kris05012004

Happy Friday everyone! My fiance and I have narrowed down our choices, mainly due to these boards ! Thank you in advance for all of your help! We have decided for our May honeymoon to do a trip to St. Barths - (haven't decided on Hotel Guananhi or Isle de France--if anyone can recommend that would be helpful) and then we are going to do Nevis - The FourSeasons or Anquilla - either cap juluca or Malliouhana....

So--can you please give me your opinions, should we do anguilla or nevis? if anguilla should we do cap juluca or Malli?

We want romance and beaches, but we also want interaction with other people every now then..does that make sense?

Thanks!!

Mermaid

Nevis and Anguilla are two completelly different types of islands and that should help you make up your mind. Nevis is lush and mountainous, with nice but not spectacular beaches. It's quiet and very safe and has enough some lovely restaurants and fun beach bars.
Anguilla is a somewhat scrubby and unattractive island with stunningly beautiful beaches. Anguilla is also fairly quiet but more upscale and has supurb restaurants.

Statia

If it makes any difference, it's much easier to get to Anguilla from St. Barth's than it is Nevis. There are more connections per day.

Otherwise, Mermaid hit the nail on the head with how the two islands differ.

TedTurner

If you want the best of two different types of experiences, I'd choose St. Barth's (Isle de France) and Anguilla (Cap Juluca).
Coming from St. Barth's first I don't think the island of Nevis itself will add anything to your experience (the Four Seasons is great, but the island won't add anything as different as what Anguilla would).

kris05012004

Thanks - Ted, have you stayed at the isle de france? can you tell me why you chose that one over guananhi? same for cap jualuca and Malli>

thanks!

Caribbean_Rez

I agree with Ted. St. Barths/Anguilla make a great honeymoon. My choice would be Cap Juluca. The villas and restaurants are directly on the beach and the view of St. Martin is spectacular. The food in Anguilla is the best we have ever experienced.

I have only been to St. Barts for the day, but I would chose Isle de France over Guananhi. I've researched both of them and from different reviews, the rooms at Guananhi are smallish as well as the beach and Isle de France is more upscale with great rooms and a beautiful beach. I would also check out Le Toiny. Even though it is not on the beach, I understand it is a great experience and probably the best hotel on the island. Very intimate with 12 villas, each with a pool. Check out www.sbhonline.com. There is a
wealth of information about St. Barts. The Anguilla forum on COL also has great information. Congratulations and good luck in your choices.

doncat

I have been to st barts 6 times and I would stay at Guanahani, the beach may be smaller but it has much calmer water, and their restaurants are fantastic, just make sure you have a rental car. It is on a quieter part of the island but within a quick ride to many other locations. The island is small and easily piloted by car, I think you would also want to visit other beaches like Saline,St Jean, and Gouverner, so I would not make the choice because a resort has a bigger beach, see them all its very easy on this island.

Caribbean_Rez

To Doncat:

I didn't say to choose Isle de France because it has a bigger beach annd of course, there are many beautiful beaches on St. Barts to visit. Actually, when I started researching St. Barts, the Guanahani was my first choice and then after reading many reviews, and doing research, I preferred Isle de France.

Caribbean_Rez

Sorry, hit post my reply before finishing. Ultimately we will probably be staying at Le Toiny for a different experience since we will be visiting Anguilla first and IMO I prefer Anguilla beaches. As I said, this is just my opinion and my preferences.

caribcouple

We've been to St.Barts (along with the other Islands you mention) and now only do SB for it's beauty, great food and sexiness absent on the uptight former Brit colonies. We've stayed all over St.Barts and most prefer the area of Flamands. The beach is gorgeous (no rocks either), along with the countryside. You can hike to an uninhabited beach for great snorkeling.
Isle de France has a spa my wife loves
(we rent a hillside Villa nearby) and the pool and restaurant, along with another you can walk to down the pretty beach, are some of the Island's best. Guananhi is a little more isolated, and the tiny beach there does not compare to Flamands. May is a very nice time, have a great trip!

RobertoB

If you decide on Anguilla by all means read Melinda and Robert Blanchard's book ' A Trip to the Beach'. Chronicles their adventures of opening a restaurant there.

kris05012004

Ok so we picked it! Thanks for all of your help! We are going to Cap Jaluca and then off to Guananhi!

One more question...are we better off booking through a travel agent? do they get upgrades that we might not get if we book on our own? Or can I just book this myself?