The "Anti-Sandals" Honeymooner

There is no right or wrong. It's all good!

Everyone vacations however they want. There is a place for all inclusives, just as there is a place for cottage rentals, and everything in between. It's all just a matter of personal preference and comfort level.

Congratulations on your marriage, dgritton.

I have never been to Sandals. I have
seen the huge amount of money spent
on their ads---makes me wonder! I assume one of their markets is honeymooners, couples etc.

Long before the internet I used
travel books, etc. to pick an island--
then a resort.

I have loved Bermuda, Anguilla,
St.John, Antigua, Virgin Gorda,
Barbados--not so much Tortola.

I do not think you are wrong---so
now decide where you want to go.

welcome to fodors. we are not so much a place to come and critize as a place to find information.
if you can tell us what you and your bride to be (congratulations by the way) would like to find on your caribbean honeymoon i'm sure we can be helpful.
useful info would include trip dates, departure airport, length of trip, budget, nightlife of no, gambling or no, golf or no, diving/snorkeling or no? is fine dining a must? are you beach people? are you more interested in ie: butterfly farm or historic buildings? are you active or laid back? some islands are coral based thus flat/scrubby with incredible beaches, ie grand cayman. others are volcanic thus lush and hilly, ie st. lucia.

Virginia,
Thank you for your response. I'm not trying to be critical of Sandals...like I said in my post I have never even been to one. I have not doubt that they are a great place to stay. What I am trying to do is find out if my feelings of them being isolated and closed off from the culture around them is true or not.

As far as your other questions:
We are definitely beach people...
Active, but not into anything crazy..
I would like to have a sense of privacy were ever it is that we go. I don't want it to have that mega-resort feel to it, but would like to be within a decent distance of things to do...
Good food is a MUST!

Hope this helps!

hi d, some people choose go off property when they stay at ai's, some don't. i have friends who go to couples on jamaica annually and have yet to see any of the island. another couple goes to maya riviera twice a year and are off property doing stuff all the time. including some meals.
i personally choose to rent villas everywhere we go. i think it gets me into the local culture much more than same dining every night with same waiter. and i love to cook - def not thinking you should ask new bride to cook on honeymoon though- haha! (although most jamaican villas come with a cook provided)

islands known for beautiful beaches and great dining include provo in t&c, anguilla maybe barbados.

on the other hand a small private ai like palm island resort or petit st. vincent resort, st.vincent & grenadines, or peter island or guana island in bvis, parrot cay resort or meridian club on pine cay in t&c might work for you?

still having a hard time figuring out what kind of place appeals to you but take a look at grace bay club on provo.(beachfront, very lux, great food at & near, a few activities, not a good shopping island)
then you might say what appeals and what doesn't.
don't mean to be nosy but budget is key, as every island has someplace for almost every budget.

I won't even stay at a 'resort', so I understand where you're coming from. What are you looking for though ? Congrats !

There's nothing really wrong with the Sandals experience if that's what you want. I certainly understand why it might not be what you want, but Sandals doesn't particularly close you off from Jamaica. In fact, they try to get people out in the country. It's vacationers who wall themselves off.

There's a Sandals hotel in downtown Montego Bay, right in the thick of things. And don't forget that Sandals is a Jamaica-owned company, with Jamaican executives who genuinely love the country and want to offer it to their customers. I think you don't give the company enough credit if you think they are "Americanized." I'd say certainly not.

But most AI resorts (and Sandals is no exception) do create a bubble ... I can't deny that. But you are in charge of your own vacation, and so many Americans don't want to see or understand Jamaica. Too often, people dismiss it as a crime-ridden country, which is only a small part of the truth.

If you want to experience a more realistic and down-to-earth Jamaican experience, it's there for you. And I'd encourage you to rent a car and do some exploring if you do choose Jamaica for your honeymoon. Stay at a small hotel like Jake's and explore the real Jamaica. Or go to Port Antonio, where there are no large resorts at all.

If you want an interesting honeymoon but the antithesis of a Sandals resort, then I'd recommend something like Petit St. Vincent. Lots of quiet time if you can amuse yourselves, but no TVs, no phones, no A/C, excellent food, great service. Or you could go to Montserrat and have a completely different kind of Caribbean experience, though in its own way, truly wonderful.

For "full-on luxury" in a place that doesn't feel entirely insulated from the island that it's on, take a look at the following places:

Grenada -- Spice Island Beach Resort is locally owned by a Grenadian. It is all inclusive, but that doesn't mean you can't eat meals offsite or explore the island on your own.
La Luna -- this place is owned by an Italian, but it's an individual, not a conglomerate. Sort of a rustic-chic experience, but very romantic.

British Virgin Islands -- Biras Creek on Virgin Gorda is a Relais & Chateaux property. It's very isolated--a boat ride away from the rest of the island--but it's easy to catch the ferry back to the main part of the island and drive around & explore on your own.

Or rent a fabulous villa so that you have the luxury of space--the Mahoe Bay villas on Virgin Gorda are very popular. A few steps up from them in luxury & price would be Katitche Point or Dream Come True villas. Fabulous and pricey in the extreme.

Jumby Bay on Antigua -- it's a private island resort with unlimited transfers back & forth to Antigua, so you'd have the entire island to explore when you're not kicking back with a drink on the beach.

For a best of both worlds experience, look at Young Island, a private island resort a few hundred yards off the coast of St. Vincent. St. Vincent is an unspoiled, lush mountainous paradise that you can explore each day or every other day if you wish, and Young Island is a retreat from that when you don't want to do more than eat, sleep, drink, read, etc.

For a really active honeymoon, take a look at Guana Island, another private island, off the coast of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Most of the island is a nature preserve, as the owners have been trying to reintroduce endangered species that were once native to the area. Lots of hiking trails. Good snorkeling. They can arrange diving. Kayak around the island. Check out their organic gardens where all of the island's produce is grown. Or veg out on the beach or get a massage.

People like what they like. There's no right or wrong. Even your own statement of wanting "full on luxury" in a place where the overwhelming percentage of the population is in poverty might subject you to the criticism of others. Don't be snobbish; if you don't like a particular ambiance, just don't chose it.

We typically go to small or medium-size beach front places, preferably an apartment with kitchen facilities, and almost always rent a jeep to explore. Anguilla is our favorite, but the BVI (Tortola, Virgin Gorda) and St. John in the USVI are very nice as well.

A villa on St. John or St. Barts (most of which have a small private pool) would make for a great honeymoon.

Balto,
My question has absolutely nothing to do with being "snobbish". I have done missions work in some of the poorest places (Nicaragua in particular) so I fully understand the economical situation that most of these countries are in. This is why I would rather spend my money at a place that is for the most part locally owned and operated instead of some multi-national corporation.

I'm enjoying this thread. I was watching the Sandals commercials kind of wondering what they were all about.

Doug,

Thank you for your reply. I'm looking to have a honeymoon on the Islands and this information you shared was great.

dgritton, I have a question for you:

Are you already booked somewhere for your honeymoon?

Because your posts do not read like you are asking for suggestions. They read like you are more interested in finding out whether others agree with your negative opinion of Sandals.

When our very knowledgeable Fodors editor came on to correct your somewhat false impression of Sandals, you didn't even respond. Even Virginia's great questions went mostly un-answered.

So I'm not even sure what you want here. You keep ignoring all the great suggestions.

Try going back to Virginia's 1:16 PM post and answering, specifically, one by one, all her questions. Then you will be getting somewhere with all this.

Otherwise this thread will just be a rant against Sandals.

dgritton -

It's not easy to find truly local ownership in luxury accommodations. The place my wife and I stayed on our first trip to the Caribbean, in the early 1980s, might fit the bill however. Rendezvous Bay Hotel, on Anguilla, is owned by an Anguillan family and was the only hotel on the island at the time. It has since gone much more upscale, and it seems to be going through a further luxury up-grade at present. Check it out.

Sorry about the "snobby" comment. It's just that some people are happiest at a Sandals or at Disney World, and I don't think they should be looked down on for it. The employees of those places probably get paid at least as well as the employees of locally-owed lodgings.

Rendevous Bay is CLOSED. Nothing
is happening yet on the site. A real loss for the old world charm--west
indies feeling.

Joan, Penny, Virginia, Montserrat, Doug, Crowe, Balto....

Let me start over....

First, My apologies if I have offended ANYONE by anything that I have said. It was never my goal from the beginning of this to just be critical for the sake of being critical. I really do want to find out as much information as humanly possible. I've been in the logistics field for the last several years and my entire job has centered around knowing every detail there is to know.

The bottom line is that I recognize that my fiance is in charge of the wedding and that I really don't have alot of say in it (no matter how much I want to..LOL)BUT I am responsible for the honeymoon and I want it to be the most memorable experience of BOTH our lives.

Crowe...thank you for your suggestions...they all look really great. I had looked at Jumby Bay before and found it really highly ranked on several websites..Any thoughts?

Virginia...you are right about not wanting her to cook! As far as your questions:
* Don't know date date of departure yet. We have not offically nailed down a wedding date yet. We are looking at Late April or May 2008.
*Budget is still undecided to..Maybe around $6,000-$8,000..possibly more.
*Nightlife and Snorking...not that important, but interested
* Golf and Gambling...not important at all
* Dining...we would like to be in an area were there is a wide variety of things to try..even VERY local things
* Beach...MUST HAVE
* I would like to be in a place with great history and architecture that has been preserved well.
* We are active people as far as our jobs, so when we go we will probably be laid back for most of it, but I would like to adventure out once or twice.

Doug...thanks for the suggestions. The one you mentioned without the A/C is definitely out though...A/C is a must. I do feel better about Sandals being Jamaica owned and you are right that it is up the the GUEST to get out into the city.

I'm starting to lean towards St. Lucia a little bit...the fact of the rain forest really excites me. Any thoughts??

dgritton,

Take a look at Nevis, too. It has a dormant volcano and a rain forest and some interesting ruins from the days of the plantations. You can also stay in a small plantation inn (Nisbet on the beach, Hermitage, Montpelier, and Golden Rock in the hills), and dine at variety of good restaurants. Most importantly, it has some of the nicest people in the Caribbean.

www.nevisisland.com

Great! Now we're getting somewhere!

Your dates are great - the high season ends in April, so early May would be perfect timing pricewise.

St. Lucia is great, but a little difficult to get to around, since it is a large island and things are far apart.

I like Nevis for you - it has the history, the dining, and lots of locally owned places, and as cw pointed out, great people. It is small too, so getting out and about is easy. But do ask about air conditioning, because not every place has it. Check out Nisbet.

If your budget is for one week, then you can choose from a wide variety. If it is for two weeks, you will have to check carefully, as the luxury places may be too expensive.

No apologies needed on my behalf. You want what you want and you stated it quite clearly--otherwise we might be giving you totally offbase suggestions. Don't be embarrassed for enjoying luxury and being willing to pay for it for your honeymoon.

I'll second the suggestion of Nevis--either Montpelier, a lovely old plantation in the mountains, or Nisbet, a lovely old plantation on the beach. They offer a package for splitting your stay between the two places, or at least they used to. Both place are just lovely and really exude an old Caribbean charm and graciousness.

I've only stayed at about 1/3 of the places I recommended, but I've visited most of the others while staying elsewhere on those islands.

What I would suggest as a nice way to end your honeymoon is to spend one night in Old San Juan on your way home. Stay at El Convento, a converted convent from the 17th century. Old San Juan is full of history, culture, shopping, and good dining--plus the relative hustle & bustle of that area helps to ease you back into the real world from being on vacation.

I think based on what you say that Spice Island on Grenada should also be on your list. It's a true luxury experience, and Grenada is a very interesting and beautiful island.

St. Lucia is a great place, but I"m not sure any of the resorts will give you the kind of experience you want. Anse Chastanet is one of the island's most interesting and wonderful hotels, but it also has no a/c. The other unique hotel on the island, Ladera, also has no a/c.

By the way, I think you really overestimate the need for a/c. At Petit St. Vincent, for instance, I actually got chilly at night with fans and had to close my room's sliding glass door. But my goodness, the beaches there are lovely. You might prefer Palm Island, which is a a somewhat similar kind of experience, though with more creature comforts like a/c and a pool.

You might also want to look at Biras Creek, which I believe someone else recommended. Another fine hotel.

We were at Palm Island in the Grenadines last month and found it to be an exclusive part of the Caribbean. We did not venture out and experience the Tobabgo Cays as we would have liked to do as my husband got sick two days before we left and was sick the entire vacation.
However, you land on Union Island and a boat takes you to PI. We stayed in a beachfront cottage with a wonderful patio - and the island was blissfully uncrowded. Not Le Cordon Bleu cusine, but still excellent. The personalized, caring service was awesome. Above all, we enjoyed the remarkable relaxation and I really enjoyed the library.
This would be a perfect opportunity for a honeymoon. It was the tropical experience of a lifetime for us.
Congratualtions on your upcoming marriage!

My wife and I have been to two Sandals Resorts, we may or may not return again. Sandals Dunn's River was great, the food, cleanliness, staff, activities, young crowd, etc. I would probably rate it a 4*. Then a couple years later we went Sandals Grand Carribbean and it was a total let down, it was showing it's age and didn't have much life. I would rate it a 3*.
We instead would spend our days at the Sandals next door (5 minutes away) and put up with noise of the planes coming in for landing. We had a good time at both but have since visited a few other AI resorts that were less expensive and in my opinion a step above. I would just recommend staying at one of the newer Sandals if you decide to go that direction. I would consider a Sandals again if the price was right but I wouldn't book it at full price.

Doug, Spice Island was the first place I recommended

So now there are two votes for it!

So I checked out Spice Island and it looks amazing. Does anyone have any room recommendations? I would like to at least like to have a clear view from the beach from our room. Also is hard to get from there to the main island and back?

Thanks for everyones help by the way!

Never mind my last question...I didn't see that its actually ON the main land.

Young Island , St. Vincent and the Grenadines
www.youngisland.com

Moonhole, Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
www.moonhole.com

Spice Island, Grenada
LaLuna, Grenada

www.bequiatourism.com
www.caribbeantravelforum.com
www.grenadagrenadines.com
www.laluna.com

I'm not a resort person but would make the exception for anyone of the places I listed.

Grenada or SVG, are some of the most beautiful group of islands I have visited. As you can tell by my screen name they are my favorites.
I have been to Nevis but prefer the others. No particular reason.
Each of us have our favorites for a multitude of reasons but IMO either Grenada or SVG win for romantic. Something about the rain forest, seclusion with the option of not being so secluded, friendly locals, plus lots to see and do if you choose. If you would choose Young Island or Moonhole you have the option of visiting Bequia. Quaint and the "true Caribbean" experience.
Congrats.

re: Spice Island Beach Resort, you'd want one of the beachfront seagrape rooms for unobstructed access to the beach. I think these are great rooms (never stayed there, but toured the property after one of several meals there), but do keep in mind that the rooms (at least the ones I saw) were all one level and that anybody walking by on the beach could technically look into the room. Most people were mindful of folks' privacy, so I don't think it's a problem, but I just wanted you to be mindful of that.

Spice Island is special on an island that is spectacular. Grenada offers all of the modern conveniences you could want without losing its West Indian charm. Unlike many other islands in the Caribbean, it still has its soul.

The last time I was at this little gem was 2002 so please forgive me if things have changed. We rented a jeep and came across Ti Kaye Village on St Lucia completely unexpectedly. Granted, we only spent two nights there but it was absolutely incredible and the memories have never faded.

Each suite is it's own little cottage with a most comfy bed, outside shower and double hammock. You are completely secluded! The restaurant is open to the elements with drapes capturing the romantic nature of the village. The beach is below the resort and quite private with pretty much just the village guests using it.

I lived in the Caribbean for 2 years and spent most of the time cruising from island to island. All of the islands have their unique features but St Lucia was particularly interesting with it's array of island activities and incredible geography.

http://www.tikaye.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g677534-d151080-r14369815-Ti_Kaye_Village_Resort-Anse_Cochon_St_Lucia.html

Have a look at the travels advice on Trip Advisor, one posted today

St. John in the US Virgin Islands is my favorite spot - 2/3 national park, good restaurants and fabulous beaches-check the websites. Caneel Bay is great but very pricey, The Westin is too resorty for my taste. Gallows Point is a great alternative-roomy(go for the oceanview loft suites), convenient to town, like a condo with some resort amenities and a very good restaurant. A small villa is another good alternative-my current favorite way to visit an island and many good ones are available through travel agents and online.

Hello! I did vacation with my husband at Sandals St Lucia, and was greatly dissapointed! The ads are deceiving! I had never been to St Lucia and didn't know what to expect, but from the resort photos the property looks expansive. Wrong! Not expansive, the beach was so small!!!! The restaurants were average at best! You really need to look at actual travelers photos and reviews (tripadvisor.com) to get a REAL feel for the resorts. Also, we booked a suite w/our own pool, and it was so far away from the main resort! No one told us. For the money we were not impressed. Good luck and best wishes!

Don't overlook Puerto Rico. Split time between Old San Juan & the Horned Dorset & I think you'll be very happy. Plenty of architecture, nightlife & a rainforest as well.

Stayed at Sandals Whitehouse and loved it. Wanted something totally relaxing as this was our first time EVER that we got to vacation without the kids (our normal vacation is a beach house rental in N. Carolina)! We did a private tour one day with Talk of the Town and there were MANY tours offered through the resort if you wanted to burst out of the "bubble". Is it for everyone? Of course not. But we only had 5 days and wanted total relaxation. Sandals Whitehouse is also a brand new property, so may be in better shape than the others. Also, I was really impressed with the food at the a la carte restaurants.
We found quite a mixed bag of guests, too - I think we actually met more Canadians and Europeans than Americans...

We are die hard Sandals people and have done both what you call "inside the bubble" and "outside the bubble" we prefer inside the bubble for our choices of dinning and stay.We do by all means venture out of the resort quite often to enjoy the culture of all of the islands we have been too.You have to leave the resort to experience the culture of your island...whats the point of traveling if not to enjoy the people and culture.I agree with that point.

topping for mindy

My husband and I honeymooned at Sandals Grande St. Lucia and loved it. The island was beautiful and the staff was very friendly. There were many tours and trips that you could choose from as well.