6 Months Advance Notice !
 

Please help! My husband and I have travelled extesively throughout the Caribbean over the past 30 years.We are treating our 3 children and their spouses( all in their twenties ), as well as one small grandchild to a week at an AI between Christmas and New Years. Cost is of no consequence, as we have personal reasons for making this a trip not to be forgotten by any of us. Please recommend the best resort for us. Please do not include Cuba, Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic, as my husband and I have already removed them from our short list. Thank you in advance.

Family friendly resorts would include: Caneel Bay--St. John, Westin Casaurina--Grand Cayman, Windjammer Landing--St. Lucia, Odyssey Resort--St. Lucia, Beaches Turkoise--Turks and Caicos, Four Seasons--Nevis, Tamarind Cove Resort--Barbados, and Club Med Ixtapa--Ixtapa Mexico.

Club Med Ixtapa would be great for that group.

Other properties: Wyndham Sugar Bay--St. Thomas, Renaissance Grand Resort--St. Thomas, Almond Beach Village--Barbados.

I was reading information for the Long Bay Beach Resort, Tortola BVI and it stated that if you book for the holiday season by June 30 you receive 20% off. They have a MAP plan --not all inclusive.

Cap Juleca-Anguilla

M.M.B <BR>St John has been suggested and I will agree. Good food at Cruz Bay, the Westin is nice and child friendly. Don't eat there!! ( except for the food at the pool bar for lunch ) There is a deli/cafe on the property you can get a nice healthy breakfast ( open early) Also you are with a big group you might want to check out the villas at the Westin and other parts of st John. This group is big on St.John so I am sure they will confirm what a nice place it is to vacation.<BR>As for Long Bay Tortola I have been twice and it a great place, I think there is more to do in St John for the big family trip!!

Maybe St. Thomas would be good for a big group--there's so much to do and the flights are not long from the U.S. Wyndham Sugar Bay is an all inclusive that might appeal to you.

caribbean: Cuisinart Resort & Spa, Anguilla. Anguilla in the caribben in the best islad, in terms of secluded, deserted white beaches with turquise water. This is absoutly a trip of a lifetime. Both Cap Juluca and Cuisinart on Anguilla are "Small luxury Hotels of the World" a high distinction to have and the only two who have in on Anguilla. check out the cuisinart website www.cuisinartresort.com<BR>it is absolutely the most beutiful island we have been to, (for beaches....)<BR>Its not an AI, but they have everything you need and you go each night to a new wonderful dinner spot on the island, and the price comes out around the same (About $550/night per couple...) anyway its truly a gem...definitely look into it...

That is a very popular and busy week to travel and books up very quickly. Your best bet is to go to a travel agent, sit down and let them check on availablity at a few resorts. This will narrow the search and make it less stressful.

How about chartering your own fully crewed yacht? That way you could chart your own course and island hop...visiting more than one island!<BR><BR>Also, luxury villas that could accommodate all are available all over the Caribbean. Including, St. John, St. Croix, Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Grenada. I would suggest getting reservations soon as possible as this is the most traveled time of year.<BR><BR>Good Luck,<BR>Destinations4fun.com

Perhaps not as fancy but I spent 2 Christmases at Divi in Aruba. It is AI and the weather is always perfect. It's not too expensive and there's a casino within walking distance plus nightly shows and a band or DJ for dancing. Water sports, pool activities, etc.

St. Thomas is too cool at that time of the year..it doesn't warm up until the end of February, we were at the Wyndom the second week in February and it was defintely chilly..as St. Johns would be.

Been to St. John several times, early to mid December, and mid January. The water is very warm and the days can be very hot! Caneel is great for a family,<BR>and Cruz Bay is a funky little town. Busy St. Thomas is a short ferry ride away.<BR>Cap Juluca and CusinArt on Anguilla are good choices too. Anguilla is a small arid island, easy to get around and has lots of nice restaurants to dine. CoveCastles has nice large villas on a wonderful beach!<BR><BR><BR> <BR><BR><BR>

I would strongly recommend Coral Gardens in Providenciales (Provo) Turks and Caicos. Specifically suites 1211/1212 and 1201/1202. They are 2300 sq.ft. condo suites, two bedrooms each. It is not an AI but I wouldn't lock myself into an AI as there are too many good restaurants on Provo to try. Would not consider Beaches. Very touristy and noisy. Go to www.debbiescaribbeanresortreviews.com and click on Turks and Caicos and reviews. I have a review of Coral Gardens and restaurant recommendations on that site. We have been to Provo 12 times and stayed at CG 7 the most recent being in April and again last week. Feel free to e-mail me for more info.

Good idea going with all-inclusive so not an open ended bill at the end of the trip. Look at Petit St. Vincent or Palm Island in the Grenadines, Jumby Bay or Curtain Bluff on Antigua. Buccaneer on St. Croix might work. Get a good agent who can negotiate on your behalf for group rates with resort and air but holiday time will be hard for pricing as well as availability at this late date. Other places will offer a FAP or MAP for meals and some activities in packages also. Peter Island in the BVI's includes meals and some activity. Cooper Island, Bitter End or Guana Island might also work. St. Thomas offers Bolongo and Sugar Bay but neither have great beaches (Sugar Bay more upscale) but St. Thomas and St. John will have transportation issues with a larger group unless you head to Caneel Bay with the beaches on property. Meal Plan only. The Westin is not upscale and you would be traveling to beaches and dining out. Long Bay and Tortola has the same problems with transportation traveling to beaches and dine out and Tortola is not known for upscale properties for sure! Long Bay's beach is not a good water beach especially in the winter. Turks and Caicos and Bahamas are not toasty warm in the winter months but the Caribbean is lovely including the USVI weather. Anguilla has no all inclusives but Cap Juluca is excellent but pricey for dining out and Mallihouana has a great all-round program for children and is more approprite. The Mayan Riviera near Playa del Carmen offers a copule of upscale all-inclsives that would make the trip special. Peter Greenberg recommended a family all inclusive yesterday on the Today Show. You might want to check his recommendations but it may have been Jamaica. <BR>Good luck with your planning!

I agree about Aruba. You want warm water and sun or there will be nothing to do for a young crowd. Go to the Divi. You can also use the Tamarin next door via golf cart shuttle every 15 minutes, or walk. There are about 4 or 5 restaurants between the 2 places included in the price and both also have big buffets for breakfast, lunch, dinner too. But restaurant reservations for dinner are better than the buffet for that meal.Everything is included.<BR>Try the beach and pool volleyball games and even Bingo. Sounds boring so we didn't until a young couple near us talked us into it on our last day. It was a hoot and prizes galore, practically just for sneezing!!!We won t-shirts, wine, beachwear, etc. Loads of fun and a beautiful beach.

Yes definitely Aruba!!! At the Divi which we prefer to the Tamarjin, there seems to be a group of regulars who go every Christmas. We met 3 couples who were repeaters!!! We took our married children last Christmas too, and there was lots to do. They also got some alone time while we lounged on the beach. The two year old grandchild enjoyed herself too. Great weather and we enjoyed eating and swimming at both resorts, but stay at the Divi. We are not casino people but it was fun once or twice. We saw some people winning but we only made deposits!!! The kids loved ot though.