Tribes of the Caribbean
Tropical and decadent, no wonder celebs flee to the Caribbean but who goes where? Depends on your type, says Suzanne King
Barbados the bling brigade
Who goes there Those who’ve made it big, and want the world to know. Come high season, you can barely move for self-made moguls (like Simon Cowell and Philip Green) sunning their portly bods in the Barbados sun or (à la Peter Stringfellow) tying the knot with their 40-years-younger girlfriends. It’s also a favourite place for footballers to flash their fortunes.
Where they stay The super-lavish Sandy Lane has a star-studded guestbook, featuring everyone from Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones to Wayne and Colleen Rooney.
Where they hang out When they can tear themselves away from the pool, the bling brigade take advantage of some of the Caribbean’s best restaurants – like The Cliff (where even the waiting staff wear Armani) and the Lone Star (where Michael Winner has a regular table for lunch).
Grenada the fast-trackers
Who goes there Lewis Hamilton put little-known Grenada firmly in the spotlight last year when he came for the independence celebrations in February, celebrated his Monaco Grand Prix win here with Nicole Scherzinger in May, and bought a plot of land in July. He’s not the only one in on the secret: Anna Wintour, Kate Moss and Jerry Hall have all been spotted and entrepreneur Peter de Savary is investing millions in developments. Looks like the next big thing…
Where they stay The beachside suites at Spice Island Beach Resort, complete with Frette sheets and Molton Brown toiletries, are particularly sought after. Lewis Hamilton declared this the best hotel he’d ever stayed at.
Where they hang out Top spot for dinner is a table at Gary Rhodes restaurant in the Calabash Hotel, where the celebrity chef has created a menu that fuses British and Caribbean influences.
St Lucia the hide-and-seekers
Who goes there Once a place a celeb could quietly hide out (Johnny Depp, Oprah Winfrey and Harrison Ford all have homes on the island), St Lucia’s gone more high profile of late. Paparazzi have a good chance of snapping Kelly Brook in her favourite bikini – she was there twice last year, first with Billy Zane, then with new man Danny Cipriani. And, of course, they had a field day with Amy Winehouse.
Where they stay Jeff Bridges, Tyra Banks and Steven Berkoff all make for Anse Chastanet, where some rooms are completely open on one side so there’s nothing between you and the great outdoors.
Where they hang out Hiking in the rainforest, snorkelling in the seas, checking out the island’s hot springs – it’s a back-to-nature kind of place rather than nightlife central.
Antigua the R&Rs (rehabbers and reclusives)
Who goes there Thanks to Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Centre, Antigua welcomes a number of rehabbing celebs – Whitney Houston and Britney Spears have both checked in. Others are just addicted to the island itself: Pierce Brosnan, Giorgio Armani and Clapton all own villas here.
Where they stay Those without their own villa and in search of seclusion head for Jumby Bay Resort, which shares a private island with just a handful of private homes. Guests have included Natalia Vodianova, Hilary Swank and Robert De Niro.
Where they hang out On the beach, and preferably in a hammock strung between two photogenic palm trees. Antigua’s beaches are the stuff desert island dreams are made of, all gleaming white sand and sparkling blue seas. One of them, they say, is the only beach at which Queen Elizabeth took a dip in the sea.
St Barts the party animals
Who goes there Who doesn’t? The rich and famous flock to St Barts safe in the knowledge that they can let their hair down among their own. Brad Pitt famously swam naked in his hotel pool, Lily Allen and Jay Jopling lived out most of their May-September romance on the island’s beaches, and Leonardo DiCaprio and P Diddy have hosted New Year celebrations on yachts anchored offshore.
Where they stay One of the hottest hotels is Eden Rock – Cameron Diaz has stayed there, Mariah Carey had a birthday on the hotel beach, and Minnie Driver hung out at its barefoot chic Sand Bar.
Where they hang out Retail junkies head to the ritzy boutiques of Gustavia for designer shopping at duty free prices. Do Brazil (Yannick Noah’s bistro-bar) is the place to head for sunset cocktails and Maya’s is the beachside restaurant everyone wants to eat at.
Dominican Republic the Hollywood set
Who goes there Long popular with civilian holidaymakers, the Dom Rep is now starting to draw in the stars too, thanks to new resorts that are moving it steadily upmarket. Matt Dillon, William Baldwin, Brad and Angelina, Jennifer Lopez… they’ve all been spotted on the island.
Where they stay If they’re Oscar de la Renta (local boy made good) or Julio Iglesias, they stay at their own villa in Punta Cana. Penelope Cruz and Charlize Theron have stayed in this part of the island, famous for its white sand, windsurfing and big game fishing.
Where they hang out Hot new haunt for the A-lister in need of pampering is the Six Senses Spa at the Puntacana Resort & Club, offering all-natural, holistic therapies. Otherwise, the place to be is on the beach – at 300 miles long, the DR has the second longest shoreline in the Caribbean.
Cuba the culture vultures
Who goes there Cuba attracts your more thoughtful vacationing celeb – the kind who likes to experience life beyond the beach, and have more interaction with the locals than just ordering drinks from the pool attendant. Sting, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Willis and Robert Plant have all visited the island.
Where they stay Mostly in downtown Havana, soaking up colonial architecture by day and the legendary music scene by night. Some head to Santiago, to feel the rhythm of the rumba; others to Cayo Coco, to chill on its laidback beaches.
Where they hang out In Havana, the rooftop Bar Restaurant Mirador of Hotel Saratoga is the place to go for sundowners with great views over the city and the bay. And the Hotel Nacional bar is a popular spot to knock back rum cocktails – as Jude Law did on his 35th birthday.
Jamaica the chill-out kids
Who goes there Everyone, it seems: from old Hollywood (Roger Moore, Goldie Hawn) to young Hollywood (Scarlett Johansson, Josh Hartnett); from rock royalty (David Bowie, Bono) to supermodels (Kate Moss, Iman).
Where they stay Ever since it was opened by Noel Coward, Round Hill, in Montego Bay, has been a fave with celebs: Demi Moore and Emma Thompson have stayed, and Ralph Lauren (who owns a villa here) decorated it.
Where they hang out Cool places include laidback Bushbar at Geejam and Time ‘n’ Place in Falmouth.
Tobago the royals
Who goes there Tobago doesn’t feature large on the celebrity holiday map, but those who make it there tend to be royalty – either real or of the rap variety. Prince Charles and Camilla spent time there last year, while hip-hop star and movie actress Queen Latifah stayed for Christmas and P Diddy flies in for the Plymouth Jazz Festival.
Where they stay As close to the sea as possible, to take advantage of pristine beaches and great diving. Pigeon Point is the most famous beach, but Stonehaven Bay and Turtle Bay are less crowded.
Where they hang out The eco-minded HRH took a trip to the Asa Wright Nature Centre, 366m up in the Northern Range mountains, and went to a talk on sustainable tourism at the Coco Reef hotel.
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