1. Half Moon
This Montego Bay, Jamaica, retreat has been welcoming guests to its 400 beachside acres for more than 50 years. Each air-conditioned guest room and suite contains a cable TV, a minibar, a balcony or patio, a coffee maker and complimentary Wi-Fi access. Most accommodations overlook the ocean, but standard rooms and select suites offer pool and garden panoramas. Outside this Preferred Legend outpost’s rooms, visitors will find an 18-hole course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., as well as tennis and squash courts, a kids area with a playground and supervised activities, a gym and the 68,000-square-foot Fern Tree Spa. Half Moon also caters to animal lovers; travelers enjoy watching recently hatched sea turtles return to the ocean, as well as riding and swimming with horses from the on-site equestrian center. When guests get hungry from a day filled with activities, they can venture to one of Half Moon’s three restaurants.
2. Spice Island Beach Resort
Stretching across 8 acres of Grenada’s prized Grand Anse Beach, Spice Island Beach Resort is a family-run boutique resort. Surrounded by lemon, almond and sea grape trees, each suite features a patio, balcony or terrace, plus a minibar, bathrobes and slippers, Frette linens and luxury toiletries. Recent guests agree that the Seagrape Beach Suites are worth the splurge thanks to their whirlpool tubs with ocean views, private patios and gardens, chaise lounge chairs and double hammock sets. Just in case hammock-lounging didn’t fill your relaxation quota, the in-house Janissa’s Spa provides body polishes and massages. And encouraging guests to take advantage of its primo beachside location, Spice Island’s all-inclusive room rates cover snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, tennis, cycling and green fees at a local golf course. When hunger strikes, head to Oliver’s Restaurant, which serves up a Creole-inspired menu accompanied by live music, or the Sea and Surf Terrace & Bar for gourmet international dishes with a Caribbean twist. What’s more, most travelers raved about the on-site dining options.
