Best Caribbean Beach Resorts to Restore Your Mind, Body and Soul

These 7 beachside beauties have everything you need to recharge, renew and relax

 

Who isn’t ready for a beach vacation? After more than a year of lockdowns, new safety protocols and travel restrictions it’s time for a change of pace and scenery. An escape to the Caribbean is a safe bet when you maneuver your way back into the world and a view of the sea is just what you’ll need to rejuvenate mind and body.

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia

You’ll find every luxury imaginable at this seaside splendor. The setting is pristine, sexy and classy, retaining Old World Caribbean charm while delivering New World amenities. Immersed in nature and surrounded by forest and ocean, the hillside venue provides views of the twin mountain peaks of the Pitons. One-of-a-kind villas are scattered throughout the grounds, most with private pools overlooking the sea. Villas come dressed in white furnishings and beds are draped in white mosquito netting. The Rainforest Spa is a collection of wooden suites suspended over the tropical forest floor offering healing treatments with coconut and detox powers of red clay. Down at the bottom of the hill lies an arc of sand and the turquoise waters home to the Marine Reserve where a snorkeling trip will promise sightings of angelfish, butterflyfish, moral eels and more. https://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/sugar- beach

Viceroy St Lucia Sugar Beach Room

Set on the grounds of an 18th-century sugar plantation, the Sugar Beach Resort lies between the twin mountains of Gros Piton and Petit Piton. Photo: Sugar Beach

Carlisle Bay, Antigua

When you stay here you’ll feel like you’re in a world away from everything, the resort is immersed in quiet and calmness nestled along a pristine crescent beach and backed by rainforest. The sounds and sights of nature abound at this private enclave with koi ponds that greet arrivals and gardens with vibrant tropical blooms alluring hummingbirds. Guests come to chill, relax and unwind. While the resort caters to families as well as couples, each has designated beach areas and accommodations. Families stay in the beachside suites while couples will lavish in their garden villas with balcony or terrace facing the sea. Yoga on the pier, Pilates in the pavilion and a spa with immune-boosting treatments will revive any tired soul. https://www.carlisle-bay.com/

Carlisle Bay Beach

Carlisle Bay Resort is the only resort on the calm bay where guest villas have water and garden views from private outdoor spaces furnished with day beds and café seating. Photo: Carlisle Bay

Park Hyatt, St. Kitts

Your heart rate and blood pressure automatically drop upon entering the open-air lobby of this resort. Fragrances of lemongrass, mint and basil infuse the sea air beckoning you to visit the spa where you’ll effortlessly let go of the built-up stress in yoga and meditation classes. Nature is foremost showcased in the palm-lined courtyard with mesmerizing koi pond and a living wall of greenery and tropical blooms. Combining a beach and spa vacation is the perfect solution to escaping a stressed-out world and restoring body and spirit. Stretch out along the golden sands that fringe Banana Bay where the soft outline of Nevis provides the backdrop and your world will be transformed. https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/saint-kitts-and- nevis/park-hyatt-st-kitts/skbph

St Kitts Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt’s 125 rooms face the sea and have spa- inspired baths with soaking tubs and rainfall showers. Premier suites offer private pools and decks facing out to the ocean. Photo: Park Hyatt

Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, BVI

If you enjoy the journey then Scrub Island is for you. Getting to Scrub, a private island in the BVI takes a bit of time with the final leg of travel via boat. The seclusion of staying on a private island brings extraordinary bonuses and an elevated level of privacy. There are no cars allowed, just resort vehicles that shuttle guests around the 230 acres of volcanic land cloaked in nature trails with stunning scenery. Panoramic views of the blue and green mosaic of the Caribbean are seen from the highest peak of 438 feet. The island is ideal for hiking and exploring. Guests stay at hotel suites overlooking the marina or in private villas draped over the coastline with views of neighboring islands. Two beaches offer up alternatives; the marina beach is equipped with water sports and for those wanting to get away from it all the 1,000 feet of sand on the north shore is the absolute escape. https://www.scrubisland.com/

Scrub Island Resort BVI

Scrub Island Resort’s north beach provides the ultimate venue for a day at the beach. Spend time walking the beach, snorkeling the reef and floating in the pool. Photo: Scrub Island

Four Seasons, Nevis

Island hospitality and warmth radiate at this often busy and exceptionally popular resort. Although, Four Seasons Nevis is the largest on this tiny island it often feels like a small inn where everyone knows your name. Nestled between the foothills of Nevis Peak and Pinney’s Beach, there is always a view of nature among the 350 acres. Rolling hills etched in winding roads throughout the grounds of the one- time sugar plantation are dotted with huge mango trees and flowering gardens. Activities include an 18- hole golf course, tennis courts, sailing and other water sports. Botanical tours, sunset monkey tours, kite making and the summer turtle program keep families engaged. Long walks on the three miles of golden sands of Pinney’s Beach where stops might include some of the island’s best beach bars are part of the program. Head back to the resort and the staff will set you up with chaises right at the water’s edge and the resort’s own, Kastawey Beach Bar serves up tropical fare. https://www.fourseasons.com/nevis/

Nevis Four Seasons

The Four Seasons experience begins in St. Kitts where guests board a private launch headed for the Nevis arrival at the private pier in front of the resort. Photo: Four Seasons

Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa, Aruba

If your body is craving a long-awaited healthy retreat then Manchebo in Aruba will satisfy the yearning. Complimentary daily Pilates and yoga classes are offered beachside. Spa del Sol, the Balinese-focused spa, offers bamboo treatments, shiatsu and stone therapies as well as sea salt scrubs in thatched- roofed casitas overlooking the sea. The soft white sand of Eagle Beach, the island’s widest stretch, attracts the beach comer as well as turtles during nesting season, and the turquoise water is idyllic for floating and swimming. Culinary diversions range from Mediterranean and Caribbean inspired by fresh local seafood and vegans have a full menu of choices. Start the day with fresh fruit smoothies and a vegetable omelet. The daily catch and homegrown produce from the greenhouse change up the menu day-to-day. https://www.manchebo.com/

Aruba Manchebo

Primed for relaxation, the grounds of Manchebo Resort & Spa offer an assortment of places to chill, soak up the sun or relax in the shade of a thatched palapa. Photo: Manchebo

Silversands, Grenada

While the Spice Isle isn’t known, as much for its beaches, its green hillsides, tropical forests and waterfalls lure most to its interior. The island is fringed in white, black and golden sands with 45 beaches to explore. By far the best stretch is the white sand of Grande Anse with views of St. George’s. Two miles of creamy sand attract locals and visitors for walks, swims, a bit of socializing and even a stop at a local bar or the craft market. Silversands is the newest property along Grande Anse Beach with sprawling suites and nine private villas cascading the hillside with sea views. The sleek minimalistic design is fresh for the island; sand colored walls and warm beige furnishings complement the natural colors found beachside. Center stage is the double sized Olympic pool with catwalk waiting for the next photo opportunity. Guests stay active on and off the water with watersports and a fitness center and unwind with an expansive menu of local treatments at the spa. https://www.silversandsgrenada.com/

Grenada Silversands

A contemporary version of a tropical resort Silversands brings a fresh look to Grand Anse Beach. On-site spa facilities include a sauna, Hamman steam and an ice cave. Photo: Silversands Grenada