Hotels with benefits: The best Caribbean resort free perks from paddleboarding to shows

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

1 of 31
2 of 31
3 of 31
4 of 31
5 of 31
6 of 31
7 of 31
8 of 31
9 of 31
10 of 31
11 of 31
12 of 31
13 of 31
14 of 31
15 of 31
16 of 31
17 of 31
18 of 31
19 of 31
20 of 31
21 of 31
22 of 31
23 of 31
24 of 31
25 of 31
26 of 31
27 of 31
28 of 31
29 of 31
30 of 31
31 of 31

We’ve come a long way since welcome cocktails and free Wi-Fi were considered the best in resort perks.

These days, hotels and resorts are upping their game with gratis add-ons that are as much a part of a vacation as a chaise on the beach, cocktails at sunset and throwing calories to the wind at a big buffet.

Check out our list of resort perks at premiere Caribbean hotels that go above and beyond the traditional experience and pick your favorites, from dance lessons and cooking classes to garden tours and meet and greets with a family of friendly goats.

The Bahamas

Spared the wrath of Hurricane Dorian, Warwick Paradise Island – Bahamas is open for business with a laundry list of complimentary extras for singles, couples and gaggles of pals. On the perk hit parade at the adults-only all-inclusive are picnics on Cabbage Beach and nature walks that stop at the freshwater ponds to feed the turtles. Also gratis for guests, yoga on the deck and beach bikes for those with a tad more energy than it takes to top off a tan. To land the big one, rods, bait and hooks are complimentary with cash prizes awarded for the biggest catch. As the sun sets, keep your wallet in your pocket as local singers and dancers take the stage in the Rum Cay Lobby Bar and the Junkanoo Beat.

Jamaica

Coveted for its calm vibe and named for the towering black cliffs, Negril is the Jamaican road less traveled about a 90 minute drive from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Recognized in the TripAdvisor 2019 Travelers’ Choice awards, Sunset at the Palms packs a big punch with a bevy of no-price-tag options for guests. Nirvana for nature lovers, the all-inclusive with 85 treehouse-style suites offers guests the opportunity to meet and greet a family of friendly goats living at the resort during nature walks at 10 a.m. Mondays and Fridays. Also gratis, mixology lessons on Wednesdays; cooking classes on Thursdays; and sun loungers on the two-mile-long crescent-shaped Bloody Bay Beach, where pedal boats, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkeling gear is available.

Puerto Rico

Five miles east of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan Marriott Resort Stellaris Casino sits pretty on Condado Beach on the Atlantic coast of the island. Nearby Old San Juan, the family-friendly resort invites with a boatload of free stuff beyond the welcome drinks at Gingambo Beach Bar. To keep kids and tweens amused, there’s gratis scavenger hunts, sandcastle building on the beach and a 90-foot spiral waterslide in the children’s pool. For the active crowd, gratis fun includes two hours on a bike, tennis, aqua fitness classes, yoga lessons and quality time with a personal trainer. Also without additional charges, there are beach chairs, umbrellas and volleyball, and for those who like to bust a move, Zumba and Latin dance classes are on the house. When the sun sets, live bands rock the lobby Thursday-Sunday, and there’s $30 in casino coupons for play in the 24-hour casino that has a VIP lounge for high rollers.

Grenada

Low-rise and high-luxe, 64-suite Spice Island Beach Resort is a no-wristband all-inclusive fronting Grand Anse Beach. Earning AAA Five Diamonds, the family-owned resort is spread out over eight acres dotted with lemon and almond trees. Perks you won’t see on your bill go the distance like greens fees at the Grenada Golf Country Club, bikes as long you stay within two miles of the resort, tennis, Nutmeg Pod supervised play space for kids from 3 to 12 years, garden tours, cooking demos, scuba and sailing. Popular with British royals like Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who stayed in the Cinnamon Suite during their tour of the Caribbean earlier this year, traditional afternoon tea is served every day at no extra charge. Gratis add-ons for honeymooners staying seven nights include a sunset cruise, bottle of bubbly and a royal rubdown in the spa.

Sint Maarten

Adjacent resorts conveniently located within minutes of Princess Juliana International Airport on the southwestern shore of the dual-nation island, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and the upscale adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point Resort are vacation bonanzas with a combined 500 rooms and suites and a host of gratis options that go beyond an all-inclusive stay. SunFit Body + Lifestyle Sessions are complimentary options for those working off the pesky breakfast buffet calories. Classes run the fitness gamut from pilates and kickboxing to “aquacise” (aerobics in the pool) to yoga, meditation and early morning runs. For those who prefer a soundtrack while exercising, Zumba and salsa lessons are complimentary, and for the younger set, the Beach House Kids Club and Teen Zone are free. Across the street from the resorts, you won’t need an admission ticket for a front-row seat at the Vegas-style shows in the Casino Royale Theater.

After Hurricane Irma: St. Maarten resorts have rebuilt to become bigger and better

Saint Lucia

The only family-friendly resort on the south coast, Coconut Bay Beach Resort Spa is within minutes of the Hewanorra International Airport. This is a big plus not only because airport transfers are gratis but also because many resorts are in the north, which is a long and hilly drive from the airport and not fun for cranky kids. On Anse de Sables Beach with views of the Maria Islands Nature Reserve, the 250-room resort is big enough for an adults-only wing with a pair of pools, hammocks and sun decks, plus a wing just for families with CocoLand Kidz Klub and a petting zoo where ducks, goats, donkeys and horses hang out. Free for kids, backpacks are loaded with all sorts of free stuff. Tastings are gratis at the Sugar Cane Rum Bar on Wednesdays when the sommelier curates a selection of Caribbean rums. Also with no additional charge, there’s yoga, water polo, beach bocce ball, reggae dance classes, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding and tennis courts and basketball courts lit for night play.

Turks and Caicos Islands

On prime beach real estate in Providenciales, or Provo as it is better known, The Sands at Grace Bay invites with a myriad of perks for guests. With a slew of best-beach awards, Grace Bay is the prettiest sandy sliver in the capital city. The 114-room-and-suite resort offers complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkel gear and Hobie Cats (small sailing catamarans). For landlubbers, play on the basketball and tennis courts is complimentary. Sweetening the pot, cocktails are on the house at the poolside manager’s cocktail party, and bicycles are available for an afternoon ride. Stays are discounted 15% through Dec. 19.

Aruba

Sitting below the Atlantic hurricane belt, it’s a twofer at the side-by-side Divi Aruba and Tamarijn Aruba, where guests stay at one and play, eat and chill at both. On Druif Beach, the all-inclusives with a combined total of about 500 rooms are close to the capital city of Oranjestad and 30 minutes from the Queen Beatrix International Airport. Popular perks include play at the Divi Winds Sports Center with a 30-foot rock climbing wall, bicycles, tennis, snorkeling, windsurfing, catamarans and kayaks. Also gratis, there are salsa lessons and coupons for play at the Alhambra Casino, next door to the resort. Skip the clubs on the more crowded Eagle Beach and opt instead for free in-house reggae concerts, Cuban dance performances and steel pan bands.