Antigua / Hermitage Bay

At the end of a dusty track, this blissfully boutique little gem unfurls over a hillside and along the beach in a hidden cove, away from the cares of the world.

It’s impossible not to switch off completely at this peaceful all-suite, all-inclusive hotel (don’t be fooled, the term all-inclusive here means fine rooms, an intimate restaurant, made to order meals from new menus written each day, champagne, afternoon tea and water sports). What with yoga, meditation and Pilates on the spa deck and healing rituals corresponding with the body’s chakra systems. But there’s also plenty of scope to indulge passions or even acquire new ones to take away with you. Think outdoor cooking classes using produce from the organic garden, tours of a local farm that supplies the kitchen with seasonal tropical produce including ackee and tamarind, deep-sea fishing for marlin, wahoo and more, and eco-tours of local mangroves and reefs.

As for the suites – built from purpleheart, greenheart and other dark, earthy woods from sustainably managed forests – they have an almost Balinese feel to them. There’s sea views, open-air showers and no harsh barriers to the outdoors and its tropical foliage, but in our humble opinion, it’s the hillside suites especially that help you feel effortlessly at one with the lush, wild greenery that surrounds.

Travel notes:

• 30 suites: 17 hillside, 9 beachfront, 4 garden
• Small enough to have the atmosphere of a private home
• Dining choices at the restaurant, lounge or patio; private candlelit dinners can be arranged right on the water’s edge
• Inclusive of windsurfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkelling and tuition
• 1-day and 4-day PADI scuba diving courses available