Cotton House, Mustique, The Grenadines

Ever since the days of Princess Margaret and Roddy Llewelyn the tiny, private island of Mustique has symbolised exclusivity, a place where discretion and privacy are the local exchange rate for those seeking to buy some downtime in a special bolthole  in the sun.
 
And if you do you will have but one sublime hotel choice in an otherwise private, communally-owned landscape, the supremely elegant colonial-style Cotton House. This intimate, luxury retreat boasts a collection of just 17 villas, suites, cottages and residences furnished in a plantation-style, with private verandas and plunge pools, and spread about 13 acres of  tropical gardens leading down to Endeavour Bay. At the heart of the hotel’s estate are The Great Room, where weekly cocktail parties are held (very popular with local residents as well), and the Veranda Restaurant with its open bar serving up its award-winning wine list, extensive cocktail menu and native rums.