micheles

Grand Wailea,Four Seasons Maui,Hilton Waikiki- all too busy, that is if you want to relax. Too many people on the beach. The worse disappointment:
Harborside resort, Paradise Island- if you do not have building 1 or 7,...horrible staff for the most part. It is getting worse each day.Beach is soooooo crowded now. They should have a limit of buildings. Paradise Island is ruined! it was great years ago.

Stephanie

This is a strange post. What someone finds wonderful is very subjective. Someone might find Myrtle Beach fun while someone else might find it a bore. Someone mentioned Kiawah area is a bunch of retired old golfers, well if you love golf and don't mind elderly people you'd love it! I'm not going to knock other people's places to visit.

John

Hawaii

Diana

Kiawah - overpriced, overblown, overcrowded

Hilton Head - pretentious, preposterous prices, predictable

Bahamas - touristy, trashy, trite (except for the Out Islands)

mm

Hilda re: your post about Jamaica

The first sentence is your opinion and cannot be contested.

Your second sentence is so off-base, ill-informed and just plain wrong.

mm

Chele60

Cruise ships, by far. Any of them.

And I do find this thread interesting. Has it occured to anyone here that many of these places became so unappealing because overwhelming number of tourists made them so? When I first went to Cancun and Cozumel in the mid-80s it was heaven on earth - and totally undiscovered. (Heck, even I had to look up these places on a map to know where I was going!) Today, I wouldn't set foot there! No wonder there is an "anti-American" attitude there. Look at what we tourists did to the area, for cryin' out loud!

sylvia3

I have to say, that "we tourists" comment is a little much. Mexico planned and built the Cancun megaresort from scratch, fulling intending to draw millions of people from all over the world. It has created myriad jobs and helped their economy immeasurably. I also was there back when Mayans (who spoke as much Spanish as I did) worked in the few hotels, and it was paradise; but nothing like that lasts.

hilda

I apologize if this is a duplicate post. To MM, there have been travel advisories regarding the dangers of Jamaica for at least 25 years off and on. I have vivid memories of planning a trip there 25 years ago, then seeing a 60 minutes documentary about crime and murder directed toward American tourists in Jamaica. Since then I've periodically seen similiar stories on TV and in the print media. While crime can happen anywhere including at home, Jamaica is considered high risk by many. I'm not sure why you would take offense to this post.

hilda

To MM, PS, our neighbors went to Jamaica about 10 years ago to an all inclusive. I dont remember which one, not Sandals. They were told by the resort to stay on property especially at night. They learned all inclusives are popular in Jamaica d/t crime issues. My neighbors love to explore but they stayed on property as advised . They said the resort was lovely, right on the beach.

NatureGirl19317

For sure the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. The common rooms of the hotel are awesome but the rooms themselves totally suck-even the suites. In addition, the front desk employees are rude and useless and the room service is awful.

Diana

Jamaica has its problems - just like the US and anywhere else - but some of you are making inaccurate and uninformed posts.

The crime in Jamaica is almost solely confined to Kingston and is very rarely directed at tourists. (After all, tourism is a HUGE part of the island's economy, and crime against tourists has swift and severe repercussions for the perpetrator.)

We went to Jamaica last year for 10 days and never felt unsafe. We are seasoned Caribbean travelers. We went to many different parts of the island while there, and found it to be stunningly-beautiful and the people most accommodating and outstandingly- friendly.

hilda, many resorts (no matter where, and no matter if AI or not) tell you not to leave so you will spend all of your money in their gift shops, bars and restaurants.

Many many people go to Jamaica every year on vacation, and if there was a problem, we'd be hearing about it on a regular basis. Jamaica is a high risk destination only to those people who don't inform themselves.

cd

Wisconsin Dells is just plain tacky. We were so glad we were only there for a weekend.

GailLK

Jamaica would be number 1 on my list.
That is one "scary" island to visit!
Dominican Republic isn't too far behind. I found the Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Springs CA to be a very big let down for the price. Overcrowded pools with a spring break atmosphere, yuk!

Diana

Let me guess, Gail.

You went to both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic on a cruise right? How long were you there? Four or five hours?

(Cruiseshippers are always "experts" after spending less than one day someplace.)

JameyBano

miami beach-- pricy

RBCal

Napa and Sonoma wine country. The wine costs more at the wineries than almost anywhere and there is nothing else to do.

swalter518

MaureenB,in Palm Desert (Marriott Desert Springs) we anticipated the heat, but we did not anticipate the cockroaches! Dozens in our room! We were staying in the villa and had to move 2xs before we had no VISIBLE roaches. I lived in the city for years and never saw a roach! Sorry but that ruined it for me, never again.

hilda

To Diana, Gail is correct Jamaica is a scary place. I've been there on cruises, got off the ship once on a ship excursion to Dunns River Falls. The falls were lots of fun but getting back to the bus was another story. We couldnt find our way out of a maze of nasty peddlers and beggers who blocked our path to the bus. People were frightened and glad to reach the bus. One of the passengers had $100 stolen out of a wallet that was supposedly locked up for safekeeping. I did not have a good feeling in any way about Ocho Rios Jamaica.

breathe

The Palace Resorts in Mexico

Chele60

I have to agree with Diana when it comes to Jamaica. My roommate and I spent a week in Jamaica around Ocho Rios and not in a resort. We went to various places around the island (but NOT to Kingston) and even went out at night. We was there during Sun Splash (which takes place in Montego Bay) and had an opportunity to go the last night we were there with a couple of the employees from the hotel we were staying at. We had no problems or hesitations whatsoever. We even stowed our luggage in their car overnight while attending Sun Splash. (Now called Sumfest and starts at 7PM and ends at 7AM) When it ended the next morning, the hotel employees drove us to the airport - safely and with all of our belongings.

Jamaica is a very poor country, yes. But the only place that is truly scary would be Kingston, and the government makes it clear that tourists have not business there and go there at their own risk. All the Jamaicans I met were friendly, open, and helpful. Yes, they were curious about race relations in the U.S. and very interested in finding Americans who were willing to talk to them about that issue. I would not hesitate to go back. Yes, the street vendors were pushy, but no more so than any other poor country.

Sometimes one needs to spend more than a few hours in a country to truly get a feel for it.