property welcomed its first guests on June 1, marking the company’s first-ever property in the Dutch Caribbean.
The 351-room property is a dramatic transformation of the former Santa Barbara Resort, set on the 3,000-acre Santa Barbara Estate.
“Our vision for the Sandals Royal Curaçao experience was inspired just as much by the island’s natural beauty and colorful culture, as it was by our guests and the many ways they can engage with this amazing destination,” said Sandals Resorts Executive Chairman Adam Stewart. “This resort — a true labor of love years in the making with my father and our late founder, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, at the helm — is a testament to the transformative power of tourism via next-generation experiences that not only up the ante on all-inclusive vacations, but celebrate the local people, flavors and terrains every step of the way.”
The Dos Awa infinity pool.
It’s home to a number of “firsts” for the Sandals brand, including a bi-level infinity pool, and new room categories like the Awards Seaside Butler Bungalows and Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalows.
The hotel has 11 different culinary concepts, including eight eateries, joined by three gourmet food trucks and 13 bars.
Sandals has launched several new dining concepts, including Aolos, an open-air Meditarreanan-style eatery, and Vincent, a European fusion restaurant that’s an homage to Van Gogh.
More uniquely, Sandals is also debuting its first-ever off-site dining program called Island Inclusive, which expands its all-inclusive offering to eight partners restaurants around the island of Curacao.
The program, valid on seven-night minimum stays, is available to those booked in butler suites and to Sandals Select Reward Members.
The program gives a $250 voucher to dine out at one of the eight restaurants, with roundtrip transportation included.
The Caribbean is even better in the summer, something frequent Caribbean travelers know well.
Sure, the thermometer is higher, but that also means the sea is warm and inviting; and at night, the palm trees shake with cooling ocean breezes.
And while summer is not quite the slow period it was before the onset of the pandemic, there’s still value to be found, with lower rates and lower crowds than you’ll see at the height of the tourist season.
So where to go in June?
The return of our Places to Go list takes you to five different destinations across the region, from French Caribbean gems to beach capitals.
Grand Cayman’s Camana Bay mixed use development has become one of the island’s true town squares, with terrific dining, shopping and culture.
Grand Cayman Yes, the Cayman Islands is open again, and that means the return of what has always been one of the Caribbean’s most prominent luxury destinations. Grand Cayman, know for its outstanding residential resorts (including the celebrated Kimpton Seafire and Ritz-Carlton), is as diverse and sophisticated a place as you’ll find in the Caribbean, with something for every kind of traveler, whether you’re a foodie, a beach lover, a diver or a golfer. (Here’s how to visit).
