the times Saturday December 18 202136 Travel
Windward Landing
Antigua
This whopper of a coastal pile with space
for up to 14 brings sea views to the fore
from its wraparound decking, where
guests eat breakfasts of freshly baked
bread and fresh fruit before drifting from
infinity pool to lounger to ping-pong and
back again. Stroll through the garden
and the steps take you down to the wild
stretch of Windward Bay. For swimming,
though, walk a little further and you’ll
land on Pigeon Beach with its mellow
waters and tree-shaded pockets.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for
14 from £30,000 (scottwilliams.co.uk).
Fly to Antigua
Atelier House Barbados
The good times just keep on rolling in
Barbados. Although this villa is on the
island’s exclusive west coast, the owners
will happily help you to strike out and
discover a less chi-chi scene. Don’t miss
picnic lunches on pink-tinged Crane
Beach or sundowners at Ramshackle
beach bar. Join the islanders at Cuz’s
Fish Shack in Bridgetown, where fish
cutters (crisp fish sandwiches) are the
order of the day. All this, plus dreamy
ocean views, walls of original art and
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for
ten from £35,600, including flights
(carrier.co.uk)Spyglass Hill Villa
Anguilla
For beach purists, dinky Anguilla is as
idyllic as they come, measuring just
16 miles from one end to the other
and championing the case for doing
absolutely nothing. Stay at this North
Hill pad with its airy, light-filled rooms,
washing the sand off in the outdoor
shower each evening or dangling your
legs in the infinity pool with its views of
the white curve of Sandy Ground beach.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for
eight from £7,612 (spyglasshillanguilla.
com). Fly to AnguillaVilla Daydream Antigua
The long, white sands of Galley Bay are
just a short mooch from this two-bed
hideaway with its bougainvillea-draped
garden and white shutters letting the
warm breeze in. You’ll be able to
spot the glint of the ocean from the
loungers, although the pool is a welcome
proposition on a sweltering day. You’ll
need to hire a car to venture into the
buzzing capital, St John’s, but, really, the
charm of the place is that once you’ve
stocked up the fridge, there’s no need to
go anywhere else.Dreaming of the
Caribbean? Book
a fantasy villa
A starry spot on Mustique, a jungle
retreat on St Lucia or butler service
on Bequia. By Helen Warwick
optional butler and spa services.
Details Seven nights’ room-only
for eight from £10,848 (welcomebeyond.
com). Fly to BarbadosEagle’s Base Villa To b a g o
Trinidad murmurs with an “eat, sleep,
party, repeat” mantra. Over on its sister
island of Tobago, life strums to a more
chilled beat: crystalline waters, flour-soft
sand and thick tangles of jungle. Gazing
over the southern coast, where the
Caribbean meets the Atlantic, is this
six-bedroom villa, strung with
hammocks for lazy, hazy days, and a
pool for cooling dips. Looking for true
escapism from the rest of your clan?
Nab the nearby cottage for two, and
settle down for a doze on its terrace or
sink into the hot tub as night falls.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for
12 from £3,161 (eaglesbasevilla.com).
Fly to Port of SpainOpium Villa Mustique
Mustique has remained largely off-limits
for us ordinary folk, a legacy of pleasure-
seeking A-listers searching for sanctuary.
Yet there’s no reason to be intimidated
by an island that thrives on a laid-back
scene. This eight-bedroom pile oozes
luxury and doesn’t come cheap, with
tropical gardens, a vast swimming pool,
safari-style interiors and a collective of
staff. You’ll have plenty of time to
explore Mustique’s pristine beaches,
paddling offshore in a glass-bottom
canoe and kicking your shoes off
in well-worn beach shacks where the
aforementioned celebs cluster.Details Seven nights’ self-catering for
four from £6,196 (jamesvillas.co.uk).
Fly to AntiguaBaraka Point
British Virgin Islands
One for the high rollers on the pinprick
island of Virgin Gorda, where grottos of
sea water line the coast and mountains
in the north nudge cloudless skies. You’ll
have a concierge to take care of the
day-to-day running of the place and a
chef to rustle up iced teas and dinners,
which can be taken indoors or on the
terrace. As for waterside antics, throw
all your gear into your very own beach
buggy and set off along the sands of
Nail Bay Beach, stopping at Mountain
Trunk Beach to snorkel among colourful
shoals of fish.
Details Seven nights’ full board for 12
from £45,216, including flights
(redsavannah.co.uk)Susanna Retreat St Lucia
Sorry kids, this one, on the western
fringes of St Lucia, where the Pitons
soar, the waterfalls thunder and ripples
of white sand roll towards the ocean, is
for adults only — 12 if you fill the place.
Thumb through a book in one of the
hammocks, cool off in the pool in the
midday heat, or pad down to the nearby
beach, where barely a footprint marksFour Seasons, NevisVilla Daydream, Antigua