Above: South Point in Antigua 

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

If you travel often enough it’s bound to happen: You’re staying at one hotel (where you’re perfectly happy) but you visit another and know immediately that if you ever return to the destination, this is the place you want to stay.

Such was the case on a recent trip to Antigua, where South Point Falmouth Harbour, a chic boutique hotel overlooking the island’s famous English Harbour, instantly seduced me.

Perhaps it was the Lynchburg Lemonade, a strong-but-smooth whiskey-based cocktail whipped up for me by bartender Seon that can best be described as happiness in a mason jar. I sat and sipped it on the breezy lower deck watching yachts bobbing gently at anchor in the marina and a half-marathon’s worth of was magically spirited away.

Or maybe it was the one- and two-bedroom suites I was graciously shown, each a spacious study in contemporary cool décor with marina views, sleek styling and my favorite Malin + Goetz toiletries.

Could it have been the palm-fringed water’s-edge pool deck, where I longed to be spread-eagle on a chaise, a book one hand and one of Seon’s potent cocktails in the other?

Then again, it might have been the appearance of traditional Antiguan breakfast – Johnny cakes, saltfish, “provisions” and all ¬–¬ during my second visit the next morning. It’s not normally on the menu but was offered just because I’d expressed an interest the previous afternoon.

Most likely it was a combination of all these things: a blend of service, location, amenities and style that suited my taste and exceeded my expectations.

Either way, the result is the same: I’ll be back.