We're taking our honeymoon in May. We have done a ton of research and we either like Curtain Bluff or Galley Bay in Antigua or Ladera in St. Lucia. I have heard mostly good things about the 2 places in Antigua, but they don't look nearly as beautiful as Ladera in St. Lucia ... though the reviews I've read of Ladera are very conflicting. (Some say it's very romantic, beautiful, etc. ... some say it's worse than camping.) Just checking to see if anyone can give me recommendations on these places. There are others, of course, that we really liked, but these three places fit into our budget.

St.Lucia is much more tropical ,green and very lush. Antigua is more dry, but super beaches. So you have to weight what you are looking for great beaches or lush surrondings?

We loved Antigua and had great weather while we were there. It rained every day in St. Lucia and hard enough and long enough to have to seek shelter. We liked Antigua's beaches better and just had a much better time there. Both Curtain Bluff and Galley Bay are great hotels.

Both islands have their charms and I happen to love both. You're comparing very different resorts as well as very different islands. Curtain Bluff has a reputation of being more formal, much like a fancy country club setting. Some folks love that and some folks are put off by that.

Galley Bay is a nice all inclusive with nicely appointed rooms on a gorgeous stretch of beach that is sometimes unswimmable with all of the heavy waves. I've visited here but not stayed here.

Ladera is much more for the adventurous minded--the open wall is very romantic and staying there is certainly a unique experience. But for the price some people are expecting modern ameneties--they don't get that they're paying for the experience of being as close to nature as possible while still having a few creature comforts. The views from here are stunning and the food at its restaurant, Dasheen, is quite good. But if at heart you're a beach person, I think you would want to split your stay between Ladera and elsewhere. (Caveat emptor--they say you get complimentary transportation to beaches, but what they don't tell you is that if you want to use the facilites there you have to pay around $10 per person per day for a chair.)

A perfect vacation for me would include a few nights at Ladera on St. Lucia, revelling in the company of my sweetie, decompressing from the hurried pace of pre-wedding stuff. Exploring the natural beauties of St. Lucia. Taking a snorkeling trip or two. Then fly off to another island for a beach vacation.

Might I throw you in another direction and suggest combining a few nights at Ladera with a few nights at a place like Palm Island (owned by same folks as Galley Bay) or Petit St. VIncent resort?

Just curious what other places you found that are appealing that you referred to but didn't mention by name...what I inferred was that they might be out of our budget, but if you can afford Galley Bay & Curtain Bluff, then lots of other nice places are in the same range, too.

Also check out www.luxurylink.com as a good one-stop resource for many of the more desirable properties in the Caribbean. Even if you don't want to bid on any packages offered there, if you watch the auctions you can get a good idea of what is available at what prices. Whatever you choose, it will be a romantic and memorable trip simply because it's your honeymoon!