Americans Are Choosing a Hot Caribbean Vacation This Summer
With lower airfares and value-packed luxury resorts, tropical island escapes continue to rise in popularity over pricey European trips.
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Michelle Ruiz had her heart set on a trip to the south of France for her yearly summer getaway with her husband. But the $5,000-a-night rate in mid-July at Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat stopped her in her tracks. Her husband suggested they vacation in the Caribbean instead, and suggested Rockhouse, a luxury boutique property in Negril, Jamaica. A premium villa with ocean views there was available for about a tenth of the Grand-Hotel’s price: $574 per night.
Given its cliffside location and access to azure swimming coves, Rockhouse “kind of looks like it’s in Europe,”Ruiz says. “It would satiate that desire to be somewhere rocky and picturesque, and be at the beach without spending thousands of dollars per night” on accommodations alone. Plus, she adds, for another $385 per person, she was able to book a five-day spa package that covers daily 50-minute treatments; for nearly the same price, you’ll get just one 60-minute massage at the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat. Including airfare from New York to Montego Bay, Ruiz says her entire trip (minus meals) will cost as much as one night at the five-star French icon.