Jumby Bay: Introduction: Overview

With its long white beaches, manicured garden paths and a limpid turquoise sea, Jumby Bay, a Rosewood Resort, off Antigua, comes close to being the ideal Caribbean getaway. Similar to Mustique, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it is located on a private island that belongs to an association of homeowners, and some of their sumptuous Estate Homes, strung along the coast like precious pearls, can be rented exclusively through Rosewood, the Texas-based hotel group that manages Jumby (as well as hard-to-book Las Ventanas, in Baja, and Santa Barbara’s San Ysidro Ranch, among others). The resort occupies much of the island’s west coast, where a large swimming pool, tennis courts and a beach restaurant and bar are situated.

The setting may be gorgeous, but it’s the easygoing, friendly vibe that sets Jumby Bay apart. This is particularly clear during the weekly cocktail party, hosted by general manager Carlos Salazar (another recent arrival, formerly of New York’s Carlyle) and his lovely wife, Aubriene, where everyone from families to honeymooners mingles. Kids run around the beach, parents meet over rum punch, homeowners share tales of what the island looked like in the 1980s, and everyone watches the sun spill into the sea. There’s an unadulterated joy in the air, a heartfelt sense of appreciation for this special spot—and it’s contagious, transforming newcomers into instant Jumby enthusiasts determined to return.