Amanda Statham tracks down the Caribbean’s leading traditional and contemporary romantic retreats. Something old…
The One&Only Ocean Club (www.oneandonlyresorts.com) on Nassau Island in the Bahamas is a restored luxury resort dating back to the 1930s. It’s an incredibly romantic honeymoon hideaway set in beautifully landscaped gardens inspired by Versailles. The elegant, colonial-style resort also has spacious, airy rooms, a fab spa, an 18-hole championship golf course, six tennis courts and the accolade that former supermodel Cindy Crawford chose to wed there. Its fi ercely loyal clientele appreciate the champagne and strawberries delivered in-room each afternoon and sailing excursions around nearby islands.
You probably won’t have heard of mega-private Caneel Bay on St John (www.caneelbay.com) as it’s a super-discreet A-list hangout built from Laurance Rockefeller’s 1950s private estate house. Set in 170 acres, with seven secluded beaches, it’s now a Rosewood resort and the natural choice of green team Brangelina who love the Caribbean’s top-quality eco-resort. There are 166 rooms, from garden-view rooms to vast Cottage 7. Dining at Equator Restaurant, set at the top of 18th-century sugar mill ruins overlooking Caneel Bay, is a wonderfully romantic experience, from the candlelit tables to the Caribbean cuisine and views at sunset of nearby St Thomas.
Built on a lush hillside more than 20 years ago, Windjammer Landing Resort (www.windjammer-landing.com) is one of the oldest, and best-loved, resorts on St Lucia. The 140 ochre-roofed villas, from one to four bedrooms,are dotted around 56 acres of tropical gardens overlooking a beautiful curve of golden sand beach, while the main resort area houses a massive pool, restaurants and Serenity Spa. Romantic extras for honeymooners or those celebrating an anniversary include champagne and flowers, massage for two, sunset cruise and candlelit dinner served in the privacy of your villa. Biras Creek (www.biras.com), part of the British Virgin Islands chain, is one of the world’s most romantic resorts.
