USA TODAY 10Best
St. Lucia's Jade Mountain Wins Best Caribbean Resort
Best Caribbean Resort (2017)
The Caribbean is famous for its luxury resorts catering to honeymooners, celebrities and jet setters from around the globe. 10Best is looking for the best resorts in the Caribbean, and we need your help. We enlisted a panel of Caribbean travel experts to nominate their favorite resorts, and for the past 28 days, our readers have been casting ballots daily for their favorites.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Caribbean Resort are as follows:
Photo courtesy of simonsimages / Flickr
No. 10: Nisbet Plantation - Nevis
Spread across 30 lush acres on the tranquil island of Nevis, Nisbet Plantation invites guests to unwind in one of only 36 accommodations. Amenities include a freshwater pool, oceanfront hot tub, full-service spa, resort-wide WiFi, fitness center, tennis court, beach hammocks and snorkel gear for exploring the waters just off the beach.
Photo courtesy of Fowl Cay Resort / Facebook
No. 9: Fowl Cay - Exumas, Bahamas
Situated on its own private island in the Bahamas, Fowl Cay Resort encompasses a 50-acre retreat, complete with deserted beaches, fully equipped villas (each outfitted with its own boat), gourmet restaurant, a tennis court, water sports facilities and a swimming pool.
Photo courtesy of Spice Island Beach Resort / Facebook
No. 8: Spice Island Beach Resort - Grenada
Honoring Grenada's history as a leading exporter of nutmeg, Spice Island Beach Resort is the only AAA Five Diamond Award winner on the island. Gourmet meals and drinks are included in resort rates, and guests also enjoy complimentary water sports, pool and beach access and 64 beachfront suites along iconic Grand Anse Beach.
Photo courtesy of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort
No. 7: Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort - Aruba
An adults-only oasis on the island of Aruba, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort sits on the white sands of Eagle Beach, where guests enjoy stellar views of the sea, warm breezes and tropical sunsets away from the more crowded areas of the island. The 104 rooms and suites feature eco-friendly amenities, as well as free breakfast and WiFi.
Photo courtesy of Petit St. Vincent
No. 6: Petit St. Vincent - St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Situated on the southern tip of the Grenadines, Petit St. Vincent is a private 115-acre island resort with just 22 cottages and beach villas. While guests won't find televisions, wifi or telephones, they will find two restaurants, two yoga pavilions, a Balinese spa, boat charters and plenty of beach.
Photo courtesy of Sandals LaSource Grenada
No. 5: Sandals LaSource Grenada - Grenada
With exclusive access to Grenada's Pink Gin Beach, this all-inclusive island paradise features 257 rooms and suites with soaking tubs on patios and balconies, unlimited fine dining at 10 restaurants, six full-service bars, five pools, two whirlpools, romantic fire pits and unlimited scuba diving and water sports.
Photo courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
No. 4: Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
The Ritz-Carlton on St. Thomas's east end is without a doubt the plushest resort on the island, with palazzo-style marble-floored lobby, bubbling fountains, hidden courtyards, and elegantly-appointed rooms. Guests can take advantage of the resort's private white-sand beach, extensive spa, and Ritz Kids program, which features snorkeling and scuba diving. The 30-acre property also has its own scuba diving school and private yacht.
Photo courtesy of Baoase Luxury Resort
No. 3: Baoase Luxury Resort - Curacao
Located on the south side of Curacao near Mambo Beach, Baoase Luxury Resort offers a secluded tropical escape with 23 rooms, suites and villas. Dark woods and antiques are scattered throughout the property, lending it a Balinese feel, and each room has a water bath just outside the front entrance where guests can wash their feet before entering.
Photo courtesy of Sandals Royal Plantation / Facebook
No. 2: Sandals Royal Plantation - Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Sandals Royal Plantation, an all-butler resort with 74 ocean view suites, is one of the most luxurious places to unwind in the Ocho Rios area. Guests enjoy beach butler service on two private beaches, unlimited dining at five restaurants, two full-service bars, unlimited land and water sports, two pools, a whirlpool and resort-wide WiFi.
Photo courtesy of Jade Mountain Resort
No. 1: Jade Mountain - St. Lucia
Located above Anse Chastanet Beach on St. Lucia's southwestern coast, Jade Mountain is perhaps most famous for its 24 infinity pool sanctuaries and five sky jacuzzi suites overlooking the majestic Pitons and the Caribbean sea.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Liliana Erasmus (10Best), Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon (JetSetSarah.com), Melanie Reffes and Chelle Walton (10Best) were chosen based on their expertise of the Caribbean region.
Congratulations to all our winning Caribbean resorts.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Chelle Walton
Chelle Koster Walton took her first Caribbean trip... Read More
Chelle Koster Walton took her first Caribbean trip to Jamaica in the 1970s and has been in love with the region ever since. Author of the award-winning Caribbean Ways: A Cultural Guide, she served as contributing editor and contributor for Caribbean Travel & Life magazine for more than 15 years. Two-time winner of the Bahamas Cacique Award for International Writer, Walton is also the author of Explorers Guide: The Bahamas and covers the Caribbean for 10Best.com, CruiseCritic.com and the Miami Herald.
Chelle Walton
Chelle Koster Walton took her first Caribbean trip to Jamaica in the 1970s and has been in love with the region ever since. Author of the award-winning Caribbean Ways: A Cultural Guide, she served as contributing editor and contributor for Caribbean Travel & Life magazine for more than 15 years. Two-time winner of the Bahamas Cacique Award for International Writer, Walton is also the author of Explorers Guide: The Bahamas and covers the Caribbean for 10Best.com, CruiseCritic.com and the Miami Herald.
Liliana Erasmus
Born and raised in Aruba, Liliana moved to the... Read More
Born and raised in Aruba, Liliana moved to the Netherlands to continue her college education in Marketing. Since 1998 she’s been back on her beloved island, where she is working as a full-time writer in her native language Papiamento and in Dutch, official language of the Dutch Caribbean. Liliana has enjoyed a varied career, which includes television work, voice acting, copy writing, reading promotion, illustrating, creative writing classes, column writing and sharing Aruba’s beauty secrets as a local expert. Currently, Liliana is finishing her first speculative fiction novel set in Aruba.
Liliana Erasmus
Born and raised in Aruba, Liliana moved to the Netherlands to continue her college education in Marketing. Since 1998 she’s been back on her beloved island, where she is working as a full-time writer in her native language Papiamento and in Dutch, official language of the Dutch Caribbean. Liliana has enjoyed a varied career, which includes television work, voice acting, copy writing, reading promotion, illustrating, creative writing classes, column writing and sharing Aruba’s beauty secrets as a local expert. Currently, Liliana is finishing her first speculative fiction novel set in Aruba.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist... Read More
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com, she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog The Caribbean Romance Report on MarryCaribbean.com and a contributor to the travel aviation publication Captain Jetson (captainjetson.com). When she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com, she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog The Caribbean Romance Report on MarryCaribbean.com and a contributor to the travel aviation publication Captain Jetson (captainjetson.com). When she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon (aka JetSetSarah) is a... Read More
Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon (aka JetSetSarah) is a travel writer, on-screen host and self-described “Carivangelist,” who goes to the beach and beyond to share the culture, lifestyle and personalities of the Caribbean with the world. Based in Miami, she is a special correspondent for Travel + Leisure magazine and creates content for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler; Afar; Food & Wine; Islands.com; and the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper. Sarah is also jetsetter-in-chief at JetSetSarah.com where her passions – travel, style and fitness – meet. Follow her adventures on Instagram and Facebook @JetSetSarah.
Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon (aka JetSetSarah) is a travel writer, on-screen host and self-described “Carivangelist,” who goes to the beach and beyond to share the culture, lifestyle and personalities of the Caribbean with the world. Based in Miami, she is a special correspondent for Travel + Leisure magazine and creates content for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler; Afar; Food & Wine; Islands.com; and the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper. Sarah is also jetsetter-in-chief at JetSetSarah.com where her passions – travel, style and fitness – meet. Follow her adventures on Instagram and Facebook @JetSetSarah.