Where to go with a baby?
 

My husband and I used to go to the Caribbean every year and would venture to different places. Now with 9 month old, enough said...

What would you recommend for a husband and wife (late thirties) with a baby? Would like the following:
* Quaint B&B or small inn oceanfront, if not, nearby beach guesthouse that wouldn't mind a baby...or perhaps a house by the beach.
* Not interested at all in an all-inclusive hotel, or even a large hotel.
* Laid-back atmosphere where we can sample local fares with locals or gringos or ex-pats you can chat with and have a beer.
* Some shopping and museums would be nice, for variety.
* Relatively inexpensive.

Is there such a classic old world caribbean place?

Absolutely! We took our 7 month old to Negril with us last June....had a wonderful time! We stayed at CocoLaPalm which is a very family oriented resort on a wonderful stretch of Negril Beach. No rental car needed....everywhere is walking distance or a short cab ride away. We brought along our baby backpack for walks on the beach. Jamaican's LOVE children and they will make you feel more at home than you even feel like AT home. A real testament to the Jamaican culture and its wonderful people. Coco La Palm has two onsite restaurants. One is more of a lunch/day grill....the other serves bfast and dinner. Let me know if you need any info if this interests you. I have some wonderful pictures taken of our boy enjoying the sights and smells of Negril!

In addition to previous suggestions, Long Bay Hotel on Antigua would work well for your family. www.longbayhotel.com is the website. It's a very small, family-run hotel that sits on a narrow peninsula with a calm beach on one side and a calm bay on the other. You could rent one of the cottages there that provide a full kitchen w/fridge for juices, water, formula, or anything else that would make traveling with a baby easier.

The food there is good, the prices are reasonable and the staff is fantastic! The water at the beach is calm and on weekends and holidays lots of the local families go there with their kids--I've seen lots of mamas and daddies give swimming lessons to their kids there.

The atmosphere is very laid back and casual, but they do have a moderate dresscode in the evenings--long pants for men, etc. They offer a children's dinner before the regular dinner, so if you plan to eat then I'm sure the dresscode would be relaxed. They could also provide occasional babysitting if you and your husband wanted an adult meal.

Antigua offers a nice museum and cathedral downtown for cultural and historical interest, and of course there's Nelson's Dockyard where naval history is well preserved. There are a couple of strips of tourist shops along the quays where the cruise ships come in, but the local shops further into town are more rewarding in my opinion.

Getting around with a rental car or hiring a taxi is easy--good roads there.

When my husband and I got married in June 2003 at Long Bay, among our guests were several children, ages 6 months to 14 years, and they all loved it. The staff members were all very gracious and accommodating to the children and their families. And there is a good hospital in Antigua, if heaven forbid anything should go wrong. There's a doctor on call at the neighboring hotel and one of the staff members has a wife who is a nurse who is willing to make a house call. Chances are, nothing would happen but it's reassuring to know they're there, eh?

ejcrowe, Antigua sounds lovely!! I think it may just be the place for us. Thank you very much!!!

Any others?

Forgot to mention that Long Bay's rates include breakfast, dinner, water sports, taxes and gratuities, so the rates might seem high at first until you factor all of those things in.

It is definitely old world Caribbean here. I just read some of the newer reviews on Tripadvisor, which are overwhelmingly positive. But as some folks noted there, while the rooms are always clean, functional, and spacious, they could use some updating. I agree. But on the other hand, it's also rather charming to stay in such an old-fashioned place--it feels like a real throwback to the old Caribbean before every hotel had to have a swim-up bar and spa just to compete.