amelie

Hi,
After coming home from our tenth anniversary trip to Maui, the only way to beat my post-vacation blues to is to think about our next big vacation (probably June 2015 as I am a teacher and can really only go for spring break or summer). I am having a hard time narrowing down choices, the more I research the more confused I get (I know, a common problem). We just had an amazing 5 night stay at the Four Seasons on Maui and that's where our expectations are. We also stayed 4 nights prior at a condo resort (Honua Kai) so we are not total luxury snobs though. We are average hard working people (with no kids) who can save up for a trip. So why the Caribbean? I want something with a shorter flight than Maui and hopefully cheaper airfare. I have been to Aruba a long time ago (2001) but would prefer a different island this time.

My top wishes (sort of in order):
1. gorgeous white sandy beaches
2. clear turquoise waters
3. good snorkeling off the beach
4. accommodation on the beach, also with a pool that overlooks the beach/ocean
5. safety
6. nice restaurants
7. lack of stray dogs (I have an irrational fear of dogs instilled in me by my Mom. Even the friendliest dogs I will be afraid of).
8. not a ton of cruise ships (going in June)

What doesn't matter to me:
1. casinos
2. hiking
3. nightlife
4. scuba diving
5. shopping

Would most likely rent a car.

I won't mention the three islands I've been researching the most, kind of want to see if they match up. Thank you!!!!

RoamsAround

Check out Caneel Bay Resort on St. John - 7 beaches on resort property with good to very good walk-in snorkeling plus many other beaches on the island with very good to excellent snorkeling. No cruise ships, safe island.

Also look at Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda , one of the top resorts in the Caribbean. Some moderate walk-in snorkeling from beach at resort and excellent snorkeling from other beaches around the island. Very safe island with no cruise ships.

Other suggestions are Amanyara Resort and Parrot Cay Resort in the Turks & Caicos.

GeorgeR

You perfectly described Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. The rates for beachfront accommodations are quite reasonable in the off season.
Airfare this year from the NYC region has been also reasonable about $300-$400.

amelie

Thanks. Okay I have been torn between Turks & Caicos and St. John's (St. Johns edging ahead due to dog issue). I looked into what you suggested for Virgin Gorda, looks amazing but seems difficult to get to. Maybe in the future when we have visited the Caribbean more. Amanyara is way out of our price range, over $1500 a night for the cheapest. We paid $675 on Maui and would like to pay less. $450-$600. Parrot Cay looks amazing but maybe too secluded and mixed reviews on the food. Cancel Bay is my top choice for St. John but not sure how I feel on the pool.

Grace Bay Club (may be too much but with the 2 nights free deal we can actually get an oceanfront villa junior suite for under $500 which would be amazing) really appeals to me (adult only pool) but so does Ganesvoort. Are these an ideal location? Thanks again!

amelie

Thanks George, grand cayman was the other island I was looking at. At least I know I'm on the right track. We would be coming from Cleveland. Airfare under $1000 sounds like a dream to me (after this years Hawaii and last years Scotland trips).

amelie

Or Seven Stars Grace Bay. Do any of the TC ones I'm mentioning have snorkeling right off their beach spot? I think Gansevoort yes, but the others? That is pretty important to me.

WWK

The Gansevoort is on the western end of Grace Bay, so rather isolated without a car. It draws a mostly younger, very hip crowd, and the rooms are a little too modern/austere for my taste. There's music 24/7 on the hotel grounds. But no doubt it's one of the island's top hotels, and many people like that vibe. I prefer West Bay Club next door, which IMHO has a more elegant, welcoming decor, and a better beachfront.

You could also look at The Venetian, on the opposite end of Grace Bay, next to Tuscany. We stayed there last January, and loved it. It's got gorgeous rooms, a lovely infinity pool in the back of the hotel, and is on a quiet section of Grace Bay. Some mornings we had the beach to ourselves, which was pure heaven!
Again, you would need a car to access other beaches, and the island's beach restaurants, since it's only within walking distance of Ocean Club West and Grace Bay Club.

WWK

Just realized you'd asked about snorkeling. West Bay Club is within a 10 minute walk of Coral Gardens, one of Provo's main snorkeling spots. And Coral Gardens happens to be next to one of our favorite restaurants in Provo, SOMEWHERE CAFE, which has wonderful Mexican food and drinks.

Windsong Resort is just in back of Coral Gardens, and a very nice hotel, but the beach tends to disappear there sometimes during high tide, and some of the standard hotel rooms are quite small.

LucyStanmore

I think that a great choice would be Bermuda. It has gorgeous beaches, lovely atmosphere, amazing scenery, nice restaurants and friendly people. St. John will also be a top choice for your needs.

ejtipton

I agree with St John, I personally prefer it over Maui.
Except for that amazing road to Hana!

Roatan has great walk in snorkeling, Look at Infinity Bay.
But still prefer St John with a day sail to Jost

Happy planning!

amelie

Thanks WWK, is there snorkeling at the end of the Venetian or is Coral Reef really the place to go? Going to check out West Bay Club now. Still haven't ruled out St John.

WWK

amelie,

I think there is a snorkeling spot closer to The Venetian than Coral Gardens, if you walk up the beach, but we didn't get to it last time.

In rereading your post, I have to warn you that there are lots of stray dogs along the road and sometimes on the beach. In many visits, we've never had a problem with any of them, but you will no doubt see them. The dogs on the island are known as "Potcakes", and there's huge push on by a local animal rescue group to get them adopted and brought to the U.S.

Having said that, I've also seen stray dogs on almost every island we've visited in the Caribbean and Mexico.

Your call. I also want to add that I've been to St.John, but Turks is much easier to get to from the east coast, and IMHO Grace Bay Beach is more spectacular.

WWK

A last comment: We've stayed at West Bay Club four or five times. It is one of the most beautiful condos/hotels I've ever stayed it, with a wonderful beachfront, but they nearly tripled their winter rates, so we gave up and went to The Venetian. The Venetian is just as nice in almost every way, but less costly I think because it's newer? Anyway, hard to go wrong at either of these amazing properties!

WWK

Sorry-- had to add that in the summer the rates drop dramatically, so that's why either of these might be within reach. Good luck!

amelie

I guess I have to decide if I can handle the dog factor. I don't really see threads on stray dogs on St. John's though...

The West Bay Club gives me the cheapest rate on my search. Looks nice.

WWK

West Bay Club is really nice (!!!), but be careful of the studios which aren't that great. I guess it depends how much time you'll spend in your room, and whether you care about ocean view or not.

vicnroy

St John, Turks and Caicos (Provo, more specifically), and Grand Cayman are all good choices. Having visited, and snorkeled at, all three locations, here are my two cents:

Snorkeling at any of the three will be very good by Caribbean standards, and I don't think you can go wrong. Snorkeling off the beach in Provo was OK, but limited ("Coral Gardens" sounds nice, but it's a relatively small patch). Snorkeling out at the reef off Provo was quite good. Snorkeling off the beach in GC was good, and the snorkeling by boat was excellent in some places. In our opinion, the snorkeling off the beach was best in St John, particularly on the big north coast beaches. That being said, however, there are very few resorts directly on those beaches, so you'd most likely have to drive or boat to those beaches. Finally, when in St John, you have very close access to the rest of the Virgins, where snorkeling in general is very good.

Also consider the "look" and "feel" of the islands which is quite different. St John is hilly and generally lush, whereas the other two are flat and arid. St John's beaches are smaller individual coves, whereas the beaches on Provo and GC are the large, long, uninterrupted types. St John's has only a few hotels and resorts, and very few on the beaches. In Provo and GC, most/all hotels and residences are right on those big beaches, and at least in Provo's case, pretty much side-by-side up and down the whole beach. From a "feel" perspective, to us, St John felt a bit more and "foreign" (which is odd, considering that it's a US territory), for instance, no fast food, which you will find in GC (can't recall Provo). The main village on St John, the streets are more narrow and twisty, while on GC and Provo, it's a more straightforward grid.

Finally, consider that travel to St John will be a bit more adventurous, given that you fly into St Thomas and the ferry to St John.

WWK

I've been to all three, too, and I agree that snorkeling is better in St. John, but I really didn't like spending so much time getting there from New York. And about Grand Cayman, nice, but way too Americanized for me. It felt a little like Miami in the Caribbean.

vicnroy

WWK, that's funny, because I used that same line "It felt a little like Miami" regarding Provo. But I used that only because of the large number of hotels/condos/resorts on the beach. Besides that, I believe that Provo is a bit more upscale than GC.

WWK

vicnroy,

So funny! I think GC feels more Miami-esque than Provo, because of the shopping and cruise ships. We stay at the eastern ( I think it's eastern!) end of Provo now, The Venetian, and it only has one neighbor ( Tuscany) so feels pretty much like you've got the beach to yourself. AHHHH.....