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The Best Resort Hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas in 2016

The Best Resort Hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas in 2016

By Adeline Duff

July 06, 2016

Credit: Danilo Scarpati/Courtesy of Kamalame Cay

With crystal clear waters and fantastically fresh seafood, the Caribbean and its sister destinations, Bermuda and the Bahamas, are home to some of the world’s most beautiful hotels and resorts.

In other words, it's pretty tough to choose the best of the best.

But every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. In the hotels category, readers rated properties on their rooms and facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Hotels were categorized as resort properties based on their locations.

Unsurprisingly, one thing these top properties have in common is proximity to the beach, with rooms offering awe-inspiring ocean views. They also feature unusual and luxurious amenities, ranging from a Jean-Georges restaurant (On The Rocks) at Eden Rock, St. Bart’s, to a dive center overseen by ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, at Petit St. Vincent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Readers applauded this year’s winner, Kamalame Cay, for its intimate, home-like feel. Many voters mentioned the owners, Michael King and David Hew. “They bring you in like family to their dinners and cocktail parties,” one survey participant wrote.

The rest of the staff earned high praise as well. “[It's] as if you have known them for years! The only negative is we weren't able to bring them back to California with us,” one reader exclaimed.

Coming in at a close second, Curtain Bluff in Antigua also received raves for its attentive service. “There is truly no other resort anywhere that excels at every single element of the hospitality industry as perfectly as Curtain Bluff does,” one voter remarked.

Activities and amenities, including yoga on a deck overlooking the sea, a spa offering hydrating “Jet Lag Facials,” and Tennis Week — an international pro-am festival hosted by the resort — were among the offerings readers appreciated.

Whether you’re an adventurer looking to scuba dive and snorkel, a sybarite looking to just lie on the beach with a rum punch, or a parent looking for a family-friendly escape, there’s somewhere on this list for everyone who wants to experience the Caribbean. The only question is, how soon can you go?

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No. 25: The Palms Turks and Caicos

Credit: Courtesy of the Palms Turks and Caicos

Score: 90.61

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No. 24: Parrot Cay by Como, Turks and Caicos

Credit: Courtesy of Parrot Cay and Como Shambhala Retreat

Score: 90.65

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No. 23: Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Credit: Courtesy of Zoëtry Resorts

Score: 90.67

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No. 22: The Reefs Resort & Club, Bermuda

Credit: Courtesy of the Reefs Resort and Club

Score: 90.76

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No. 21: Christopher Hotel, Villas & Spa, St. Bart's

Credit: Courtesy of Hotel Christopher Pointe Milou / Pierre Carreau

Score: 90.88

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No. 20: Petit St. Vincent Resort, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Credit: Jonathan Palmer

Score: 90.96

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No. 19: Colony Club, Barbados

Credit: Courtesy of Colony Club, Elegant Hotels Group

Score: 91.04

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No. 18: Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado, Puerto Rico

Credit: Courtesy of Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Score: 91.15

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No. 17: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis and St. Kitts

Credit: David Massey

Score: 91.26

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No. 16: Grace Bay Club, Turks and Caicos

Credit: Courtesy of Grace Bay Club

Score: 91.37

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No. 15: Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa, St. George's, Grenada

Credit: Courtesy of Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort and Spa

Score: 91.42

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No. 14: Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, St. John's, Antigua

Credit: Courtesy of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts

Score: 91.44

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No. 13: Anse Chastanet Resort, St. Lucia

Credit: Courtesy of Anse Chastanet Resort

Score: 91.45

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No. 12: Capella Marigot Bay, St. Lucia

Credit: Courtesy of Capella Marigot Bay

Score: 91.78

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No. 11: Secret Bay, Dominica

Credit: Derek Galon

Score: 91.89

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No. 10: Eden Rock, Baie de Saint Jean, St. Bart's

Credit: Courtesy of Eden Rock–St. Barths

Score: 91.94

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No. 9: Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Credit: Courtesy Jamaica Inn

Score: 92.35

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No. 8: GoldenEye, Oracabesssa, Jamaica

Credit: Jessica Sample

Score: 92.50

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No. 7: Ladera, St. Lucia

Credit: Courtesy of Ladera, St. Lucia

Score: 93.26

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No. 6: The Somerset on Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Credit: Courtesy of The Somerset on Grace Bay

Score: 93.61

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No. 5: Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Credit: Courtesy of Round Hill Hotel

Score: 94.26

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No. 4: The House, St. James, Barbados

Credit: Courtesy of The House

Score: 94.70

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No. 3: Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

Credit: Courtesy of Jade Mountain

Score: 94.85

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No. 2: Curtain Bluff, St. John's, Antigua

Credit: Courtesy of Curtain Bluff Resort

Score: 95.40

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No. 1: Kamalame Cay, Andros, Bahamas

Credit: Danilo Scarpati/Courtesy of Kamalame Cay

Score: 96.3

Kamalame Cay is a 27-room, nine-villa resort set on its own 96-acre private island. Balinese-style ceilings, stone walls, and colorful accents make the rooms feel intimate and tropical; just outside, you’ll find lush greenery and crystalline waters. “This is the place you go to get away from it all. You get your own cottage, a golf cart to get around in, an extremely well stocked honor bar, and your own section of beach that is really yours,” said one T+L reader. Top that off with exquisite food and an overwater spa, and you can see why it's a winner.

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The Best Resort Hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas in 2016

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No. 25: The Palms Turks and Caicos

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No. 24: Parrot Cay by Como, Turks and Caicos

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No. 23: Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

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No. 22: The Reefs Resort & Club, Bermuda

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No. 21: Christopher Hotel, Villas & Spa, St. Bart's

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No. 20: Petit St. Vincent Resort, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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No. 19: Colony Club, Barbados

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No. 18: Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado, Puerto Rico

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No. 17: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis and St. Kitts

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No. 16: Grace Bay Club, Turks and Caicos

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No. 15: Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa, St. George's, Grenada

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No. 14: Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, St. John's, Antigua

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No. 13: Anse Chastanet Resort, St. Lucia

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No. 12: Capella Marigot Bay, St. Lucia

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No. 11: Secret Bay, Dominica

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No. 10: Eden Rock, Baie de Saint Jean, St. Bart's

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No. 9: Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

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No. 8: GoldenEye, Oracabesssa, Jamaica

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No. 7: Ladera, St. Lucia

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No. 6: The Somerset on Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

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No. 5: Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Montego Bay, Jamaica

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No. 4: The House, St. James, Barbados

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No. 3: Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

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No. 2: Curtain Bluff, St. John's, Antigua

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No. 1: Kamalame Cay, Andros, Bahamas

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