Hi all!
I, my husband and my nine month-old son want to go to the Caribbean next month. We want a place that offers beach/pool as well as a nice town with shops, sites and culture to explore. I like a European flavor. We like upscale properties - on a par with Ritz-Carlton/Four Seasons. We would like to be close enough to town so that we can come and go easily with a child.
I am thinking about Puerto Rico, but I've heard that beaches near San Juan are not so hot. Any suggestions? Thanks!

If you want nice beaches, a European flavor and very family-oriented, I recommend Aruba (although it has a very American flavor too) An added bonus is that September is prime hurricane season and Aruba is out of the hurricane belt. However, Aruba does not really have very upscale resorts such as Ritz or Four Seasons. The closest you will get is the Hyatt Regency. We take our children to the Hyatt Dorado/Hacienda Del Mar, 45 minutes outside of San Juan. However, the water is a bit rough there and you won't get a nice town to walk around. I'd go with Aruba.

The Ritz Carlton in Puerto Rico is on a fairly nice beach which is rarely crowded. It is about a 15 minute taxi ride to Old San Juan which has an old world flavor. The hotel is in the Isla Verde section of San Juan.

Thanks for your response.
I did look in to Aruba... is there a city to explore nearby?

Well, not sure I would call Oranjstead (sp) a city. But it is the capital of Aruba and there are lots of cute shops, etc. You can also drive all around Aruba to explore, the island is not that big and they drive on the right, which makes driving less scary than on other islands.

Also important, Aruba has good medical facilities--something we always consider when traveling with small children.

We just returned from Nevis, and love it. Four seasons is a great child friendly hotel. No shopping, but good excursions(monkey tours, sailing)