Frommer's Review
At press time, Cap Juluca was changing owners, but it's hard to believe that the high standards of this ultra-classy 28-year-old resort will be diminished one whit. This is the premier property on the island, and its name appears over and over again at or near the top of everyone's list of the Caribbean's best hotels. Encircling Maundays Bay's lovely white-sand beach and nestled in luxuriantly landscaped 179-acre grounds, the resort entertains moguls, celebrities, and a clientele that returns year after year. Hand-holding honeymooners criss-cross the beach day in and day out. What do they all come for? Laid-back luxury and utter seclusion.
While Altamer and Covecastles practically knock you over with their edgy, in-your-face architecture, Cap Juluca's low-lying structures blend harmoniously with the landscaped palms and lush vegetation; of course, having one of the best beaches on the island as a sparkling frontispiece doesn't hurt. The architectural style is quasi-Moorish, with sun-blasted exteriors, white domes, arched doorways, and walled courtyards. Rooms and villas are spacious, with luxurious beds, tile floors, Oriental rugs, and colonial-style louvered doors opening onto patios, many with pathways leading directly to the sea. A number of villas have private plunge pools. Butler service is available with private-pool suite and villa bookings. The bathrooms are enormous and sheathed in marble, with fabulous Bulgari toiletries. The spa offers traditional treatments as well as alternative holistic treatments. The resort has three restaurants, all with amazing sea views. Pimm's offers classic dining, and George's is a sunny beachfront spot that's open for breakfast and lunch and dinner drinks (and the weekly alfresco barbecue). As part of the new ownership revitalization project, Kemia is being replaced by a pan-Asian restaurant overseen by René Bajeux, former Executive Chef of the Four Seasons Maui and the Four Seasons Beverly Hills. Another serious plus: service that is unobtrusively excellent, without a smidgen of attitude. Cap Juluca's congenial staff (most of them locals who have worked here for years) gets consistently high marks from guests; in fact, after the 2008 sale, the former owner showed his appreciation for the resort's 400 employees by splitting a cool million bucks among them.
Facilities: 3 restaurants; 2 bars; outdoor pool; driving range; 3 tennis courts; croquet; fitness center; yoga and tai chi; spa; kayaks; sailing; snorkeling; water-skiing; windsurfing; bicycles; children's programs (in summer only); rental cars; business center; room service (7:30am-10:30pm); massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning; boutique and sundries shop' nature trails; island excursions.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
