Sometimes you want to go where nobody knows your name. Especially those three-letter names spelled M-O-M and D-A-D. Why not escape kids entirely at an adults-only Caribbean resort?
Here are 10 island resorts where you can't help but find find romance and rewarding pastimes. Pack your bags with abandon and check out the adult activities, adult food, adult time schedules and adult beverages.
Couples Sans Souci | Jamaica
The sexy beach of Couples Sans Souci — Photo courtesy of Chelle Koster Walton
When the sun on the gorgeous white sand beach gets you overheated, retreat to the swim-up pool bar for a rum punch, or head to the resort's very own (and very chill) mineral springs. In colonial times, Spanish soldiers are said to have found refreshment there.
Deep in history in more ways than one, adults-only and all-inclusive Sans Souci compels couples to fall in love all over again with its waterfalls, riotous gardens, 150 luxury sea-view suites and romantic, island-cuisine beach dining. Besides the usual all-inclusive amenities, plan on a scuba resort certification course together, playing a round of golf and enjoying nightly live entertainment.
Jade Mountain | St. Lucia
The views alone infuse Jade Mountain with romance — Photo courtesy of Jade Mountain
Excellence, unbearable beauty, and design that meshes seamlessly with St. Lucia's verdant nature, iconic Piton Mountains and calming seas, Jade Mountain wins exclamation points from couples seeking solitude, inspiration, relaxation and raw romance.
Each unit claims its own infinity pool and opens up to mountain and sea views with a "missing wall" configuration. Pink-sand beaches, coral reefs and a full complement of activities on land and on the water appeal further to lovers of the great outdoors.
En suite spa treatments and a stellar dining scene of bold flavors and exquisite views are the cherry on top of this quite singular experience.
Galley Bay | Antigua
The beach at Galley Bay invites long walks, hand in hand — Photo courtesy of Chelle Koster Walton
For beach connoisseurs, this is it. The long sweep of cove beach ends in a head-on collision with dramatically sheer cliffs. Besides beach and quiet, Galley Bay reaches above and beyond with all sit-down restaurants, including Gauguin and its sequestered thatch cabanas for intimate dinners à deux.
With spa treatments in a tree house, suites a mere barefoot step from the beach, and off-beach cottages privatized with lush vegetation and their own pool and sun deck in a garden setting, this is a true Caribbean original.
Serenity at Coconut Bay | St. Lucia
An en suite massage next to the plunge pool at Serenity — Photo courtesy of Serenity at Coconut Bay
This all-inclusive stunner pulls out all the stops with 36 high-luxe plunge-pool suites with butler service, private poolside and beachside cabanas (also with butler service), and unlimited reservation-free gourmet dining in the Greathouse restaurant or en suite. Spa treatments are available in your suite or private cabana.
You'll face a tough decision on where to spend your time: in the pampered setting of your intimate and designer-appointed suite, in your fully stocked and catered cabana or gathered around the convivial Greathouse bar.
Strawberry Hill | Jamaica
Strawberry Hill: a cozy mountain retreat for two — Photo courtesy of Chelle Koster Walton
If you can bear to subtract the vision of beach from your perfect romantic getaway, it doesn't get any cozier and more secluded than mountainside Strawberry Hill. At this secret boutique, you can hide away from the world or discover the local culture of Irish Town and the beauty of the Blue Mountains by car, bike or foot.
Island-style cottages with lush views and colonial four-poster beds have a feel of casual, yesteryear splendor. The infinity pool shares the dramatic panorama, as does the restaurant, where you should start your day with a cup of Blue Mountain coffee, harvested nearby, and end with a rum punch, quintessentially Jamaican.
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Blue Diamond Luxury Boutique Hotel | Playa del Carmen
Blue Diamond brings romantic seclusion to the Playa del Carmen scene — Photo courtesy of Blue Diamond Luxury Boutique Resort
With no shortage of all-inclusive resorts these days along the Riviera Maya, Blue Diamond stands out. Not only does it shine as an adults-only option, but also for unique accommodations that include junior suites with their own plunge pools and a view of the property's cenote (sinkhole) and beachfront casitas with private balconies.
Included amenities range from Spanish and yoga classes to a scuba or snorkel excursion and a Maya temazcal sweat lodge spa treatment. Ultra-stylish, the 128-unit resort features a tapas bar, formal dining area, pool bar, cigar lounge and other food and beverage venues.
Sandals Emerald Bay | Bahamas
Sandals Emerald Bay layers the water colors – from swim-up bar to the aptly-named bay — Photo courtesy of Chelle Koster Walton
One can scarcely discuss adults-only in the Caribbean without bringing up the name that practically invented the all-inclusive genre of child-free vacationing. This one offers an added measure of away-from-it-all, situated on mesmerizing, too-blue-to-be-true protected bay rimmed in sugar sand, like some fancy blue-liqueur martini.
Go for a Love Nest Butler Suite and you may just return from a day of golfing or scuba diving to discover your soak tub filled with bubbles and red bougainvillea petals. Especially suited to active couples, Sandals Emerald Bay also caters to nightlifers and "treat yourself"-seekers with its variety of clubs and Red Lane Spa.
Warwick Paradise Island | Bahamas
The lively pool bar at Warwick Paradise Island — Photo courtesy of Chelle Koster Walton
Escape the throngs of shrieking children at Atlantis Resort at this blessedly peaceful alternative. It's close enough to take advantage of Atlantis' casinos and clubs, should you feel the need for lively adult pastimes. The resort's modernly nautical rooms, five restaurants, holistic spa, beach, free-form swimming pool, pool bar and waterfront views of Nassau across the harbor make a case for staying put on property and doing absolutely nothing.
In the public rooms, Warwick brings a taste of Out Island décor into the stunning lobby with its bar that circles into an adjacent adult activity room.
Club Barbados Resort & Spa | Barbados
Club Barbados hugs the sea with its own private beach — Photo courtesy of Chelle Koster Walton
Casual and unfussy compared to many adult all-inclusives, Club Barbados stands guard along Barbados' fabled Platinum Coast to the south of Holetown, which is conveniently within walking distance for dining, clubbing and shopping. The resort has its own variety of food and beverage options, including a beach bar and a rum shop modeled after the strong Barbadian social tradition.
Bone up for Barbados' lively bar scene with free weekly Caribbean dance lessons or learn to cook and make cocktails island-style. Its private beach is small but rewards with glorious sunsets. Plus, there's a free-form, flowing swimming pool and a medley of water sports equipment you can use for free.
Avila Beach Hotel | Curacao
The adult wing of the Avila Beach Hotel — Photo courtesy of Avila Beach Hotel
Long a favorite luxury beach destination resort, Avila designated its Ocean Front Blues wing adults-only, due to its popularity among honeymooners. The wing's 20 rooms occupy a wood structure built on a pier jutting out from the resort's private beach and are sequestered by sea.
Stunning views present from the rooms and their balconies, but the favorite spot for sunset and daytime 360-degree panoramas is the Observer Tower at the pier's end. The resort's Santai Spa, a lively over-water bar and classical evening concerts add romantic dimension. Candlelight dinner on the beach for two caps the experience.
