ccb213

My husband and I are planning a trip for mid Feb.and leaving our three small children at in Miami - so using that as a base. We will only have 4 nights max. We are looking for some R&R at a nice resort, good beaches and a bit of pampering. However, we don't want to spend 1/2 our time away traveling. I think we have narrowed it down to Nevis or Anguilla -- either the FS in Nevis or Cuisinart in Anguilla. Questions -- are either of those too far to go for a short period of time? Also, we are going the week before Pres. day - will that be a problem? will there be a lot of kids at FS at that time (not that we care, but some time away from kids would be nice). Also, is it worth it to stay in the lowest category room at the FS if that's what we decide or should we upgrade? Any other advice would be welcome as this is our first time to the Caribbean. Thanks in advance.

MIM04

Assuming you can get on the 830 AM American flight from MIA to San Juan, it will take almost the same amount of time to fly to Nevis or Anguilla. You would get to Nevis a little bit earlier (assuming no delays)I love both of these properties and they have a lot of the same amenities, spa, nice accommodations, etc. The beach in Anguilla is nicer, IMO, as the sand and water is lighter in color. Cuisinart has a hydroponic farm and cooking classes if those things are of interest.

As far as kids go, FS is a very family-oriented resort. They have a separate kids pool and lots of them would just use that. It is hard to say how many will be there as it is high season, but fortunately it is before a holiday, not during a holiday, so it might not have as many kids. Also, I would check with Cuisinart to find out when their Presidents week childrens program starts - because there are sure to be kids then.

I think you would enjoy both resorts though. I would go to either with my husband for R & R.

ccb213

MIMO4 - Thanks for the info. If we go to Anguilla, do you recommend flying through san Juan or direct to St. Martin and then the ferry?

Diana

I have stayed at both and would recommend Cap Juluca instead. Why?

CJ - better beach, fewer children, more romantic, comparably priced (to FS, not Cuisinart).

I also don't mean to be negative, but in my opinion, 4 nights is only going to wear you out and make you wish you had more time as you are just going to get decompressed and then you will have to return. For 4 nights, I would go somewhere you can get to quickly and start enjoying your vacation right away.

I truly recommend you either make a way to stay longer or go somewhere with as close as possible to direct flights from where you live. Just my .02 worth.

Jeangail

I just got back from my second trip to Cuisinart, and having done extensive traveling throughout the caribbean, I think it is by far the best place I have been to. The beach is spectacular, the rooms are gorgoeus and having a beautiful pool was a great asset as well. One day there was wind and rough seas on the island (CJ as well - I went over there for lunch)and we were so happy to at least have the pool to use for the day. I spoke to a number of guests at Cuisinart who had also stayed at Cap and it is really a matter of opinion as to which is the nicer of the 2 resorts. These particular people thought Cuisinart had it all over Cap. They felt Cap was suffering from some wear and tear issues. In the end, they are both spectacular resorts and you can't go wrong with either one. I flew into St. Maarten and chartered a private boat to Anguilla which worked out great. In the past I have done the ferry which has always been fine. The boat did get me in 2 hours earlier but it is expensive. I think Anguilla is well worth the 4 nites as there is traveling involved anywhere and the payoff makes the trip worth it all.

MIM04

If you take that early flight I mentioned I would fly direct. I have taken the ferry also, but it does add more travel time and less time for relaxing.

Sunnyboy

ccb213's dilemma is not as drastice as it first seems. Four nights is a very short time for those islands given the fact that she and her husband will spend the better part of two days travelling leaving her only 3 days on the island. As MIM pointed out if ccb gets the 8:30AM MIA/SJU flight she should be able to make the connection to either AXA or NEV and be on either island by around 3:00PM. As for the return flights she can depart either island in the afternoon thus giving her a 1/2 day for some beach time. If she would limit her visit to an island she can reach non-stop from MIA she'd only gain perhaps 2 hours of precious island time. So really, for her, going to AXA or NEV is not too much of a travelling hardship.

As to which island and/or resort that's the real question. AXA and NEV are as different as night and day. AXA is a flat, scrubby, arid and relatively unattractive island with what arguably are 35 of the best white beaches in the Caribbean and over 80 restaurants (not sure having access to that many restaurants means too much to ccb given she's only there for 4 nights). Nevis, on the other hand, is a volcanic island with lots of natural beauty, lush rain forests, picturesque palm tree lined dark sand beaches and several very good restaurants.

I would encourge her to make the trip. As for the resorts, both Cuisinart and 4S are excellent places and she would not be disappointed in either one as she'll get the pampering she seeks at both places. For such a short trip she really should base her choice on the island experience rather than the resort.

I wish her well.

ccb213

Thank you all for your wonderful advice - especially Sonnyboy. We recognize it is a lot of traveling - but we think and hope we will be able to unwind pretty quickly once we get somewhere.

That being said, everyone has mentioned that it is a lot to travel for a short period of time. If we heed that advice, what other suggestions do you recommend? One other thought I had was Parrot Cay on T&C -- however, that is the only island my husband has been to (it was at Club Med -- many, many years ago). As you can tell, I am very confused and I appreciate everyone's input.

Sunnyboy

For what it is worth in the T&C's you run the risk of it being on the cool side during February. It will, however, save you travel time as it's only about an hour's flight from MIA. Personally, I didn't like the T&C's and if I were looking for a coral based island experience I'd pick Anguilla over the T&C's any day of the week.

WLOOLA

YOU MAY BE IN LUCK. RUMOR IS AA IS GOING TO ADD MORE FLIGHTS TO AXA SO GETTING THERE WILL BE EASIER.
I VOTE YOU GO TO ANGUILLA BEFORE IT IS CONSUMED WITH GOLF COURSES.
ONE COURSE IS OPENING IN NOVEMBER THE OTHER IS A DEVELOPMENT BY JACK NICKLAUS AND DONALD TRUMP.
THE PLACE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
ALWAYS STAY ONE JUMP AHEAD OF THE NEXT BULLDOZER!!!

sharona

Since you have very limited time I would probably opt for flying into St. Maarten (SXM) and then taking either the ferry from Marigot on the French side, the Link ferry right at the airport (www.link.ai) or arrange for a private boat to take you over to Anguilla. I've never taken the Link ferry so I can't comment on it but the ferry from Marigot is very easy. The ride from the airport to the ferry terminal is anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The private boat would be the easiest of all but also the most expensive. We often travel twice a year to the Caribbean through San Juan on American Airlines. The American Eagle flights to the smaller islands out of San Juan seem to be getting less reliable than more reliable so since you only have 4 days I probably wouldn't risk it. We have spent many, many hours sitting in the San Juan airport and overnight at San Juan hotels because of cancelled and delayed flights.

I have stayed at both the Four Seasons and CuisinArt and they are both lovely properties. If the beach is a priority the beach at CuisinArt is much better. We are definitely beach people but we disliked Pinney's Beach on Nevis so much that we spent almost all of our time at the Four Seasons pool. The water is not the beautiful Caribbean blue that you might expect and the sand is not the white powdery sand that you are probably used to if you are from Miami. It is darker and coarser. The beach at CuisinArt, while not the best beach on Anguilla, is quite nice. It can get a little windy but the beach and water and both nice.

I suspect that the Four Seasons caters to families a bit more than CuisinArt since we saw more kids at FS. But as there is an adult only pool at FS it was never a problem having kids close. I would probably give the nod for food (a small nod) to the FS even after the arrival of Daniel Orr at CA. The FS was quite a bit more expensive in both food and lodging.

As to the islands, no contest. Hands down we like Anguilla better than Nevis. Anguilla is one of our favorites and out of the 12 Caribbean islands we have spent at least a week on Nevis is probably the only one we wouldn't return to. It's just personal preference. While it is beautiful, we didn't care for the beaches, there are just a handful of good restaurants, and, I know I'll probably get slammed here, but we didn't find the people to be overly friendly. I even felt a little uncomfortable the times we visited downtown. And yes, we rented a car for our entire 12 days there and ventured off the FS property every day. I had thought Anguilla was quiet until we went to Nevis. At least Anguilla has great beaches and more good restaurants than you can possibly try in a 2 week stay.

So, to sum up, if you have your heart set on either the Four Seasons or CuisinArt you really can't go wrong with either property. If you are planning to stay at your resort and veg, then either should work nicely. Beaches and food overall are better on Anguilla, scenery is better on Nevis. Neither island has any shopping to speak of. Both resorts have excellent spas. The Four Seasons has a golf course and I don't think the new golf course on Anguilla is open yet. I would say service at the FS is slightly better but it may be an unfair comparison since we spent our time at the beach at CA and at the pool at the FS. Other great restaurants are within 5-10 minutes of CA, a bit farther from FS.

If you decide on an island reachable with a direct flight from Miami, most islands have at least a couple of great places to stay. After you decide come back here to ask your questions. This board has a wealth of knowledge with people who are happy to give advice.

ccb213

Sharona - Thanks so much for your help. I think we are going to try for Anguilla - at least that's the plan for now. You echoed what some others have told me with respect to the unreliability of flights from San Juan. Given that we don't have that much time - I think we will fly into St. Martin and then ferry over. Once it gets closer - I will be coming back about places to go, eat, etc. And I will definately be writing again for additional advice if we change our minds and decide to go someplace closer. Thanks again -- this board really is a tremendous resource for a novice like me!

iw

sharona...I am sorry that you did not find the people on Nevis to be friendly. That is that friendliest island we have ever been to!! If you want rude, try Guadeloupe. I am surprised that Sunnyboy hasn't commented on this yet. St. Kitts and, especially, Nevis were the most friendly islands I have ever been to. We are looking at property on Nevis, as I type! The cab drivers on either island are more than happy to tell about their islands and do not accept money until they return you to your hotel/villa.

MIM04

iw - I would be happy to help you with info about property in Nevis. If you want me to email you...