mikesoneill

Never been to the Caribbean. Want to take my wife for our 30th anniversay. Looking for a nice beach, not crowded, a cottage rather than a hotel, for $1K per day. I'd appreciate knowledge suggestions as to where to look. Thanks for any help.

RoamsAround

Check out the following - all are private island resorts with 1 and 2 bedroom beachfront and beach access cottages, bungalows and/or villas:

1) Petit St. Vincent Resort, Petit St. Vincent, Grenadines

2) Jumby Bay Resort, Antigua

3) Cayo Espanto, Belize

4) Palm Island Resort, Palm Island, Grenadines

5) Peter Island Resort, Peter Island, British Virgin Islands

6) Amanyara Resort - Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

7) Parrot Cay Resort, Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

Not a private island resort but you might like Cape Santa Maria Resort, on Long Island, Bahamas

eastenderusvi

I would add Guana Island, BVI.

doug_stallings

Does the OP want a private villa, or a cottage-style room in a resort? That's not clear to me from the post. All of these recommendations are cottages, but many aren't full in the sense that they don't all have kitchens and are independent of the resorts in which they reside.

You can get a one-bedroom, stand-alone villa with a pool on almost any island for much less than $1000 a day during much of the year if you don't want all the resort-style services.

mikesoneill

Thank you folks. I appreciate your taking the time to provide advice to someone who is not all that well traveled . I am researching these locations and they do look good. We don't have need for a kitchen but good restaurants, massages and a nice bar close by are always good. Basically want a beachfront cottage. Don't care for hotel rooms. What "resort style services" are we giving up with an "independent" cottage?

doug_stallings

Well, you give up basically everything if you stay in a villa. No daily maid service, no restaurant where you can get breakfast, no pool attendants, no bartenders, no hotel concierge to help you make plans, no organized activities, etc.

What you get with a private villa is also substantial. Privacy, much more space than even a typical luxury cottage-style room, a kitchen where you can prepare simple meals, often a private pool, access to a less crowded beach, etc. Often at a price that's substantially less than a resort (because you aren't paying for all those services).

There are places like Parrot Cay, Jumby Bay, Round Hill, which was not on the original list, in Jamaica, and some fully staffed villas throughout the Caribbean where you get all those things as well as pampering service. That's where you're going to pay $1200 or more per night (not including anything in many cases).

It's really your choice. FYI: Round Hill is lovely and has everything you'd like, albeit with a small, middling beach. But it does have a private golf course.

MmePerdu

I think, for that price, you can get a specialty travel agent with resources to find you a fabulous place. Check here, for instance:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/a-li...ibbean-experts