Try St. Lucia. There are nonstop flights from the UK (though perhaps only from London). It's a lush, beautiful island and a favorite of British honeymooners. I don't particularly like driving on St. Lucia because the roads are winding and not in good condition in many places, but you'll be driving on the left, which will be normal to you. One of the most beautiful resorts on the island is Jalousie Plantation, which is situated right between the Pitons on the southwest coast. Incomparable location. Most of the resorts are in the north, however, and if you stay there you can be within walking or easy taxi distance of many restaurants (not so at Jalousie, which is kind of isolated). From St. Lucia, you can make an easy hop over to Barbados (100 mi/30 min. by plane) if you want to spend a week in each place. Barbados is beautiful, a bit more green than Grand Cayman but not as lush or jungly as St. Lucia.

St Barts, you can fly Dublin to Paris or Amsterdam, then direct to Sint Maarten with Air France or KLM, then puddlejumper or boat to St Barts.

While St. Barts is hilly it is on the arid side and not very lush especially when compared to places like St. Lucia.

St. Kitts and it's sister island Nevis (only 2 miles away) are very lush islands. British Airways has several flights each week from London.

A lot of people from England go to the British Virgin Islands (several differnt islands to choose from all linked by ferries) but they are that easy to reach as you'll first have to fly into San Juan than take a commuter flight to Tortola.

When I think "lush" I think of St. Lucia and LOVED Jalousie Plantation! Also, agree about St. Kitts/Nevis--loved our stay at Four Seasons, Nevis

BA fly direct to St Kitts/Nevis as well as the main islands (check their website). VS fly to the main islands as well as BA which I mean Barbados Grenada Tobago St Lucia Antigua Jamaica from London and some from Manchester. AF fly to Martinique and Guadeloupe from Paris and they are lush islands and probably my favourite although I like all the ones I visited.

VS also fly direct to San Juan via Antigua, once a week if I remember correctly and then you can fly on to somewhere else eg the Virgin Islands.

AA have good connections from London to various destinations via Miami.

The options are good and sometimes I think it's easier to get to the Caribbean from Europe than it is from some parts of the US.

what about Jamaica?

I have only the very best things to say about Nevis. The locals are extremely nice and the island is more than beautiful. It's a clean island, very safe, and has some absolutely wonderful dining. The beaches are not the reason that you go to Nevis, however.

I agree with St. lucia. Being from Europe you folfs fortunately are not as hung up on air Conditionung and though iy=t is expensive Landera is an under-stated elegant resort high up but accessible to the shore by hotel jitney fopr scuba, though the snorkeling is limited the diving is pretty good and the island is one of the lushest of al, the Caribbean Islands.

I agree with St Kitts as lush with plenty to explore and esay to get to from the UK
The St Kitts Tourism site has a good range of places to stay
http://www.stkittstourism.kn/
and we loved staying on Turtle beach
http://turtlebeachhousestkitts.shutterfly.com/
and I hear there is some good scuba, try
http://www.prodiversstkitts.com/