El Blok, Puerto Rico
At this new hotel on the island of Vieques, sun filters in through pinholes in the walls. F&W Best New Chef 2013 Jose Enrique prepares dishes like just-caught-conch salad and fried spiny lobster. Doubles from $215; elblok.com.
Auberge Malliouhana, Anguilla
The legendary Malliouhana, beloved but a bit dated with its dark-wood interiors and formal French menu, has been fully renovated. Chef Jeremy Bearman, formerly of Manhattan’s Rouge Tomate, oversees the open-air restaurant. Doubles from $525; malliouhana.aubergeresorts.com.
Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, Puerto Rico
After 12 years and $200 million, this ornate, Vanderbilt-constructed hotel now includes a salmon-colored marble staircase. At its restaurant 1919, a chef from Manhattan’s Blue Hill cooks dishes like chilled eggplant with foie gras and apples. Doubles from $450; condadovanderbilt.com.
The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
This resort has 300-plus mostly sea-facing rooms, a giant spa and even a casino. An Argentinean chef consulted on the steak house, and chef Stephen Toevs is an expert with littleneck clams—he’s been digging for them since he was a kid in Rhode Island. Doubles from $649; ritzcarlton.com.
Kittitian Hill, St. Kitts
The property includes 84 cottages surrounded by a 400-acre farm where “Pick Me” signs indicate which fruits are ripe. Mango and coconut trees grow along the fairways of the “edible” golf course. Doubles from $2,250; kittitianhill.com.
