These Caribbean Beach Bars Come With Their Own Hotels

Some people book a hotel for the pool, others for the spa. But for a certain kind of traveler, it’s all about the bar — and not just any bar, but one that’s right on the sand, where the sound of the surf mixes with music and cocktails. These are the beach bars that became so beloved they grew into hotels, or the hotels where the bar is the star. Together they capture that unmistakable mix of toes-in-the-sand ease and stay-a-while comfort.

A beach bar hotel is something different. You don’t just visit for a drink — you live it, from breakfast with a view of the waves to sundowners that fade into music under the stars. The room is only steps away, the vibe is pure Caribbean, and the entire day unfolds without shoes or schedules. This is barefoot luxury in its most authentic form.

Here are some of the Caribbean’s best beach bar hotels, places where the line between bar and lodging disappears into the sand.

Sandcastle at Soggy Dollar, Jost Van Dyke, BVI

The Soggy Dollar Bar is world-famous, a rite of passage for Caribbean travelers. But if you stay at the Sandcastle Hotel, you don’t just visit — you live it. Guests wake up on White Bay, stroll barefoot to the bar, and order the Painkiller in the very place it was created. The Sandcastle’s rooms are simple, comfortable and designed for beach living. With one of the Caribbean’s most iconic beach bars at your doorstep, it’s the ultimate overnight in Jost Van Dyke.

Grabbers Bed, Bar & Grille, Great Guana Cay, Abaco, The Bahamas

Great Guana Cay is famous for its laid-back vibe, and Grabbers embodies it. This sunset-facing bar looks out onto the Sea of Abaco, a dock out front and hammocks strung along the beach. Behind the bar, Grabbers’ rooms have been newly renovated, giving guests the chance to stay just steps from the action. Spend your days swimming off the dock, order a frozen Guana Grabber cocktail, and settle in for some of the best sunsets in the Abacos.

Cow Wreck Beach, Anegada, BVI

On the quiet northern coast of Anegada, Cow Wreck Beach Resort is as relaxed as it gets. Its beachfront bar is legendary among sailors, a gathering place for Painkillers, conch fritters and sunsets. Stay in one of the simple villas at the on-site Ann’s Guest House and you’ll have front-row access to one of the island’s most beautiful stretches of sand. This is classic, no-frills Caribbean comfort — the kind of place where flip-flops are optional and the bar is the social center of it all.

Big Bamboo Cottages, Loblolly Bay, Anegada, BVI

At Loblolly Bay, Big Bamboo is both a beach bar institution and a set of rustic, comfortable cottages right behind the sand. The bar serves up fresh lobster pulled from the surrounding reefs, along with cold beers and rum drinks that taste even better after a snorkel just offshore. The cottages are simple but perfectly placed — wake up to the sound of the sea, wander over for lunch, and let the day linger until the music and laughter pull you back to the bar.

The Hideout & Hendo’s Hideout, Jost Van Dyke, BVI

White Bay isn’t only about Soggy Dollar. A few steps away, Hendo’s Hideout brings a more polished take on the barefoot beach bar. Next door is The Hideout, a boutique collection of villas with private plunge pools overlooking the sand. Guests move easily between villa privacy and beach-bar energy, with the promise of good food, strong cocktails and the kind of BVI beach scene that keeps people coming back year after year.

Karibuni Boutique Hotel & Karibuni Beach Restaurant, St Martin / Pinel Island

Karibuni balances boutique comfort with pure island charm. The hotel sits in the area of Cul de Sac on the French side of St Martin, but the heart of the experience is on nearby Pinel Island, where the Karibuni Beach Restaurant serves lobster, grilled fish and icy ti’ punches right on the sand. Hotel guests take a private boat across each day, returning to suites and villas that blend Caribbean warmth with French flair. It’s a true two-part experience: island-hopping between boutique stay and barefoot beach bar.

Saba Rock, North Sound, BVI

Few places capture Caribbean cool like Saba Rock. This tiny island in the North Sound is equal parts bar, boutique hotel and sailor’s landmark. The open-air restaurant and bar look out onto turquoise waters where kiteboarders and yachts drift by. At night, the island glows with soft lights and live music, a mix of locals, sailors and guests who booked one of the stylish rooms above. Staying here feels like being part of a floating community, an island that’s all about its bar and the people it draws in.