I agree with T & C and Curacao if looking for condo, apt or villa rentals. Both have several options to choose from. In Curacao, we stayed at the Lions Dive close to the Sea Aquarium. Though it's an actuall hotel with hotel amenities, they do have condo units. We stayed in a 2 bedroom/2 bath condo with a fully equipped kitchen, plus there there are 3 restaurants on site and several more within walking distance. They also offer a free shuttle to a local grocery store on a daily basis to stock your kitchen.

Look a Grand Cayman also. Plenty of condo units there also. Next to T & C, one of the best beaches, but we thought it had much better snorkeling.

Can I ask where you stayed in Barbados? It's on our list, but accomedations there are beyond pricey compared to many of the other destinations we've been to.

How are the beaches in Curacao? I have heard mixed things. Grand Cayman is an option...but I have heard it is like Aruba in that it is "Americanized".

There are LOADS of affordable accommodation options in Barbados. If you want an AI thing you are going to pay $$$, but I don't think AI is necessary there (and I have been AI in Jamaica and enjoyed it). We stayed at the Maxwell Beach apartments. No frills but highly recommended. The Villas are supposed to be "nicer" but are rated lower.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147266-d1768593-Reviews-Maxwell_Beach_Apartments-Christ_Church_Parish_Barbados.html

All of these have reviews also, and there are loads of properties on homeaway.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g147266-c3-Christ_Church_Parish_Barbados-Hotels.html

Thanks for the info. I'll look into it. That's our problem as we love AI for the sheer convenience and AI in Barbados is priced ridicously high. We have done non AI vacations; Curacao and T & C, but we didn't partically care for that aspect of it.

The beaches on Curacao are OK. Nothing like T & C or Grand Cayman. The beaches there are made up of crushed coral. We felt water shoes were a must. There are no long stretches of beach. Mainly coves/inlets on the West side of the Island. You need a car and a good map or take a tour to get to them. We didn't find much nightlife there. I'm sure there was plenty in the downtown area, but public transportation was meh. We really needed a car to get around.

Grand Cayman is not as Americanized or as big as Aruba with regards to the tourist areas. 7 Mile beach is fabulous. T & C is much less touristy. Even though we enjoyed it, we got bored easily. Not much to do except water and beach. You really need a car in T & C also. Not so much in Grand Cayman unless you want to explore, but getting to dining, shopping and entertainment in Georgetown is easily accessible by taxi.

We stayed at the Sibonne on T & C. It's a 26 room boutique hotel. We got a room on the 2nd floor with a seperate living room. If you want a condo type room with a kitchenette, look at the Somerset or Alexandria. I would highly recommend something directly on Grace Bay. I think most of the condo units in Grand Cayman are across the street from 7 Mile Beach. Someone will definetly correct me if I'm wrong.

Virgin Gorda for everything except the nightlife.

I will look into the Virgin Gorda – sounds right up our alley. Nightlife isn’t our #1 priority. We would just like to have the option of going to a bar/pub here or there if we wanted to. We are mainly interested in a beautiful island with a chilled out vibe. CALM, turquoise water is a must.

Will also look into Grand Cayman since it seems to be MUCH easier for us to get to and to get around in. We don’t like renting cars.

Thanks so much for all the tips. Keep ‘em coming.

I have also heard that Grand Cayman is a bit “Americanized”.

Funny - I have a friend that HATED Barbados/Jamaica/Antigua but LOVES Aruba/Grand Cayman/Cancun/Miami. She is EXTREMELY picky when it comes to hotels. She won’t stay anywhere lower than a US style 4 star hotel. I haven’t been to Grand Cayman so I can’t comment on whether it is “Americanized” (not saying that’s a bad thing), but if my friend likes it there, I am assuming it is.


I think it comes down to personal preference – glitz and glam (“Americanized”) vs. down to earth. How about Antigua or Tobago? I have heard great things about both (not sure about safety - check the travel.gov site). You may even want to look at the Bahamas (not Nassau though).

Look at Tortola. The night life is laid back at Cane Garden Bay, but fun. It is very non-commercial, very safe. You also can ferry to lovely Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda or take a day trip via small plane to Anegada. Amazing place, the BVI.

What is your budget? "Calm turquoise water" describes Turks and Caicos perfectly. We really like it there, but there's not much culture and almost no nightlife, so if that's important to you, look elsewhere.

Lots of condos on the beach in all budget ranges, depending on the season, and one of the prettiest and longest beaches ( Grace Bay) in the Caribbean.

Look at The Somerset on Grace Bay --Turks & Caicos

Why not give Antigua a try. This island has 365 beautiful beaches, seriously. There are some gorgeous villas for rent that are either on the beach or very close to the beach. Check out www.islandbreezevillas.com they have some really nice options, we've stayed at one of their villas and we were treated quite well. They really made our vacation hassle free. Antigua is a pretty safe place with lots to do.

Have you decided on an island yet? If not, I think I can persuade you into giving Curacao a try.
So if you like the Americanized island with long stretches of beach and want to find all the comforts of home...do not go to Curacao. If you want a different kind of experience, Curacao is a good choice. I've heard of many people who go to the island unprepared and do not enjoy it, but once you know where to go and what to do, you're bound to have a great time.

Villa renting has become a huge success, with loads of options to choose from ranging from the western less inhabited part of the island, at walking distance from the best snorkelling beaches (but about 30 minutes driving from the rest of the lively island) to the Jan Thiel area, where it's becoming a hub for vacation rentals, shops and hotels and still walking distance to great beaches.
Yes, the beaches in Curacao are mostly small (sometimes very private) coves. Some are beautifully sandy with turquoise waters and others are more pebbly. The most beautiful beaches are in the western part of the island and there is a whole lot to choose from. Start out in Cas Abou and fall in love. The next day, try to skip Cas Abou if you can manage and go to large Kenepa. Next time, give Playa Kalki a try, where you will most likely be one of the few. Basically, if you want to go to a different beach every day of your holiday, that will not be a problem!

As for nightlife: if you know where to go, there's something going on every night. There's Papagayo Beach & Lounge for relaxed cocktail sipping by the water, Saint Tropez Ocean Club, Bermuda club, Omundo, Grand Cafe de Heeren, Mambo Beach Club. It depends on the night you want to go out on.

As for prices: if you're not bound to the summer months or december, going off-season is your best bet for better deals on airfare and hotels. The price for food is comparable to what you would pay in the US.

Last but not least: don't be in a hurry, have some patience...because the islanders live the island life and the sun takes its toll on speed. So a relaxed set of mind is a must!