Located a 10-minute catamaran ride off the northern coast of Antigua, the 120-hectare island of Jumby Bay is a welcome anomaly for the Caribbean, because unlike its overdeveloped neighbors it has nary a cruise ship in sight — and just one resort. Thanks to a $28 million facelift, that all-inclusive hideaway, known as the Jumby Bay Resort, has reopened with 28 new ocean-side suites featuring 5.5-meter vaulted ceilings and outdoor tubs, two restaurants, a cooking school helmed by Le Cirque – trained chef Juan Pablo Loza and an open-air spa that overlooks the surf.
Upon arrival, guests are given bikes so they can zip along the five kilometers of paved paths that wind past the island's historic sugar mill, savanna-like grassland and fields where wild black-and-white sheep graze. In Antiguan, jumby means "playful spirit" and the resort's extracurricular activities cover the gamut, from snorkeling excursions to nearby Bird Island to champagne stargazing (you can spot the elusive Andromeda galaxy) and nighttime treks along Pasture Beach where the hawksbill sea turtle nests. The concierge can even arrange mock regattas, pitting groups of friends or families against each other in a spirited four-hour race.
More laid-back vacationers also have plenty of options, including a new infinity pool parked in front of the casual Pool Grille, which specializes in fresh octopus and parrot-fish seviche. There's also the palapa-dotted Jumby Bay Beach — brilliant white sand, turquoise water teeming with crimson-colored starfish and a cabana bar that makes a mean piña colada.
Rates start at $950 (double occupancy) in summer and $1,395 in winter. For more information, go to jumbybayresort.com.