a touch of class n luxury caribbean
Typically tropical
escapes
For luxury with a laid-back feel, nobody does it better than Caribbean resorts – where you can live it up in style on private islands, be pampered in luxury allinclusive resorts and even enjoy a James Bond-style getaway in the former home of 007 creator Ian Fleming. Caribbean queen Sara Macefield explores the options s it any wonder that so many celebrities beat a well-trodden path to the Caribbean? Considered by many to be the ultimate sun, sea and sand escape, this collection of idyllic islands is famous for beautiful lush landscapes and pristine beaches, which regularly attract a long list of Hollywood Alisters and famous faces. Each winter, when normal mortals are shivering in the depths of a freezing British winter, the tabloid press are full of pictures of the glitterati lapping up the balmy charms of the beaches of Barbados or St Barths. They tend to stay in sumptuous hotels or plush villas where they know they will want for nothing and privacy will be assured. Those wanting to follow in their gilded footsteps can choose from extravagant casino resorts, luxury retreats oozing upmarket opulence or atmospheric boltholes where barefoot chic meets laidback luxury. The Caribbean was the birthplace of luxury all-inclusives and is home to two of the best-known resort chains:
I
Spring 2012
Sandals (www.sandals.co.uk) and SuperClubs (www.superclubs.com). Both companies have resorts across the main islands, notably Jamaica, Antigua, and the Bahamas. SuperClubs is also on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao. Sandals has resorts in St Lucia and has properties in the Turks and Caicos and Jamaica with its family-oriented sister brand Beaches (www.beachesresorts.co.uk). The resorts are big and bold, with quite a strong American flavour and offer plenty of activities, numerous restaurants, huge swimming pools, water sports galore and, in the case of Sandals and Beaches, the services of your own butler. Major hotel groups such as Marriott (www.marriott.co.uk), Ritz-Carlton (www.ritzcarlton.com), Westin (www.starwoodhotels.com), Fairmont (www.fairmont.com), Four Seasons (www.fourseasons.com) can be found, notably on Grand Cayman, Nevis and Barbados.
n Sandals Halcyon Beach, St Lucia Sandals
“The Caribbean was the birthplace of luxury all-inclusives”
tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
51