Tenuta Chatham Bay

Set on Chatham Bay, Tenuta Chatham Bay is a small beachfront resort for couples who would rather trade a busy lobby for sea views, a private beach and a pool facing the water. The mood is unhurried and practical in the best sense: you have a balcony, a terrace, a restaurant, a bar and somewhere to sit without having to leave the property every time you want a drink or a plate of food.

The resort's website is in English, which makes the basics straightforward before you arrive. Private entrances and soundproofing give the rooms a more self-contained feel, while the garden, sun terrace and beach furniture keep the day outside when the weather is doing its job. Pets are welcome on request, and children of any age can stay, with cots and extra beds available according to the accommodation selected.

The address is Chatham Bay on Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, directly beside the sea. This is the real Union Island, not Carriacou in Grenada: the catalogue labels have wandered, but the hotel sits in the Grenadines. A private white-sand beach is directly accessible from the property, with loungers and parasols already in place.

Union Island Airport is 2.2 miles away, while the resort describes the water-taxi journey from the airport as taking around 20 minutes. Water Break Beach is about 1.5 miles away and Kite Beach about 2.5 miles away, so you have other stretches of coast to explore when the resort's own beach has had enough of you. Sparrows Beach Club is also about 1.5 miles away; further restaurants include Robert Righteous & de Youths Seafood Restaurant & Bar, around 7 miles away.

The accommodation is aimed squarely at two people sharing the trip rather than a family group spreading across several beds. The Deluxe King Suite gives you the indoor space of a suite, while the beach-front bungalow puts the shoreline at the centre of the choice. Take the sea-view bungalow if the important part of the morning is opening the door to the water rather than walking straight onto the sand.

Every room has air conditioning and a fan, useful after heat, salt and a long day in a wetsuit. Sea views are joined by possible garden, mountain or pool views, depending on the room, and balconies give you somewhere to sit rather than simply admire the outdoor furniture from inside. Soundproofing, a private entrance and daily housekeeping help keep the room easy to return to, while a minibar and refrigerator are handy for cold drinks when you come back thirsty.

There is also a seating area and dining area, along with a coffee machine and electric kettle. A dressing room, wardrobe, extra-long beds and a private bathroom with shower, towels, toiletries and hairdryer cover the less glamorous but more useful parts of the evening. Free WiFi is available, and room service or breakfast in the room can save you from putting on proper clothes when an early start has taken its toll.

Calabash Restaurant handles breakfast, lunch and dinner, so the main meal does not require an expedition across Union Island. Its cooking moves between local, Italian and international dishes, using locally produced ingredients alongside imported meat, Italian cheeses, cured meats and wine. That gives the menu a little more range than the usual island routine of fish, rice and another fish, though the Caribbean remains part of the offer.

The restaurant also serves bar snacks and pizza from a wood-fired oven. That is the sort of detail worth remembering when you are hungry, sun-warmed and not interested in a long discussion about dinner: pizza, proper heat and carefully selected toppings. A single bar, Calabash Bar, sits on the beach and specialises in cocktails.

You can book Bed and Breakfast, All Inclusive, Island Included or Therapy Included. Breakfast choices cover continental, full English or Irish, vegetarian and vegan options, with breakfast in the room available. A snack bar, minibar, packed lunches and special-diet menus on request add useful flexibility, while wine or champagne, fruit and children's meals are also available.

The infinity pool gives you a second place to get wet without carrying a cylinder, and the private beach supplies the more obvious version, with loungers, parasols and pool or beach towels. The sun terrace and garden are made for the slow part of the day, when the only serious decision is whether to move from shade to water or leave the matter alone.

Re-leaf Spa offers massage, including full-body, back and neck treatments, and yoga gives you a way to stretch out without turning the afternoon into a military exercise. A hot tub or Jacuzzi is also available. For a quieter evening, board games and puzzles provide low-tech entertainment, a useful corrective to screens and weather apps.

If sitting still becomes too ambitious, the resort offers canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, cycling, hiking and bicycle rental. Kitesurfing, other water-sports facilities, boat excursions and equipment rental are available as well. Excursions can take you to Tobago Cays, Palm Island or Mayreau, while cultural excursions and fishing add different reasons to leave the beach.

Airport transfers are available by shuttle or airport shuttle service, and the resort describes the airport connection as a water taxi journey of around 20 minutes. Arrange the transfer with the hotel before travelling. The island setting makes that planning more useful than turning up with a vague hope that transport will sort itself out; on a small island, optimism is not a timetable.

Check-in runs from 3 pm to 6 pm, and check-out from 10.30 am to noon. You need to tell the property your arrival time in advance and show photo identification and a credit card at check-in. Cash is an accepted payment method. Private check-in and check-out, concierge service, a tour desk and luggage storage are available, as is a wake-up service for mornings when the alarm needs backup.

Daily housekeeping keeps the room in order, and laundry is available. The property offers free WiFi in public areas, room service, packed lunches and a safety deposit box. The restaurant can prepare breakfast in the room, while the tour desk and concierge can help organise island activities. Non-smoking rooms are available, and pets can stay on request.