From Punta Cana to Anguilla, 5 Luxury Beach Hotels to Try

We’ve long said the Caribbean is home to its unique brand of luxury.

But within that concept is a remarkably broad spectrum of hotels, where Caribbean luxury manifests itself in different ways, from Great House-style plantation hotels to cliffside stays to private-island destinations.

And then there’s something else: the luxury beach hotel, where marrying toes-in-the-sand tranquility with high-level luxury is not always an easy feat to achieve.

The best luxury beach hotels are at once playful and elegant, laid-back and chic, unpretentious and sophisticated. And they’re unmistakably Caribbean.

Here are five such stays to try right now.

Zemi Beach, Anguilla When Zemi Beach debuted in Anguilla, it set a new standard for Caribbean cool, from its Thai House spa to its wonderful Rhum Room. And as Anguilla is working to make its own comeback from last year’s storms, Zemi remains the island’s coolest boutique getaway.

Tortuga Bay, Punta Cana Oscar de la Renta’s Dominican Republic hotel recently underwent a massive reinvigoration that kept the property’s signature cool but upped the luxury a notch, making for what is one of the region’s great luxury boutique hotel experiences. What hasn’t changed? The calm, breezy beach feel that pervades the entire property.

Baoase Luxury Resort, Curaçao Somehow, this hotel remains something of a secret, off the radar of even most discerning luxury travelers. But it shouldn’t be. Curaçao’s flagship hotel is a stunner, with a beautiful private beach, magnificent service and capacious, Bali-style rooms that you’ll never want to leave. And did we mention the food?

The Palms, Turks and Caicos Imagine having your own private members’ club, right on one of the world’s greatest beaches. That’s the feel at the Palms, a grand luxury resort with the intimacy of a boutique hotel and the friendly, clubby atmosphere of your own hideaway. It’s a truly impeccable experience, and while the luxury is full-fledged, you can still spend your day at an old-school beach bar on the sand.

Mandarin Oriental, Canouan There’s a new level of private-island getaway in the Caribbean. The former Pink Sands Club on Canouan is now the only Mandarin Oriental in the Caribbean, meaning some of the world’s greatest hospitality on an unmatched beachy setting in the heart of the Grenadines. It’s unmistakably elegant, but it’s also unashamedly a beach hotel, meaning you can find stylish nighttime dining at Juliet or a lazy sand-filled day on Godhal Beach.