Richly deserved: the Caribbean
Discerning travellers and celebrities alike have long been attracted to a region renowned for its wealth of tantalising options
With more than 28 nations and 7,000 islands, the Caribbean has been a magnet for discerning travellers for decades, lured by its landscapes, diverse culture, history and luxury hotels and resorts. The Caribbean is a playground for the rich, with celebrities, such as Johnny Depp, Julia Roberts and Richard Branson, even buying their own island paradises.
Luxury travellers are spoilt for choice in regards to where to stay, as five-star properties abound. We select a few properties with distinctive offerings that are worth a visit.
For those who relish Old World charm, Puerto Rico's Hotel El Convento stands in the historic quarter of San Juan.
A former Carmelite convent, Hotel El Convento exudes colonial elegance and was initially renovated during the post-war era by Robert Woolworth, heir to the Woolworth department store fortune, with features such as marble chessboard floors and mahogany furniture. Renovated several times since, this hotel is just steps away from the narrow streets of the old town. Also nearby are designer shops, fine dining and imposing forts and cathedrals from centuries past.
Visiting heads of state, dignitaries and celebrities such as Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony have stayed here, with the main Vanderbilt Suite named after another guest who frequented the hotel, Gloria Vanderbilt.
When not taking advantage of the world-class golf facilities nearby, guests can retreat to the hotel's extensive Bagua Spa, unrivalled in size and scope on the island. Indigenous therapies incorporate the island's mineral and tropical plant extracts, such as amber gemstone, royal bee jelly, honey and ocean waters. At the end of a healing treatment, the rooftop infinity pool or individual jacuzzi awaits with extraordinary vistas of the curving shoreline.