The beach at Curtain Bluff, Antigua (Image: Sandra Leidholdt/Getty Images)
CURTAIN BLUFF, ANTIGUA
This family-run hotel – which underwent a £10million refurbishment a couple of years ago – is spread across 20 acres and has two private beaches. Yet this is no resort for lounging – with unlimited water sports on offer, it’s all about activities. Choose from paddle-boarding (with tuition if desired), sea kayaking, windsurfing and daily guided scuba diving trips (Professional Association of Diving Instructors certification required). There is also a timetable of free classes, including water aerobics and sunrise yoga.
If you’ve got children in tow, there’s complimentary use of the kids’ club, plus there’s a leisure room designed for teenagers with TV and games consoles.
After a busy day you deserve a pina colada or afternoon tea on the stone Sugar Mill terrace overlooking the gardens – all on the house, of course.
Just a few minutes by taxi from Curtain Bluff, Nelson’s Dockyard is one of the island’s finest historic sites; developed as a base for the British Navy in 1725, its picturesque 18th and 19th-century buildings house shops, restaurants and art galleries. From here, walk to nearby Galleon Beach and follow the easy half-mile trail up to Shirley Heights, a former fortress with sweeping views across the Caribbean to Montserrat and Guadeloupe beyond.
THE DEAL: Tropic Breeze offers seven nights from £2,760pp (two sharing), all-inclusive. Price includes return flights from Gatwick departing April 30 and transfers. tropicbreeze.co.uk, 01752 880880
You can go snorkelling with turtles (Image: Marcin Dobas/Getty Images)
CARIBBEAN CRUISE
If you’re struggling to decide which island to visit, a cruise round the Caribbean could be the solution. Hop on board the Marella Explorer, which travels in a loop from Barbados towards St Kitts, calling at Antigua, St Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and the Grenadines en route.
On St Kitts you’ll discover idyllic white sands like Turtle Beach – perfect for a mid-morning dip – and you can catch a train for a scenic tour of the island, taking in 300ft deep ravines and the Mount Liamuiga volcano.
Meanwhile in St Maarten, you can visit the Butterfly Farm in Philipsburg – home to more than 40 species – and take a trip on a Seaworld Explorer boat and watch sea turtles and barracudas swim by from its underwater observatory. A day at sea means you have plenty of time to enjoy the ship, with its state-of-the-art Champneys spa, pool, indoor cinema and 10 places to eat.
THE DEAL: Cruise Deals offers a seven-night cruise from £1,396pp (saving up to £155pp) based on two sharing a cabin including flights to Barbados departing from Manchester on March 17. Spa treatments and some excursions cost extra. See cruisedeals.co.uk, 0800 107 2323
Fishing canoe docked at a beach in Jamaica (Image: David Neil Madden/Getty Images)
EXCELLENCE OYSTER BAY, JAMAICA
Looking for an away-from-it-all escape? Opened in June 2018, this adults-only, all-suite hotel is located on private peninsula in Montego Bay with two miles of palm-fronted beaches on its doorstep. The hotel takes the concept of “all-inclusive” seriously. While you’re kicking back at one of the beachside or rooftop pools, waiters are on hand to top up your complimentary G&T.
All non-motorised water sports are free too – even introductory scuba lessons. After you’ve worked up an appetite with all this exertion, there’s a variety of restaurants, offering everything from French gourmet dining to takeaway wood-oven pizza to satisfy all tastes.
Go for a stroll along Gloucester Avenue, a trendy section of Montego Bay with cafés, bars and shops buzzing with activity day and night. If you’d rather escape the crowds, head for the island’s lush interior a visit to the Croydon Plantation, a working estate tucked in the foothills of the Catadupa Mountains.
Take in views of the countryside as you sample homegrown pineapple and sugar cane while learning how they are cultivated (from £50pp, including lunch and hotel transfers, croydonplantation.com).
THE DEAL: Holiday Hypermarket offers seven nights all-inclusive from £1,755pp (two sharing) saving £520pp. Price includes return flights from Birmingham departing March 19. holidayhypermarket.co.uk, 0800 916 5100
Ice-cream pink exterior of Barbados Beach Club (Image: NC)
BARBADOS BEACH CLUB, BARBADOS
If you think all-inclusive Caribbean breaks are beyond your budget, think again. This three-star hotel in the heart of St. Lawrence Gap has all the amenities you could want but at a fraction of the price you’d expect. Spend days lounging by the pool – or get active in it, with complimentary water aerobics classes.
There are also free-to-use kayaks, paddle boats and snorkelling gear down at the beach. If you prefer tennis shoes to flippers, there’s a private tennis court.
Come evening, refuel on international cuisine at one of the two on-site restaurants, let your hair down at the weekly rum punch party and get your jive on to the tunes of the evening DJ.
The fishing village of Oistins is only two miles away and its Friday night “fish fry” is a chance to enjoy fresh lobster at the beachside stands.
Or just kick back and play at celebrity spotting – the Rooneys and Rihanna are just some of the stars who have homes in Barbados.
THE DEAL: Mercury Holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive from £1,210pp based on two sharing a Garden View Room including return flights departing from Gatwick on March 7 and transfers. See mercuryholidays.co.uk/barbados-holidays
Ruins at Tulum, a picturesque archaeological site in the Riviera Maya (Image: DeAgostini/Getty Images)
HARD ROCK HOTEL RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO
Is it an über-cool resort for partygoers and couples? Or is it one of the most family-friendly resorts in the Caribbean? Actually, it’s both. The resort is split into two – one part is adults only, the other for families.
So grown-ups looking for peace and quiet can slip away to secluded beaches, pools with swim-up bars and their own night-time entertainment with live DJs.
Meanwhile, families have their own beaches and pools to enjoy – as well as top-notch kids’ clubs, with everything from treasure hunts to talent shows.
The resort also has its own complimentary 18-hole course in nearby Quintana Roo, surrounded by ancient Mayan ruins.
Afterwards, return to the resort to feast on fiery Mexican flavours at Frida and Asian fusion at Zen – just two of the many on-site restaurants.
Travel back in time with a visit to the nearby Tulum archaeological site; boasting a spectacular cliffside location, the oldest part is a temple with original Mayan frescos dating from 1450.
See more local handicrafts at the art market held every Saturday and Sunday evening at Puerto Morelos, a Mexican fishing village just north of the hotel, which has groomed beaches, friendly locals and restaurants selling tasty fresh seafood.
THE DEAL: The Holiday Place is offering seven nights’ all-inclusive at the five-star Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya from £1,699pp. Price includes a £600pp discount staying in a Deluxe Gold Room, return flights with British Airways departing from Gatwick on March 20 and transfers. holidayplace.co.uk, 020 7644 1770
