Sometimes all you can afford for vacation is a quick getaway. But when you have the time and money for something truly special, nothing beats a luxury Caribbean resort for a never-fail family vacation everyone can enjoy.
As a mom who’s traveled frequently since my now-teenage daughter was a baby, I know there are lots of extra touches to look for at resorts so that everyone in the family feels like they’re truly on vacation. That includes lodging options with a little space to spread out, pools that are fun for the kids but also offer the chance for some parental peace and quiet, restaurants where the grownups can find sophisticated fare and the kids have menu options for their often more-limited palates, and kids clubs where young travelers actually want to spend time.
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Luxury Caribbean resorts that are worth the splurge
At the top luxury resorts in the Caribbean, you don’t have to pick one quality over any other. And when you combine their appealing amenities and luxe lodging with beautiful beaches and tropical settings, it’s a recipe for a dream getaway.
How we chose these luxury Caribbean resorts: Read our methodology for selecting hotels and all-inclusive resorts.
1. The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman – George Town, Grand Cayman
Best sure-thing luxury Caribbean resort
Caribbean resorts don’t come any more luxe than The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Start with its setting on the famous Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands. Then consider its elegant guest rooms and suites done up in coastal modern-meets-British Caribbean style. There’s a long list of amenities and activities included in the property’s resort fee, too, such as access to basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts; kayaks, standup paddleboards, water hammocks, and other beach gear; one-on-one sailing lessons; and movies under the stars.
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If you’re vacationing with toddlers, the little ones might be most impressed by Starfish Cay, with its zero-entry pool, waterslides, and all kinds of other ways to get wet. Adults will appreciate the on-site spa and Blue by Eric Ripert, the Caribbean’s only AAA Five Diamond restaurant. And everyone in the family can learn about the natural beauty and cultural traditions of the Cayman Islands through the activities offered by the Ambassadors of the Environment program.
2. Fairmont Mayakoba – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Best Caribbean luxury resort in Mexico
A recent top-to-bottom renovation has made Fairmont Mayakoba an even more appealing destination for a luxe family escape. This Riviera Maya resort takes its cues from its tropical forest setting, with 401 rooms and suites done up in soothing nature-inspired hues and wood tones, some of which overlook the resort’s canals or stretch of Caribbean beachfront. Complimentary bicycles, on-property transportation, a bird-watching boat tour, and all kinds of watersports and beach activities are included in the resort fee, and you can also opt for an all-inclusive dining package.
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The new Maykana Beach Club serves as a stunning setting for enjoying the resort’s waterfront, with multiple options for dining and drinks and an infinity pool surrounded by lounge chairs and cabanas, where I could have spent all day during a recent visit. There are additional pools set right on the sand, and a kids club by the beach gives the grownups an opportunity to sneak off for a cocktail. A second kids club is located by the resort’s sprawling pool area, where there’s a waterslide for young guests and plenty of room for relaxation if that’s more your speed.
The restaurants throughout this luxury resort all look ripped out of the pages of a design magazine, but the kids will still find plenty to munch on, especially at La Laguna’s impressive breakfast buffet.
3. Zemi Beach House – Shoal Bay, Anguilla
Best boutique luxury resort
Get away from it all by booking a beachfront guest room or suite at this 76-room boutique hotel set on six acres on the island of Anguilla. Both the grownups and the kids will enjoy a stay at Zemi Beach House, where amenities include an infinity pool with an aquarium window, tennis courts, a spa, and a beach concierge who can help everyone explore the water with complimentary snorkeling gear or by paddling a kayak.
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The hotel’s island-inspired kids club is open daily and offers fun activities for kids ages four to 12, like cooking lessons, arts and crafts sessions, and “mermaid” and “merboy” swimming experiences. The kids club also hosts movie nights once or twice a week, which means the adults can enjoy a night out at the hotel’s hip Bohio Bar and Sushi Lounge or a cocktail at the Rhum Room, which features a collection of 140 small-batch, single-estate rums.
4. Scrub Island Resort, Spa, and Marina – Scrub Island, British Virgin Islands
An unforgettable private island escape
If you’re a fan of the outdoors but aren’t a fan of roughing it, head to Scrub Island Resort, Spa, and Marina in the British Virgin Islands. Start by booking one of the resort’s luxury villas, which offer full kitchens, private pools, and views that provide the perfect backdrop for morning coffee or an afternoon cocktail.
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The kids will love the water trampoline at Donovan’s Beach, where the family can also get out on the water for some kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and snorkeling. A short walk takes you to the quieter North Beach, a 1,000-foot stretch of sand ideal for relaxing with a good book or taking a dip in the Caribbean or beachside pool.
The lagoon-style, multi-tiered Pavilion Pool offers fun for all ages with a waterslide, waterfalls, and swim-up bars, while the Ixora Spa serves as a seaside spot for a little tranquility. All kinds of tours and activities can be arranged through Scrub Island Resort, from sailing lessons and snorkeling tours to day trips to nearby islands.
5. Atlantis – Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Best resort for families who like nonstop action
For 25 years, Atlantis has been drawing families, couples, and other travelers to its sprawling, jaw-dropping property on Paradise Island off the coast of Nassau. It’s a luxury Caribbean resort where options abound, with dozens of dining spots, 14 pools, five miles of beach, and five different lodging choices. The Coral was designed with families in mind, with beachy-chic guest rooms and suites and a location close to all the kid-friendly fun, while the villas at Harborside provide more space for larger families to spread out.
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Kids and teens will be huge fans of Aquaventure, a 141-acre playground of waterslides and a river ride, and Dolphin Cay, where guests can learn about and interact with dolphins and other marine life in a variety of ways. Atlantis keeps rolling out new and refreshed experiences, too, like the first resort location of Shake Shack with exclusive menu items and floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking The Dig aquarium. There’s also a new scavenger hunt that takes players to 12 different spots around the resort.
6. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort – Soufrière, St. Lucia
A luxury Caribbean resort for families who just want to chill out
Located on the southwestern part of St. Lucia, Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort sits on more than 100 acres of tropical forest and boasts a white sand beach leading into the Caribbean Sea. Book a villa, beachfront bungalow, or one of the residences on the property, and the whole family will enjoy butler and turndown service, plunge pools, and private patios. Embrace your athletic side on the tennis courts, beach volleyball court, or during scheduled fitness classes, or hit the beach for some windsurfing, kayaking, or snorkeling.
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Kids ages four to 12 can head to the V Team Kids Club for nature walks, arts and crafts projects, sandcastle building, and other fun (and supervised) activities, while the Spice Club Program for tweens and teens offers activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, table tennis, video games, and billiard tournaments. Babysitting services are also available (at an additional charge), so parents can make some time to try a cocktail at The Cane Bar or book a massage in one of the treehouse-style gazebos at The Rainforest Spa.
7. Le Barthélemy Hotel and Spa – Gustavia, Saint-Barthélemy, French West Indies
Best celebrity-style luxury resort in the Caribbean
St. Barts isn’t just for celebrities, models, and other movers and shakers. Families can enjoy a luxurious escape at Le Barthélemy Hotel and Spa, a Parisian-chic boutique property set along the island’s scenic Grand Cul de Sac. The kids can start the day at Le Barth’s new Kid’s Corner, a trolley offering juice, cereals, and breakfast cookies. Once the family is sufficiently fueled, it’s time for some kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, or sandcastle building at the hotel’s gorgeous stretch of beach.
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An infinity pool overlooks the shore, providing another spot for cooling off or lounging with a great beach read. The hotel’s Haute Couture Concierge helps guests book activities and car rentals for exploring the island, and babysitting services can be arranged so the grownups can enjoy a spa treatment or drinks at W.T.F. Rooftop bar. And when it’s time to wind down, guest rooms and suites offer tranquil, tastefully decorated spaces for relaxing and taking in ocean or garden views.
8. Carlisle Bay – Saint Marys, Antigua
A top luxury resort for soaking in the Caribbean scenery
The elegant yet still family-friendly Carlisle Bay on Antigua incorporates its bayfront-meets-rainforest setting into every element of its design and amenities. Think tennis courts surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, an open-air yoga pavilion, restaurants with views of the Caribbean Sea, and suites with balconies or covered terraces with day beds for lounging amid all that natural beauty.
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Carlisle Bay’s kids club offers age-appropriate organized activities throughout the day for two- and three-year olds, four- to seven-year-olds, and eight- to 12-year-olds. The kiddos might embark on a nature or beach walk, craft with clay and beads, mix up some mocktails, or spend time in the free-form pool. The whole family can take advantage of complimentary kayaks, standup paddleboards, snorkeling equipment, and other non-motorized water sports or head out to explore the island on a horseback riding or zip line tour.
Families can choose from all-inclusive and bed-and-breakfast packages. Children up to 12 years old eat and stay free.
9. Rosewood Little Dix Bay – Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Best luxury Caribbean resort for families traveling with babies
Private sailing lessons. Instructor-guided snorkeling safaris. Island scavenger hunts. Private tennis lessons. Those are just a few of the ways your family can spend its vacation time at Rosewood Little Dix Bay, a refined but still relaxed luxury resort set on 500 acres of Caribbean beachfront property on Virgin Gorda. Guest rooms and suites blending Caribbean style with mid-century-modern design all overlook the ocean.
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The resort provides a range of amenities for tiny travelers, including cribs, highchairs, baby bathtubs, and even diaper pails. Guests can enjoy butler service, complimentary bikes, and chauffeured golf cart transportation around the resort, which can bring you to the beach for some kayaking, the Pavilion Pool for some swimming, or the spa for an island-inspired treatment. A kids program called Rosewood Explorers is the place to be for school-aged kids; immersive activities include Caribbean folk arts and crafts, cooking classes incorporating ingredients grown at the resort’s sustainable garden, and trips down to the water to learn about local marine life.
10. Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa – Montego Bay, Jamaica
Best luxury Caribbean resort for families traveling with teenagers
As the mom of a teenager, I know that teens can often have endless appetites and sometimes expect their parents operate like ATMs. So a trip to the all-inclusive Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa in Jamaica can provide a splurge vacation for the family that keeps teens (and younger kids) happy but doesn’t leave the grownups constantly reaching for their wallets. Stay here and you get unlimited access to the resort’s restaurants, which include a juice bar, coffee shop, and ice cream spot that will get a thumbs up from teenage guests.
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There’s also unlimited access to non-motorized water sports like kayaking and standup paddleboarding, along with two pools where teens can work on their tans (wearing sunscreen, of course), a state-of-the-art fitness facility for keeping up with their workout routine, and a teen club with video and board games, ping pong and pool tables, and other fun activities. Book a two- or three-bedroom suite where butler service is included, and be sure to also check out nearby attractions like ziplining, hiking, and the said-to-be-haunted Great House at Rose Hall that’s open for tours.
