he Caribbean is an exercise in the sublime – it’s where sun, sea and sand do their best work, all year round, but they share top billing with tremendous food, paradisal settings, a melting pot of cultures and a cool, calm, tropical vibe.
Whether it’s sand, sea, sports or spa treatments you’re after,
these luxury Caribbean resorts have it all
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Mayan ruins and modern luxury
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he Caribbean is an exercise in the sublime – it’s where sun, sea and sand do their best work, all year round, but they share top billing with tremendous food, paradisal settings, a melting pot of cultures and a cool, calm, tropical vibe.
Whatever you’re into – water sports, spa treatments, a round of golf, or simply being waited on hand and foot – you’ll find the Caribbean has got you more than covered, whether you’re travelling solo, with friends or with family.
Two of the finest beach destinations are Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula around Cancun, and Punta Cana, which occupies the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic. Both are celebrated for their good looks and glamour, and each has an abundance of things to see and do, night and day.
Here you can choose from four five-star all-inclusive Majestic Resorts with British Airways Holidays. These beachfront escapes offer activities for guests of all ages, with both family and adults-only areas. With spacious rooms, great food and entertainment galore, guests will be able to fully relax in the knowledge that everything needed for an unforgettable holiday has been taken care of.
Book with British Airways Holidays and you’ll be able to fly direct from London to Cancun in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. You can also secure your holiday with a low deposit starting at £75pp*, with flexible instalments to suit your budget. There’s a 23kg passenger baggage allowance per person and ATOL protection for peace of mind. British Airways Holidays even provides a 24/7 holiday helpline while you’re away.
Parallel lines
There is plenty of light and shade around the resort
– and space to relax
Unlike Cancun’s Hotel Zone, the Costa Mujeres – a few miles north of the city on a thin finger of land – enjoys quiet seclusion and its very own beach of powdery white sand. The well-named Majestic Elegance resort blends into its naturally beautiful surroundings.
Water is something of a theme here. Non-motorised water sports are complimentary, which includes kayaks, windsurfing boards and snorkelling equipment, and scuba diving lessons are given in one of the 12 swimming pools throughout the resort. At V&V Marina, just a short drive away, take a boat trip out to Isla Contoy, where four species of turtle have nesting sites.
MAJESTIC ELEGANCE COSTA MUJERES
To work off the consequences of a happily sated appetite, there’s a gym open 24/7
Location, location, location… there are three Majestic resorts, the Colonial, Elegance and Mirage, on Bavaro Beach (which, as well as looking like the reason why postcards were invented, is regularly named one of the world’s best). As for Bavaro itself, it’s just 15 miles from Punta Cana airport in the east of Dominican Republic, and has plenty of amenities, bars and eateries.
The Majestic Colonial Punta Cana has a family focus, though accommodation is split between family and adults-only rooms. All are spacious – Junior Suites are 532 sq ft, while One Bedroom Suites are nearly twice that – and all come with Jacuzzis and walk-in showers. Adult rooms are located in the Colonial Club, where guests enjoy several perks: a butler and dedicated concierge service; two private swimming pools lined with Bali beds; exclusive access to Le Gourmet restaurant for breakfast and lunch; 24-hour room service; and a VIP lounge serving hors d’oeuvres and alcoholic refreshments.
MAJESTIC COLONIAL
PUNTA CANA
Beautiful layout
The ‘lazy river’ winding through the resort is an unusual touch
For attacks of the late-night munchies,
La Bodeguita is open until 6am
British Airways flies direct to Cancun and Punta Cana from London, and you can secure your holiday with a low deposit from just £75pp, before paying the balance in as many instalments as you wish.* You’ll enjoy a generous 23kg luggage allowance per person along with a dedicated 24/7 holiday helpline during your trip. All holidays are ATOL protected, for extra peace of mind.
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*T&Cs apply. Deposit balance due seven weeks in advance for long-haul travel. Travel restrictions may apply.
Mexican marvel
The Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres has its own beach
Accommodation is divided into two areas: the family section has suites or junior suites with an outdoor Jacuzzi, rooftop terrace or direct pool access, while the Elegance Club (for guests aged 18 and over) offers suites with access to The Club – five exclusive bars, a TV room, three private lounges and a buffet area. The Elegance Club also has plunge pool suites available, with outdoor whirlpool and lounge bed. Elegance Club guests qualify for express check-in, check-out, concierge and butler services too.
All guests enjoy free wifi throughout the resort, unlimited visits to the eight restaurants (serving everything from local fare to Japanese and Italian – six of which are à la carte for dinner) and room service.
Happy hours
There are five exclusive bars for Club members
It’s heaven for kids – and their parents. A “lazy river” pool winds through the complex for 400 metres, and there is a pool with slides at the supervised Splash Kids Club, which is suitable for children aged 4 to 12. For parents with toddlers, a babysitting service is available for a fee. Teenagers have their own games area too, with pool and ping pong tables, darts and table football.
All British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected and come with a 24-hour holiday helpline. Secure your all-inclusive holiday now with a low deposit at ba.com/elegance-costa,
ba.com/majestic-colonial, ba.com/elegance-punta
and ba.com/majestic-mirage
Colonial nods
The pool at Splash Kids Club has fun slides and even an imitation cannon
Grand design
The resort’s imaginative layout includes no fewer than 12 swimming pools
Flavours of the world
The main buffet restaurant serves international fare, with several show cooking areas
Dream setting
The Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres is the perfect place for a wedding
Somewhere to unwind
The Majestic Colonial’s spa is the ultimate place to relax
Heart’s content
The gazebo provides shade and a pretty focal point for the gardens
To work off the consequences of a happily sated appetite, there’s a gym, open 24/7, with a wide range of cardio and weights equipment, as well as yoga, Pilates and spinning classes. And at an additional cost, there’s a two-storey spa that emulates a cenote. Thanks to the hydrotherapy area, sauna, hammam and beauty parlour, it’s pure indulgence.
The resort also runs an entertainment programme, featuring craft workshops and billiards for kids and teens, as well as live music, dance lessons, karaoke and foam parties. Excursions to historic sites such as Chichen Itza and Tulum, and more active experiences such as ATV, ziplining and a cenote plunge can be booked for you at extra cost.
incredible beach escapes for a blissful break
incredible beach escapes for a blissful break
Caribbean cool
The palm-fringed family pool is beautifully sheltered
On show
Watch the sushi chefs at work at Japanese restaurant 9 Doors
Tee time
Punta Blanca Golf Course, designed by Nick Price, is just 200 metres from the hotel
This resort is more adult-oriented, though again the accommodation is divided between families and guests aged 18 and over, and it shares some facilities with its sister resorts, the Colonial and Mirage.
The Elegance Club section has 315 suites, with neutral decor, pops of red and purple, sumptuous four-poster beds and a variety of specifications, including indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, ocean views and direct access to an adults-only pool.
Membership of The Club comes with a private beach area; personalised check-in and late check-out (when available); 24-hour room service; exclusive use of one restaurant for breakfast and lunch; a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival; a premium spirits selection; butler and concierge services; and the use of a VIP lounge serving light fare.
MAJESTIC ELEGANCE PUNTA CANA
For the adventurous at heart, take a boat to the islands where the ruins of Captain Kidd’s pirate ship were found
Food for thought The Majestic Elegance Punta Cana is geared towards adults
Couples’ delights
The suites and relaxation areas are sumptuously appointed
Naturally, romance is in the air here, and the Elegance has hosted many a wedding. It offers a chapel for Catholic ceremonies, gazebos on the beach, a photography service and bars for cocktail parties. Private wedding events can be held in any one of four private areas from the Parrots Bar, for up to 50 guests, to the Wet Bar, which can manage 100.
For the adventurous at heart, there are Punta Cana boat services to the semi-deserted Saona and Catalina islands, where the remains of Captain Kidd’s pirate ship were found in 2007, 300 years after it sank. Or sail to Samana, where you can visit the rainforest, mangroves and cave paintings of Los Haitises National Park, where parts of the Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchises were filmed. (All these excursions are organised by local companies and are available at extra cost.)
For night-time adventures you’ll find Coco’s Night Club, the Sports Bar and a casino on Caribbean Street, between this resort and Colonial, its neighbour. Entrance, food and drink are all free under the all-inclusive plan.
The food is exemplary, whether you go for Caribbean, Mexican, Japanese, steakhouse cuts, the freshest seafood or the all-day international buffet. For attacks of the late-night munchies, La Bodeguita opens from 11pm to 6am. The all-inclusive price includes unlimited visits to the restaurants, as well as house wine (red, white, rosé and champagne) with meals and in the bars.
Oodles of space
One-bedroom suites in the Family Club have an outdoor Jacuzzi
Fan the flames
See teppanyaki made before your eyes
Aperitif, anyone?
The Piano Bar in the Upper Lobby is a great place to meet
MAJESTIC MIRAGE
PUNTA CANA
Luxury is the mantra at this all-suite resort. Like its Majestic sisters, it is divided into two sections: the Family Club, for all ages, and the Mirage Club for guests aged 18 and over. But here, butler and concierge services, the VIP lounge, bar and restaurant access, 24-hour room service and innumerable other benefits all come as standard.
There’s a gym that’s open 8am to 7pm as well as yoga, spinning, Latin dance and Pilates classes. On the beach, a watersports centre provides complimentary non-motorised equipment such as boogie boards, windsurfing boards, catamarans and kayaks; scuba-diving lessons are also available. Basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, as well as a running track, complete the sports offering, and pros are on hand to offer tuition in the way of the racquet, for a little extra.
One of the big draws for Majestic guests is the resort’s proximity – just 200 metres away – to the 18-hole, 72-par Punta Blanca golf course, designed by former world No 1 golfer Nick Price. Green fees are complimentary (restrictions apply) but golf carts, which are mandatory, are not. A special rate has been arranged for guests who wish to purchase additional rounds of golf during their stay.
Located in its own building between the Elegance and Mirage resorts, the Majestic Spa is the ultimate in pampering. There’s
a treatment zone for body wraps, hydrotherapy, facials and massages; a “humid” area, which features eight showers ranging from icy to tropical, as well as a sauna and Turkish baths; plus a beauty salon for all your coiffing and mani-pedi needs for extra cost.
The dining options are, as is the Majestic way, dependably delicious. Don Jaume, an Argentinian-style steakhouse, and L’Essence, a gourmet restaurant for diners aged 12 and over, both prove especially popular. For a surcharge, the latter hosts wine tastings of bottles from its own exclusive cellar.
Make a splash
Kids will have bags of fun in the water
There’s a treatment zone for body wraps, hydrotherapy, facials and massages
Cocooned in comfort
The Junior Suites feel generous at 532 sq ft, with calming neutral tones
All British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected and come with a 24-hour holiday helpline. Secure your all-inclusive holiday now with a low deposit at ba.com/elegance-costa,
ba.com/majestic-colonial, ba.com/elegance-punta
and ba.com/majestic-mirage