Jif

I am extremely torn between the island of St. Barts(Isle de France) and Hawaii (Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui or Four Seasons Resort Maui @ Wailea) for a honeymoon in the middle of July. I can not find anything bad about St.Barts, and Hawaii is beautiful. We want something relaxing with the option of something to do. Is there any night life on St. Barts (not clubs)? Anyone that has EXPERIENCED BOTH please help tip the scales one way or the other.

travleis

Here's my comparison:
Beach quality: toss-up.
Water: warmer and prettier on SB.
Safety factor: Wailea is a toss-up with SB but there are slightly less safe areas on Maui (mostly car rental break-ins etc). SB is one of the safest Caribbean islands.
Island beauty: Maui wins this one due to much greater variety, from 11,000 ft volcano to arid areas to rain forests, etc. SB is very pretty but lacks the diversity of Maui. Keep in mind that Wailea is the driest and thus least lush part of Maui.
Exotic factor: SB by a longshot. Maui is a bit generic feeling in the resort areas. SB offers a completely different ambience which makes it feel like you're farther removed from the US. Everything from language to money to customs to 'vibe' reinforces the more exotic feel.
Food: Maui wins due to sheer variety, in addition to offering more high quality options than any Caribbean island. But again, there's not so much of an exotic ambience. Not to shortchange the relaxed Hawaiian atmosphere which is definitely palpable, but it also seems somewhat familiar (or maybe I've just been there too many times). SB offers a European feel (surprise) which contrasts more with what you get accustomed to living in the continental US.
Hotels: Isle de France is very different from the KL and FS on Maui. IDF is 33 rooms which emphasize whites and creams and an open, airy feel. It emphasizes privacy, peace and elegance. It is owned and operated by French and British hoteliers who take great pride in their resort. The 2 Maui resorts are both right around 400 rooms. Also note that in July lots of families go to Maui, so there's a kid factor if that's an issue for you. FS is my favorite place on Maui, but for a honeymoon I'd probably choose IDF. KL is not in the same league as the other two IMO.

Obviously both places will make for a great honeymoon. You won't go wrong either way. I think your decision should rest on 2 things: whether you're invigorated by other cultures or taxed by the change; and whether you desire a small, exclusive resort vs. a large resort with all the pros and cons of being in a tourist mecca.
Good luck with your planning.

KarenM

We stayed at the 4 Seasons in Maui for our Honeymoon. While the hotel is very pretty I would have liked something smaller and a little more personal. In retrospect St. Barts would have been a better honeymoon place for us. There's no highrise hotels, most hotels under 20 rooms or less and there's a whole different atmosphere. It's really hard to compare because they are so totally different. Actually, knowing what I know now, I would rent a villa in St. Barts. For what you pay for 4 nights at these hotels you could have a whole house with your own private pool and a gorgeous view for 7 nights. Now that would be private and with so many good restaurants around the island you could have a blast trying them all. If you want to snoop on the St. Barts message board go to sbhonline.com. On that website look for "Visions of St. Barts" on the left margin in green, some wonderful pictures. Here's a couple places to check out villas if you wish:

http://www2.gobeach.com/stbarts/romarin.htm
http://www.st-barths.com/villa-cierd...r_contact.html
http://www.stbarth.com/Villas/peli.shtm
http://www.unusualvillarentals.com/c...na/index.shtml
http://www.blueescapes.com/response_...rl_name=mouina
http://www.stbarth.com/Villas/mirab.shtm
http://www.st-barths.com/danse-du-so...l_contact.html
http://www.unusualvillarentals.com/c...e/Carole.shtml

www.wimco.com
http://www.stbarth.com/villas.htm
http://www2.gobeach.com/stbarts/stbprice.htm

As far as night life on St. Barts, I believe there is some. There's one exlusive hotel, Le Tiony, that apparently is a good time in the evenings. There's no entertainment in the Four Seasons that I saw, zzzzzz.

If you want to be beachfront, I would go with Isle de France. Everyone I've talked to raves about the place and it is on a fabulous beach. I think the beach at Isle de France is nicer than at the Four Seasons in Maui.

Either place has lots to do. It depends if where you are leaving from....east coast, west coast, etc. I would go to whichever place is closest. It was almost 11 hours in the airplane for us. You are less likely to run into gangs of screaming kids though in St. Barts in July.

Good luck in your choice. If I an be of any further help, you can email me at [email protected]

SteveL

I'm off to St. Barth tomorrow for my first visit (been to other nice Caribbean islands) and we stayed at the Kea Lani about a year ago. The hotel is extremely beautiful with incredibly gogeous rooms as is the 4 Seasons next door, but the beach for either is quite small and can be so crowded that you have no place to put a chair.

For a honeymoon, it seems that more intimate would be better. Also, I wouldn't really call Wailea all that relaxing. It was fun, but not particlularly relaxing.

There sure seems to be plenty to do for me on St. Barth.

KarenM

Here's some info on nightlife:

http://www.st-barths.com/guidepgs/nightlife.html

meta

I have a different opinion. Granted, we were only in St. Barts for one day, but as far as I'm concerned Hawaii is the best. That's where we spent our honeymoon and had the best time. Spent 2 nights in Honolulu (don't mind my spelling) which we hated, 5 nights in Maui and 5 nights in Kaui. Maui was really nice, but Kaui was breathtakiing (and less built up).

If you have at least 10 days, I'd opt for Hawaii.

stbarthsgirl

St. Barth's is amazing. Quaint French villages, beautiful people, friendly, and very relaxing. You won't see any chains there, or fast food places or commercialization. You feel very much in another place - paradise!
In Hawaii, I always feel...well, not far enough away...St. barths is very nice!