I need help finding the right resort for my family for our upcomming vacation.<BR>I am looking for a place that has the best beach, with great snorkeling directly in front of the unit. The beach should be perfect white powder, not too hot for my feet. The water should be cool, but not too warm. I like to play in the waves, but want them to be gentle for snorkeling. My unit should be very modern, with all the conveniences of home including widescreen TV, VCR, CD player, full kitchen, huge bedrooms & baths, & maid service twice a day. Looking for something with a perfect view of the ocean, and preferably something that faces the sunsets & the sunrises. The resort should have at least 4 restaurants, and 2 swim-up bars, but seclusion is key. I hoping to find a place that has zero crime, no beggers, and also a place where no tourist has ever been sick. I was hoping that my unit would have pure spring water coming from the faucets. The island itself should be out of the hurricane belt, have warm sunny weather everyday, but not too humid. The island itself should be rich with charactor, historical sights, and have incredible mountains & rainforests. Nightlife is also important, and we want to be able to see shows, live bands, and gamble at casinos, but again, we want a really quiet island at the same time. Flying time is also an issue, we want to be able to book a direct flight from East Nowhere Antartica, and be able to be at the resort by noonish. I know we are looking for a lot, but was hoping someone could suggest a place that would fill all our needs listed above, and hopefully stay within our budget of about $100 - $125 a night......Any suggestions?

Dear Dreamer,<BR>We found the perfect island last year and it fits all of your needs. It is called Troll Island and it is INCREDIBLE! <BR>If you close your eyes really hard, hold your breath and start flapping your arms, you might just get there. We couldn't have been happier and I'm sure you'll just love it.

Yes... TROLL ALERT!! Delete this post please!!

way too funny!

Dreamer, thanks for a good laugh! How many posts are worded this same asinine way but are serious? How many people come on this board, expecting to find the "perfect" island meanwhile wishing to have others do all of their research for them. Then they come back and bitch about this, that and the other thing. <BR><BR>Listen folks, you could throw me on just about any Caribbean island and I could SOMEHOW have a good time! Some people here are so petty and it gets old....

If you're serious it doesnt exist at the amount of money you are willing to spend! Least expensive island is Dominican Republic, especially Cabarete. Also, if you take out a few requisites, then the Turtle Cove Inn in Turks and Caicos would be affordable. Best bet is a room with a refrigerator where you can store a lot of sandwiches etc. You are going to have to spend more than $125 a night! Stay for a shorter period of time to fit this budget. Get good information from Fodors on-line destination guides or Where2Stay.com.

Cabarete is a great idea for a vacation on a budget--look online (Google) at Cabarete Beach Houses at Nanny Estates (condos)--very reasonable rates.

HEY!!!<BR>I've got the place, it only doesn't meet one or two teeny criteria. It's a suite at the Sheraton Black rock Maui. OK, it's about $1000 a night, but other than that, and the fact that it will take you 12 hours to get there, it's perfect, OK, I can't guarantee about the not getting sick, but other than that....

oh, and it's also not in the Carribean, but other than that...

Richard Branson's Necker Island or Musha Cay.

I forgot to add that both are only $25,000.00 per night for the entire island. Have fun!

For the Einsteins that thought this was a troll, WRONG!! It was mild attempt to bring a little humor to the board. If you missed that, you may want to take a step back, loosen the belt, and relax a bit!! I was merely poking a little fun at those that ask for the impossible, whether it be ridiculous lists of island features, or simply Ritz expectations on a Motel 6 Budget. I am well aware that there are plenty of folks with legit questions here, but some simply make me laugh. THATS WHAT THIS POST IS REALLY ALL ABOUT!!! It's called humor....Sheeesh!!

Still flapping...

Soooo funny, why waste people's time--there are some strange people out there and this posting could have been a legitimate question from a wacko dreamer!