{"id":3371,"date":"2010-01-13T07:58:33","date_gmt":"2010-01-13T13:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=3371"},"modified":"2016-12-16T22:46:13","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T04:46:13","slug":"feel-like-a-celebrity-on-your-caribbean-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2010\/01\/feel-like-a-celebrity-on-your-caribbean-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"Feel like a celebrity on your Caribbean vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Caribbean<\/em><\/em>

Barbados<\/p><\/div>\n

By Lena Katz<\/em><\/p>\n

Celebrities flock to the Caribbean for its beautiful beaches, sunshine, seclusion and A-list treatment \u2026 in fact, to hear US Weekly or InStyle tell it, the Hollywood elite stay and play at beautiful Caribbean beach resorts \u2018round the clock, \u2018round the year. (Must be nice.) While no regular person can make a Caribbean vacation<\/strong><\/a> a full-time job, some destinations excel at making everyone feel A-list, even if only for a week. From their gorgeous settings and stellar service, to the chance of brushing sun-screened shoulders with someone you\u2019ve seen on\u00a0 TV, I think the hot spots I’ve listed below may be your best shot at getting the celeb-class Caribbean vacation you deserve.<\/p>\n

Barbados<\/strong>
\nWhat celebrity hasn\u2019t been to Barbados? This island is famous for its British brand of posh, the great quantity of unique-to-the-island luxury lodgings, and the stunning beaches.<\/p>\n

\"Caribbean

Tamarind Cove Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n

From the early \u201880s, when rock royalty couple Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall got cozy at Gibbs Beach, to recent times, when Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon were spotted at the Spring House<\/strong>, Barbados is a perennial celeb magnet. Let\u2019s not forget, Rihanna was born there. And word is, Simon Cowell actually put down a deposit for a property in a very exclusive vacation community still in the build phase.<\/p>\n

If you aren\u2019t able to move in next door to Mr. American Idol, you can actually comfort yourself with the fact that a lot of the luxe Barbados hotels where other celebs have stayed do offer good deals:\u00a0 Tamarind Cove Hotel<\/strong><\/a>, Turtle Beach Resort<\/strong> Barbados All Inclusive<\/strong><\/a> and Almond Casuarina Beach Resort All Inclusive<\/a><\/strong> are just a few of the beautiful Barbados properties you could choose for your Caribbean vacation.<\/p>\n

U.S. Virgin Islands<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Caribbean

Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa<\/p><\/div>\n

While the U.S. Virgin Islands stay mum about their celeb visitors, lots of interesting celeb connections can be made to the islands of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Kelsey Grammar was born on St. Thomas (THAT explains the accent, finally!), while the original Island of Dr. Moreau was filmed in St. Croix 40-odd years ago. Ultimate power couple Brangelina spent a Caribbean vacation with their brood at Caneel Bay<\/strong> in St. John a few years back (pre-twins), and celebrities from Gabrielle Union to Larry Ellison have been seen at the recently opened Yacht Haven Grande<\/strong> mega-yacht marina in St. Thomas.<\/p>\n

There are a slew of what I count as more realistically priced hotels to counterbalance all that uber-luxury:\u00a0 Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort<\/strong> and Spa<\/strong><\/a> and Point Pleasant Resort<\/strong><\/a> in St. Thomas; Buccaneer<\/strong><\/a> and Sand Castle on the Beach<\/strong><\/a> in St. Croix; and the Westin St. John Resort<\/strong><\/a> in largely undeveloped St. John. Of course, you can always splurge and stay at the Rosewood Caneel Bay<\/strong><\/a>, as Brange did. At the Self Center at Caneel Bay,\u00a0 you might well bump into a celeb on a yoga retreat or another sort of mind-body-spirit retreat.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Tobago<\/strong><\/strong>

Tobago (Courtesy: TDC by Jim Stephens)<\/p><\/div>\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trinidad is a commerce capital of the Caribbean, while sister island Tobago offers pristine beaches, a rain forest and quaint villages. Tobago does better at the vacation villa experience, while Trinidad has most of the big-name chains and bigger events. Akon got in a spot of trouble when he played in Trini back in 2007 (you may remember the scandal around certain \u201cdance moves\u201d with an underage audience member), but President Obama and his entourage were ideal guests when visiting the island earlier this year for a tourism conference.<\/p>\n

From villa properties like the Villas at Stonehaven<\/a><\/strong> in Tobago, to international brands like the Hilton Trinidad<\/a><\/strong> (where President Obama stayed), to exclusive luxury properties like Le Grand Courlan<\/strong> Spa Resort All Inclusive<\/strong><\/a> in Tobago, this island archipelago offers a range of different Caribbean vacation experiences.<\/p>\n

St. Vincent and the Grenadines<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Caribbean

Godahl\u2019s beach at Raffles Canouan Island<\/p><\/div>\n

Tiny, idyllic, and hard to reach, the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines appeal to all types of celebs. Social butterfly Mick Jagger is Mustique\u2019s most famous resident, while low-key Leo goes to\u00a0 Raffles<\/strong> Canouan Island<\/strong><\/a> when he wants to escape from the Hollywood Hills. At Petit St. Vincent<\/strong>, the property is set up so that guests don\u2019t have to see or be seen by a single other person throughout their stay — so, although U2 is rumored to have taken their Caribbean vacation here, there\u2019s no confirming it. Blockbuster Hollywood hit Pirates of the Caribbean was shot in the Grenadines.<\/p>\n

There is no easy way to reach these islands, but St. Lucia is the most common transfer point, and a beautiful island in its own right. Coconut Bay Resort & Spa All Inclusive<\/strong><\/a> or any of the Sandals properties would be my picks for a Caribbean vacation on St. Lucia.<\/p>\n

Related Orbitz resources:<\/strong><\/h3>\n