Caribbean/Faraway Holiday - Recommendations please

System

chatbug wrote: »

Summer01
Glad you had a fab holiday and love Mexico. Bet you wish you were still there, better weather than we are getting at the moment.

We booked with Thomas Cook the last time we went, main reason was because the food was awful on Thomson.

2008 went in March nice temp.This year went late April much hotter, but just went in the sea and pool to cool off.

Thank you chatbug, I do wish I was still there, it was much warmer!!
If you mean the plane food was awful on Thomson, it was just as bad now when we went with First Choice, infact I didn't eat it - worst airline food ever!

We went with Thomson last year and paid for our meal on the plane and that time it was really nice!

I might look at booking next holiday through Carribean Warehouse as that seems to get good reviews. Just not sure where to go now! Are you off to Excellence Riviera?

System

madkitty wrote: »

Here are my thoughts after many travels in the Caribbean:

St Maarten - my utter fav
St Thomas - stunning and cant wait to go back again newxt year
Grand Cayman - would return like a shot
Jamaica - never again, personally hated it
St Lucia - outside the tourist areas it is incredibly poor and was a real shocker, same with Antigua
Aruba - beautiful island
Curacao - lovely but not my idea of paradise
St Croix - not much to do there
Barbados - really friendly

If you have any specific questions let me know x

Thanks madkitty. I've heard a few people have said they haven't been keen on Jamaica, why is that? Although one of my friends got married there and loved it... They did go as a group of about 40 though..

charlearose

HI

I have been to cuba twice gauradlavaca and havana if you want lively holiday dont go to the cayo cocos as these are real chill out holiday GV Is nice cuba is strange either love it or hate it there but lots of history in havana very safe
Stayed at the las brisas in gaudalavaca in cuba in the villas

Mexico playa del carmen cancun and puerto vallerta great place prefered pv but a long flight can be expensive as well
stayed at the bahia principe in playa del carmen
the rui palace in cancun
royal decamaron costa flamigos in PV

margarita ( off the coast of venezeula) this was a diy holiday but very cheap 20 pence for beer 3pounds for 200 cigaretes wether good all year round went in jan 2004 excellent weather and fab beach at playa del agua

thailand ( Hua hin bangkok phuket pattaya and krabi) BRILLIANT VERY CHEAP AND FRIENDLY very safe to do your own thing going there next monday for 3 weeks and cant wait

jamaica montego bay area Tend to find you are restricted to the all inclusive hotels and everthing is on tours went in easter last year with two kids hotel wasnt that good but had great weather

dominican republic been there around 10 times ( twice this year jan and august depending on where you stay mainly all inc hotels and everthing is geared around them i stay in sousa where you can actaully go out and about and lots of night life mixing with the locals
stayed at the gran ventena in playa dorada
stayed at teh victoria hotel in play dorada
stayed at the casa marina reef hotel in sousa around 8 time in this hotel we stay there for the location

nairny54

Ah, the Casa my old favorite, i had my first taste of the Dom Rep there, have you been in the past couple of years? I found it has gone downhill lately. We moved over to Punta Cana the beach is just fantastic. We also stayed in Gran Ventana a couple of times.
We head that way again in May....not that i am counting but it's just 19 weeks away. sigh...Bigger SIGH

gabyjane

madkitty wrote: »

Here are my thoughts after many travels in the Caribbean:

St Maarten - my utter fav
St Thomas - stunning and cant wait to go back again newxt year
Grand Cayman - would return like a shot
Jamaica - never again, personally hated it
St Lucia - outside the tourist areas it is incredibly poor and was a real shocker, same with Antigua
Aruba - beautiful island
Curacao - lovely but not my idea of paradise
St Croix - not much to do there
Barbados - really friendly

If you have any specific questions let me know x

Hi just wanted to say we are going to most of those places in a few days on a cruise (not Jamaica) is nice to see they were mainly liked!

julija_2

for those that travelled to Mexico/Caribbean in June/July how awful is the weather and how messy is the sea?

ManPants

julija wrote: »

for those that travelled to Mexico/Caribbean in June/July how awful is the weather and how messy is the sea?

I've been to Mexico in June. Cancun was amazing and don't remember any bad weather and the sea was turquoise and clear. Went to Puerto Vallarta (Acapulco side) in June/July 2008 and the sea was churney and black due to the volcanic sand. Had a few amazing thunder and lightening storms there at night only and beautiful skies during the day. Lots off resort stuff to do at both places as well.

Was in Barbados late summer 2006. One or two rainy periods with thunder storms but nothing that would make you think it had ruined your holiday. Beaches in Barbados were amazing! Unfortunately, being two young(ish) males we were constantly harrassed by drug dealers and pimps which ruined the holiday as it was constant.

Cuba - been to Varadero in June 2007. Amazing beaches. Stayed in a beach bungalow on a resort called Sol Palmeras. It was amazing having a little bungalow to stay in away from the main resort. Again there were a few thunderstorms but they look so amazing that when they happen you can't wait to watch them.

Aruba - this summer. Aruba is a flat island so actually has a constant mild breeze all the time which means that .................you don't get bitten................at all!! Beautiful beaches and I don't actually recall any rain at all.

If I was to say my favourite it would definately be Cuba. Hope this helps in whatever small way!

I'm looking at Antigua for this summer (June funnily enough!!) but after reading someone elses list for the caribbean I am looking into St Maarten and St Thomas as well.

Stupotstu

Betzlikemetz

Hi,

My Husband to be and I were hoping to go on honeymoon to the caribbean at the end of March/ beg of April. We are thinking of Dom Rep. Can anyone recommend a lovely resort? We were hoping of an all inclusive deal with lovely rooms, beaches and different places to eat.

Thanks

MrsE_2

Betzlikemetz wrote: »

Hi,

My Husband to be and I were hoping to go on honeymoon to the caribbean at the end of March/ beg of April. We are thinking of Dom Rep. Can anyone recommend a lovely resort? We were hoping of an all inclusive deal with lovely rooms, beaches and different places to eat.

Thanks

http://www.excellence-resorts.com/all-inclusive-resorts/caribbean/punta-cana-dominican-republic/punta-cana-overview.htm

Think this fits the bill, DH & I are thinking of going there in 2010.

charlearose

the south side punta cana boca chica is lovely its the caribbean side of the island

the north side playa dorada complex ( 20 mins from the airport) is nice huge gated complex with around 12 hotels golf course small shopping mall
the victoria is more adults based on the golf course the grand ventena is also really nice more family

also the riu merange hotel is lovely complex of three hotels further down the coast

most of the hotels are all inclusive and often in the middle of nowhere so you really are stuck in the hotel so with regard to resturants ect you will most likely being eating in the hotels own a la carte resturants

if you like to go out and do your own thing then the resort of caberte hotel viva wyndham palace is very nice

sousa is a gorgeous place and beach but the two hotel ie casa marina beech and the sousa bay i would not reccomend to a honey moon couple althoug you cant beat the location i have been there well over 10 times

just do your research as the DR Is a fab place but luxury is not always evident especially if its for your honeymoon and you want something special i would reccomend cuba the villas at las brisa hotel are really gorgeous and also the bahi principe in mexico playa del carmen is fab and the grand porto real in play del carme is very close to 5th ave shops ect and right on the beach



QUOTE=Betzlikemetz;28275941]Hi,

My Husband to be and I were hoping to go on honeymoon to the caribbean at the end of March/ beg of April. We are thinking of Dom Rep. Can anyone recommend a lovely resort? We were hoping of an all inclusive deal with lovely rooms, beaches and different places to eat.

Thanks[/QUOTE]