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These sugarcane plantations-turned-resorts recall the old-world glamour of the West Indies.

Colonial Brits coined the saying "rich as a Caribbean planter," a reference to the privileged lifestyles enjoyed by the European owners of West Indian plantations during the 17th and 18th centuries. These gentleman farmers claimed the most enviable island locations for their sumptuous great houses, which they built high up in the hills so as to catch the breezes and the views of lush, green land rolling down to the sea. Their extravagant lifestyle is long gone, but their legacy lives on in the handsome stone manses that remain. Throughout the West Indies, many of these historic houses have been preserved as attractions, restaurants and, in some cases, resorts. In their rooms, carved out of the past and brought up-to-date with modern amenities, a honeymoon couple can get a taste of that glamorous heyday—and feel like the lord and lady of the manor.

Par for the Course

Even before you walk through the front gates of The Tryall Club, a 69-villa property on Jamaica, you're greeted by original 18th-century structures. Near the entrance, a waterwheel turns as it has for several centuries, powered by river water carried along an ancient stone aqueduct. One of Jamaica's most breathtaking golf courses stretches beneath it, past crumbling sugar mill chimneys and up into forested hills. In the middle of it all sits a Georgian great house, overlooking the stately royal palms and bougainvillea blossoms that now flourish where sugar once grew. Like most plantation houses, it was constructed of locally quarried coral rock. Thick walls and peaked roofs keep the interior cool; verandas, gingerbread trim, shuttered windows and exposed beams complete the look.

The spectacular view of the property from the Great House Restaurant, where elegant versions of Jamaican dishes, such as jerk pork tenderloin, are served, imbues the dining experience with a sense of privilege. There's also the more casual Beach Café, which is the perfect spot to enjoy sunset cocktails together. Order up a couple of glasses of Planter's Punch, spiked with Jamaican overproof rum, or Bamuloos, a blend of Jamaican Tia Maria coffee liqueur, coconut cream, rum and bananas that tastes like a grown-up milk shake.

Tryall's one-bedroom duplex villas may be its smallest accommodations, but they're the best choice for honeymooners. Each comes with a kitchen, a tiled veranda and lots of space. The villas' lavish details—including whirlpool baths with louvered shutters, lace-trimmed sheets and fresh blossoms strewn about in bowls—enhance the resort's old-world ambience.

The property remains as sprawling as it was during its days as a working plantation, and you may want to rent a golf cart to get around all 2,200 acres. You'll find a beach, tennis courts, a spa, water sports (complimentary to guests), a small fitness center and a jogging trail. After a morning of snorkeling or running, you can take a reggae dance class on the beach, then try out your skills later at a club in Montego Bay. (The resort sponsors a Friday night trip to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, a favorite bar of the young and tanned.) Other resort excursions range from river rafting to deep-sea fishing. If you've caught plantation fever, ask the hotel to arrange a tour of Belvedere, a working plantation that dates back to the 17th century and still grows coffee, cocoa and sugarcane. Pick up some freshly roasted beans to perk up your mornings (800-361-9949; tryallclub.com).

Wee One

Tiny Nevis is home to more plantation resorts than any other island in the Caribbean. Which one should you choose? We suggest the 38-room Nisbet Plantation Beach Club because of its on-site beach and added conveniences, such as air-conditioning, which many of the island's other resorts lack. The hotel is so quiet you may be surprised to find that the dining room fills up each evening. But it does, and for good reason: Dinner, which is included in the meal plan (along with a breakfast of tropical fruit and heart-shaped banana pancakes, and a posh afternoon tea), features Caribbean dishes such as chicken curry and seared kingfish. The acclaimed restaurant occupies the 18th-century Great House, where you'll also find a piano bar, a lounge and a library that contains the resort's only TV. Order the local favorite cocktail, a "Ting with a Sting," which is a blend of the Caribbean's grapefruit-flavored Ting soda and Nevis' cane rum.

Spread out among 30 acres of coconut palms, Nisbet has 12 cottages that offer sea views and 26 with garden views. Compared to those at Tryall, rooms at Nisbet are decorated simply—wicker and rattan furnishings, screened porches—though they, too, have peaked wood ceilings and louvered doors. Splurge for a premier junior suite, where you'll find a living room, a wet bar and plenty of space to stretch out.

While the resort can feel sleepy, there's plenty to do here. During the day, guests can swim in the large pool, or snorkel right behind the property, where a reef keeps the current at bay. On Thursday nights, island residents head to the resort's seafood barbecue, and stay on to dance in the beach bar. Nevis itself is known more for its quiet style than nightlife or shopping. Nisbet can arrange for a variety of tours, from stargazing excursions to kayak rides. Be sure to visit the Hermitage Plantation Inn, where you can take a horse-drawn carriage ride, or the Golden Rock Plantation Inn, where you can hike through the rain forest on a quest for wild monkeys (800-742-6008; nisbetplantation.com).

Sweet as Sugar

The 138-room Buccaneer, located on the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix, may be the oldest of the plantation resorts mentioned in this article, but it's also the most vital and youthful in spirit.

A free shuttle takes you around to the 340-acre property's three beaches, which offer varying degrees of privacy. (Honeymooners tend to favor the secluded Whistle Beach.) You'll also find two pools, a golf course, nature trails, water sports, tennis courts and a spa. Every Tuesday, a resort-wide cocktail party features Mocko Jumbie stilt-dancers. (Yes, these performers actually do dance on 17-foot-tall stilts.) At the resort's hilltop Terrace Restaurant, in the Great House, you can look out over the lights of St. Croix's capital, Christiansted—but it's the cuisine that dazzles. (Don't leave without trying the sugarcane-skewered yellowfin tuna, or the roasted rack of lamb.) Guest rooms, which are also located in the Great House, feature thick stone walls and bonnet arches. Or, ask for a Beachside Doubloon Villa—each comes with a huge marble bath, a whirlpool tub and a porch that overlooks the sea.

The Buccaneer can arrange trips into Christiansted, which is known for its art galleries and nightclubs, or a visit to a bar for dancing to a steel-drum band. For an added dose of history, tour the distillery that turns locally grown sugarcane into Cruzan Rum (800-255-3881; thebuccaneer.com).

Tryall's one-bedroom duplex villas may be its smallest accommodations, but they're the best choice for honeymooners. Each comes with a kitchen, a tiled veranda and lots of space. The villas' lavish details—including whirlpool baths with louvered shutters, lace-trimmed sheets and fresh blossoms strewn about in bowls—enhance the resort's old-world ambience.

The property remains as sprawling as it was during its days as a working plantation, and you may want to rent a golf cart to get around all 2,200 acres. You'll find a beach, tennis courts, a spa, water sports (complimentary to guests), a small fitness center and a jogging trail. After a morning of snorkeling or running, you can take a reggae dance class on the beach, then try out your skills later at a club in Montego Bay. (The resort sponsors a Friday night trip to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, a favorite bar of the young and tanned.) Other resort excursions range from river rafting to deep-sea fishing. If you've caught plantation fever, ask the hotel to arrange a tour of Belvedere, a working plantation that dates back to the 17th century and still grows coffee, cocoa and sugarcane. Pick up some freshly roasted beans to perk up your mornings (tryallclub.com).

Wee One

Tiny Nevis is home to more plantation resorts than any other island in the Caribbean. Which one should you choose? We suggest the 38-room Nisbet Plantation Beach Club because of its on-site beach and added conveniences, such as air-conditioning, which many of the island's other resorts lack. The hotel is so quiet you may be surprised to find that the dining room fills up each evening. But it does, and for good reason: Dinner, which is included in the meal plan (along with a breakfast of tropical fruit and heart-shaped banana pancakes, and a posh afternoon tea), features Caribbean dishes such as chicken curry and seared kingfish. The acclaimed restaurant occupies the 18th-century Great House, where you'll also find a piano bar, a lounge and a library that contains the resort's only TV. Order the local favorite cocktail, a "Ting with a Sting," which is a blend of the Caribbean's grapefruit-flavored Ting soda and Nevis' cane rum.