70th Birthday Trip
 

Hi There, my wife and I have decided to look into a 70th birthday trip to the Caribbean in the Fall if things improve with the Covid 19 situation. We are considering two resorts, the Sandals Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios (all rooms have butlers), and the Sandals Barbados (the club level rooms).. We realize they are quite pricey, but we went to the Sandals Grande Lucian for our honeymoon 17 years ago, and loved it. However, I was told by a previous travel agent we used several years ago, that there are some really nice alternatives to Sandals in the Caribbean. Also, although we have stopped off in Ocho Rios several years ago while on a cruise and enjoyed a few of the sights, we have never been to Barbados, and from what I have read, it seems like a very attractive location. Additionally there appears to be some really nice upscale/luxury hotels (not all inclusive), that might be possible alternatives. (my wife is not a big drinker). Some articles advise of some wonderful restaurants on the island. One of the things my wife looks forward to is a variety of entertainment at night, and good food. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Barbados is a very attractive island, the best location IMO is St James or St Peter, where the beautiful beaches are. Sandals is in St Lawrence which is not my favourite location, the sea is not as calm for swimming as St James/St Peter but quite pleasant nonetheless. There are alot of choices of upscale accommodation in Barbados, for example Cobblers Cove, a small hotel on the west coast with a Relais and Chateaux restaurant, it is not all inclusive but there maybe some meal plans available., but there are several others to choose from. Crystal Cove is an upscale AI hotel. There are several upscale restaurants eg the Cliff, Tides etc. Hurricane season starts end of June until November, something to bear in mind, it can bring rainfall.