dirtyjerz_jc

I need a little help. I am planning a vacation in late August / September and have been mixed info about the weather. I know it is hurricane season, but some web sites say it hardley rains while others say the place floods. Can anyone who has been there around the same time give me some solid info on what to expect. I was planning on going to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico but all the sites said plan for rain. GC was my next choice. If weather is going to be bad, is there a close alternative. I've also been looking at STT. Any advice would help. I plan on staying at the Westin in GC. If anybody has input on that I would appreciate that too.

greenie

The weather is something I cant help you with. No one can predit the weather more than a couple of days out.

I can help you with the Westin GC. It was just ok. Very overpriced. Small rooms-good beds though. Carpeted--so if you have allergies, beware. No umbrellas by the pool--prepare to fight for the shade. Food is just ok and very overpriced.

Peace, Greenie

KVR

We've been to Playa del Carmen in 2001 and Nassau in 2003 during the last week of August/first week of September. No problems with the weather. Actually, it was quite hot. We did miss Hurricane Fabian in Nassau. He was headed straight at Nassua and then turned and hit Bermuda instead. The day we left it started raining.

We are headed back to Playa del Carmen this first week of September this year. We bought hurricane insurance and cancellation insurance for any reason just to be on the safe side.

In November, 2005 we were headed to Cozumel when Hurricane Wilma hit. With our insurance we were immediatley re-booked to St. Lucia with no problem. However, it rained for most of our trip. We also had lots of rain in St. Thomas in a May. We went to CG in a November and a April. The weather in November was much better. April was a little cool and very windy.

Don't let the possibility of bad weather deter you, just buy the insurance and have a back up plan in case.

dirtyjerz_jc

Thanks for the help. My trip is still a go. I will go ahead and get the insurance though.

doug_stallings

Puerto Vallarta suffers from the same hurricane season as the Caribbean, which is why you'll hear reports of rain. But August and September in the Caribbean are typically hot and dry unless a hurricane or tropical storm is in the vicinity. Most rain happens in the late afternoon or at night over the islands that have a large enough landmass to have real weather. I'd pick the new Westin in St. Maarten over the Westin in Grand Cayman (or for that money would probably see if the Ritz-Carlton has a summer deal).

Knowing

I can't help you much with travel information re:weather. We have been to Bermuda and Hawaii in September, and they were both rather hot. I can tell you that the conditions at the GC Westin left much to be desired. It's very much a convention hotel and they are not equipped to handle it. They closed down the pool area three times during the week we were there in order to hold private parties. There wasn't enough shade regardless - we came home with the worst sunburns we'd ever had. We were all standing in line a half an hour after the Sunday morning brunch was supposed to have started while the staff continued to arrive. There was no silverware on the table and all attempts to get someone's attention did little good, as our waiter was only interested in his tables with single girls. The rooms are full of mold. The island itself is nice, but you'd be better off staying elsewhere.

StanKase

You might want to consider curacao if you want good choice of ggood food at reasonable prices, good chance of avoiding hurricanes, good snorkeling on the WEST END of the island ( need a rental car) and some nice hotels with little honky tonk. If you want just the opposite except similar weather as Cuacao but higher prices consuder Aruba.