West Indian decorative arts scholar Michael Connors presents a lavishly illustrated and comprehensive history of architecturally significant dwellings and estates in the West Indies in his beautiful new book Caribbean Houses from Rizzoli. The book is divided into five chapters, one for each European heritage that brought their own influences and designs to the region: the Spanish, Dutch, English, French, and Danish. In addition to the gorgeous photographs done exclusively for the book, Connors discourses on the area's rich architecture and interior design history, and gives the reader a "unique view of houses that combine the tradition of European styles with the vernacular island forms and decorative motifs." The featured islands include: The Spanish Antilles – Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic; The Dutch Leewards – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao; The English Islands – Barbados, Turks & Caicos, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts; The French Lesser Antilles – Martinique; and The U.S. Virgin Islands (formerly Danish) – St. Thomas and St. Croix.

The recently-closed Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay in the Bahamas will have a new life as a Sandals Resort. The property will be the 14th Sandals Resort in the Caribbean and the third in the Bahamas. The 500-acre property has a Greg Norman golf course and a marina. The resort closed in May after being in receivership and will re-open next January. It will be given some Sandals-style amenities including a new pool complex with a swim-up bar and additional restaurants. The resort occupies an enviable swath of white sand on Emerald Bay and has 190 rooms. The marina has 133 slips and can accommodate yachts up to 300 feet in length. It seems like a good deal for Sandals, they've acquired a great resort at what was probably a very good price.

Famed French chef Alain Ducasse will open his first restaurant in the Caribbean at the new W Retreat & Spa: Vieques Island this November, called "miX on the beach." At the eatery (above) Ducasse will offer a sophisticated menu, exploring "colorful Latino Caribbean flavors with an artful French twist and refreshing dishes that highlight only the finest ingredients from land and sea, expertly prepared and creatively presented." Both indoor and outdoor dining will be available with impressive ocean views on all sides. The first W Retreat & Spa in the Caribbean, the resort is located just off the Southeast coast of Puerto Rico on the peaceful 55-acre island of Vieques. In addition to miX on the beach, Ducasse's team will also manage the entire food and beverage program for the resort.

Looking for something new under the Caribbean sun? The Sheherezade is a new five-acre villa – one acre for every star, I guess – on Mustique. This is one of only a handful of properties on the island that offers access to the Mustique Moon Walk and is adjacent to a 100-acre reserve, tennis court and private gym. Located on the south side of the island, Sheherezade features views of where the Atlantic and Caribbean meet from one of the highest points on Mustique, turning the home into a paradise within a paradise.

Designed by Mexican architect Manolo Mestre, this seven-bedroom compound includes a main family residence and three private guest villas, connected by an expansive palapa with infinity pools along a carefully landscaped ridge. Bathrooms are spa-inspired, and 280-degree vistas are offered from the verandas. The primary residence, with four bedrooms, integrates exotic woods, a pebble mosaic and hand-chiseled floors, with organic materials included in the construction. The three private cottages feature one bedroom each and tranquil gardens. A lap pool and sun terrace are accessible from all four buildings. All four buildings are supported by a staff of six. In total, the Sheherezade has a capacity of 14 guests.

While you can disappear to the Sheherezade to chill, the active will not be bored. Wireless internet is up and running for those (like me) desperate to stay connected, and there's a tennis court on the property to feed those with the green ball addiction. The most important amenity, however, is privacy. When you step into this corner of Mustique, you will be lost to the world ... until you decide to return. Of course, at $40,000 a week, you'd expect nothing less.

Atlantico Rum (above), produced in the Dominican Republic, is a unique dark rum that "embodies tradition, sophistication, and handcrafted quality." The process for Atlantico Rum begins with handpicking the finest small batched aged rums in the Dominican Republic. The rums are blended together under the watchful eye of the master blender and placed in small bourbon barrels (private casks) for further aging of 1 to 2 years. Next, the rum is removed from the casks, placed into another set of barrels and aged yet again for 15 to 25 years using the complex solera method.

The weathering elements during the dry and rainy seasons, the topography, and the constant Caribbean sea breeze from the Dominican Republic's coastline all affect the wooden barrels the rum they contain, further developing and enhancing the flavor. Finally, the rum, by now incredibly complex and smooth, is bottled by hand. The bottle design is inspired by vintage Dominican cigar labels, and each one is carefully inspected, approved, and hand initialed by the founders before being placed in its special burlap sack.

You plan a vacation to Barbados to loll around the beach, sipping a rum punch, two activities that just don't lend themselves to gray, miserable weather. But this eastern-most Caribbean island really doesn't have much terrible weather -- even hurricane strikes are rare -- so much so that the island's tourism authority is willing to guarantee it. Should the average daily temperature fall below 78 degrees, and should rain accumulate at more than a quarter of an inch, travelers that sign up in advance through the Perfect Weather Guarantee program will receive a $100 per crappy day rebate.

There's no cost to enroll in the program, but you have to book it at least ten days before you travel, and you must do so before June 7th, 2009, for travel between May 28th and December 18th, 2009.

Your chances of getting a payout aren't great. According to Weather.com, the average high in Barbados is 85-86 degrees F, and the low is 78-79 degrees F, making it highly unlikely that the average would fall below 78 degrees. There's a better chance of rain during these months, the average monthly rain fall reaches a high of 6.7 inches in October -- but this still averages out to less than a quarter inch a day. Which means you may just have to enjoy a sunny Bajan vacation after all -- perhaps on the pinkish sand beach at The Crane, pictured above.

It's a really good time to escape to the Virgin Islands. As I am writing this, it is 11:30 am on the island of St. Thomas, and the weather is a perfect 80ºF/26ºC. The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, above, is offering a Caribean Splendor package to help you take advantage of the Virgin Islands.

Why St. Thomas? You don't need a passport, and there are direct flights from New York, Charlotte, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. There's scuba diving, divine restaurants with unadulterated views of uninhabited islands, a vibrant, relaxed island culture, and the beautiful hotel above. You can check out more of the attractions here.

The Caribbean Splendor package, which starts at $664 per night with a three night minimum (long luxury weekend, anyone?), includes:

• Overnight accommodations in an ocean view room
• Sunset Sail or half day snorkel sail for two aboard the Lady Lynsey (see gallery)
• Two 50-minute spa treatments
• Daily breakfast for two at Bleuwater
• Seven-course tasting dinner for two at Bleuwater
• Gratuity for all services listed on this package only

This is the kind of romantic getaway you've been dreaming about, and you can take it anytime between now and October 31, 2009. And for added romance, The Ritz-Carlton is also currently offering Complimentary Destination Weddings -- definitely a must-see. Check out more photos of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas below.

The 2009 Tobacconists' Association of America (TAA) Convention kicks off on Sunday, March 8. Tobacconists and manufacturers from around the world will converge on the CasaMagna Marriott for four days of reconnecting, deal-making and of course plenty of cigar smoking. I'm currently at this Cancun resort and am happy to give the attendees – and jealous onlookers – a few insights into the event's host.

Surprisingly, smoking bans have crossed the border, forcing the CasaMagna to be smoke-free. The lobby, restaurants, bars and guestrooms, for the most part, are off-limits for puffing. Fortunately, poolside smoking is fine, and you can light up in the bar that sits alongside the beach.

Igniting your cigar may be a challenge. With airlines frustrating efforts to carry torches, matches may be your only available option (unless you bleed your lighter and find someone to refill it for you in Cancun. The wind off the Caribbean is strong, so look for sheltered corners to use when firing up (there are a handful of them almost everywhere on the property).

A loophole in Mexico's smoking laws allows CasaMagna to welcome TAA's smokers into the Sa Si Thai restaurant, as it is a covered outdoor space. So, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite Avo, Fuente or Davidoff (or anything else) unmolested. The hotel has extended this restaurant's hours of operation to accommodate late-night indulging. After last call, you can retreat to your room's balcony to tie off the night with your preferred stick.

Today's home is a dream getaway on a Caribbean Island. Villa Cashmere is a four-bedroom home located on Antigua and Barbuda at the top of the highest point of Browns Bay with views of the east coast of the island and a short walk to the arts center of Harmony Hall. The home is split over two levels and has an open kitchen and dining area but the big draw here is the infinity pool which is perched on the hillside and looks out over the water. The home comes with another 31,000 square feet of land, enough for expansion or a small villa development. It is listed at $2.5 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

This winter the latest place to play in St. Lucia is Calabash Cove, a new boutique hotel resort set to open in December 2008. The resort offers three types of suites as well as nine teak and mahogany Water's Edge cottages, shown above, which have plunge pools, outdoor rain showers and hammocks as well as TV/DVD/hi-fi systems, refrigerators and coffee/tea makers, large patios and Jacuzzis. The suit offerings include the "Swim Up" suites which have private Jacuzzis and ar located just steps from Sweetwaters--the resort's designer pool with a 40-foot infinity edge, mahogany loungers and tropical refreshments provided by pool butlers. The swim-up suites afford private access directly from the patio of your room. Calabash Cove will also have a spa, fitness studio and full-service beauty salon as well as the Windsong Restaurant and C Bar. Rates at Calabash Cove range from $295-$895 per night and include the resort's island breakfast buffet. The entire resort can also be rented out for destination weddings for up to 52 guests for $50,000 per day.

When it comes to real estate, where haven't Russia's wealthy elite ended up? A mystery Russian billionaire recently scooped up the world's most expensive house on the French Riviera. We've seen them move in to the Plaza in New York, snatch up historic homes in London and pick up ski real estate in Colorado. The Moscow Times says that the next big flood of Russian real estate investment may be headed to the turquoise waters and white sands of the Caribbean. The lure is two-fold, part of it is the natural charm of an idyllic tropical paradise and part of it is the potential property tax breaks that make the homes both pleasure and a smart investment.

While Russian billionaires have long had Caribbean homes, now there is a move by multimillionaires to get their own piece of tropical paradise, buying in to the many developments springing up practically everywhere there is an untended beach. Projects such as Isla Moin in Costa Rica, Costa Blanca in the Dominican Republic and Vita Tower in Panama, which were in many cases originally designed for the American wealthy, have begin to sell toward Russian investors. The Moscow Times also reported last April that Florida real estate projects were also seeking out Russian buyers. The current weakness of the U.S. dollar is also spurring on Russian investors who are finding they can get some great deals.

Since it first opened in 1961, Barbados' luxurious Sandy Lane has played host to a never-ending stream of royalty, socialites and movie stars. Arguably the Caribbean's plushest resort, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas, David Niven, Jackie Kennedy, Frank Sinatra and Queen Elizabeth all took sojourns there in years past, while the list of current habitués is no less impressive, including Tiger Woods who tied the knot there in 2004.

The ne plus ultra in exclusivity, luxury, privacy and white glove service is embodied by the palatial neo-Palladian-style main building of cream coral stone set in a grove of mahogany trees on a beautiful stretch of beach in the middle of Barbados' "platinum coast." A chauffered limousine (a Bentley for high-rollers) picks you up at the airport and you're greeted at the front desk with cold towels and fruit punch, a preview of coming attractions, so to speak.

Sandy Lane was rebuilt in 2001, and it's currently in the midst of a multimillion dollar makeover including upgrades to rooms, the spa, restaurants and public spaces. When it re-opens on October 3, in addition to 16,000-sq.-ft. of new marble, one of the biggest improvements will be an open plan, multi-cultural, all-day dining facility featuring a residential-style kitchen in the manner of a Caribbean Palladian conservatory, with a wine store, beach bar, sushi bar, lobster and live seafood tank, a fresh herb garden and a wood burning oven.



The resort's 112 rooms average 900 square feet and feature marble floors and bathrooms, mahogany plantation furniture, private verandahs, plasma TVs and all the bells and whistles. The property features two Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf courses, nine championship tennis courts, a 47,000 square foot spa, a John Frieda salon, shops galore (Joan Collins still owes money in one of them) and seven bars and restaurants to choose from. On the beach, attendants will fetch you drinks, clean your sunglasses and even spritz you with Evian water should you so desire.

In addition to the main accommodations, there's also a five bedroom villa that sleeps 14 with a private pool, butler, housekeeper, chef and 24-hr. security guard for $25,000 a night during the holiday season. But if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.

Ah, the Cayman Islands, January 16-19, 2009, with top food and liquor to boot. The Cayman Cookout is just what you'll want come frosty winter. The "cookout" is the Caribbean's premier food, wine and rum festival, and is hosted by Eric Ripert, known for Le Bernadin. A weekend of events, tastings, demonstrations and wine seminars from Ripert and his friends, including wine expert Anthony Giglio, fill four delicious days. The cookout is set in the the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, home of Ripert's acclaimed restaurant Blue.

The gorgeous Grace Bay Club in the Turks and Caicos has unveiled plans for The Estate, a collection of 22 "custom-designed ultra-elegant residences" set to debut in November. The luxury resort is building the deluxe dwellings on its prime parcel of 11 oceanfront acres just steps from the beach. Each 4500-sq.-ft. unit will have four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a steam shower, a library/media room and wraparound terraces; floor plans are customizable. The Estate development also includes a multi-tiered oceanfront pool, luxury cabanas and a Personal Concierge program. Prices range from $2.8 million to $5 million-plus for a penthouse.

The luxe all-suite resort is also home to the "longest bar in the Caribbean", which stretches 90 feet across the Grace Bay Club beach with its cabanas and spa tents. Constructed of black marble, the infinity design "creates the illusion that the entire structure is floating above the Caribbean sand and extending indefinitely into the ocean." We're getting thirsty just thinking about it.

Check out the gallery below for more pix and renderings of the Estate project.

Prince Charles has said before that he's committed to the environment and to reducing his personal carbon footprint on the world, and for his latest trip it seems he's keeping to that promise. Next month he and his wife Camila are planning to sail around the Caribbean on the Leander, a 246 ft luxury yacht, for an 11 day trip that sounds like a mix of business and pleasure. The voyage will have them skipping around to several different locations and officials say that sailing in the yacht will result in reduced costs and reduced carbon emissions compared to having the couple fly each step instead.

The yacht, with huge richly decorated rooms and features like a sauna and hot tub, looks like a vacation in and of itself! And it is available for private charter -- if you've got the dough.