Best Caribbean Getaways

Carnival-themed New Year’s Eve bashes, soon-to-launch bee-centric wellness experiences, and the next best thing to chartering your own Caribbean yacht.

If Harbour Island is known for its celebrity sightings and designer shops, the nearby Bahamian island of Eleuthera offers something different—wild beauty, empty beaches, and barefoot living. With no major resorts, high-end shopping, or even a single traffic light, Eleuthera is all about quiet luxury and natural wonders. In June 2024, after a decades-long closure and a seven-year renovation led by Nassau-based interior designer Amanda Lindroth, the historic Potlatch Club reopened its doors. Once the stomping grounds of VIPs including Greta Garbo and Paul McCartney, the property—the island’s first proper luxury boutique hotel—features a collection of 11 whitewashed suites, garden- and oceanfront cottages, and one- or four-bedroom ocean-view villas, all set amid 12 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and a 7-mile stretch of pink-sand beach. Take note: as of now, there is still availability over the holidays.

Jamaica is at its loveliest in winter, when the sun shines bright, and the temperatures and humidity levels are pleasant. For a VIP-worthy stay, consider GoldenEye. GoldenEye has been the low-key hub of cool since James Bond author Ian Fleming first built the lush estate in the town of Oracabessa on Jamaica’s North coast in the 1950s. For decades, this hideaway played host to the glitterati and literati – writers, musicians and heads of state. Set along the pristine coast, amid tropical gardens, a lagoon, and secluded beaches, the 52-acre estate now encompasses 45 units designed by Ann Hodges, Jamaica’s leading architect, and renowned interior designer Barbara Hulanicki. Guests can book Fleming’s own private two-bedroom villa where his writing desk still stands. At the beachside Bizot Bar (named for journalist and musical tastemaker Jean-Francois Bizot) guests sip cocktails while chilling out to a cool soundtrack.

Nestled on one of the most picture-perfect beaches in the Caribbean, Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel, Anguilla is gearing up for the most unforgettable winter season yet. They have curated a festive array of family-friendly adventures (kite-making, terrarium-building, snorkeling or horseback riding excursions…), luxurious wellness experiences, and a Carnival-themed New Year’s Eve celebration complete with festive happenings such as beachside barbecues and limbo competitions. Special for this season is a five-day “Sail & Soul” retreat hosted by the legendary Portuguese-born sailor and inspirational speaker Ricardo Diniz from December 4-9. Guests will sail the crystal-clear waters daily, bookended by morning yoga and sunset meditations (led by yogi Jessica Labesehr). The recently-unveiled Cap Juluca Spa by Guerlain tempts guests with treatments drawing inspiration from the Indigenous Arawak tribe—Anguilla’s earliest inhabitants—celebrating their deep connection to nature and rich spiritual traditions. The “Ocean Vibes” experience uses an ocean tambour and ice bubbles to evoke the calming ebb and flow of the sea.

On December 7, American Airlines will add a weekly Saturday flight between JFK and St. Martin’s Princess Juliana International Airport. In-the-know travelers will head for the island’s French side to stay at La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel, St Martin, where the three- and four-bedroom villas were given a top-to-bottom refresh inspired by the island’s tropical scenery earlier this year. The new on-site apiary produces locally sourced honey and plays a starring role in new bee-themed wellness experiences, launching January 2025. A highlight is a “bee watching” experience, during which guests will don beekeeper suits and climb atop a specially designed structure to observe the secret lives of bees from a unique vantage point.

Why charter an entire ship when you can tag along on a sailing yacht experience in the Caribbean aboard Le Ponant? This season, the iconic three-masted, 88-meter vessel—the first Relais & Châteaux sailing yacht—will venture to the jewels of the Lesser Antilles on a series of weeklong itineraries. Some focus on history and culture, while others offer thrilling diving excursions or meaningful interactions with Indigenous Caribbean peoples, such as a fisherman on Bequia working to save Hawksbill Sea turtles from extinction. With just 16 staterooms and suites accommodating a maximum of 32 guests, Le Ponant offers a 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio—making passengers feel like they’re aboard a private yacht. Cabins are spread over three decks, each with large windows overlooking the sea, while the muted color palette lends an air of understated elegance. The wellness space offers Biologique Recherche treatments, and daily yoga sessions are held on the deck. With four kayaks (two glass-bottomed), stand-up paddleboards, diving and snorkeling equipment, and a saltwater pool, there’s no shortage of activities.

Situated on a private island off Panama’s Caribbean Coast, Nayara Bocas del Toro is an adults-only, all-inclusive paradise where striking architecture and sublime natural scenery mingle with sustainable eco-adventures. Located just 15 minutes from Bocas Town by boat, the resort has 16 overwater villas that hover over turquoise waters (some come with glass panels for viewing the aquatic life), allowing guests to snorkel, paddleboard, or kayak through the mangroves from the comfort of their rooms. Bali-based designer Elora Hardy also designed a collection of solar-powered bamboo treehouses that rise up to 50 feet above ground, with floor-to-ceiling windows and open-air living rooms overlooking the canopy of the mangrove forest. The treetop accommodations were constructed from four varieties of locally sourced bamboo and nearly 20 varieties of hardwoods pulled from the floor of the Panama Canal. The private island resort is also home to the world’s first over-water beach, which hovers on stilts and stretches 90 feet long by 20 feet wide. New this winter: the fifth 50-foot towering treehouse will house the property’s brand-new spa.