5* Secret Bay - Dominica

There’s something special about Secret Bay. This romantic retreat has been a labour of love for its Dominica-born owner, who dreamt of creating a hotel in this exact spot many years ago, and a stay here combines ultra-private, fully-equipped villas with the space of a resort.

Secret Bay has a breathtaking setting, in four acres of private rainforest on a clifftop above the Caribbean Sea. Its 10 high-spec pool villas are tucked away in the treetops. Each one is beautifully crafted, spacious and sustainable, and comes with a private plunge pool, open-air kitchen and villa host. You’ll be given an iPhone to use during your stay, so you can easily order food or arrange activities.

Secret Bay’s open-air Zing Zing restaurant, which has stunning sea views, sets a romantic scene with a canopy-style roof, display kitchen and private dining room. Lunch is ordered from a set menu, while dinner is an experiential affair with dishes created from the freshest local ingredients available that morning. This varied approach to lunch and dinner, plus picnic lunches if you’re out on day trips and organic breakfast baskets filled to the brim with fresh eggs, tropical fruit and home-made bread, means that dining here still feels diverse.

To feel the sand beneath your feet, there are two small beaches: Tibay Beach, where you’ll find a wellness pavilion and watersports, and Secret Beach, which you can only get to if you swim, kayak or paddleboard. At the resort you can do yoga, take a cooking class and make the most of the free watersports, and of course there’s the rest of this lush island to explore. Relaxation comes naturally with hammocks, meditation corners and tranquil decks dotted around the resort – the best way to end the day is with cocktails on the cliff-edge Vetiver Sunset Deck overlooking Secret Beach.