Ejcrowe...
 

So where did you decide to go??

And if you still haven't decided, be sure to let us know.

I have been meaning to reply to your questions about USVI/BVI, but we are leaving Friday for JA, and I have not gotten myself together long enough to do it.

If you haven't yet decided, I will be SURE to do it before I leave. :)

Awww, shucks, folks. It's nice to know that you care. :)

We're still undecided. Because we really do want certain hotel ameneties, we've eliminated Virgin Gorda, which was actually my first choice. Now we're looking seriously at Sugar Mill and Long Bay on Tortola, and at the opposite end of the spectrum we're looking at places in T&C. After researching some of the snorkeling expeditions on Provo, I put that island in the league of contenders.

Quite frankly I'm shocked at how much certain places wanted just for my granddaughter to be able to sleep on a sofabed that was already in the room--up to $100 extra per night, sometimes more for a rollaway bed of her own. It would actually be less expensive for us to get, say, two rooms at Malliouhana, or one room package deal at Cap than for us to stay at Frangipani for example. Crazy!

Kristen, thank you for all of your help through the email. Anguilla is on the short list of places to go with just my husband, as are Virgin Gorda and Grenada. If only we had more vacation time!

Diana, have a fab-o time in Jamaica. I'm very eager to read of your impressions of JI, as I'd like to take my mother there for her 70th birthday next fall, and it looks like it would right up her alley. Would also be interested to know which regions of Negril you find most quiet, as perhaps my Sweet Baboo and I will be able to find time for a long weekend getaway in January before he starts teaching again.

Thanks to both of you and everybody else who has given me such great feedback!

Good luck! Can't wait to hear all about your trip... to wherever it may be :-)

What places are you considering in Provo? Ocean Club West has some good deals. I have also hear very good things about Coral Gardens (great snorkeling in front of the hotel) and The Sands.

We're considering RWI, The Sands, and both Ocean Club resorts. Coral Gardens was too much for our budget, partly because they wanted a significant nightly charge for the kiddo. Right now the best deals I've found are from the Ocean Clubs, and they've been so helpful over the telephone that I'm leaning in that direction.

I'll let everybody know after we decide which island, which will be soon because we're using FF miles for the granddaughter's plane ticket.

Emily,

Do look very closely at the Sands and Provo. We stayed there in 2002 and it was awesome. The resort is delightful, the pool is great, the staff is wonderful (especially at the restaurant) and the beach is AMAZING - one of my Top 3 faves, and I'm a beach nut.

There are lots of great places to eat, the diving/snorkeling is pristine (especially via boat), the people are so gentle and friendly, and it's very easy to get to.

Let me know if you are interested, and I'll top my trip report for you. I really think Provo might be a very good fit for you - especially since you are taking you G'dtr.

I forget when you are going - November? Wouldn't want to go Jan-Mar as it is pretty far north.

Just as an aside, driving is very easy there, so if you want to get a head start on your Nevis driving, that is a great place to give it a try.

I'll post on JA when I return. Thanks for the well wishes and good luck with your selection.

Diana...I am a beach nut as well. What are your favorite beaches?

Mine so far are Plam and Eagle Beach in Aruba and Meads in Anguilla. 7MB beach was nice too but Aruba and Anguilla had the edge.

Hi Kristen!

I've spent years "collecting" beaches. It's nice to hear from a fellow aficionado. :)

I really enjoyed Anguilla also.

My Top choices (in order) would most likely be:

Grace Bay - Provo
Playa Norte - Isla Mujeres
Beaches of Anguilla
Smuggler's Cove - Tortola
Mahoe Bay - Virgin Gorda
Beaches of Cancun
Playa del Carmen

A great beach is a requiremnt for me in choosing an island!

Provo and BVIs are on my list for our next places to visit!

Do you have any recommendations of places to stay in either Tortola or Virgin Gorda?

Tortola - Lighthouse Villas, Long Bay Resort, Sugar Mill
Virgin Gorda - Mango Bay, Springhill Guavaberry

Provo is incredible!

Well, I called AA this morning, and out of about a dozen itineraries I had on hold, I decided to purchase a reward ticket to Provo for next June. I'd like to save the Sugar Mill for a more romantic getaway and combine it with a stay on Virgin Gorda when I don't have any kids to worry about. And the people at Long Bay were less than helpful when I called to inquire about the property, so that was pretty easy to eliminate.

I'm a beach lover, too, so I was hoping for a trip to either Anguilla or Provo. The snorkeling and the helmet diving excursions on Provo are what won it over for me. I've got lots of time to put together a hotel package now that we've decided on the island.

Right now, though, I'm impatient for November to arrive. Then I'll be Nevis bound! It'll be my first visit, but I already feel an affinity for the place.

I bet it's a relief to have that decision made :-) As far as accomodations, I don't think you can wrong because I have read only postive things about all 3 of your hotel choices.

Can't wait to hear about both of your upcoming trips!

It's too bad that you eliminated Long Bay on the basis of a phone call because it would have been perfect for you and your granddaughter. It is a family resort in a stunning location. What does "less than helpful" mean anyway>?

Well, it wasn't just on the basis of the phone call that I eliminated Long Bay Tortola, but it was the clinching factor. The others reasons: (1) my husband had already vacationed on Tortola and was hoping to try a new island; (2) the resort was a little large for our tastes; (3) the reputation of the rocky beach; (4) the poor reviews of management & food; (5) if we had chosen Tortola, the Sugar Mill is much more the type of place we enjoy staying--good food, good service, intimate atmosphere. (6) just because we were traveling with a 13-year old did not make us want a "family resort."

The girl/woman with whom I spoke on the phone was friendly but not helpful. She couldn't give me even basic details about various room types, the beach, whether buffets are served in the restaurants, distance from villas on hillside to the beach, you name it. When I asked if there was someone else there who might be able to answer my questions, she told me no. All she could do was calculate the rates for me on the EP, MAP, and AI plans.