Best (affordable) island locale for Jan.
 

I'm beginning research for our 3rd anniversary celebration in January and wonder if an island can be done economically during high season. Doesn't have to be fancy, just somewhere I can sink our toes in some sand on a nice beach and where there are sites to see. Our budget is miniscule for the get-away because of other travel and husband's 40th birthday celebration later in the year. Hoping someone out there has done a trip (3-4 days) for two adults on less than 2K. We typically like b&b's/boutique type hotels, but will consider an AI.
Thanks bunches.

Where are you flying from? Usually there's a lull the first half of January so space might be available.

WHAT are you trying to say here ??

The current world situation is nothing to joke about !

If you were to express your sentiments at any airport, you would be the one to be questioned and rightly so !

I'm sure that there are many here who would like an explanation ??

Marion

Marion,
I was so shocked by that response that I clicked on mashers name. Since 2:30 today, he/she has made 27 posts on other forums, Europe, US with the same rants. Fodor's, please ban TheMasher from this site! Fanatics we don't need.

What frightens me most about this kind of poster, is my own comfort level that has evolved over years of posting here at Fodor's. A comfort level that has included posting my private email address.

It is so sad that we don't seem to be safe anywhere..not even at our own computers !

Marion

Back to the OP. Is that 2K for air and hotel or everything? We stayed in Negril, Jamaica for under 2K for a week in low season (air and hotel). You may be able to do the same for a shorter stay in January. The food and drink there is relatively inexpensive. We stayed at CocoLapalm but many recommend Idle Awile right next door. Since your stay is so short, you will really have to consider travel time.

Carrybean - We're flying from Dallas. Preferably the last week of January.

Brenandg - I'm thinking $1,500 for air and hotel and a few hundred dollars to spend on miscellaneous stuff. Funny you mentioned Negril. A friend is planning a trip there in September. So far the best place she has found is the Riu Negril. I priced that one, and it's roughly $2K+ for our window of travel. I'll check the two locations you listed.

For affordability, consider the Dominican Republic (AI probably is your best option there). Some friends and I went a few years ago during Christmas week and paid about $1200 per person for a full week.

In general, look for destinations where there are air/hotel packages that use charter (versus commercial) air. I have found that this sometimes provides significant cost savings as well as time savings, since the charter flights often are non-stop, while commercial flights typically are not, at least from the Washington DC area.

Although not an island, Cancun may also be a good option in terms of package availability and wide range of accommodations.

My husband and I did a similar thing last January (we usually travel in the summer) and spent 4 nights in the Treasure Beach area of Jamaica. If we had paid for our plane tickets (we used FF miles) we would have come out just a hair over 2K, including all transfers and daytrips and food and souvenirs.

We stayed at a new place called Mar Blue Verandah (www.marblue.com), a small inn that included breakfast in the rates and where dinner could be arranged. The area is charming, we loved our stay, and our only regret was that we only had 4 nights there. You can do a search here and at Trip Advisor for Mar Blue reviews. You can also find them through www.JamaicaEscapes.com.

Also, you might want to check out the site www.skyauction.com, which frequently offers 3 night/4 day air and land packages to various places in the Caribbean. Some are pretty nice, some are pretty standard--just depends on what's on offer at any given time. If budget is your biggest factor for this particular trip, check it out.

Hi,
I have had really good luck with www.luxurylink.com www.skyauction.com
They are auction sites and you really can get deals.You have to be careful.If you find a place you think you might like.Check it out on www.tripadvisor.com
Then, you can see if it is a place you might like from peoples posts and coments about the place.Some place might be perfectly fine, but is geared more to families and say you are looking for more nightlife.Or, some places are just down right rude.But, the auction site says it is 'charming'...with trip advisor, you can find out and find what you are looking for before you bid.
I have done it several times and saved us a lot of money and stayed in just lovely hotels.
Good luck.I know you can find a deal at a great place if you do an auction.
Good Luck!

Wow! Thanks everyone. I've got a lot of options to consider. I'll keep ya posted. And, I'm so glad Fodors got rid of the mole.

You're leaving a little late in January to get the best deals, which are typically before Martin Luther King weekend. The suggestions about the D.R. are probably the best. But $1000 per person may be unrealistic for most destinations. From Dallas, you'll probably get a better deal to Mexico than a Caribbean island. Look for packages to Cancun, Cozumel, or Playa del Carmen. I think the only way you'll be able to hit your budget is with an air/hotel package.

Sorry this is such a late posting. I agree from Dallas probably the cheapest is going to be to Cancun. From there you can take the ferry to Isla Mujeres. A beautiful little island without the Cancun commercial stuff. You should be able to get a decent hotel for $50-60 (or less)a night within walking distance to the beach and town. There's also a wonderful Eco-park on the island for fantstic snorkeling.