Best Overwater Bungalows in the Caribbean (2021)

Aruba Ocean Villas and their overwater bungalows/water villas (the only ones in Aruba) occupy a slice of tropical paradise near Oranjestad and the international airport, in the southwest of the island. The resort itself is a stylish, luxury oasis with a gorgeous location, great facilities (no spa as yet though plans are afoot), top class food, drink and excellent service all round. It’s also small, intimate and friendly, and has none of the anonymous, almost industrial atmosphere of many of the large Caribbean resorts. They have only three over water bungalows at Aruba Ocean Villas and they are extremely popular with guests so be sure to book your stay well in advance. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have some fantastic, individually designed choices at Ocean Villas, all except one being doubles. The three coveted overwater bungalows- listed on the booking page as LouLou, Isla Alistaire and Dushi Sue are opulent, spacious and very well furnished and equipped. They are also all very beautiful but Dushi Sue is our favorite – a tremendously stylish 1000 sq ft oasis. They may not have the classic glass floor panels that are a feature of many overwater bungalows but they are homely, and extremely comfortable and stylish. If the overwater bungalows are booked out you will absolutely not be disappointed by the other beachfront choices at Aruba Ocean Villas. They are slightly smaller but also beautifully designed, furnished and equipped and have a nice cosy feel. All of the above are doubles but for larger groups/families there is the Sunset Villa which is a private villa about 5 minutes away from the resort center. It can sleep up to eight people over four spacious bedrooms. It is a gorgeous property and has tremendous views over the ocean. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews & more photos, on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: As mentioned above, Aruba Ocean Villas is a small, intimate resort with a laid back, familiar atmosphere, so you shouldn’t expects too many fancy facilities. There is no spa here (yet) for example but they do offer a range of massage services. It does though a very READ MORE

Sandals, fresh from their success with overwater bungalows in Jamaica, quickly turned their sights to St Lucia, and here at the all-inclusive, adults only, Sandals Grande St. Lucian resort you can expect the same high levels of luxury, sophistication and service. It is very much an opulent romantic getaway, being adults only and attracting a well heeled clientele, but the atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and rarely stuffy. Their overwater bungalows are a honeymoon favorite and with only nine of them they are booked out well in advance. They come with glass floor panels, tranquility soaking tubs, private patios and over-water hammocks, amongst other special features. They also have a 24 hour personal butler service and the service in general is top notch – efficient and professional but also relaxed and personable. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have an enormous range of accommodation at the resort, with the above mentioned overwater bungalows being the most popular. These have a spacious, luxurious feel with hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, king-size beds with soft linens and plush pillows, smart TVs, sun decks, outdoor showers, swish bathrooms and 24 hour personal butler service. Many of the other choices well match, if not surpass, the style and sophistication of the overwaters though just without the novelty of having ocean being directly under your feet. The beachside suites in particular are extremely opulent, and very much worth considering if the overwaters are not free. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. Note: The overwater bungalows at Sandals St. Lucien are very sought after – Covid-19 notwithstanding, for the 2021 season you should really reserve your stay as soon as possible. Our partnership with Hotels.com allows you free cancellation on most bookings.  FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: Sandals Grande St. Lucian is a huge resort with 311 accommodation units, twelve restaurants and six bars including a British Pub and a swim-up pool bar. All of this is all-inclusive of course and the quality and variety of the food is impressive, as is the ever cheerful sand helpful service. There is also a mile of gorgeous sandy beach at your disposal, READ MORE

First opening its doors in May 2019, Royalton Antigua is an all inclusive resort that boasts Antigua’s very first, and still only, overwater bungalows. The resort promises opulence and luxury and has a choice setting on the clear, calm waters of Antigua’s Deep Bay, less than twenty minutes from St. John’s, and a half an hour from V. C. Bird International Airport. THE ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation choices are many, with of course the overwater bungalows taking pride of place (referred to as Bungalow – Water Front on the booking page here). They are all doubles with king size beds, lounge (with a sofa bed) & dining areas, and outdoor terraces overlooking, of course, the water. They are also beautifully designed in a sleek modernist style, and display an unashamed sense of luxury. Expect private infinity plunge pools, jacuzzis, glass floor viewing panels, private butlers and 24 hour room service as standard, as well as in-room aromatherapy, satellite TVs, top of the range music systems, complimentary IPTV movie selections, twice daily re-stocked minibars and to top it all a choice of pillows from the pillow menu. The other accommodation choices are a mixture of suites in different locations around the private beach, and all of them share the same sleek interiors and modern luxury features. They can all sleep up to four but are generally smaller than the overwater bungalows which have over 1,100 square feet (106 square meters) of space. Previous guests have complained that the walls in some of the suites can be thin. An issue that obviously though isn’t relevant to the overwater bungalows. Note: Children (under 13) are not allowed to stay in the overwater bungalows, hence we have placed The Royalton in the Adults Only category. In all the other accommodation though children are welcome. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. Note: The overwater bungalows at Royalton Antigua are incredibly sought after – for the 2021 season you should really reserve your stay as soon as possible. Our partnership with Booking.com allows you free cancellation on most bookings.  FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: The resort READ MORE

One of only two overwater bungalow resorts in Jamaica (the other being Sandals Royal Caribbean), Sandals South Coast is a 5 star luxury, adults only, all inclusive resort which offers pure Epicurean indulgence in a gloriously isolated beach setting. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a wide range of luxury accommodation to choose from, between rooms, suites and overwater bungalows, all offering varying levels of space, luxury and privacy. Their 1,100 square feet overwater bungalows (referred to as ‘Deluxe Bungalow with Sea View’ on the booking page) are suitably plush and luxurious, and come with outdoor sun decks with soaking tubs and overwater hammocks, internal glass floor panels, particularly nice, spa style bathrooms, 24 hour room service and an exclusive in-room dining and room service menu. PRICES: Check out all the details -prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. Note: The overwater bungalows at Sandals South Coast are incredibly sought after – Covid-19 notwithstanding, for the 2021 season you should really reserve your stay as soon as possible. Our partnership with Hotels.com allows you free cancellation on most bookings.  FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: Sandals South Coast is very large indeed with different European themed sections, French Village, Italian Village, Dutch Village and Venetian Piazza. There is a lot going on around the resort though the overwater bungalow section is slightly away from it all and so very peaceful. You have nine gourmet restaurants to choose from which serve consistently excellent European, Asian and Caribbean cuisine, as well as eleven different bars with a range of musical, and other, entertainment, and a huge range of premium drinks. You can do some duty-free shopping at the collection of resort boutiques and luxury jewelers, browse art galleries or play sports such as beach volleyball, tennis, billiards, table tennis and shuffle board. There is a state of the art gym and fitness center here, and the tranquil oasis of the Red Lane Spa has, amongst other things, a beauty salon, a yoga-pilates studio, a steam room, plunge pools and several secluded outdoor relaxation areas. The all inclusive package grants guests access to a wide range of water based activities; water skiing, snorkeling, READ MORE

The couples-only Sandals Royal Caribbean, very near Montego Bay & Sangster International Airport, was the very first overwater bungalow resort in Jamaica and indeed the entire Caribbean. The concept was an immediate success and the Sandals company soon followed it with overwater bungalows at Sandals South Coast (also in Jamaica) and in their branch in St. Lucia. Sandals Royal Caribbean though was the ground breaker, or well…water breaker, in this region and its standards have been extremely high from the beginning. It is a high end luxury, all inclusive private island paradise with top of the range facilities, superb food and drink and consistently excellent service. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a great range of accommodation to choose from; hotel rooms, suites and overwater bungalows, offering varying levels of space and luxury to suit most budgets. Their beautifully designed overwater bungalows have set the standards high from the very beginning. They have a tangible sense of luxury, are sleek, modern and spacious (just over 1,100 square feet), and come with outdoor terraces, infinity plunge pools, glass floor panels, romantic spa style bathrooms with bathtubs, a wealth of modern facilities and 24 hour rooms service with an exclusive in-room dining menu. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews & more photos, on the booking page here. Note: The overwater bungalows at Sandals Royal Caribbean are incredibly sought after – Covid-19 notwithstanding, for the 2021 season you should really reserve your stay as soon as possible. Our partnership with Hotels.com allows you free cancellation on most bookings.  FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: You have a nice choice of food and drink outlets from casual eateries and lively bars to elegant fine dining restaurants, serving French, Thai, Caribbean sea-food and international cuisine. If that somehow isn’t enough you can also jump on the free shuttle to Sandal’s two other Montego Bay resorts where even more choice awaits, all of which is included in your all inclusive package. There are seven swimming pools at the resort, including two swim up bars, five jacuzzis and a small but utterly gorgeous stretch of private beach. There is live entertainment most evenings at various places around the READ MORE

One of only two overwater bungalow resorts in Mexico, the other being the nearby Palafitos El Dorado Resort, Rosewood Mayakoba shares the same serene beach setting near Cancun, high quality accommodation and excellent service and facilities, in particular its award winning spa. THE ACCOMMODATION: The resort has 129 sleek and modern suites and villas of varying sizes from 780 sq. ft. to 1500 sq. ft, all of which come with an array of luxury facilities and the very finest interior design. Their overwater bungalows, or Deluxe Lagoon Suites as they are titled, may disappoint a little compared to those of neighboring Palafitos as they are not 100% over water and overlook the lagoon as opposed to the sea. That aside though, they have a sleek and classy modern design, and a feel of real luxury. Features include private plunge pools, spacious open plan bathrooms with bathtubs, indoor and outdoor showers, walk in closets and a separate lounge area with seating and dining space. Facilities include WiFi, Satellite TV, DVD player, iPod docks, Bose music systems and 24 hour room service. The bungalows are adults only, though the rest of the resort is family friendly, they have a maximum occupancy of two and feel very spacious indeed with 977 sq. ft. of interior space and 498 sq. ft. of private terrace outside which includes an infinity style plunge pool (that can be heated, rather unnecessarily perhaps). PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: Though the overwater bungalows at Rosewood Mayakoba, like in most places, are adults only, the resort itself is family friendly, there is in fact a kids club here, and children can be accommodated in the other suites and villas. There are a number of fantastic restaurants to choose from here; Caso del Lago serves Italian with a Mexican twist, Agave Azul mainly does Asian influenced seafood dishes, Punta Bonita is a Mexican bistro while the cool Aqui Mi Quedo serves Mexican and Caribbean street food, has a casual bar like atmosphere, and is adults only. La Fondita is a Mexico City style informal READ MORE

The award winning, adults only, Palafitos Overwater Bungalows at El Dorado Maroma near Cancun were the very first overwater bungalows in Mexico (there are now still just two – the other being the very nearby Rosewood Mayakoba), and consistently hits world class standards for luxury, all inclusive resorts. It has a fabulous location on Maroma Beach, Playa del Carmen – rated one of the world’s best beaches, the gourmet food and drink is of the highest quality, there are numerous activities to enjoy, and the resort is intimate, romantic and at the same time fun. THE ACCOMMODATION: As mentioned, the Palafitos overwater bungalows were the very first in Mexico and come with all the features you would expect from such a pioneering resort – glass floor panels, jacuzzis, private infinity pools, outdoor showers and direct access to the crystal clear waters below your feet. There are two basic types; the Palafitos ‘Beachfront Bungalows’ are close the shore while their ‘Superior Bungalows’ are out in the open water and so are more peaceful and give more of a at one with the water feeling. Both are pretty much identical in every other way though and, covering nearly 600 square feet, they are modern internally and suitably luxurious, with extra large, terrifically comfortable double beds, a seating/dining area, sections of glass bottom floor, a jacuzzi, an infinity type plunge pool on the terrace over looking the water plus an outdoor shower. Other facilities include WiFi, cable TV, air con, iPod docks, mini bar, 24 hour room service and a private butler. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos – on the booking page here. Note: The overwater bungalows of Palafitos El Dorado are incredibly sought after – Covid-19 notwithstanding, for the 2021 season you should really book your stay as soon as possible. Our partnership with Booking.com allows you free cancellation on most bookings. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: El Dorado Maroma an all inclusive resort with a great emphasis on gourmet food and drink, with much of the ingredients coming fresh from their own 76,000 sq. ft. greenhouses. You have a great choice of restaurants as well READ MORE