My husband and I live in Chicago and are planning to meet another couple traveling from the UK for an adults-only vacation in the Caribbean in late April 2007. We are aged mid-30s to early 40s. We have been to St Thomas, St John and Barbados and have enjoyed all three, but are looking for something new. Our most important criteria are nice beaches, upscale accommodations, good watersports/fishing, good snorkling/diving, fabulous food, tennis courts, and a decent nightlife (but not a cheesy college scene). Grenada appeals because it seems authentic, beautiful, and slightly off the beaten path. Possibly the Spice Island Beach Resort? Have also read some good things about Turks & Caicos on this site-- maybe Point Grace? I have also considered Curtain Bluff in Antigua although I think it may be under construction currently. Any advice that you could give about these islands/resorts or others we should consider would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I know that Curtain Bluff was adding a new spa, but I thought it was slated for opening in November. You may want to check because even if they're running a little behind, you wouldn't be going until late April.
Antigua has amazing beaches, majestic views, wonderful watersports and deep sea fishing. We had fabulous dinners every night and the island created such a romantic atmosphere for us.

T&C has the best snorkeling of the three, so if that's a very important factor for you, choose Provo. Grenada and Antigua will offer some snorkeling that should entertain all but the most avid of snorkelers for at least a few hours at a time, but you have to seek it out a bit.

On Grenada, Spice Island is a gorgeous spot. I didn't stay there, but my husband and I dined there twice for lunch and were thoroughly impressed with all of it--great food, great service, great atmosphere. We were even greeted with a "Welcome back" when we stopped there the second time. If it is in your price range and your tastes run the luxurious side, you won't find a better place on the island.

Grenada is fantastic, offering gorgeous scenery, beautiful beaches, a warm & friendly local population, a great variety of restaurants, wonderful West Indian charm, all with the perks of a good infrastructure (good roads, good local growth, not a lot of large international corporation, etc). It will also be easier for your friends from the UK to get there than for you, probably!

Grenada is my new favorite island, but I've traveled to Antigua more times than any other island so it too has a very special place in my heart. The only place I have real experience with there is the Long Bay Hotel, and while it offers a good bit of what you're looking for, the accommodations are *far* from being upscale! But if you like Antigua you might want to consider Carlisle Bay, Galley Bay and Jumby Bay for a few upscale places to stay.

Curtain Bluff is very classy -- we ate there several times (and toured the property) while staying in Antigua. We concluded -- expensive but worth every penny. Spice Island Inn is also very nice (we were there 10 years ago) -- on a very beautiful stretch on beach. Probably a bit more casual than Curtain Bluff. I'm not sure if the island has fully recovered from hurricane damage, however -- I would probably be concerned about construction on the island, etc. -- so you might want to investigate that. Either way I don't think you can go wrong -- both Curtain Bluff and Spice Island Inn are great choices. I've never been to Provo -- I understand the snorkeling is great but I suspect the scenery (and island feel) will be better at your other choices.

re: construction on Grenada. While it has not fully recovered from the hurricane in 2004 in the sense that not everybody has rebuilt his or her home and that nutmeg crop is a fraction of what it once was, for all tourist intents & purposes you wouldn't be able to tell that the island was hit so hard that 90% of all buildings were damaged or destroyed.

What I did not notice from your previous post, however, was the time you intended to travel. The Cricket World Cup is being held throughout the Caribbean in April 2007, but I don't know the dates. I could safely assume that you will not find accommodations on Grenada or Antigua (two host islands) during the Cup dates. If you could push your dates back to early May, your chances will be much better!