Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel

Cap Juluca is instantly recognisable: a line of whitewashed Greco-Moorish villas with domes and arches strung along the pale curve of Maundays Bay, one of the best beaches in a country full of them. The estate covers 179 acres, so the buildings are widely spaced and the beach never feels busy.

Belmond took over and carried out a comprehensive refurbishment, modernising the interiors while keeping the distinctive architecture. Rooms are large, many with terraces or rooftop solariums, and the beachfront suites open directly onto sand.

Dining runs across several restaurants including the long-standing Pimms on the water, and there is a spa, tennis, a golf course nearby and a fleet of watersports equipment. Saint-Martin is visible across the channel.