Caribbean: adult-only resorts

If you’re yearning for a tranquil, child-free resort then check out our pick of the best in the Caribbean. Janine Kelso reports

If screaming babies and boisterous children sound like a recipe for a holiday from hell then an adults-only resort might be for you.

Appealing to the couples and singles market, hotels with a no-children policy are particularly popular in the Caribbean, with resorts such as Sandals and Couples leading the way. If you’re looking for peace and quiet in a child-free zone, see below for a few of our favourites.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar, Varadero, Cuba

This luxury all-inclusive hotel was a former Sandals resort and is now part of the Sol Melia group.

Website:Paradisus Princesa Del Mar

Rooms: 434 rooms, including 362 junior suites, 70 suites and two presidential suites.

Location: On Varadero’s sumptuous sandy beach, 90 minutes from Havana airport.

Facilities: A large freshwater swimming pool with seven spa baths and two plunge pools. There is also a spa featuring a sauna, aromatic bath, whirlpool bath and steambath. Eight restaurants including Oriental, Caribbean, Italian and French cuisine, barbecue and continental, plus six bars featuring popular music and live bands.

Wow factor: There is a huge variety of sports on offer, including tennis, volleyball, table tennis, water skiing, kayaking, snorkelling, pedal boats, sail boats, windsurfing, catamaran sailing and scuba diving.

Sample package:Caribtours offers seven nights’ all-inclusive for £1,339 per person in September, including flights and transfers.

Sandals Grande Antigua

Couples-only resort Sandals unveiled 180 new Mediterranean suites at its Antigua property last October as part of a massive revamp of its Caribbean resorts. The upgrades come as Sandals rebranded its all-inclusive product to Luxury Included.

Website:Sandals Grande Antigua

Rooms: 180 Mediterranean suites and 193 rooms in the Caribbean village.

Location: Nestled alongside picture-perfect Dickenson Bay, which enjoys shallow warm waters and white-sand beaches.

Facilities: Six swimming pools, internet access, laundry and boutique. Activities include windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, tennis and table tennis.

Bars and restaurants: Eight restaurants, including a large buffet and four à la carte eateries including Japanese, Caribbean, south western US and a beach grill, plus eight bars, including an English-themed pub.

Wow factor: The rooms in the Mediterranean village are designed for romantics, with rain showers, whirlpool baths, his-and-hers sinks and four-poster beds.

Sample package:Kuoni offers seven nights’ all-inclusive in a portofino junior suite in the Mediterranean Village for £1,946 per person in September, including flights and transfers.

Grand Palladium Riviera Resort and Spa, Mayan Riviera, Mexico

This sprawling five-star resort on Mexico’s Caribbean coast has a dedicated adults-only section for guests over the age of 21.

Website:Grand Palladium Riviera Resort and Spa

Rooms: 454 rooms, including 360 junior suites, 72 suites and 22 Mayan suites.

Location: Situated on the seafront, the resort is a 20-minute drive from Playa del Carmen and a seven-minute drive from the village of Akumal.

Facilities: Four swimming pools, including an adults-only pool with whirlpool bath and bar service. Activities include scuba diving, windsurfing, canoeing and volleyball.

Bars and restaurants: Two buffet restaurants, four à la carte restaurants and 13 bars including a snack and beach bar.

Wow factor: The junior suites have whirlpool baths on the balcony.

Sample package:Thomson offers seven nights’ all-inclusive for £733 per person departing September 10, including flights and transfers.

Couples Sans Souci, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

This couples-only resort is for adults over the age of 18. It’s ideal for weddings and honeymoons thanks to its tranquil atmosphere and tropical setting.

Website:Couples San Souchi

Rooms: 150 suites, each with a king-size bed.

Location: On the east of Ocho Rios on 35 acres of land. Comprises two private cove beaches 63 miles from Montego Bay airport and three miles from downtown Ocho Rios.

Facilities: Spa, diving, golf, tennis, windsurfing, sailing, water skiing, snorkelling, fitness centre and aerobics classes, live entertainment, internet access and fully equipped conference facilities.

Bars and restaurants: Five bars and five restaurants, including jerk chicken and Jamaican specialities at the beachside Bella Vista. The resort has won several culinary awards for its cuisine.

Wow factor: For the ultimate secluded hideaway, guests can stay in the resort’s Hibiscus Cottage, nestled behind a sculpted hedge. It features an outdoor whirlpool bath for two, a large master bedroom and a separate room for private en suite massage treatments, if required.

Sample package:Virgin Holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive for £1,199 in June, including flights and transfers.

BlueBay Villas Doradas, Playa Dorada, Dominican Republic

Situated in the lively resort of Playa Dorada, this palm-fringed property is ideal for couples and singles who like to be entertained.

Website:BlueBay Villas Doradas

Rooms: 244 rooms.

Location: On the beachfront, 200 metres from the centre of Playa Dorada, which has plenty of bars, shops, restaurants and casinos and is spitting distance from an 18-hole golf course.

Facilities: Three swimming pools and internet access.

Bars and restaurants: A buffet-style restaurant plus three eateries serving up seafood, Oriental and grilled dishes. There are also four bars.

Wow factor: On-site cookery lessons and merengue dance classes set this resort apart from the rest.

Sample package:Cosmos offers seven nights’ all-inclusive for £616 per person in May, including flights and transfers.