Help! My husband and I have just been through 6 months of family tragedies. We're looking for a 4 day (in late May) luxurious beach vacation that's worth the money. Ideally, non-stop from Philadelphia. We're thinking of the Four Seasons/Grand Exuma, One and Only Club Or some place with easy access, luxurious and quiet where we have no decisions to make... No all inclusives

US Airways serves Grand Cayman daily (I think!) from PHL.

The new Ritz Carlton in Cayman sounds like what you are looking for.... and of course Cayman hotels don't do all-inclusive

The Reefs or Cambridge Beaches, Bermuda. Short flight from PHL on USAIRWAYS.

hi bebe, i am sorry you have had such bad luck of late. i know that sometimes it just seems to keep piling on.
i would like to suggest the turks and caicos for you and dh. there are a couple very nice hotels(the alexandra, palms or possibly point grace) on grace bay beach, which is 12 miles of the softest, whitest sand you can find surrounded by reef enclosed bay that is a stunning variety of tourqouise and blues. at the west end of provo is the very new amanyara resort. or off the east end is parrot cay or the meridian club on pine cay. t & c is very quiet and relaxing. provo has some nice snorkeling, great restaurants, next to no shopping. a superb island to read on the beach. parrot cay and meridian are on tiny islands with nothing else but a few private homes.
nonstop flts from phila (use air code PLS for providenciales)available.

We have been all over the Caribbean, and Turks and Caicos is our favorite. Check out Coral Gardens Resort. It is an all-suite resort, and the accomodations are lovely and very luxurious (especially the one-bedroom Grand Suites.) They are right on a glistening white, talcum-powder soft beach. Best of all, starting about 10 yards off the shore is a wonderful snorkeling reef with lots of beautiful corals and fish. Nearby turtle grass beds are frequented by large hawksbill turtles that are fun to watch. (We saw six on one outing.)The restaurant there is arguably the best on the island, albeit a little pricey, and the beach grill is fine for breakfast, lunch, or an informal dinner. The suites have a full kitchen, so we usually buy some groceries when we arrive and have lunch on our terrace overlooking the beach. It is quiet, not at all crowded, and overall just a terrific place to go for R&R. Not much in the way of nightlife or entertainment, but it sounds like that is not what you are looking for.

Depending on how luxe you want to go -- the Hyatt Regency Aruba (amazing grounds, great value) or the Ocean Club Paradise Island (super-pricey, but a true luxury resort).

Flying to Puerto Rico is definitely nonstop from PHL and only a few hrs flight time. I would recommend the Westin Rio Mar or Palmas del Mar Resorts. Both are about a 45 min ride from SJU airport and have great stretches of beautiful quiet beaches.

bebe emailed me to ask if I'd been to the Ritz Carlton. Yup.. I did several site inspections (as a fellow hotelier) on the run up to their opening in December.

If you know Ritz Carlton's, the Cayman property will seem quite familiar (and up to their high standards), but with their own indidivual twists on things.

You asked for luxurious, quiet, no decicions to make.. so the Ritz (or the Westin) would be good choices.

Thanks for all the input! This break is desperately needed. I will report back on our choice. In the meantime, continued input and comments are welcomed.

We spent 9 years of vacations at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island because it was so easy to get to from Philly and truly a magical, restful place. We switched to Aruba because of hurricane season. It's a longer plane trip but nonstop and then a quick & easy drive to any hotel from the airport. But I would not recommend the Hyatt in Aruba unless you don't mind being on a busy beach.

Montego Bay and Barbados also have nonstops from Philly. We fly to MoBay and take a quick 15-minute flight to Negril, another paradise. Bermuda is ideal for a short trip in May and you'd enjoy the atmosphere there.

One more idea would be Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys. You'd go nonstop to Miami and then you'd have to get to Little Torch Key, but from everything I've heard and seen about this place, it's a true luxury retreat, ideal for 4 days, and worth the trip from Miami.

littlepalmisland.com

Let us know how you make out.

Good weather - wide beach - non-stop from PHL via USAirways.


The Tara suites at the Bucuti on Aruba

http://bucuti.com/en/

Exumas connects, but an excellent choice.
My vote goes to Turks and Caicos, only 3 1/2 direct flight, and 1 of the best beaches in the world.