Planning March 2007 week vacation Two Couples in late 30's with 3 kids (ages 3,4,5) St Thomas, St John, Tortola (BVI)?
Do NOT like "all inclusives".

Priorities:
1) On the beach. Walk out door to the beach. Ideally a beach that has sand and snorkeling. Would like a caribbean experience. Palm Trees on beach.

2) Don't want to feel hostage to the property. Would like the opportunity to go for some day trips and to some local restaurants.

3) We like smaller properties but would consider resorts for services... Pool would be nice but not necessary as the beach is the priority.

Was thinking about renting a villa with 3 bedrooms or condo or small hotel?

Budget for accomodations only for 4 Adults and 3 kids
[3K to 4K a week]

I realize thta you mentioned St. Thomas and the others...but have you considered St.Kitts? As my trip report says we and our 2.5 year old son stayed at Timothy Beach Resort and it was perfect. We had a one bedroom unit with kitchen for breakfast and some lunches, there was a lovely pool that was rarely used by others so we got to monopolize it and the beach is a great spot with activity for adults but also just plain fun for children. Also there is some snorkeling at this property and I gather even better snorkeling around the island. I am no snorkeling official but I did enjoy my first adventure. My DH and Dad went out further and saw octopus and Turtles etc...It is terribly affordable and they have these one bedroom units to allow for the two couples to have their own space but they also have two and three bedroom units too!

Sorry I can't help with the other islands but this is just another thought. Have fun regardless! Oh and St. Kitts is truly a Caribbean experience!!

Those particular islands mentioned are a little tough to find true beachfront villas. www.indigohouse.org and www.tortolabeach.com are both right on Cane Garden Bay in Tortola. There are also Cane Garden Bay beach cottages.
You might want to check the Westin or Caneel Bay in St John, but it seems like whenever I check Westin I get these crazy rates.
It is really nice to have a kitchen with kids (especially small ones) we always do the villa route.
What about Virgin Gorda, you can get a beachfront house there, or Nevis there are a few.

Tortola you could try Long Bay resort.

Is there any island you would like to stay more than another, or is there a reason you picked the ones that you did, I guess is my question.

Of the 3, St Thomas would be my last choice.

Have you considered Provo (TCI) there are tons of hotels on Grace Bay beach and a lot of them are condo-type which would be great!

GL

google villas del mar puerto adventuras as this would be perfect for you. I stayed there last summer for 2 weeks. Condo is right on a great beach. Huge pool,gated community ,5 minute walk to restaurants ,swim with dolphins.Half the amount you want to spend. Check it out!

Grand Cayman sounds like what you are looking for.

We stayed at www.discoverypointclub.com in May 2006 and our kids (and us)absolutely enjoyed it.
It is a safe,clean place with plenty of things to do with the kids.The snorkeling is excellent also.

We also took our kids to St John in June 2005 and they liked it OK but loved GC better because there is more to do for kids.

I love St John as a getaway for just me and my husband!

Good luck with your decision.

Christie

I agree that Grand Cayman might be something to look into, as seven mile beach is fronted by all kinds of condos and resorts. Since it's seven miles long, there's plenty to pick from. Nothing can be built bigger than the tallest palm, so four stories tends to be the highest building, which means its' not as overbuilt as say St Thomas. Cane Bay is a pretty spot on Tortola -- you could check there for accommodations. A true "walk out the door to the beach" condo or villa on St John could be pretty pricey. There is a wonderful national park on the island that is totally beachfront and very lively, but its accommodations are a bit rugged - screened cottages or tent sites. It's called Cinnamon Bay. Check out familytravelforum.com for all kinds of ideas and reviews about family friendly accommodations in the Caribbean.

Hi Eric40,
I HIGHLY recommend Mahoe Bay on Virgin Gorda. We've been to a lot of islands in the Caribbean and this is our favorite so far, with St. Lucia being a close second. We stayed at Caribbean Wind which is a 4 bedroom villa with another couple and my in-laws. Both we and the other couple we stayed with had 1 year olds at the time. It is also in your price range. It's right on the beach, which is a very calm beach with no waves. The large private pool is part of the villa. You have gorgeous sunset views there, with palm trees at your villa. The staff is very friendly, and the house was amazing. It was also perfect for young children as the pool has a stone wall that is about 2' around it so the kids would have to climb up it to get in. It helped us keep an eye on them better. Here's a link to view the villa.

http://www.caribbeanway.com/villa-page/ind/106143.asp

I have tons of pictures of it, but I'd need your email address to email them to you. Check it out here and see what you think. The only thing that is a must is to take the ferry to VG, not Air Sunshine. We had a really bad experience with them. Other than that everything was great! And you'll need to rent a car (you can rent car seats too) to get around-the island is fun to check out. Good luck!

We just got back from a week at Secret Harbour on St. Thomas. Loved it! Check out their website. It is comfortable and real laid back. Had a full kitchen so we could eat in the room to save a little money. Blue Moon restaurant is good also. Fun little outdoor bar.

www.secretharbourvi.com

It has snorkeling right from the beach. Always calm water. Beachfront rooms walk right out onto the well kept beach. Palm trees for some shade on the beach when you want to get out of the sun for awhile. I can't wait to go back and stay there again.