Located along Antigua's unspoiled southern coast, Carlisle Bay is a modern and sleek resort wedged between the dazzling Caribbean Sea and the island's verdant tropical interior. A 30-minute drive from the airport and the busy capital of Saint John, it is removed both physically and aesthetically—a splash of contemporary chic in the tropics.

You'll realize you're in a different type of resort as soon as you check in. The interior—with its blend of dark wood, pickled grey and

Located along Antigua's unspoiled southern coast, Carlisle Bay is a modern and sleek resort wedged between the dazzling Caribbean Sea and the island's verdant tropical interior. A 30-minute drive from the airport and the busy capital of Saint John, it is removed both physically and aesthetically—a splash of contemporary chic in the tropics.

You'll realize you're in a different type of resort as soon as you check in. The interior—with its blend of dark wood, pickled grey and soft white—could be at home in a SoHo duplex or on the pages of a trendy interior design magazine. Just as it's meant to be.

Simultaneously, it's also a large luxury hotel, with 82 suites nestled amid palm trees and colorful flowers, all offering breathtaking ocean views. Guests can choose from among four different layouts. Beach Suites feature a comfortable bedroom with king-size bed and seating area, a separate study or second bedroom, and either a terrace or balcony. The Ocean Suite is a step up, a split-level residence offering a spacious bedroom with adjacent sitting room, a bathroom you could live in, and a balcony with plenty of space to relax. Families and large groups will prefer the Carlisle Suites, a pair of three-bedroom affairs that can accommodate up to six people. (Of the two, Suite B has better ocean views and a long, wraparound balcony.)

Each suite has been decorated in the clean, classic contemporary style that makes this hotel such a pleasant departure from the norm. Every balcony has an oversized day bed—perfect for quiet contemplation of the Caribbean's many shades of blue. Original black and white photography, dark wood furniture, and luxurious linens and silks add a refreshingly cool and airy feel to the accommodations, which only makes you more eager to settle in.

Speaking of settling in, Carlisle Bay has a number of special touches and services that will make you want to extend your stay. The fresh tropical fruit delivered daily to your room is a great way to start your day. Two one-of-a-kind features—a private screening room and an ultra-modern, ultra-cool library—enhance the live-in-luxury feel of the place. Two restaurants and three bars complete the resort's layout, giving guests numerous private nooks and public spaces in which to mingle and relax.

And then there's the highly acclaimed Blue Spa, which puts a premium on fitness and well-being through its gym, personal training programs, yoga, and nine tennis courts.

If you want to get off the resort, head straight for the water. Hobie Cats, windsurfing, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba in nearby reefs are all available from the hotel's excellent water sports team. For those who want instruction, windsurfing and sailing clinics are held most days. Of course, you don't need to head into the sea to enjoy the water: The hotel's beautiful free-form pool might just be enough to entice you out of your room.

Kim Grant has been writing about the best places to stay in North America since the day after graduating college in 1984. Since then she has written over 35 guidebooks and for countless websites and print publications. She is also the editorial director of a forthcoming website on the best places to stay and the travel acquisitions editor for Countryman Press.