We are considering one of the two of these for a vacation with our 10 yr. daughter - Would love to hear from others who have been to either with their children. We are looking for an upscale resort to just relax and enjoy the pools/beach - not interested in going off to explore tee shirt shops etc.

We were at FS PM last April -- we have been to lots of upscale places in Mexico and the Carib (sometimes with our kids, sometimes without) and FS was by far the best (read the reviews on tripadvisor.com, I think they will sell you) We were there Easter week without our kids -- there were lots of kids there at that time, they all seemed to be having a great time, there is a complimentary kids club/kids activities, movies, etc. Kayaking, etc., plenty to do at the resort if you like the beach, pool and water sports. the whole area is very lush and beautiful, with cliffs, rocks, etc, wonderful landscaping. Can't say enough positive about it. However, if you are not going around a school holiday, there might not be lots of kids there, so that would be a factor.

We are thinking about going in August after she is finnished with summer camp for family r&r together time. We are also thinking about going to Hawaii. It's just we have to decide if we want to go that far and for as long as we would if we went to Hawaii which we feel you should go for at least 2 weeks.

I hear there are tons on kids there in August and that they are putting in a separate kids pool. FYI, we took our kids (7 & 11) to Hawaii this summer -- three nights in Waikiki, 7 nights in Maui. It was a wonderful trip but next time we will stay longer since it is such a long, expensive trip to get there. I think one week per island is about right, any less and it seems like too much travelling and there is so much to see and do on each island. Next up -- Kauai and the Big Island, hopefully in Summer 2006!

Definitely the Four Seasons Punta Mita. The place is just fabulous. The service, amenities, staff, and property is just outstanding. The spa in the hotel is the best I have experienced. It truly is a luxury property and service. You will most likely find children there in August becase it is a traditional month to travel for Mexican families. Puerto Vallarta is an excellent place to visit for a day if you want to spend most of the time at the resort. Definitely a better choise than the Westin in Cabo.

August is very hot, humid, and the height of the "rainy season" in Puerto Vallarta (Punta Mita) if that influences your decision.

Our visit to Punta Mita was disappointing if eating well-not gourmet- is part of your decision.We spent 8 nights there and others visiting last month said things have not changed very much.But it was better.
The resort, as all FS resorts, is lovely and loads of kids. But August I think can be brutal. I can tell you late April was hot enough.If you like snorkeling there is basically none.
Nevis is a fabulous resort with less a few less children but good food and a first rate smaller property than those in Hawaii.Also Nevis would likely be 6-8 degrees cooler, on average, in August.The snorkeling was fairly good but not Hawaii quality.

Great Exuma was one of the nicest properties with loads of children. There as well the temperature would be more temperate than Punta Mita. But, the bad news is the food was terrible.The Gen. Manager had to comp. us 3 dinners and 4 lunches so he recognized he had a problem. They needed a new Exec. Chef. and preparation chefs in both dining rooms. Even the rolls were not very good.
I do not know if they replaced the whole crew but it was needed for the prices were steep.The snorkeling was only fair.Sorry for the long reply but I hope it helps in your decision.

We stayed at the Westin Regina in PV (August 2003)and went to Hawaii this with my daughters now 12 and 7. They loved both trips. I think August is off season for PV so it won't be super crowded. The Westin Regina was a great hotel in what I thought was a great location for families. There were days when we just walked over to the Marina for breakfast or dinner but it's only 15 minutes into town. It's pretty safe. The pools are great. We had a great ocean front room and we were able to see the nightly fireworks on the bay from our terrace. The Westin has it's own beach though small and it is open to the public. When we were there, they had complimentary chidlren's club for a couple of hours a day. Take the trip to Caletas, it was one of the highlights of the trip. Punta Mita seemed so much farther away from everything, we didn't even get a chance to go out there, so cannot comment on it. Regarding Hawaii, Big Island is a must with kids. We are already planning to return. We also went to Oahu and it was just beautiful. However, you do need about one week per island to enjoy it.