Best tropical holiday pads in Caribbean & Central America under £40

Panama

Rancho Estero
In the surfer town of Santa Catalina, where the river meets the sea, Rancho Estero’s six thatch and bamboo cabanas face the inviting black sands of Playa Estero and the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. The rustic cabanas offer TV, fans, electricity and internet access, and shared bathrooms. The main house – also a bamboo and thatch structure – includes an outdoor kitchen and plenty of seating overlooking the water. Surfboards and surfing lessons are also available
• Doubles from £25, +1 507 6415 6595, ranchoestero.com

Jamaica

28 Ital Rest, Treasure Beach

Ital Rest offers simple two-storey, thatched bungalows with double beds in the Treasure Beach area of coast – with views inland to the Santa Cruz mountains. It is in one of the least touristy parts of the island. Rastafarian owner Jean is proud to walk visitors through her gardens, where coconuts, breadfruit, mango, guava and medicinal plants abound. A 20-minute walk away are black sand beaches, where fishermen stand ready to whisk visitors by boat to the renowned Pelican Bar, built on stilts in shallow water out at sea. Ital Rest’s location is so romantic that the lantern-only nights and cold-water showers won’t matter one bit.
• Doubles from £25, +1 876 421 8909, italrest.com

Tobago

Man-O-War Bay Cottages

Get as close as possible to a Robinson Crusoe experience on tiny Tobago, in a rustic, cosy one-bedroom “sugar shack”. It’s tucked inside a backyard lush with fruit trees and flowers, and the morning air is filled with the sounds of hummingbirds and roosters. The property is a stone’s throw from the quiet beach in the fishing village of Charlotteville. Also nearby are swimming coves and snorkelling beaches, such as Lover’s Bay and Pirates Bay.
• Cottage for two from £40, +1 868 660 4327, man-o-warbaycottages.com

Dominica

Hibiscus Valley Inn

Close to the airport yet perched in the hills, Hibiscus Valley Inn is surrounded by dense tropical jungle, flowers and the sounds of frogs. Bungalows are simply decorated – double beds with mosquito nets and hot showers – and offer great views from their verandas. Meals are communal, the inn is close to hiking trails, and there’s a cool river just across the street that’s ideal for isolated morning dips.
• Doubles from £28, +1 767 445 8195, hibiscusvalley.com

Dominican Republic

El Cabito, Las Galeras

A world apart from the all-inclusive resort scene, El Cabito sits atop a cliff in Las Galeras, on the remote and scenic Samaná peninsula. With a breathtaking view of the Rincon Bay – where humpback whales frolic in mating season – bright palm-roofed, wooden-floor cabañas have spacious, colourful living rooms and open-air first-floor bedrooms overlooking the water. Deserted beaches are a 15-minute hike away, and thrill seekers can stick around to cliff dive into the azure sea. El Cabito’s restaurant is popular with locals for its romantic sunset view and its grilled seafood dinners.
• Bungalow for two from £26, +1 829 944 8499, elcabito.net

Belize

Tipple Tree Beya

In the heart of Hopkins, a seaside village of local Garifuna people, Tipple Tree’s wooden, blue-roof guesthouse rests under the shade of coconut trees, on a golden and uncrowded beach. Ocean-facing rooms are well-equipped and window shutters open on to the sea, bringing in a constant breeze. A maze of colourful hammocks adorn the guesthouse’s spacious shared porch and free kayaks and drumming lessons await the more ambitious holidaymaker.
• Doubles from £25, +1 501 533 7006, tippletreebelize.com

Mexico

Uolis Nah, Tulum

Laid-back, intimate and set amid lush grounds, Uolis Nah is at the heart of downtown Tulum, off the main road and yet just 4km from the white beach (jump on one of the complimentary bicycles). Three round, thatched orange buildings house six large suites, each offering a mini-lounge area with sofa and kitchenette, a mosaic-tiled bathroom and a terrace. Colourful Mexican ceramics and wood floors add to the tropical feel, while a small outdoor pool is tucked in the gardens – ideal for an evening dip.
• Doubles from £39 BB, +1 984 876 4965, hotelstulum.com/uolis-nah

Nicaragua

Casa Iguana, Little Corn Island

Getting off the beaten track takes on new meaning on Little Corn Island, five miles off the coast of Nicaragua. Casa Iguana’s 40-acre seafront plot is dotted with 15 bungalows with commanding ocean views from windows and from hammocks on the verandas. The main lodge’s dining terrace overlooks the water – not to miss are the coconut French toast, the fresh fish sandwiches and basilito (a bit like a mojito) cocktail. Casa Iguana is off-grid: there’s wind and solar energy only.
• Deluxe casita for two £40, casaiguana.net