Just 55 minutes from Miami on the tiny time capsule of Harbour Island, Bahamas, the loudest sound you’ll hear is likely the whir of a golf cart. OK, maybe a falling coconut. And that small-town bliss continues at the newly renovated Coral Sands Hotel — set right on that famous pink-sand beach that consistently tops best-beaches lists, including ours.
Nab a beachfront cottage that feels like it was put there just for you, and walk steps to the sand. Laze away the afternoon under a private thatched tiki hut. Go snorkeling. Wander down to a beach bar. Have dinner at the new Latitude 25, where renowned chef Ludovic Jarland seamlessly blends flavors (try his signature French-Caribbean bouillabaisse).
So yeah, you’re less than an hour from the States, but you’ll have to keep reminding yourself of that. From $295 per night.