I have been reading posts ever since I returned from my Easy Cruise to the Caribbean Dec. 11...After 4 trips to Hawaii,
we were planning to return for our 20th in 2007, but now, I am reconsidering! WHY? Because, it's closer from the midwest to the Caribbean, there is the A.I. option (we might consider it) and the beaches are amazing! The water and beach in Barbados was so beautiful, I never saw that in Hawaii.

Everyone wants seclusion and quiet, but we don't really go out alot at home and a active bar AT the hotel might be fun...

My criteria, dh wants to sit on the beach:

1. Beautiful beach and calm water
2. A pool? Is this necessary if the beach is amazing? Ok, throw in a pool.
3. No villa.
4. Nice room, not super posh but not run down! I am an interior designer and bad design makes me cranky.
5. Good food, nice options for dining.
6. Tropical,west indies feel...just not yucky polyester floral bedspread.
7. Beach bar, that might be fun at night for music, cocktails...the sound of the surf.
8. Access to good local restaurants is a big plus.

We aren't hikers. Tropical is better than dry, but if arid meets the criteria, OK...
A.I., not necessary.
Casinos- not necessary.

Price: Not A.I.- We don't want to go over $300 per night.

Am I dreaming or is it out there? HELP!

Mmmm..

I've never visited Hawaii but we're contemplating it for our 25th anniversary in 2007.

From what you have posted I would suggest the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios - It's the ONLY place i would do AI, we didn't when we visited but since the food was so good and we met with that if we visit again we will use the AI option.

They don't have an active bar but you do meet interesting people over hors d'orves served on the terrace and we only ate alone on the first night

Check out Luxurylink.com

This was the post I wanted to post - why doesn't this site have an 'edit' option?????

Mmmm..

I've never visited Hawaii but we're contemplating it for our 25th anniversary in 2007.

From what you have posted I would suggest the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios - It's the ONLY place I would do AI, we didn't when we visited but since the food was so good and if we visit again we will use the AI option.

They don't have an active bar but you do meet interesting people over hors d'orves served on the terrace and we only ate alone on the first night

Check out Luxurylink.com for good packages but call the hotel to check for availability before you bid

For best beaches, St. John, Turks and Caicos and Anguilla have the top honors reputation.
For picturesque with good food and nice beaches, Bermuda would be my first choice. That is seasonal though.I think it is quite pretty there.
I don't know of a great all inclusive. Let me know if you find one!
Aruba had great food and nice beaches, but I don't think it is the tropical paradise you are looking for. It was very dry and desert looking outside of the hotel grounds. It didn't rain on our vacation though!

I can relate to your dilemna , my husband and I want to plan a vacation to celebrate our 28th anniversary,these boards are great, I like reading reviews from people with nothing to gain either way from the resorts. We, like you ,have similar criteria, great beach, quiet, not too commercial, don't want to break the bank. We are considering going back to Turks and Caicos, we were there six years ago, concerned about all the construction going on there, thinking of Anguilla , also interested in St. Lucia, would prefer not having to switch planes though.

I still love HI. don't get me wrong, but the water in Barbados (and sand) was so pretty, and it was nice having
a different culture than the States.

I went to St.Lucia on my cruise and the beach and water was nothing like Barbados. So, why not go to Barbados? Well, I was trying to find something not as far from the mid-west. It took me three planes to get to St.Lucia.

On www.concierge.com they have an island 'picker' where you enter the criteria you want! I just started using it last night and it has suggested T&C and Anguilla too. I will keep reading! Thanks!

We did do the A.I. in Jamaica once at Grand Lido Negril and I didn't like that we never left the resort. That would be fine with dh, but I get bored and like a town to explore.

I have been looking at Luxury Link and it seems like alot of their packages include food, which pushes the value up a lot! It's sure fun to wade through all the great hotels!

I have time, so I don't need to rush into my reservtions. It's the planning that is half the fun, right?!

I think you will find the Turks and Caicos to have the most amazing beaches. If you do decide on this Island. I know that the vrbo web site has a couple studios for rent right on the beach for under $1200 for the week. One is at the Royal West Indies Resort and the other is at the Alexandra Resort

Have you looked into Aruba? It's definitely a couples island. I stayed at the Radisson last year and it sounds like it fits your hotel description -- very cute, dark wood, non-cheesy decor. The pool was HUGE, but we barely used it because the beach was so nice. The water was calm and crystal clear. You'd think you were on a bay. No live music, but a fun beachside bar/restaurant. The weather in Aruba is definitely dry, dry, dry but you'll still see plenty of palm trees. (But lots of flat coral, too.) Downtown is colorful and easy to get to. I did spot a McDonald's there, but other than that, almost all the restaurants are local and amazing. (My faves were El Gaucho and Driftwood.) Aruba is known for its food. I think I went through withdrawal when I left!

Have fun wherever you end up!

That Radison sounds nice. I wonder if I am wanting *too* much??! Isn't Aruba pretty far down there? My St.Lucia flight took 3 planes and all day, until 9pm. I would love to find something not so far away!

Aruba can be a direct flight from many major US cities. It is actually probably easier to get to than St. Lucia. We live in central Va and flew through Atlanta. I think it is a four hour flight from Atlanta.
We stayed at the Marriott, but I thought the Hyatt looked very nice. I never saw the Raddison.

Why not another cruise? Pick an itinerary that's interesting and a great ship and you'll have romance, fun and variety. If you're in the midwest, you could do a cruise from CA or Galveston or Florida, or San Juan, whichever was best and easy for you.
I'm hoping to plan a trip on Royal Caribbean's newest ship that will hit the seas this spring...Freedom of the Seas.

I am a non-cruiser, who took a cruise,LOL....the reason I considered Easy Cruise is because you dine on each island, leaving port after 11 pm. I don't think we would enjoy the whole dinner experience on a cruise.

My dh grew up in Haiti and wants to enjoy SOME culture of an island. He travels for a living and has been to 65 countries! He likes exotic, but wants to relax on a great beach with a rum and coke and a great book.

I know a lot of requirements...ha...

He earns the FF miles I use for my adventures, so I am trying to give him a great trip.

Some of the A.I. hotels are $700 an night! and I figure we wouldn't spend over $150-200 max for food/drink...and I doupt that these rooms are worth $500 a night!

Fodorites could offer a Masters
Degree in Travel, with all the
work we do!! Courses we Offer:

GPS logistical analysis
Sand quality calculation
Weather prediction/averaging
Excursion planning 101
Hospitality evaluation
Customer service evaluation
Interior design: does it matter?
Feng Shui in your Hotel Experience
Culinary Excellance or Buffet
Cocktail science
Crime statistic analysis and You
Cost -to- pleasure analysis
Hotel Internet Access Hookup
Duty Free: Statistical cost Analysis

any other courses??





evaluation!
A true Fodorite would make a great government

oops!

government logistics engineer...

Ha.

Beachkomer, you probably didn't see too much of Barbados on your one-day cruise stop, but the island has everything you could want. It will take quite a few days there to cover everything. American flies there nonstop from both MIA and JFK. Easy to get there in one day. Another way is to stay overnite for little $$ near airport in Miami and take AM flight so you get to the island midday and can enjoy the afternoon and evening on the island. See www.barbados.org

hmmmm...you might be right, I will add Barbados back to my research list.

More work!

Sorry, haven't been on here in a few days -- Aruba is off the coast of Venezuela. It was a four-hour flight from Philly and has an international airport, so you can probably get a direct flight in.

Not sure what qualifies as "culture" but downtown has pretty architecture and overall, it's the kind of place where you can wander all over the island and feel completely safe.

Although, I've always wanted to go to Barbados, too!

Ok,

Aruba
Barbados
Bahamas?
Turks and Caicos
Anguilla

I was considering the Westin in the Bahamas until I read a really bad review last night. The rooms looked nice, not too expensive...

I will keep reading, if anyone has a recommendation for Barbados, I am willing to listen!

thanks!!