Kate Winslet and members of Richard Branson‘s family escaped unharmed Monday when a lightning storm hit the Virgin tycoon’s Caribbean island home, which was destroyed in a blaze.

Winslet carried Branson’s 90-year-old mother Eve out of The Great House on Necker Island as the flames took hold in the early hours of the morning.

“She (Winslet) was staying there with her children and in fact it was she who carried my mother out of the house,” Branson told Britain’s ITV News.

If you’re planning on whisking a loved one away this Valentine’s Day (February 14), Italy is the place to go according a new poll.

The survey, conducted by Skyscanner, revealed that a full third of the 1000 respondents questioned believed Italy was the world’s most romantic destination.

France, the more traditional getaway for the world’s romantics, took second place with 19 percent of the votes and the Caribbean took third place with nine percent.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich will be hosting what promises to be one of the most extravagant bashes anywhere to see in the new decade.

He and his girlfriend Daria Zhukova, are expected to spend up to $4.8m on a beach party for 250 people on the Caribbean resort island of Saint Barthélemy.

The London Times reports that the singer Prince is to perform for them for a fee said to be $760,000.

It’s not often a whole island comes up for sale in the Bahamas, let alone one with substantial cliffs, deep-water moorings and some of the best beaches in the Caribbean.

Great Whale Cay, 30 minutes by boat from Nassau, is for sale for $80 million and has all the possibilities to become an exclusive retreat for the right buyer.

There are historic buildings (Great house, lighthouse, and church) on this 850-acre L-shaped island, rare flora and fauna and watersports and diving.

November 19th will mark the opening of the brand spanking new W Retreat and Spa on Vieques, the unspoiled island off the coast of Puerto Rico.

W Vieques is The first W Retreat & Spa in the Caribbean and is also home to renowned Chef Alain Ducasse’s first Caribbean outpost, miX on the beach.

At miX on the beach, Chef Ducasse and his executive chef will offer a sophisticated menu, exploring colorful Latino Caribbean flavors with an artful French twist.