The Relais & Châteaux tradition of the Route du Bonheur (road to happiness) in the Caribbean means island hopping from one Relais & Châteaux luxury hotel to another. The first stop is the Horned Dorset Primavera in Puerto Rico where the curling waves, lovely beaches, and hilly terrain offer surf and seclusion. Watch as Humpback Whales migrate past this luxury island paradise. Nearby you can play island golf and the Horned Dorset Primavera’s duplex suites feature private swimming pools off personal terraces.

For our next luxury hotel stop, we need to travel by boat or by helicopter to the Biras Creek Resort on the tiny island of Virgin Gorda. This destination resort is set amidst the North Sound lagoon, the open Atlantic Ocean and the beautiful Caribbean Bay. It’s a paradise for water sports or relaxing on the Biras Creek Resort’s private white sand beach. The open-walled restaurant features gourmet cuisine and breathtaking views of the North Sound.

The island of St Barth is next. Eden Rock – St Barths is a collection of villas on a rocky promontory surrounded by white sandy beaches and the hotel’s own reef. Here you will find the ultimate in luxury accommodations and fine gourmet dining. Water sports and a destination spa can all be found at Eden Rock – St Barths. For its guests, the hotel has a 65-foot yacht that will accommodate up to 16 people. There are music and film festivals hosted in St Barth at various times of the year.

Hôtel Le Toiny is also on Saint Barth. Tranquil French Colonial-style luxury villa suites overlook the sea from this destination hotel in the hills. Each villa at Hôtel Le Toiny has its own pool and large terrace that overlooks the Caribbean. Pamper yourself with a relaxing massage in the privacy of your villa, walk the network of trails or through the secluded palm grove or request a gourmet picnic for a romantic dinner on the beach.

On to Nevis and the Montpelier Plantation Inn. Nevis is a lush tropical paradise with abundant vegetation, brilliant flowers and a natural beauty unlike the other islands in the Caribbean. Montpelier Plantation Inn is a romantic luxury hideaway above the Caribbean Sea. There is a private beach, a tropical garden, nearby golf and fine gourmet dining featuring fresh seafood, local delicacies and produce from the Inn’s own garden.

The destination resort, Hotel Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa, in Martinique offers private villa pools and views of the Ocean, outdoor showers and a spa with a Japanese ambiance. The Hotel Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa offers a full range of water sports such as Bio Techno windsurfs, sea kayaks, small catamarans and diving equipment. At their gourmet restaurant, each day, dining is a celebration of innovative fusion cuisine.

Our last stop in the Caribbean is the Cobblers Cove on the island of Barbados. Here the style is English Country House luxury with all its elegance and charm. A few steps from the hotel, you will find a fine sandy beach and exotic tropical forest. Cobblers Cove is located on one of Barbados’ quietest beaches for the ultimate privacy and seclusion. Add fine gourmet dining and this destination hotel nears perfection.

There are few experiences as pleasurable as walking a sandy beach in the Caribbean: fresh air, beautiful light, turquoise waters, softly breaking waves, and the feel of white powder beneath your toes. If the hundreds of islands comprising the Caribbean have this in common, each also has a unique personality. There are the French flavors of jet-setting St. Barth and the lively Martinique, the secluded islands of the British Virgin Islands, the spicy American-owned Puerto Rico, the old West Indian plantation life found on Nevis, and Barbados, which was a British stronghold until 50 years ago.

There are a thousand places to discover from your luxury hotel destination. Islands of lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls, fragrant gardens, uncrowded beaches, and exotic coral formations cater to snorkelers and divers. There are secluded islands for ultimate privacy and scene-stealing nightclubs for dancing the night away. If it isn’t the paradise of fiction, this varied and valued land, with its year-round balmy climate, it comes as close as any place on earth.