Caribbean Holiday Summer 2011 with one child?

Angelmouse

Hello,

Looking to travel somewhere special for hols this year. Possibily Jamaica. We tend to like quieter holidays, our only son is 10 so don't need much entertainment other than a pool! Wondered if anyone had any advice as never travelled there before and brochures all look a bit comercial?

Need to travel in main school hols and hoping for all inclusive or half board for two weeks, can spend up to £4000 any advice on any of the islands in general or places in particular to look at would be greatly appreciated!

delwynshd

Maybe try Antigua/St Lucia/Grenada/Barbados

What dates have you got to travel exactly

Thanks
Del

johnnyroper

Angelmouse wrote: »

Hello,

Looking to travel somewhere special for hols this year. Possibily Jamaica. We tend to like quieter holidays, our only son is 10 so don't need much entertainment other than a pool! Wondered if anyone had any advice as never travelled there before and brochures all look a bit comercial?

Need to travel in main school hols and hoping for all inclusive or half board for two weeks, can spend up to £4000 any advice on any of the islands in general or places in particular to look at would be greatly appreciated!

purely personal opinion but i was no fan of jamaica as i did not feel that safe there,advice was to stay on site at hotel especially during night.was about 5 years ago so may have changed now??

i found barbados was quiet and relaxing and did not feel unsafe venturing out at night but i suppose it depends where you go,i stayed at the virgin hotel called escape hotel and spa.hotel was nice with friendly staff and decent food they also put on entertainment on the evenings.it is right on beach with watersports to occupy your 10 year old.

mexico could also be an option depending on what resort you choose,cancun was very lively and attracted younger people wanting to have late nights etc but there are other quieter resorts i think.

jfdi

Or what about a cruise?

Carnival (from Miami) is really geared up for youngsters - & their Western Caribbean itineraries , I think, have some that'd fit the bill. They're quite cheap (as things go) to cruise with & a 3rd person in a cabin is dead easy & we found it plenty roomy & comfortable.

Fly to Miami. Maybe have a week there, or in the Keys to give you 2 weeks?

Moneybot

went to Barbados two years ago with two boys then aged 11 and 14 and had one of the best holidays we have had. Lovely island.

Stayed at the Silver Sands Hotel which was an ok hotel but on a board only basis as there was a shop to buy basic breakfast stuff and our room had a kitchenette. Three great places to eat with walking distance of the hotel.

space_rider

I recommend Barbados too. I`ve been to Jamaica and had a great time and stayed at Starfish Trelawny last July. I much preferred Barbados as felt safer to wonder around. I`ve stayed in St Lawrence Gap in Barbados but didn`t do all inclusive.

minimad1970

I took my son to Jamaica when he we 12 we didn't really like it that much. I was on my own with him and some of the local men were really intimidating. The next year we went to Antigua and stayed at The Jolly Beach resort, not particularly good reviews on Tripadvisor but we really liked it, and it's not too expensive. The locals were great and not pushy at all.

lady1964

Another vote for Barbados, we've stayed at the Almond Casuarina Beach twice, in '10 & '09 and loved it. There is a kids club but we didn't use ourselves as had teenagers with us but they made loads of friends and in August last year, there were plenty of kids about. The beach is good, the sea can be a bit choppy at times but that made it good for body-boarding! Lots of other things to do in Barbados, snorkelling is a must, friends hired a car and went all over the island.
Would fully recommend to almost every age group and family type.

charlearose

i went to jamaica 3 years ago with son age 14 and neice age 11 at the time
jamaica is gorgeous and the trips like dunns river / horse riding are great and most of the popele are lovely but i didnt feel safe going in that i could go out anywhere on our own which is something i like to do when on holiday Guards at the hotel actually questioned what we were trying to do when we tried to go outside the hotel grounds

We stayed at the Starfish Trelanwy In falmouth which is like butlins in the carribbeen honest - Great entertainment, lovely beach with its own little island to swim to and really great for kids with rock wall slides trapeze slide and pool tables in the swimming pools and a ice hocky pitch, basketball pitches ect

but its only a 3 star at the best and the rooms are horrible we changed to a room on the 7th floor with the most amazing views but they are basic but ours was a corner room so it was huge

But for kids its a great hotel - loads going on and really kid friendly and its kind of grows on you if you let it - if you go there then the room that are in the hotel grounds are really nice with plasma tvs and spacious but the rooms in the towers(main hotel) are crap and horrible dingy especially the ones that overlook the mountains but we only paid 2100 for the 3 of us in april school holidays so cant grumble
Food was very good though lots of choice and the snack bar was fab - Bob marley was played everywhere you get to know every bob marly song going
The Bahia Grand and the Sunset Jamaica are supposed to be great as well for kids and a lot more luxurious with its own waterpark

also took son to the Dominican Republic to the casa marina reef in sousa which he loved but mainly cos there were loads and loads of kids there his age when we went who he hung out with and didnt really see much of him

for Mexico we went to the Tulum/Cobra Bahia principe complex in riveria playa in mexico but this wasnt as kid friendly as other places maybe cos he was a bit younger at the time 10/11 and it was new year so not loads of familes around but there was games and entertainment on all the time but its a huge huge complex takes around 40 mins to walk around it totally

Playa del carmem is nice for families and kids as you have the town itseelf which is busy and lots of resturants and bars and you can get the ferry to cozumel as well for day trips

Hotels that are on the playa riveria are nice but you have to catch a bus everywhere if you want to get out and about

haveibeendone

I suppose it depends on what you want to do. If all you want is sitting by the pool and sunbathing then why go further than Spain/Canaries. The Dominican Republic always makes me think of Spain but further away and I do not see the point of SOME people going.

As has been said Barbados is fantastic (IMO - Joint top with Cape Town). Go for the west coast and it is quiet, beautiful and entertaining with great beaches and lots to do and sophisticated night life. You could go to the south and experience Hastings etc (Blackpool) but why??

With £4,000 to spend give the lad and yourself an awsome experience of China (mainland plus Hong Kong), Singapore, South Afica, Sri lanka etc. There are so many places to go. The world truly is your oyster.

Rather than some beach in Dom Rep (or similar) I would rather go for a week or two in the UK and go to the places heard of but never visited,even if if includes the secret bunker in Nantwich (look for the direction signs.

space_rider

Charlearose, you`ve summed up Starfish beautifully. We were lucky enough to get one of the rooms with the views without having to change rooms. It didn`t have brilliant reviews so we knew what to expect. We didn`t pay too much for it either so I was happy. The alcohol was plentiful and the food was ok and we never went hungry.

I`ve also been to Grand Cayman. Excellent island, very safe and quieter than other West Indian islands. The flight is 12 hours and you can only get there direct with BA. GC is my daughters favourite Caribbean island so far.