The 20 Best Resorts in the Caribbean: 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards
Now in its 36th iteration, our annual Readers’ Choice Awards continues to capture the travel experiences our readers love best, from the best hotels in the world to the top airlines, cruises, islands, and luggage. This year, you traveled farther and deeper; seeking out remote properties; sailing on smaller, more intimate ships; and prioritizing destinations you’ve been waiting years to visit. At least that’s what a staggering 526,518 of you told us in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey. Now, you can use the results to decide where you’re going next. Here are the best hotels in the Caribbean, as voted by Traveler readers.
View this gallery as a list of the top 40 resorts in the Caribbean with scores here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
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Courtesy Sugar Beach ResorthotelSugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The majestic Pitons mountains, over 100 acres of untouched rainforest, and the shimmering Caribbean Sea all frame this idyllic resort, which is set on the site of a former 18th-century sugar plantation along the southwestern edge of the island. It’s the views that grab you first: lush, picture-perfect, and uninterrupted from the porches of the plantation-style structures out past the white-sand beach and over the water. You can’t really go wrong with which room category you choose here, as all accommodations come with a plunge pool, walled garden, and private patio; but the Luxury Sugar Mill rooms, which are ideal for two, look out at Gros Piton, the on-site lily pond, and the ruins of the original 18th-century sugar mill. On the resort, a PADI dive facility and land and water equipment are available. Don’t miss the on-site Rainforest Spa, with 10 treehouse treatment rooms and a menu that takes inspiration from St. Lucia's natural wonders, from its volcanoes and beaches to its hot springs and cocoa plantations (so look out for ingredients like raw coconut, sea salt, and organic cocoa).
Mike Toy/Courtesy Cap MaisonhotelCap Maison
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023At the northern tip of St. Lucia, on what used to be the sugar plantation, Cap Maison sits clifftop like a small orderly village. This cluster of three-story white buildings has a Spanish (via Caribbean) colonial architectural motif with its characteristic Moorish inflections, painted tiles, and dark wood. The 49 rooms are kitted out with local paintings and richly upholstered furniture (including an oversized chaise longue at the foot of the bed), balconies, louvered shutters, ceiling fans, A/C, iPod docks, and Bose speakers, as well as lovely bathrooms with painted ceramic sinks. Some suites come with a private plunge pool but, should you prefer company, there is a small cliff-edge cascading pool as well as a larger one surrounded by chaises. At the bottom of a long staircase down to the sea is a small protected beach for swimming and snorkeling.
Courtesy Round Hill Hotel and VillashotelRound Hill Hotel and Villas
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Gold List 2024It’s easy to imagine that very little has changed at this 1950s-era resort since John F. Kennedy absconded to Cottage 25 to chip away at his inaugural address and Oscar Hammerstein wrote The Sound of Music while taking in the killer ocean views. The green-striped awnings shading vast terraces and the interiors’ cream-colored paneling offset by dark wood, along with the tea and sandwiches served at four sharp every afternoon, enhance that caught-in-time feeling. That in recent years Ralph Lauren had a major hand in the design is a delightful nonsurprise, with a playful preppiness on display at every turn, like the bar with its deep booth benches upholstered in navy and white stripes and photos of bygone guests, like Warren Beatty, covering the walls.
Courtesy Secret BayhotelSecret Bay
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The "secret" part of Secret Bay's name is no accident—the resort's six gorgeous villas give new meaning to the word “hideaway.” Touches vary from villa to villa, but all have interiors and floors made of Guyanese greenheart, bedroom furniture made of Dominican red cedar, open decks, private pools, and 180-degree views over the mountain peaks of Dominica and the Caribbean Sea. Though we doubt you'll get tired of living your own castaway fantasies (albeit with much nicer accommodations), Secret Bay's concierge is available to help craft personalized itineraries: Think rainforest hikes with a famed naturalist, or a sunset sail along the island's western coast.
CAROLINA ANSALDO/Bitter End Yacht ClubhotelBitter End Yacht Club
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023Our readers will be coming here til the… well, you know. And for good reason: When casting their ballots for Bitter End Yacht Club, most all voters made some mention of the property's ample selection of water sports and activities, with one going so far as to bestow the superlative of “best marina staff in all of the [British Virgin Islands].” Further, there are “no airs allowed," with the laidback atmosphere consistently praised as well.
Courtesy Curtain BluffhotelCurtain Bluff
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023This classic Caribbean legend is an all-inclusive on 20 acres of gardens, where beautiful birds flit in and out of the trees. Stuccoed accommodations are filled with wicker furniture and overlook the beach. Dinner is served alfresco four nights a week at the Sea Grape restaurant. A different band plays nightly at the Tamarind Tree, where French and Caribbean flavors intensify the fresh-caught grouper and wahoo. Kids can brush up on their drop volleys, top-spin lobs, and cross-court backhand winners at the complimentary kids' tennis clinic. With two private beaches—one for swimming, the other for water sports—there's ample space for all.
Courtesy Jade MountainhotelJade Mountain
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023It's unlike any place in the world—you have to stay here to appreciate the brilliant design. You will come home changed from this hillside resort, named for the owners' extensive collection of antique carved jade mountains, and placed high above its beachfront sister property Anse Chastanet. Jaw-droppingly beautiful rooms all have 15-foot ceilings, unforgettable Piton Mountain views, and private infinity pools in different colored tiles (ruby, amber, plum). James Beard-winning chef Allen Susser mixes sweet and spicy—with seafood dishes the stars—at Jade Mountain Club, and above, the Celestial Terrace allows for some late-night star-gazing.
Courtesy Ladera ResorthotelLadera Resort
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Anticipate the experience of a lifetime at this eco-lodge built with Caribbean timber, local stone, and terra-cotta tiles on the site of a former cocoa plantation. It's in a calm, beautiful garden setting on a forested ridge overlooking the Pitons and the sea far below. Rustic suites—very Swiss Family Robinson in look and feel—have private plunge pools and no fourth wall, allowing unobstructed views. At Ti Kai Posé Spa, indulge in a hot volcanic stone massage or take a dip in the mineral pools. A free shuttle can take you to Sugar Beach, just five minutes away. Note that there are no televisions or phones in guest rooms, but there's free Wi-Fi for the needy (plus, only 17+ here—befitting one of the world's most romantic resorts).
Courtesy Guana IslandhotelGuana Island Resort
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2023Guana Island doesn’t have beach attendants. Cocktails are DIY, and you fetch your own beach towels. Yes, 90 percent of Guana Island remains wild but the resort, which holds just 35 guests in 18 rooms, finds its decadence in privacy and natural beauty. Plus, in the resort's kitchen, you'll find chef Xavi Arnau who trained at Nobu in London and El Bulli in Spain, and Matthew Lightner, alum of multiple two-Michelin-starred restaurants like Noma in Denmark, Mugaritz in Spain, and Atera in New York. Sand, seclusion, and some serious farm-to-table Caribbean-inspired cuisine—what more could you want? Following a tip-to-toe refurbishment after the hurricanes of 2017, Guana Island was up and running this summer after burying all of its vital infrastructure underground, installing a new water filtration system, adding three new greenhouses, and introducing a lively flock of 100 chickens (for eggs).
Jumby BayhotelJumby Bay
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023Reopened in October 2017 as an Oetker Collection member (formally a Rosewood resort), Jumby Bay Island is accessible only by boat, with not a car in sight—but plenty of bikes to navigate this 300-acre island off the northern coast of Antigua. With only 40 accommodations in total—rooms and villas— there’s no need to worry about feeling the need to ever get off the all-inclusive island (although if curious, there's a complimentary ferry service that runs between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.). You’ll be plenty busy on one of the resort’s three tennis courts, in three pools—the Veranda is family-friendly, and on more than four miles of beach, plus kids’ club, for when you want to be anything but busy. The cheerful decor throughout is the work of Brazilian interior designer, Patricia Anastassiadis of Anastassiadis Arquitetos.
Robert Rausch/Courtesy Half MoonhotelHalf Moon
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Still buzzing from a $75 million renovation in 2019, Jamaica's iconic, 400-acre Half Moon is back on the scene. Newly constructed rooms are low-rise, set back from two miles of Montego Bay beachfront. The Fern Tree Spa is one of the largest in the Caribbean, and sporty folk can engage with a Robert Trent Jones–designed, 18-hole golf course, 11 tennis courts, and an equestrian center. Visiting families will appreciate a new marketplace and café for takeaway snacks and an all-day, casual dining room. The 57 new guest rooms contain an impressive number of cheerful works by Jamaican artists and lots of wood and natural fibers.
Courtesy Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton ReservehotelDorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
$$$ | Gold List 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The emphasis at this Ritz-Carlton Reserve—one of only four in the world—is on setting. The hotel has undergone many transformations, including after Hurricane Maria in 2017, but ever since Laurance Rockefeller built a sanctuary here it has been all about sea, sand, and lush greenery. Beach-facing terraces and outdoor showers bookend rooms, and museum-grade artwork is scattered on tree branches. But it’s the Spa Botánico, a tropical wonderland, that really fits Rockefeller’s approach. After visiting, you’ll remember the 95-year-old ficus at the entrance most clearly. That, or the treehouse in the canopy where you had the greatest massage of your life.
Courtesy Rosewood Little Dix BayhotelRosewood Little Dix Bay
$$$ | Gold List 2021 
Hot List 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Coming out on top is Rosewood Little Dix Bay, a property our editors haven't stopped talking about ever since it reopened in early 2020. The rooms here are a “Dream Beach House'' Pinterest board come to life: The mid-century modern–meets–the ocean vibe means lots of sleek lines, an earthy color palette, and exposed stone walls with plenty of driftwood, coral, and woven baskets on the shelves. Each of the 80 rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites have outdoor showers and are within steps of the property’s half-mile, white-sand beach. All guests also get a personal butler who knows the island inside and out.
Eden Roc Cap CanahotelEden Roc Cap Cana
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023If you want a Dominican Republic vacation away from the crowds, look no further. This Eden Roc outpost sits in the exclusive, beachfront community of Cap Cana at the eastern tip of the country, featuring 32 suites with private pools and 26 suites located on the beach. The resort recently unveiled four Ocean Villas, which come with wrap-around terraces, private infinity pools and hot tubs, and in-villa spa treatments. Be sure to venture away from your room to experience the property's yoga sessions, scuba-diving lessons, and fine-dining restaurants.
Paradise Beach NevishotelParadise Beach Nevis
Readers' Choice Awards 2023The word most often used by readers voting for Paradise Beach Nevis is “again.” As in, “I look forward to visiting again and again,” and “This is a place I return to again and again.” The edenic resort, with all of 13 rooms spread across a handful of villas, gets shouts for its verdant grounds and gardens, monkey population, and the attention to detail by a fabulous staff. It feels, it seems, that a stay here is akin to heaven.
Courtesy Hôtel Le ToinyhotelHotel Le Toiny St. Barth
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023This Relais & Châteaux property near the eastern end of St. Barts wears its luxury more casually than some of its peers: This is a true feet-in-the-sand kind of resort, where lunches at the beach club involve simply grilled fish served under sea grape trees, and the 22 free-standing suites are done up in a simple palette of crisp whites. Elsewhere onsite, you’ll find an open-air boutique selling local beachwear brands, a spa located in one of the island’s most historic houses, and a brand-new surf shack where you can learn the fine art of wave-riding. Nights are best spent at the chic restaurant, which draws on the spoils of the sea for dishes like prawn tortellini with charred octopus, fennel, sweet lemon, and dashi, or cured wahoo with cucumber, apple, dill, and taramasalata.
Baoase Luxury ResorthotelBaoase Luxury Resort
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2020, 2022, 2023Set in a quiet residential neighborhood, this intimate beachfront property (whose name mixes the owners’ first initials with the Dutch word for oasis) uses dense, vibrant landscaping and shutters and stone walls between guest rooms to create a cocooning feeling of privacy. Baoase is also transporting, as any memorable hotel should be, with a strong Asian-esque design that includes ubiquitous Balinese Hindu statues, idols, and sculptures, and a reliance on simplicity over dazzle. High-ceilinged suites mix dark-wood furnishings with whimsical touches like silver crocodile-print wallpaper and knobby chenille rugs that look like mats of pebbles; villas come with full stainless steel kitchens. The sole restaurant produces international cuisine including dishes such as terrine of duck and duck liver and carpaccio of scallops with a vanilla dressing as well as fresh fish caught by local fishermen. Although service is not quite polished, the happy-go-lucky Dutch-Caribbean staff are refreshingly devoid of attitude.
Aidan Bradley/Courtesy Sandy LanehotelSandy Lane
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2022, 2023This landmark resort is something of a Bajan institution, with elegant interiors and an awesomely beautiful setting that ensures it is consistently ranked as one of the best hotels in the Caribbean. This splendor runs through everything, including the hotel's Treehouse Club for little ones.The resort, on the site of a onetime sugar plantation, offers old-school Caribbean luxury. Neo-Palladian accommodations are appointed with rich furniture, and offer views of the beachfront or Sandy Lane’s tropical gardens. Three golf courses are set along a former stone quarry, and open only to guests. Dine on French and Mediterranean specialties at the open-air L’Acajou.
Courtesy Le Barthélemy Hotel & SpahotelLe Barthélemy Hotel & Spa
$$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Set between a lagoon and Grand Cul-de-Sac beach along St. Barts' northeastern shore (with views of offshore islets and the distant St. Maarten), Le Barthélemy is an education in understated elegance. Rooms are enormous, with lots of wood and one or two pops of bright color—some even have small, rectangular plunge pools. The food at Aux Amis is unabashedly modern French. Water sports enthusiasts have an expanse of calm shallow waters for kayaking, kite-surfing, and snorkeling. Fellow jetsetters aren't your only company here: A flotilla of a dozen sea turtles that survived the storms of 2017 remain in residence and are easily visible.
Eden Rock - St BarthshotelEden Rock - St Barths
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2022, 2024 Hot List 2018, 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023If Bianca Jagger were a hotel, she would be Eden Rock. The hotel sits on a point and is almost entirely surrounded by calm, gin-bottle-blue water. Many of the rooms are built into the rock and are simultaneously elegant and cozy. The guests range in nationality—lots of elegant French couples and families, as well as well-heeled American newlyweds and older travelers who have been coming to Eden Rock for decades. Rockstar chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is in charge of the menu at the main restaurant, Sand Bar, which takes cues from Vongerichten's ABC and ABCV restaurants. It sounds silly, but you feel a little famous when you're there.
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