"It’s from above that you first get the sense of how extraordinary a holiday in the Grenadines is going to be. Flying in, the scattered islands and cays rise up from the ocean, fringed by azure waters that roll onto palm-backed swathes of sand. Tiny, thatched-roofed airports welcome you; palm-lined roads weave through pastel-hued villages to palatial villas and luxurious hotels that open out onto sparkling, sun-drenched beaches. A British colony until 1979, the Grenadines have long been the Caribbean’s most elegant playground; this year, the opening of Pink Sands Club – a luxurious, 26-room bolthole on the sleepy island of Canouan – upped the luxe factor further. Paradise for sailors, lovers and those who just dream of escape."