Exclusive, island-inspired dining was a highlight of an authentic Caribbean incentive program that Laura Yates recently planned for a Boston-based high-tech company. A buyout of a local restaurant on Anguilla, Ocean Echo, began with cocktails in the open-air bar, but attendees soon ended up migrating outside to the beach for photo opps with a view of a mega-yacht that just happened to be anchored just offshore.
“The architecture and decor at this oceanfront restaurant is simple, which enabled us to transform it exactly as we wanted to,” says Yates, president of Dovetail Event Partners. After dinner, she flew in a local band from St. Kitts for dancing, the perfect end to what she calls “a bullseye evening.”
Another must-do, says Yates, is to charter a catamaran and sail to one of the smaller islands for a private beach day. “You can buy out a beach bar such as Johnno’s and have your DMC set up beach chairs, a volleyball net, snorkel equipment and beach games on what would  otherwise be a deserted beach. “Unlike Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke, the vibe at Johnno’s is much more laid back—a perfect location to stage a reggae or calypso guitarist to lull sun-kissed guests into a peaceful nap on the beach after a few pina coladas and a barbecue lunch.”
