Allonsy

My finance and I are trying to plan our honeymoon and are just LOST with all the options. We initially wanted to go to Bora Bora or Fiji or maybe Maldives, but we can't take a very long trip due to work constraints...so we are going to do that next year and take a sort of mini-moon this year.

We'd like to go to an amazing resort in the Caribbean since it is close, and are considering the following:

Caneel Bay-St. John
Little Dix Bay-Virgin Gorda
Jumby Bay-Antigua
Carlisle Bay Resort-Antigua
Cap Juluca-Anguilla
Four Seasons- Nevis
Spice Island Resort- Grenada
Amanyara-Provo
Grace Bay Club-Provo
Parrot Cay-Provo
Peter Island--BVI
Cotton House - Mustique
Petit St. Vincent

Any input would be so helpful. I've heard rave reviews about all the above, but also heard some pros and cons to each. We want something romantic, beautiful, peaceful. We'd like great beaches, good food, good service. I'd like to have good snorkeling, but it could be taking a boat to a private island for the day.

We'd also consider splitting our time, i.e. spend 4 days and nights in St. John and then 3 days and nights at Little Dix Bay. Just a thought.

Please help! We've both traveled all over the world, but haven't spent much time in the Caribbean, and so all you Caribbean aficionados, please give your input! Thanks so much in advance!

Allonsy

Ok, so after some more research, I think I've narrowed it down, but am certainly still open. I'm thinking either split time between Caneel Bay and Little Dix Bay, do Cap Juluca (possibly with a trip to St. Barts), or do Jumby Bay.

Here is my biggest dilemma: the beaches on St. John look like EXACTLY what I want....private, beautiful coves that look like paradise, but the rooms/hotel look dated and down right unimpressive. Then I look at places like Cap Juluca, Amanyara, Jumby Bay, Four Seasons, etc, and the rooms and resort decor, pools, spa, look SO plush and beautiful. I wish there was a place that had the lush beauty and AMAZING beaches with private coves that St. John has, but with nicer accomodations. Maybe I'm wrong about the accomodations, but the pictures certainly weren't impressive.

That said, any comments?

laplaya

Would you consider Bermuda? (technically not Caribbean)

Very pretty pink beaches.

Best to go in late spring or summer for Bermuda.

A_Traveller

I've been to all but two of the places on your "long list" and my favorite is Little Dix Bay. LDB is the quintessential upscale Caribbean resort. The setting is gorgeous, the staff is first rate and the rooms are nicely appointed. We been there numerous times and keep going back. We also did a split between LDB and Caneel Bay but like you surmised the rooms at CB were just so-so and service was not up to the same standards.

Skip Petit St. Vincent if you are seeking great beaches, good food and good service. The resort is lacking in each of those departments.

We didn't like Provo although the beaches there are wonderful. The island just didn't have that "special feel".

Cap Juluca is another resort that we've been repeat guests. We liked the resort and other beaches on the islands but we found the island itself to be rather flat and featureless. Go hear if all you want to do is sit on the beach, swim and go out to dinner (80+ fantastic restaurants on the island).

Pick LDB, the island is attractive with plenty of things to see and do, it's easy to take day trips to other islands and keys and you definitively won't be disappointed with the resort itself.

laplaya

How is the food @ Little Dix?
Check out: www.tripadvisor.com

mah1980

I think Caneel Bay would be the perfect honeymoon location. We went to Turks and Caicos for our honeymoon, but went to STJ and Caneel in August, and we LOVED it.

Very romantic, with good restaurants and just enough things to do.

Little Dix Bay and Peter Island look great too (there are good package deals for the latter, and remember, PI includes all meals in the rates).

Allonsy

Thanks everyone! A_Traveler, have you been to Peter Island? If so, how would you compare it to LDB? When was the last time you went to LDB? For years I've heard wonderful things, but I was surprised to see so many negative comments about it both on Fodors and TripAdvisor....the two main complaints being the number of kids and the lack of service.

I think we are now leaning toward doing Caneel and LDB or possibly Peter Island so that we get to experience both islands...

Thanks again, mille fois!

WaywardSeal

Allonsy-

I split two weeks between Peter Island and Caneel in 2004 for my honeymoon. If I had to do it over, I wouldn’t change a thing.

They're both great resorts for what they're known for.
Caneel has incredible beaches, most have very good snorkeling. The rooms apparently were just renovated, but still kept very much understated. I hear the food has improved (from below average) and the service is still average.
The grounds and setting are just stunning imo.

Peter Island really only has two beaches to access the water from. With one of them having very good snorkeling.
The food, rooms and service were terrific. If you're looking for a very relaxing resort-this is the place. The spa was a few weeks from opening when I stayed there; but I was given a tour and it appeared to be very impressive.

A_Traveller

Yes, been to both Peter Island and Little Dix Bay (Caneel Bay also, if that matters).

As I said LDB is one of my favorites but PI is also very nice and on a par with LDB as far as service, amenities and accomodations. What I didn't like about PI is that it's the only thing on a very small island. You can explore the entire island in about an hour and then "what do you do" besides lay on the beach. While that sounds relaxing it get's "old" fast. To do anything outside the resort means taking a launch over to another island vs. getting in a rental car and being able to come and go as I please. Other than that, it's a great resort.

You are always going to see both good and bad reviews on Fodors and Trip Advisor. Some people are hard to please, or they feel that because the have stretched their budget so much they are entitled to flawless service, or they expect a Caribbean Resort to be just like an upscale NYC Hotel. Service in throughout the Caribbean is often at a slow pace and some people interpret that as being lax. I've never experienced poor service at eith PI or LDB but then again I always treat the hotel staff with great respect. Remember, only a fraction of the guests ever write reviews so you have to take them with a grain of salt. True, at certain times of the year LDB might have more families visiting than PI but that's true for lots of resorts. Families don't frequent PI because there's not much to occupy young children on such a small island, ergo they go to reorts on larger islands.

You are considering two of the finest resorts in the BVI's. Choose the one that offers most of what you want from your honeymoon. If you are content spending most of your time "on-resort" then PI would be a good choice. If, however, you want to get out and freely explore all an island has to offer (with possible day trips to other islands) then LDB would be the better option.

Anguillagirl

My vote goes to Anguilla and Cap Jaluca. I know people's biggest argument against this is that all there is to do is sit on the beach, but I don't feel that way.
The beach at Cap is spectacular-and I bet you could find a similar beach with coves like in St. John amongst the 30 beaches on Anguilla.
As far as things to do, you can do a day trip to St. Martin or St. Barts, you could spend the day on Scilly Cay, there is a glass boat ride you could take, or take a snorkeling trip. There are plenty of fun beach bars to hang at. The people on Anguilla are the nicest most friendly people you will find everywhere. We've traveled the Caribbean extensively and now go only exclusively to Anguilla.