lenlu

Does anyone have any experience with either or these? We're considering going and can't decide. My husband and I have two boys, ages 5 and 6. Looks really beautiful. We've done the Caymans, USVI's, BVI's, barbados and Grenada. We're looking for a swanky resort, lush and tropical with really nice beaches and calm waters. Our only other thought would be Anguilla/Cuisinart in the Caribbean. Food and good snorkeling would be a plus! Raffles takes kids after April, so we'd be in the clear. All input would be helpful. Thank you!

StanKase

WE have been to Raffles abd know several filks who have visited Palm Island. Actually the snorkeling in NOT great in the immediate area of either but a little better around Palm. But either one takes you on a trip to one of the best snorkel paradises in the Caribbean Tobago Caye. It is simply Fabulous. It and St. John around Caneel are the 2 remaing best in the area.
Raffles is swankier and larger and a better opportunity for other kids tobe there. The food was incinsistent from average to very good but not gourmet. A stay at Raffles is probably 1/3rd more expensive than Palm because Palm is All Inclusive almost/ Both take almost an entire day to get to from the NY area.

Knowing

We were on Palm Island three months ago. It was a different way for us to travel, but it turned out to be the perfect answer for us. It's like having your own destination. It is an A/I, but it's a premium place. I wouldn't call it a "luxury" type of place but it is a beautiful tropical setting. Wonderful food and desserts. The Palm Island boat will take you over to Union Island if you want to check that out and you could go to the Tobago Cays.
I would prefer to always vacation in this way, if it was up to me.

blamona

I find Palm Island alot more "rustic" than Raffles-Raffles is a luxury "swanky" resort. The better food in the Grenadines is at the Tamarind Resort on Canouan-food is good, not great. snorkeling is superb on Tobago Cays-which are stunning gorgeous-what postcards are made of. Plus the first Pirates Of Caribbean was filmed in Tobago Cays. Grenadines is a quieter version of BVI's.

Food is far superior in Anguilla, I find Cuisinart to be a swankier (is that a word?) resort than Palm Island-the snorkeling in Anguilla though, in my 7 trips, has only been average.

lenlu

Thanks you guys for your help. I'm not sure what to do and I never considered the Tobago cays for a snorkel trip but sounds like fun. I'm sort of looking for that paradise ever since I was in the S. Pacific in Rarotonga. It's so remote though, so I thought if I looked at the Grenadines, I'd find a swanky place and paradise (being lush, tropical, mountainous, etc) and a tad closer. I'm glad to know about Anguilla's cuisine. Is the island nice? I do enjoy an awesome resort and I hear Cap Jaluca doesn't take kids which is why I'm looking at different options. I feel a fool asking, but what was everyone's experience with the bugs? Roaches in the rooms? My husband can't deal with spiders in the room and I frown on roaches in the room. I know, it's tropical....we'd just like to avoid the critters. Anyway, I do really appreciate the help!

StanKase

You should know that Anguilla is a flat island and you could NOT call it lush, by any definition. IT has beautiful beaches several 4+ and 2 5 star hotels and good to very good food at 2 hotels, in my opunion. But, being an avid snorkeler I would call the snorkeling fair to poor. There is very little coral aroubd the island as well as St. Martin.
As I said earlier I cannot compare any to Palm Island.
If you stopped at Tahiti on the way to the Cook Islands the nearest lush islands to that you have visited like Granada but also Nevis and St. Lucia are lush but beaches and top quality food are not there. I would say overall "GOOD" and St. Lucia is especially beautiful.

Knowing

I was in the South Pacific last year and if you enjoyed that, you would like Palm Island. It's a very tranquil private island with only 135 acres. It is the perfect place to relax and unwind. Staff is very friendly, but as I stated before, this is more of an informal atmosphere rather than "swanky". They do have a dress code that is required after 6:30pm (no jeans, shirts or T-shirts are permitted).
I really admired the serene, lush tropical landscape of the South Pacific. Part of what I really enjoyed about Palm Island was relaxing on the white sandy beaches. If you want to be more active, there are hiking trails and bicycles, and a number of daily excursions to sign up for.
There are only 37 rooms and they all have a balcony or patio. Our patio was huge. (There is no television or phone in the rooms. However, there is a TV room next to the large library).