These top resorts provide the ultimate Valentine's gift
Don’t settle for the same old flowers and candy routine this Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself and that special someone to a romantic interlude in the Caribbean. These premiere properties are offering special packages that are sure to fan the flame.
Suite Love
Rekindle romance in a Love Nest Suite at Sandals on Barbados. These private enclaves of intimacy provide all the elements, from four-poster beds to balcony soak tubs with ocean views. Personal butler service brings indulgences right to the room, but should you wish to venture out, all the amenities of Sandals Barbados await. For Valentine’s week, the resort will offer special couple’s nights presentations such as a chocolate themed buffet.
A swim-up suite at Sandals Barbados includes a private veranda with a soak tub that blends indoor and outdoor spaces, while still providing the ultimate in privacy. Photo: Sandals
Wine and Dine
If the way to the heart really is the stomach, there’s love aplenty at Nassau’s Graycliff Hotel. This historic and casually elegant five-star property serves up a three-night Romance Package that begins with a chilled bottle of champagne and a sampler of Graycliff chocolates. Later, you’ll be indulged with a four-course chef’s tasting menu and wine. Another night is highlighted by a Caipirinha and dinner at the Churrascaria Humidor. There is also a culinary lesson with an executive chef, a chocolate and spirits tasting and a day at the Blue Lagoon Beach.
Signature chocolate creations from Graycliff Chocolatier. This historic Nassau hotel combines five-star service with a casually elegant atmosphere. Photo: Graycliff
Stay Together, Play Together
Sugar Beach’s Sweet As Sugar package starts off with champagne and a long-stemmed rose at a luxury villa. But this isn’t your usual boudoir-centric getaway. Over the course of four days you and your special someone will bond over an introductory dive in the crystal waters of St. Lucia’s national marine reserve, hike up Gros Piton, and experience the Sulphur Seduction tour, which includes a visit to an active volcano and a soak in therapeutic mineral springs. There’s also relaxation in the mix, including a sunset cruise, breakfast in bed and a romantic candlelit dinner served beachside or in a garden setting.
A hillside villa at St. Lucia’s Sugar Beach takes in expansive views of the Caribbean Sea. Native fruit trees grow on the landscaped grounds. Photo: Sugar Beach
Spice It Up
Escape to Grenada, the island of spices, where your private luxury suite opens to spectacular Grand Anse Beach. You don’t actually have to be newlyweds to enjoy the Spice Up Your Honeymoon package at Spice Island Beach Resort, which welcomes you with tropical flowers, fresh fruit, chocolate truffles, and champagne on ice. Dine on your private patio or take in spectacular ocean views and the sounds of a steel band at Oliver’s. Relax with a couple’s massage at Janissa’s Spa and leave with a basket of spice scented body oils. Cap off a memorable day at the beach with a sunset sail along the island’s scenic Caribbean coast.
Spice Island Beach Resort is Grenada’s premier all-inclusive property. The resort occupies a prime location on Grand Anse Beach. Photo: Dehoog/Spice Island
Let Love Linger
Why settle for a day of romance when you can stretch a Valentine’s Day treat to a full week of togetherness. An ideal way to keep that special feeling going is with the Sea of Love package at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa on Anguilla, where luxury accommodations are set against a dazzling crescent of white sand on Rendezvous Bay. Couples can begin the day with al fresco offerings at Café Med or enjoy in-room breakfasts. There’s golf and beach time, but food often takes center stage, as the package includes select meals at three additional signature restaurants, plus cooking classes, private beachside dining and a chef’s table experience. Also in the mix are massages and spa packages, and a day’s use of a rental car to explore the island.
Beachfront rooms and suites at Anguilla’s CuisinArt resort provide sweeping views of Rendezvous Bay. Fine dining is a hallmark of this upscale property. Photo: Joe Rahm/CuisinArt
If you love Piña Coladas…..
The song may be kitsch, but the setting is not. Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton actually is the birthplace of the Piña Colada, but there are many more reasons to visit this landmark property. Occupying a prime beachfront location on Condado Lagoon, and just a short distance away from the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, the Caribe Hilton is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The property has kept up with the times, and offers a full range of modern luxuries. Couples who book a three-night Valentine’s package will enjoy special perks and pricing.
The pool at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan. For more than 60 years, this resort has been a favorite with vacationers to the island. Photo: Don Riddle/Caribe Hilton
Natural Attraction
Reconnect with nature and each other at the Caribbean’s premier eco- resort. The Tropical Romance package at Dominica’s Rosalie Bay is a five- night immersion in the island’s natural beauty, and a relaxing indulgence for body and mind. Enjoy healthful, savory cuisines based on locally sourced foods, wander a surf-washed black sand beach and enjoy a private five- course dinner served on the banks of a scenic river. The package also includes a couple’s massage, a day trip to Dominica’s famous Champagne Reef, and a relaxing soak in the hot sulphur springs. Rooms are lavished with fresh flowers daily, and gifted with natural island-related aphrodisiacs at evening turndown.
A view from the porch at Rosalie Bay. Sitting next to a nature preserve, this upscale eco retreat overlooks a black sand beach and the surf-washed Atlantic. Photo: Rosalie Bay
Love on the Rocks
Perched on a rocky seaside bluff at the entrance to Charlotte Amalie’s harbor, Frenchman’s Reef provides a romantic setting where couples can watch the ships come and go from a private balcony, and take in the lights of St. Thomas at night. The resort’s Ultimate Romance Package is ideal for a Valentine’s getaway, and includes requisite perks such as champagne, couple’s spa treatments and special dining credits. An added attraction of stays at Frenchman’s is immediate access to the quiet sands of Morningstar Beach.
A view from the hillside terrace at Frenchman’s Reef take in the harbor of Charlotte Amalie and the island of St. Thomas. Photo: Corey Weiner/Frenchman’s Reef
Fragrant Memories
A dozen red roses set the tone when you arrive at Belmond La Samanna, where rooms open to fresh sea breezes and the sapphire blue waters of Long Bay. During the month of February, the resort’s Valentine’s Package provides perks such as a Tijon VIP gift bag, couple’s Swedish massage and a unique dinner experience at La Cave, the resort’s on-site atmospheric wine cellar. For a sensory reminder of their time together on St. Martin, couples are treated to a perfumery tour, where they can create their own handcrafted fragrance.
Whites and warm wood accents complement the blues of the Caribbean at Belmond La Samanna. This St. Martin resort is known for good food and fine wines. Photo: La Samanna
Say I Still Do
Anguilla’s Cap Juluca is a stunningly beautiful setting where it would be hard not to fall in love—or fall in love again. To facilitate romances new and old, the resort is offering several Valentine’s themed specials during the month of February. The Romantic Rendezvous pampers couples in a luxury oceanfront room or suite, and adds in extras such as couple’s massages, daily libations and a special private beachside dinner under the stars. During Valentine’s week, couples can reaffirm their commitments with the I Still Do package, which begins with a beach or lawn ceremony, complete with photographer, bouquet and boutonniere. This is followed by champagne and cake, and the day ends with a private three-course dinner with wine on the beach.
The distinctive Greco-Moorish architecture of Cap Juluca resort complements the white sands and blue waters of Anguilla’s Maunday’s Bay. Photo: Mark Welland/Cap Juluca
