Palm Island Resort

Accessible only by boat, this exclusive enclave occupies its own jewel-like Caribbean island. The 135-acre property has just 43 guest rooms and cottages, so you won’t want for privacy here. All have verandas for taking in the sea and lush garden views; cheerful tropical décor (lots of bamboo, wicker, and bright splashy prints); and woven rattan ceilings. (There’s air-conditioning, but you’ll likely prefer to let the breeze in through the louvered windows.) The beach, with its talcum-soft sand and turquoise shallows, is postcard-perfect—but the massive free-form swimming pool, waterfall-fed and surrounded by boulders (and servers bearing cocktails), is no slouch, either.