redshoe

If you had to name your top spots for total relaxing beach vacation what places would you recomend? When I say relaxing say you wake up in the morning, eat a nice breakfast, easily stroll to the beach with a good book, or take in a few artist shops. Nice lunches, easy evenings a little pampering if desired. No cell phones, no beepers, no one hunting you down...just total chill out relaxing. You leave feeling way better than when you got there.

Have you had one of those and where was it?

GoTravel

Pawleys Island, South Carolina. One of the oldest settled barrier islands in the US. No businesses on the island, just single family homes. Think slow drip valium IV.

Scarlett

Lol, GoTravel! such a good description! I would say something similar, like Duck

OliveOyl

Cayman Kai in Grand Cayman. The resort has some houses right along the beach and we'd rented one with another couple. No air conditioning necessary, and we went to sleep with the sound of the waves through our open windows. Brought some food with us, and bought the remainder in town, shunning the resort's dining facilities most evening. Open the door, walk out onto a beautiful beach in the morning. Some of the best snorkeling we've seen anywhere...other Cayman beaches, Bermuda, St. John, and Mexico, was in 3 feet of water right off "our house". There were absolutely no other resorts or hotels in the area, and we could take long walks along a secluded beach. It was perfect!

The only drawback was that if you DID want other activity, it was a long twisty two lane drive back into Georgetown.

It was so remote that when our house, which was on the market at the time, suddenly got a contract on it, the realtor had a devil of a time contacting us, and then the only connection was via a phone booth out under some palms after the resort let us know they were trying to reach us.

mclaurie

Nantucket, Hawaii, Mexico, Bermuda

Ryan

Phuket, Thailand. We stayed at a great resort, the Chedi, in a decently sized hut right on the beach. Beautiful white sand beach, clear blue water, and your choice of full service spa or massages on the beach. You can enjoy a casual lunch beachside or take a shuttle into town and do a bit of shopping.

A little closer to home, there is a fairly new, although not very well known resort in Mexico, called Hualtuco. Very few Americans bother as it is in the Southwestern corner of the country. The Camino Real Zaashilla hotel is a great deal for the level of service and the amenities.

Ally

Hotel Secreto, Isla Mujeres.
Only 9 rooms, right on a nice little cove shared with another small hotel. No more than a half dozen people on this beach at any time, and that's when it crowded!
VERY relaxing. No restaurant/bar, but they will have food delivered and they do have a continental breakfast. Many, many restaurants are within walking distance. Hotel can arrange massage, etc for the 'pampering'. Or if you REALLY want upscale, Villa Rolandi on the same island is fantastic.

OneWanderingJew

How about Anguilla...

Here I am at work, Redshoe, and it's all you're fault that I feel like sneaking out and jumping on the next plane to the Caribbean ;-)