pijeta

My husband and I are trying to plan a vacation for the two of us this April/May. Please help!

We are in our late 20's and looking for a relaxing getaway. We want a clean and safe location with an amazing beach.

Our problem is our budget--less than $3,000 for everything (flying from Minneapolis).

My husband's way to solve this is to go to Cozumel and stay at an all-inclusive, that way we'd know up front the full price. We've been to Mazatlán before and I don't like the idea of being bothered while laying on the beach.

I'd rather go to the Turks & Caicos or the Bahamas for only 4 or 5 nights (instead of 6 or 7), but my husband is worried about how much we'd spend eating and drinking at either location.

Is there an all-inclusive elsewhere that might fit our bill? Or any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance

ishkribbl

What about Mexico but not Cozumel? Two suggestions:
www.shangrilacaribe.com
The room rates include breakfast, dinner and taxes so you would have a pretty good idea of what you are spending.
Also, if you are looking for relaxing but not fancy, I have stayed at a super reasonable, clean, waterview little hotel on Isla Mujeres called Posada del Mar that is a great bargain. The places you can walk to (many choices) to eat are very reasonable and even inexpensive. Drinks are almost always 2 for 1. Take a look at www.isla-mujeres.net for pictures, information and ideas about Isla. I did not find the annoyance you experienced in Isla at all and I know what you mean about Cozumel. Isla is friendly and safe- I think you would love it.
Either place you would fly into Cancun. To Isla you would take a cab to the ferry dock and a short fast-ferry ride to Isla. To Playa you would take a cab (expensive) or prearrange a mult-passenger van through the hotel.

diann24

I think with your budget and given the time frame it is feasable. check out the AI in playa del Carmen the Mexican Riviera. I always use Applevacations.com to see what specials they are offering. You can put it in yourself, and choose various destinations. You can also try spirit airlines if they leave from your destination for AI packages. Punta Cana is also a less expensive resort, but not my fav. I would stick with Mexico. More to see, more to do.

diann24

pijeta,

(Slow a.m. for me you might say.) I just followed my own suggestion and went to the apple site. I put in your departing city, and also Riviera Maya as I know there are plenty of AI there. Many came up within your price range and under. You can then go to www.tripadvisors and check recent reviews. I put in a date of 04-May-11 May for an example. Prices drop in May. Good luck and happy hunting.

laplaya

Try Turks & Caicos or the outer Bahamas (Eleuthera & Harbour Island).

ishkribbl

You really cannot do the out islands for $3000 including airfare - I don't think- because you have to connect into smaller airports which drives the price up. Hotels or house rentals, plus food and drink, things like golf carts or boat trips, plus ferries and cabs just add up to more than $3000 in my experience (and I have done it a good many times). Also, HI is more expensive than many out islands. I think you are better off looking at Mexico but there are lots of choices there.

mymoosie

Not sure how much the airfare is from Minneapolis to T&C, but you just might be able to do T&C for 4 nights. Look into the Sibonne which is beachfront. It's budget friendly and on the same beach as the ritzier resorts. Check the Sands if they are running any specials. There are ways to minimize the cost of dining. It can be done on a budget. It's all about choices.

KVR

We stayed at the Sibonne on Turks & Caicos for 7 nights in May '06. Air and hotel was almost $3,000. We paid around $700 for food and drinks and another $500 for excursions. We didn't care for T & C. Not much to do besides watersports. No real nightlife or shopping. At that time, there was construction everywhere as condos were going up left and right. We preferred Grand Cayman over T & C.

We've been to Cozumel 3 times, Playa del Carmen twice, and Cancun once. Planning another trip to Cancun. The reason we keep going back is price and lots of things to see and do off the resort. Unfortunatley, you won't find "amazing" beaches there anymore due to many hurricanes and tropical storms. So when researching pay close attention to the reviews that describe the beach conditions. Some hotels are better than others. I've never had a problem with beach venders in any of those places. We prefer Cozumel.

A friend of mine just booked the Beach Club Colony on Grand Cayman for 2 weeks for around $3,500 on www.cheapcaribbean.com out of Chicago. They are running a special right now. That is an amazing price and that hotel is the only hotel left on Grand Cayman that offers an AI option, which means you'll probably be able to afford it since food and drinks are quite expensive in Grand Cayman. To me, 7 Mile Beach is "amazing" and lots of things to see and do that are not necessary water related. If your interested, check out the hotel carefully. It's not for everyone. I would definatley stay there if it meant I got to go back to Grand Cayman. CheapCaribbean doesn't offer packages from my airport otherwise I would have booked there also. (darn!)

beachdreams3

Regarding the Beach Club Colony on Grand Cayman, I have read some posts on Tripadvisor indicating that it is closing soon, so anyone thinking of going there should look into that issue. The property also makes it beach facilties available to cruise ship day trippers; therefore, it is packed. That may be fine for people who don't spend the day sitting on the beach at the hotel, but it would be a problem for others.

Regarding T&C, depending on how much your airfare costs and the choices you make with lodging, dining, excursions, and trip length, it probably can be done within your budget. If you stay in one of the condo resorts, you will have a kitchenette (in studio rooms) or full kitchen (in one BRs or larger) that will enable you to save money on meals and drinks by not going to restuarants all the time. Mid-range condo resorts will probably run low $200s/night for the least expensive room with tax and service charges after mid-April (or cheaper if there are specials then). Sibonne and Comfort Suites and some other properties may be cheaper, but they either won't be directly on the beach or won't have the kitchen/kitchenettes. If you want to try to get an idea of restaurant costs, you might want to take a look at the following website which provides selected restaurant menus:

http://www.wherewhenhow.tc/providenc...2008/index.cfm

KVR

Yes, the Beach Club Colony is closing sometime next year. They are still open for bookings and apparently having a great sale right now. Yes, the do allow cruise shippers to use their beach. Like I said the hotel is not for everyone so do the research. If you get the cruise ship schedule you'll be able to plan excursions off the resort when the cruise ships are in. Those people don't stay all day just a few hours. It would be worth it to me, but it may bother you.

I prefer not to scrimp or watch my budget on vacation. Definatly, not cooking or mixing my own drinks on vacation. I can do that at home. We've have done that before and didn't care for it, which is why we stick to AI hotels.

T & C had the highest priced excursions of any destination we've been to.

diann24

I agree totally with you, KVR. T&C to me was a total bore and nothing more than an amazing beach. I love to shop and the only shopping I did was at the airport when we were leaving. It was relaxing, but I would think young couple in there 20's would find it boring. I am not sure about Antigua, it had an awesome beach.

beachbum2

Look into Playa del Carmen. It's such a fun town. You can get great lodging at Shangri la as mentioned earlier, The Royal Playa del Carmen (AI) or La Tortuga..more budget minded..off the beach, but excellent. 5th ave is wonderful with great restaurants, bars, rooftop lounges and shops. A girlfriend and I are returning this year. It was such a safe town and the beach was very nice in the areas of the hotels listed. As mentioned Isla mujeres would also be a nice chioce if you want something a bit lower key. I think $3000 would be doable. You can easily buy beer/liquer at the store to drink at the hotel and beach. There is everything frim the $1.25 slice of pizza to $50 dinners in both places.

laplaya

Why is Beach Club Colony closing?
Also, would you return to Cayman & Beach Club Colony?

KVR

Beach Club Colony and thier sister resort, the Spanish Bay Reef have been sold. The Spanish Bay Reef has already closed. It's my understanding they are turning both properties into condos.

I know most of the people who work and live on Grand Cayman don't want a bunch or AI resorts built there. I can understand that. However, I feel they are losing out on a lot of visitors by hotels not offering some kind of AI plan. I love Grand Cayman. It's one of my very favorite Islands, but without an AI plan, I can't afford to go there anymore. There are also several people that go there once, love it, but spent a small fortune there and probably won't return due to that. They end up going to another destination that's a bit less expensive.

If I could get a decent price for Beach Club Colony on Grand Cayman, I would definitely stay there.

kfusto

There are several all adult AIs in Mexico that might fit your budget if you shop around but I would not adivse staying at a family property or going lower than a 4 star.

Check out tripadvisor.com for lots of reviews and info. The forum there for the Yucatan Peninsula is very active.

Look into the Sun Palace for an AI though it might be higher than your budget unless you get a good deal.

Apple does offer a Square Deal where they choose the property for u close to arrival and it is generally one of the RIU hotels which are not bad at all just too big for my taste.

You might check into Sunset at the Palms in Negril as well.

KVR

I agree with Sunset at the Palms in Negril or the Royal Playa del Carmen.

Be weary of the RIU's. They are low priced which means lots of singles and families can afford them. We did not like the RIU Tropical Bay in Negril. Lots of large groups, loud, drunk obnoxinous people and too many kids. They have properties all over the Caribbean/Mexico I don't see why they can't make a least a couple of them "adult only".

There are several AI hotels in Playa del Carmen, Mayan Riveria and Cancun that will meet your budget. I get the best deals from beachdestinations.com

pijeta

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the responses and we'll look into all of the suggestions