In your dreams: Ultra-luxurious Caribbean honeymoons

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Looking for a honeymoon that goes way beyond the ordinary? The Caribbean offers a slew of amazing options for luxury escapes. Here are 10 of the dreamiest, most romantic, ultra-pampered ways to celebrate your wedding.

Amanyara | Turks and Caicos

Set on the secluded northwest point of Providenciales, Amanyara has a mere 40 guest rooms, called Pavilions. All of the pavilions are beautifully designed, with a walkway joining the living/sleeping space to the bathroom, and shaded decks on three sides. For this special occasion indulge with a Pool Pavilion, where your 40-foot private pool is hidden by hedges for maximum privacy. The waters surrounding the resort are a protected nature preserve, and the onsite Nature Discovery Center takes full advantage, with a fulltime naturalist on hand for eco-hikes, paddling excursions and whale watching (in season). For a unique extra, sign up for a Turtle-Tagging excursion to the Caicos Banks; you’ll help catch, tag and rerelease green and hawksbill sea turtles back into the ocean, supporting the local environment as you celebrate your own launch into your future.

Jade Mountain | St. Lucia

No one does sexy quite like Jade Mountain, set high on a bluff overlooking the twin Piton mountains. The hotel itself is just as stunning as the view, with 24 aptly named “sanctuaries” connected by long walkways. Sanctuaries are all slightly different but they have a few key things in common: namely amazing bathrooms with rain showers and chromotherapy whirlpool tubs, and either a plunge pool or deck-front Jacuzzi tub, all positioned to overlook those signature twin peaks. In fact, the entire room is designed with view in mind; there is no fourth wall, just open space, so nothing comes between you and the outdoors — Not even your bathing suit, unless you want it to. Jade Mountain has its own restaurant, and guests have access to the beach, pool and activities (think snorkeling, mountain biking and scuba diving) at Anse Chastenet resort, located at the base of the hill. But most couples never leave their suites, preferring room service over interaction. Amp up the luxury by doing helicopter transfers from the international airport to Jade Mountain’s private helipad, giving you a birds-eye view of lush, hilly St. Lucia.

The Ritz-Carlton | Aruba

It was big news when luxury brand Ritz-Carlton opened a new resort on romance-friendly Aruba. Set on Palm Beach, the resort aims to please with 320 rooms (all with ocean-facing balconies) and loads of onsite amenities, including four restaurants, two swimming pools (one of them adult-only) and a 15,000 square foot spa, with a full slate of treatments and daily fitness classes. Aruba is known for watersports, and you’ll find them all at Palm Beach, from paddle boarding to kitesurfing. When you tire out, duck into the shade of your private cabana, rentable by the day. Come evening, taxi into Oranjestad for dining, shopping and nightlife, then return and hit the slots at the casino, open until 3 am every night. As a honeymoon perk, book a private dining experience and enjoy an unforgettable dinner for two from signature restaurant Les Crustaces, served to you at a candlelit table set in the sand.

Viceroy | Anguilla

Design aficionados love Viceroy Hotels, and with good reason; interiors are done by acclaimed designer Kelly Wearstler, and the hotels are usually as beautiful as their settings. That’s certainly the case on Anguilla. The 166-room resort sits on a point in between Meads and Barnes bays, meaning you have two beaches (and the blufftop Sunset Pool) for sunbathing. For honeymooners, we love the Rooftop Suites, with sleeping and living area downstairs and a winding staircase that leads up to your rooftop plunge pool. (That means more sunbathing, so bring extra sunscreen!) Anguilla is known for its beaches so arrange for an outing to nearby Seaside Stables, where you can ride horses along the beach. If it’s hot, the horses may even go in for a dip — with you on top.

Geejam Hotel | Jamaica

Music fans should make haste to Port Antonio, Jamaica, home to one of the coolest hotels anywhere. Originally a recording studio (Gorillaz, No Doubt and Wyclef Jean have recorded here, among others), the property was turned into a hotel by co-owners Jon Baker and Steve Beaver, both former music execs. Geejam Hotel is small, with only five standalone bungalows ranging from studio to three-bedroom villa. For honeymoons, we love Drum Bass, a chic white apartment that sits under the recording studio with sweet touches like a Philippe Starck-designed bathtub and a Jacuzzi on the oceanfront deck. Unexpected touches are everywhere, including photographs byJuergen Teller and a Banksy wall stencil. The onsite Bushbar serves meals and ambiance, or pop over to sister hotel Trident Club and take in the live music at Mike’s Supper Club. Feeling inspired yourselves? Book time in the studio to record your own love song.

Cotton House | Mustique

Few places in the Caribbean are more exclusive that the island of Mustique, a favorite vacation spot of jetsetters from Great Britain’s Princess Margaret (who was a close friend of the original developer) to Mick Jagger. It’s so exclusive there’s only one hotel on the island: Cotton House, comprising 17 rooms, villas and cottages over 13 tropical acres. For a honeymoon, book a Deluxe Seaview Room, a one-bedroom suite that comes with it’s own espresso machine, outdoor shower and private plunge pool. Meals happen at the Beach Café or the Veranda Restaurant, part of the stone-walled Great House that serves as the hotel’s main mingling spot — and draws in famous faces staying in private villas on the island as well. For a special treat, partake in the private rum tasting with resident sommelier Eric Boles, who will come to your suite to lead you through tastings from their celebrated collection of native rums from across the islands.

Sibarth Bespoke Villa Rentals | St. Barths

St. Barths has numerous luxury hotels, but for your honeymoon why not do something different?Sibarth has over 250 private villas to choose from, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms. For honeymooners, we love the aptly-named Bliss, a two-bedroom villa in tony Pointe Milou, featuring interiors from the same team who did Miami’s Delano Hotel and amazing views from the solar-heated pool. Before you arrive, Sibarth will prearrange any special requests such as grocery shopping, massage services and restaurant reservations. Once on island, a concierge will escort you to the villa to show you how everything works, and then be just a phone call away during your stay. (There’s also maid service daily except on Sundays.) St. Barths is known for its stellar beaches, shops and restaurants, but for a special night in, arrange to have a private chef cook and serve the menu of your choice in the privacy of your home away from home.

Sandals LeSource | Grenada

For some couples, luxury means not having to think about things like bar tabs and tipping. This is where Sandals excels: The pioneering all-inclusive brand has catered to romance-minded couples for more than 30 years, and has 15 resorts across the Caribbean. One of the newest is Sandals LaSource on the island of Grenada. This 244-room, resort is made up of three “villages”, and comes with loads on onsite perks, including three freshwater pools, two river pools and 10 restaurants, including Sandals’ first steakhouse. The top digs are the penthouse Skypool Suites in the Italian Village, which come with king beds, clawfoot tubs and heated infinity-edge plunge pools. Sandals are all about interaction and fun, so expect to mix and mingle with other guests at the pool bar or British-style pub.

Belmond La Samanna | St. Martin

The Dutch side of St. Maarten is known for fun duty-free shopping and casinos, but for classic luxury cross the border to French St. Martin. Belmond La Samanna, opened in 1973, sits on a bluff overlooking Baie Longue bay, one of the prettiest in the Caribbean. The 83 rooms are all designed for maximum views, with understated décor and beach-facing terraces. For a splurge, book the Baie Royale (aka the honeymoon suite), which has three terraces and a plunge pool. As lovely as the rooms are, what really stands out here is the service — commensurate with a European hotel. The six-room spa uses French Sisley products, and La Cave wine cellar is one of the best in the Caribbean, with vintages from all over the world. Sign up for a tasting led by the onsite sommelier, and discover a new passion.

MY Rhino | Caribbean superyacht charter

Bravo TV fans know the real star of hit show Below Deck wasn’t the crew: it was the 154-foot superyacht Ohana that took guests on charter cruises every week. Now named MY Rhino, this stunning ship has five ensuite staterooms, the largest sundeck of any yacht this size, a six-person Jacuzzi and a full array of water toys including wave runners, kayaks and a 40-foot inflatable waterslide. It’s a shame to keep all this to yourselves, so bring along eight friends to share the experience. The pros at charter company Churchill Yachts says they see couples chartering it for a honeymoon, and then coming back with friends and family for anniversaries and birthdays. MY Rhino sails through the Caribbean from November through April, the Bahamas in May and June, and the Mediterranean come summer.

As founder of The Honeymoonist, Susan Moynihan travels the world, seeking out the very best in locales, hotels and romantic extras for honeymoons and destination weddings. Follow her at @susanmoynihan or visit her at thehoneymoonist.com.