February 2012 Honeymoon Help!
 

Looking for help with the choice of our island and hotel/resort for our honeymoon in February. The caribbean was not our first choice, but after some thinking we decided for convenience and time of year it will be our best bet! Only problem is we have no idea where to go and I'm not sure which island meets the right mix of our criteria.

-beautiful white sand
-beach access
-great swimming
-some active pursuits and island exploration
-relaxation
-a little pampering and luxury
-fun beach bars and some socializing with other couples
-good food and wine
-European feel
-AI??? Undecided on that one

We do want to spend some time in our room and on the resort property. As far as the resort goes we want it to be stylish and luxurious. As far as the room - an open air feel and view.. plunge pool is a bonus. (think Antiqua's Hermitage Bay, or the Viceroy Anquilla! Although maybe without the sticker shock!) I have seen some good deals for Hermitage Bay on luxury link however, I'm worried it might be a little too quiet.

I've tagged the post with the islands we have the most interest in. Will be traveling from Florida and budget is approx $5,000.00 for 7 days. We are in our late 20s/early 30s.

Can't wait for your suggestions! :)

PS - Budget is just a starting point depending on research. It is not including flight and is workable.

Maybe this will help:

First off, you can find beach access, great swimming active pursuits, island exploration, relaxation, pampering and luxury, beach bars and socializing on just about every island. Also, most islands offer places with "good food" so that doesn't have to be a major issue but if good food is important that you'd do well to avoid going AI as most AI's have mediocre food.

So your remaining items on your wish list boil down to "White Sand", Good Food" and "European Feel".

WHITE SAND - for true "white sand" you have to go to a limestone/coral based island such as Grand Cayman, Anguilla, Providenciales, (Turks & Caicos) Barbuda, Aruba, Bonaire or Curacao. If you would consider expanding your desire to include "light golden sand" than many more possibilities will open up (more on this later). The trouble is none of the "white sand" islands will have the European feel you are seeking. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao have a Dutch heritage but have become quite "Americanized" so they might "miss the mark" as far as European feel is concerned.

European Feel - the French islands St. Barts, St. Martin, Guadalupe, Martinique, Iles des Saints and Marie Gallant are best for this but none have the "white sand" you crave.


Good Food - islands noted for having great food include Anguilla, St. Barts and St. Martin. Many consider these the gourmet capitals of the Caribbean

So where should you go:

Anguilla - 35 white sand beaches and over 80 different restaurants and a few interesting beach bars. Look at Cap juluca, Cusinart, Malliouhana, Ku or Shoal Bay Villas.

St. Barts - plenty of light golden sand beaches with more gourmet restaurants than you could visit in a month. Some call this island the Paris of the Caribbean. If you substitute "light golden sand beaches" for "white sand beaches" it has everything you are seeking. Check out the following resorts: Eden Roc, Isle de France, Le Toiny, Guanahani or Les Ondines Sur La Plage.

St. Martin - go here if you want access to more night life - over 100 different restaurants and more beach bars than anyone will ever need, lots of light colored sand beaches that will fit anyone's definition of being picturesque, French and Dutch heritage so you'll find the European feel you are seeking.

Take your choice but for my money ST. BARTS has everything you are seeking.

Agree with RoamsAround. But if you can give up the European feel, Anguilla would be an excellent choice. Just be advised that you're traveling in high season, so accommodations will be more expensive anywhere. That being said, St. Barth and Anguilla can be just about the most expensive islands in the Caribbean any time of year, so you might have to sacrifice a wee bit of luxury to fit your budget if you want to go to one of those places. Or you could consider renting a villa instead of staying at a full service resort--you'll get more for your money, minus the pampering, and you can put your extra dollars toward some pampering spa time and excellent meals eaten out.

Viceroy has been offering some excellent deals all summer long but I doubt that will hold for high season, and especially not for Presidents Week, if that's when you happen to be honeymooning. Bring your expecations down a notch or two and think perhaps about staying at Frangipani Hotel or a villa on Anguilla instead of Viceroy or the other big three.

I've been to 16 caribbean islands (parents were a Pan Am pilot and stewardess) and have been back to the turks and caicos 4 times and would never go anywhere else. Less developed and brilliant blue water.

But wld T & C be warm enough in Feb?

If you cld forego "European feel", then Aruba wld be the place for your honeymoon....Marriott, Radisson, Hyatt.
Would not recommend AI in Aruba b/c there are lots of great restaurants.

Congratulations!

Turks & Caicos is very warm in February..swim everyday and hot!! Look at The Somerset www.thesomerset.com beautiful suites, great dining on site and nearby ( walkable to excellent dining) Not AI type Island, great restaurants. Not a European fell however but not developed like many other Islands. World Class spa next door at Regent Palms resort.

Oops feel , not fell...

You can add Barbados to the list in every respect. Formerly British, with distinct British feel. Coral island, brilliant pink-tinged white sand beaches, wide variety of everything.
Take a look @ Coral Reef Club, the class act on the island---family owned for nearly 60 years (and the care shows)set beachfront in beautiful tropical gardens. All low-rise plantation style accommodations. We'll be there early December. See www.coralreefbarbados.com www.barbados.org and www.innsandoutsofbarbados.com
Ken

ps At Coral Reef Club, balconies are very large for outdoor space. If you stay above ground level for privacy, you can leave everything open 24/7, use the ceiling fans for cooling, and be serenaded to sleep by the mating calls of tiny tree frogs whose sound is a crystal clear whistle, prettier than 90% of the birds. When the birds quit at sunset, the tree frogs take over for the night.

Based on what you said, I bet you'd love St. Barts......you could hang out on St. Jeans Beach - rent a car and go explore Saline, Governor's and Shell Beach - shop in Gustavia - have a cheeseburger at Le Select and fine dine around the island - then you could also do day trips to Anguilla and St. Martin.....I think RoamsAround did a great job describing St. Barts, Anguilla and St. Marten....St. Barts is beautiful....very clean....with beautiful people - with a total euro vibe! Good luck with your decision!