newmrs

Hello!
My husband and I have been married a few months and we want to go on our honeymoon in December (the beginning of the month before prices rise). I am having a very difficult time deciding what island to go to and then choosing a resort! We were thinking of Negril or maybe St. Lucia?

I've been reading this forum and it's been very helpful. I thought I'd see if anyone had any recommendations based on what we are looking for.

We'd like:
-A great beach with picturesque white sand and turquoise water
-Best weather possible around that time - as warm as possible and not super rainy
-We'd like stuff to do and also some relaxing so I guess a mix would be good. We definitely don't want anywhere really secluded. We want to do zip lining, snorkeling, water skiing, parasailing, etc.
-My husband really wants an AI - we're not big foodies (both picky eaters) so going out and trying a bunch of new food on an island isn't a big deal to us
-Nice room is important to me - not outdated
-Some entertainment at night

Other info:
We're looking to spend 6k or less for a week somewhere. We're open to going a different month (either Jan, Feb or March) if the weather would be better somewhere we're really interested in going.

I would greatly appreciate any help. My head is spinning with all of the options!

suze

I love Negril!! Use www.negrilonestop.com and go to the hotel map. Click on the various beach properties to see what they're all about. Charela Inn is nice.

I have always stayed on "The Cliffs"... someplace like www.tensingpen.com has always seemed honeymoon worth to me!

suze

For "picky eaters" an All-Inclusive is the last thing I'd recommend!

newmrs

Thanks sure, I'm looking at the Negril website now! I guess maybe an AI wouldn't make sense since technically we're more limited for food choices. We just figured they would have some American food at AI resort so we would be good.

RoamsAround

"...We just figured they would have some American food at AI resort so we would be good..."

Not necessarily true - many of the AI's offer "theme" style buffets such as "West Indian Night", "Caribbean Night", "Mexican Night", etc. where they offer essentially the same dishes of chicken and pork drenched in spicy sauces with sides of rice & peas, and local root vegetables every night - the only difference is the "name" of the dish not its ingredients.

I'm not saying you can't get an "All American Hamburger" once in a while but don't count on an abundance of "American Food" at an All Inclusive. I agree with suze - if you are "picky eaters" forego the AI's.

suze

I didn't have "American food" per se in Negril, but from the local options there were some pretty straight-forward choices you could get at most of the small restaurants (chicken, fresh fish, etc.).


Another option might be to get a room with a frig and shop at the grocery store (Hi-Lo is the closest to town). You could set yourself up for easy breakfasts and lunch (cereal, sandwiches, etc.) that might suit you more than restaurant or resort food.

Or there's restaurant like Chicken Lavish that specialize in fried chicken & French fries.

All that said, Negril is a fairly rustic place even at the high end places so I'm not sure it's exactly what you are looking for.

Bronwyn72

I've never been to Negril, so can't comment on that as an option, but my husband and I spent our honeymoon in St. Lucia Feb 2014. It was truly an amazing island and perfect for a honeymoon. We stayed at Cap Maison on the Northern end of the island about 2 miles from Rodney Bay. Gorgeous accommodations and close to Rodney Bay. It was not an all inclusive, but I'm glad we didn't opt for that. I really enjoyed spending our days out and about exploring the island and having dinner and drinks at night in Rodney Bay. There are plenty of hotel options and you may even find some deals. We obviously were there during the high season. It's just such a lush, pretty island and the people are so kind. Very "honeymooney" feel Highly recommend!

newmrs

Thank you guys for your help!! The suggestions for food will definitely come in handy if we decide on Negril.

I was/am also considering St. Lucia because it's so lush and beautiful but I really want the turquoise water and white sand. From what I've read, the island has brown sand and deeper water.

I think we narrowed down our options to
Negril, Grand Cayman, or St. Lucia.

Now I'm looking into each one. How does Negril compare to Grand Cayman? Also, any advice for going in the beginning of December OR Jan/Feb? It looks like the rainfall is the highest in Dec.

Thanks again!

WWK

I've been to both Negril and Grand Cayman many times. Negril may not be right for you since it's very rustic, and even high-end accommodations may not meet your expectations.

However, I think the beach is much nicer - and longer - than in Grand Cayman. And in general, I've found locals much friendlier to tourists in Negril than they were in Grand Cayman.

Grand Cayman has a more Americanized feel. In fact, my husband and I used to call it the Miami of the Caribbean. It's got big hotel chains like Hyatt and Westin, a huge American style supermarket, and plenty of places to eat hamburgers.

We liked it for all the reasons above when our kids were little, but found Jamaica a much more interesting ( and cheaper!!) experience.

Good luck with your choice!

suze

<How does Negril compare to Grand Cayman?>

Agreeing with the post above (although I've never been to Grand Cayman).

Negril is an extremely rustic setting. It's very beautiful and I've loved my trips there, but honestly I don't think it's what you are looking for. It's pretty rough & rugged there, interesting, but not everyone's cup of tea.

newmrs

Well I'm definitely glad I posted here, you guys are very helpful!! Now Im wondering about either of those places. I'd like a Caribbean feel but I didn't realize that GC was so Americanized and that Jamaica was so rustic! I feel like I'm never going to find the perfect spot for us!

If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

suze

Well not all of Jamaica is rustic, but Negril is. It's a small little town out on one tip of the island. There are also Americanized resorts, luxury villas, etc.

For other suggestions, are you open to Mexico?

Take a look at the "Mayan Riviera" which is the Caribbean coastline of the country. You'd fly into Cancun but then could go on to Isla Muejeres, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Akumal, Holbox... are all different islands/towns where you might stay.

Actually it closely fits your wish list especially around PdC are lots of All-Inclusive resorts and the area is full of activities (snorkeling, parasailing, etc.) like you mention, plus the ancient ruins, cenotes, etc.