Nothing makes me happier than hot weather. Second best is being able to walk on a sandy beach with powder-fine white sand sifting through my toes. The Carlisle Bay Hotel on Antigua combines both of these loves with one of the most heavenly long and wide beaches on the island—and each of the 82 suites has a lounge or seating area facing the sea. What’s also exciting is to be able to see Montserrat off in the distance—an island that was almost completely wiped off the map by a volcano a few years ago. So sit under the swaying palm trees, dip your toes into the ocean and if you need more stimulation take a history lesson at Nelson’s Dockyard, once a port and hurricane refuge that can be traced back to 1671. I enjoyed the small but interesting art gallery and museum on the premises, but the lure of the Carlisle Bay with its fine restaurants and great boutique was just too overwhelming for me to stay away for long.