m2schwab

Hi Folks,
I'm coming to you again since you've been so helpful so many times in the past.
Here's my question:
If you had Marriott points and could stay anywhere in the caribbean for a vacation in February of '08 which one would you choose?
We have been to St. John and Puerto Rico recently, and St Martin years ago. Last year we went to Costa Rica. We did not stay in Marriotts in any of these locations. We are two adults and two kids (boys,13 and 15 years). We are not fancy or fussy, generally enjoying ourselves anywhere we go. We are not overly concerned about crime (we figure if you use your head you won't end up in a situation you regret). Good food is appreciated by the adults but the kids are not descriminating (quantity over quality, for them). We love the beach (the kids can bodysurf for, literally, hours) and snorkeling. Night life is not a requirement, nor is shopping. A good pool would be nice. A location that has some interesting things to walk to would be perfect, but we have no problem with taking public transportation and actually use that anyway just to get the full flavor of anywhere we go. Hum, can't think of anything else.
Thanks again, you guys are great,
Misty

eileen

Hi, do a search on this forum this question has been asked many times. My favorite Caribbean Marriott is Curacao. But with two boys ages 13 and 15 I would choose Aruba, which has lots for them to do and a large variety of watersports.

Knowing

The Curacao Marriott is my favorite. It has a big beach, a beautiful sea and a nice pool. Nice accommodations with cable/satellite TV, A/C and the beds have a high level of comfort. They have some great restaurants on the premises (two out of three)and one offers some theme buffets where your boys would get plenty to eat. They will also fill up on the breakfasts. The island itself has some cuisine that is incomparable with some very nice atmospheres. The hotel isn't within walking distance to much, however, the hotel provides a shuttle into town twice a day. It's just a spectacular island and would offer the combination of a nice place and things to do.

m2schwab

I knew I could count on my Fodor pals to help me out. Thanks.

girlonthego

We used Marriott points for Aruba and soon the GrandCayman. Aruba has lots of watersports action with very pretty water. It is a large resort. Our kids had a blast in Aruba and would have been happy just body surfing like yours. My husband wanted to do all the watersports available Food is great in Aruba and we found it very safe to walk around. Also, water is great from the tap which is always a plus.
We are going to the Marriott in Caymans this June and are very excited to snorkel and beach it most of the vacation. I know the Marriott is smaller scale, but I know it has been recently overhauled and so it should be very nice.
There are some great Marriotts in Hawaii. We were supposed to go to the Marriott in Lihue, Kauai, but there was lots of flooding at the time and so we switched islands. But there are many great Marriotts across the islands of Hawaii.
We also used Marriott points in San Francisco. That was a fun trip as well. A very nice city. But not a beach vacation
Good luck.
(I have also heard very nice things repeatedly about the Curacao Marriott)>

maggers

My husband and I recently returned from a 3-night business trip to the Marriott in Curacao, amd I would agree with those who said this is a lovely property. We had a ground-floor room and while usually this is the kiss of death, it was very quiet and convenient to sit outside in the morning and evening and be amongst the swaying trees/breezes. The meals at the upscale outdoor resaurant were delicious, just be sure to ask what kind of ice cream is in the Baked Alaska (one night it was peanut butter- ugh!). The staff was friendly and helpful, and the spa, while tiny, offered a great massage; I had one inside with Maria, while our friends had one on the beach and they loved it. Again, this property seems to be the highlight of the island and is a lovely oasis in the dead of winter.

m2schwab

Well, it sounds like Curacao is our kind of place...and if we can't get in there, Aruba would work out nicely as well. Would any of you who have been there know if the hotel has 2 bedroom suites ...or would we have to get two separate rooms to have some space away from the kids? Which room locations would you suggest?

Again, can I just say this website, what a wonderful resource! I know part of the fun of traveling is the surprises you find when you get there...but aren't there always surprises no matter how well informed you are? Thanks for your comments and opinions.

Knowing

I know they have rollaway beds and pull-out sofa's. Here is their Toll-free #: 1-800-223-6388. Give them a call and they can give you a better idea. We had a beachfront room and it was wonderful!

Jed

We had 110K Marriott points which we used in Jan for the Marriott Aruba Resorts. It was a nice vacation and pleasant island. Seems to me that it has what you want.

If you are interested in Marriott Aruba, check out my report:http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34929104

m2schwab

So, since the last time I checked any new messages the pump for our septic system fried ($2000) my vacuum died ($400) and we need to add new sidding and roof to the remodel cost. I am so looking forward to using those Marriott points. Thanks for helping me keep my mind in the Caribbean while the snow falls on the empty swimming pool (because it sprung a leak back around Thanksgiving)(new liner $2000) in my backyard. And as bad as this sounds, I bet there are a million people in Iraq who would love to have my problems and they are not looking forward to any vacations anywhere, anytime soon.

TobieT

Hi Misty~
Good attitude to have that puts everything in perspective.

While we loved the Curacao Marriott, I would not recommend the beach there for kids because of the rocky coral. We snorkeled with water shoes, but it's not a "bodysurfing" type of beach. Most families we could see spent the day elsewhere and then returned before dinner for a little snorkeling and poolside relaxation.

There are activities and other beaches on Curacao but if you wanted to relax at the resort, then I might suggest Aruba instead for your family holiday instead.

Hope that helps somewhat.

Jed

"I bet there are a million people in Iraq who would love to have my problems and they are not looking forward to any vacations anywhere, anytime soon."

I suspect that also applies to 5 billion people around the world.

Karin

Gimme a break ($1.00)

cathyo99

I'd suggest you might want to think about St. Kitts. I've been to about 6 Marriotts in the Caribbean and about 30 islands (we live in Miami so its easy to get to). It depends on what your family likes. To me - Aruba is just like a vacation in South Beach. Its still wonderful - but its very americanized. I did love the resort in Curacao, especially because we're divers and did alot of shore diving.

What we loved most about St. Kitts was the people (the nicest in all of the Caribbean) and how underdeveloped the island is. They will soon become a major tourist destination as their economy continues to shift away from sugar cane. So, about the island - rent a car - thats a must (can be done pretty cheap). And leave the property everyday. Spend a day at Monkey Beach, spend a day at Lion Rock Beach and eat lunch at the Lion Man's shack looking across the water to Nevis. You will see no more than 0-6 people at this beach. I must point out that Lion Beach has no water sports - just pure nature (can't' remember about Monkey Beach - but I was too entertained by the monkey who came out of the trees and stole the cherry out of my drink). Return to the hotel and either do water sports there or I highly recommend Mr. X's Shiggety shack. By day, you have the beach and all the water sports you'll need and at night you have your choice of restaurants. Nothing better than sitting there eating lobster listening to Calypso.

Drive around the island - visiting Ottleys plantation for lunch and then driving all the way around the island and visit the fort (see the small towns and beaches as you go around). There's also a rain forest and good hiking places.

One final comment - watch out for the goats, monkeys, etc as you drive around the island. We stopped many times as I hung my head out the window and took pictures. Never held up a single car - as I recall - there's only 1 stoplight on the island and thats in town. Good Luck - of the 3 properties mentioned - they're all great.

beth48

Are you aware that the Carambola Beach Resort on St. Croix is soon to become a Marriott property? We've stayed there four times and love the location - it is secluded so you may want to rent a car; taxis are available, also but we loved exploring the entire island. They are in the process of upgrading every room - I think their goal is to have them renovated by this summer. Be sure to go on a snorkeling trip to Buck Island if you go to St. Croix.

lovethecape

My family just came back from the Marriott in St. Kitts and loved it. We had fun on and off the resort. I have two sons who are ags 14 and 10. we went to Turtle Beach (it's not Monkey Beach but that seems like a better name) which had a nice restaurant and some snorkeling in addition to the monkey and "Wilbur" the pig. We took an island tour and my husband and one son hiked the volcano. We also took the catamaran took Nevis (The Spirit of St.Kitts) which included snorkeling and a picnic at Sunshine's Bar on Nevis, right next to the Four Seasons. They also have ATV tours on the island, which we didn't do. We have not been to other Caribbean Marriott's so we can't compare. We did rent o 1 BR suite (with points and a cash upgrade) which allowed us to close off our BR and the boys slept nthe pull-out and a roll away. The timeshares have 2 BR but I'm not sure you can get one of these with Marriott points. We enjoyed the culture of the island. The snorkeling was OK and there were some lovely beaches but not the same as beaches we have visited in the Vrigin Islands. The Marriott is the only large resort on the island at this point. We feel lucky to have visited this island before all the big resorts come in.