Bucuti Aruba (new tara suite) or Frangipani Anguilla??
 

Has anyone been to both islands/resorts and could recommend one over the other? (First week of June)

We have been to Aruba once before and loved it (stayed at the Radisson). Part of me wants to go back because we liked it so much and have heard great things about Bucuti.

But part of me wants to try a new island. I have heard wonderful things about Frangipani.

Our interests are a great beach with an oceanfront/view room/suite. Restaurant/bar on site for happy hour etc. Snorkeling excursions available and great restaurants.

We are in our early/mid 30s and want one last getway before we have kids.

Thanks!!!

Anguilla/Frangipani may be a little tame for you. Frangipani is lovely & the beach is breathtaking but the bar is very small (6 bar stools on the inside; a few outside.) Frangi has 8 units -- did you know it was that small? -- but Meads Bay is at your doorstep. There's good, not great, snorkeling in Anguilla but it's right there off the beaches. What is there also are 33 GORGEOUS beaches, 80 or so restaurants, and the friendliest, most welcoming people in the Caribbean. Virtually no nightlife (some local bands at beach bars). We absolutely love getting in a car & going to a different beach and restaurant every day & Anguilla is the place for us but we're not 30.

PS -- took a 30 year old daughter & friend & they LOVED it -- "why don't you 2 buy a house here?" they kept asking.

I've been to both and much prefer Anguilla. Neither island is pretty to look at in its interior. Both have very good restaurants but Anguilla's have more character and uniqueness IMO. Beaches on Aruba are very good, but they're clearly superior on Anguilla (calmer water on the SXM side, bluer in many places, softer sand, much less wind, much less crowded). There are more activities on Aruba, for sure.
One of Anguilla's charms is that it's still undiscovered. 44,000 overnight tourists in 2002. Compare with Aruba (647,000), Jamaica (1,225,000), Costa Rica (950,000). Even French Polynesia sees 4 times more tourists than Anguilla.

I would pick Anguilla...although I havent been , I have been to Aruba and stayed at Bucuti. I have done alot of research on Anguilla and if I had the option , I would heavily lean that way. Having been to alot of Caribbean islands, Aruba , to me, is highly overrated.I know a alot of people love Aruba and it was fine...its just I have seen better sand, better ocean, and much better snorkeling much closer than Aruba.There are some great dining options there but for me it was a bit, how to put this...."mass appeal?The staff at Bucuti was great...service as well..its just..well I really dont know how to explain.Maybe someone can help me who understands what Im trying to say??

We have stayed at both resorts more than once: Frangipani twice, and Bucuti about five times (although 3 of these times were quite long ago, in the early nineties).
Both are very different. Bucuti is bigger. The new Tara wing was being built, almost finished, when we were there in February. It did look wonderful, right on the beach, but bear in mind that the beach at Bucuti is getting busier. Unfortunately there is a jet ski and motorsports concession right next to Bucuti, between the Bucuti and Costa Linda. We hated the noise from the jetskis - on the other hand we usually went swimming late in the afternoon, around 4 or 5, and by that time they were usually finished.
Bucuti itself is a very friendly hotel, great service - our housekeeper was wonderful! The restaurant is OK but nothing special. We never had breakfast there, but usually went next door to Manchebo, or to the other side at Costa Linda. Breakfast at Bucuti is quite expensive, and my husband didn't like having to make choices rigth away (but Americans are probably more used to this!).
Anguilla is a very different island from Aruba. Very arid and flat landscape, but lovely beaches. The beach at Mead's Bay, where Frangipani is located, is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. And still very quiet, although you do see the occasional motor boat - unfortunately these are getting more frequent all the time, even on Anguilla. No jetskis allowed, thank goodness. Frangipani as a hotel is much smaller than Bucuti - only nine suites, I believe. The 1-bedroom suites are very spacious, each has its own washer and dryer. We had an upstairs suite with 3 balconies! Service is also friendly, although generally I find that people on Anguilla are more shy and more reserved than on Aruba. Well, I hope this helps - if you have any more questions just ask. You can also e-mail me directly at [email protected] - leave out the x's, I put these in to prevent spam.