Where should we go?

[KrissyCat7]

My DH and I are trying to plan a vacation for July. We will do all-inclusive. We'd like to go somewhere with nice beaches, a few things to go out and see/do and basically be able to relax, eat well, and drink.

I cannot decide where I want to go. Right now the options are Jamaica, Punta Cana, or Nassau, Bahamas. I'd appreciate any thoughts, comments, suggestions. Where would you go?

[kmmommy]

I haven't been to any of your destination choices. :( However, I know a few people who have been to Punta Cana and loved it. We're planning to go next year.

Have fun whatever you choose!

[bookworm]

Since you're talking about going during hurricane season, I'd consider going further south (Aruba or thereabouts). It will be less humid overall, and they are generally out of the hurricane belt.

FWIW, I've been to the Bahamas and Jamaica, and wouldn't rush back to either one, mostly due to the extreme poverty of the islands (outside whatever resort).

[Adaya]

I also wouldn't rush back to the Bahamas or Jamaica. But if you've never been, then I would say go, especially since you are doing an all-inclusive.

Outside of that, I have heard pretty good things about some AIs in Punta Cana. My brother is doing a destination wedding in the Dom. Republic in May.

[Linz]

I haven't been to any of those places but Becky (Futuremrslp) went to Punta Cana a couple of years ago you might want to ask her about it. :D

[Sevilla]

British Virgin Islands are much better than the places you listed IMO.

[mmm0708]

I got married in the Bahamas, loved it! But I don't have anything else to compare to.

[HeatherFL]

I'd choose St. Maarten, St. Kitt's, St. John's or St. Lucia over the places you listed. BUT if you absolutely have it narrowed down to those, then Punta Cana or the Bahamas. Jamaica's beaches aren't that great.

[ejs]

I'd choose St. Maarten, St. Kitt's, St. John's or St. Lucia over the places you listed. BUT if you absolutely have it narrowed down to those, then Punta Cana or the Bahamas. Jamaica's beaches aren't that great.

DH and I went to St Maarten a few years ago. That is the one place we've been that we agreed we would never go to again. There was nothing there that we couldn't get/see anywhere else.

[HeatherFL]

LOL Todd loves it there. He's been there often. I guess to each his own. <shrug> ;)

ETA: I have been told St. Barth's is amazing. We have friends with a villa there who keep begging us to go. Too many flights (three of them) and too much of an effort from just Tampa for us to be inspired, but I'm sure we'll get there sooner or later. (Have also heard it's extremely expensive.)

[Sevilla]

St. Barth's is awesome - but it is very expensive and as with any of the smaller islands you have to take the little planes from larger ones to get to (to get to St. Barth's you take a hopper plane from St. Marin, for most of the other islands you can take the little hopper plane from San Juan, Puerto Rico).

The islands I have enjoyed most were as follows:
1. Virgin Gorda
2. Anguilla
3. Curacao (it takes a long time to get there as it is off the coast of Venezuela but it is very nice!)
4. Grand Cayman if you want something more touristy/developed

[Maggie8202]

We are doing an all inclusive in the Bahamas in August with a huge group of friends. I have been to the Bahamas before and the poverty did not bother me and I felt all the staff and local were friendly. I would never go back to Jamaica. You can not leave the resort area and I was very uncomfortable there. My SIL and BF just came back from Punta Cana and everyone on both trips came back with terrible stomach problems and also said that the beaches were beautiful, but you couldn't leave the resort and the food was only ok. Both couples said that even though it was a really cheap vacation, they would never return.
If we were going by ouselves I would probably want to go to Aruba or Grand Caymen Islands. Both are beautiful, but a lot more money.

[HeatherFL]

Agreed that Grand Cayman is nice too. The water there is so clear. And you can visit Hell. ;)

~H.

[ManteoChik]

Out of the ones you've listed I'd pick Punta Cana (but that's because Rob would want to fish...lol). A friend of mine was there with her DH and said it was very relaxing but also with other stuff to do.

Actually, I haven't heard great things about Jamaica from friends I know that have been - and we visit the Bahamas all too often, Rob's there like three times a month, so its not really a vacation for us. Also, if I picked the bahamas I wouldn't go to Nassau as its too commercialized. I prefer Staniel Cay, which is mostly a lay around and realx place (very secluded and quite).

[ruby]

What about the Mayan Riviera? Virtually all the resorts there are all-inclusive and there's always great package prices, the people are super nice, food is great and you can see the ruins, go snorkeling, diving, dancing, etc. I loved it there and would go back in a second!
Never been to Jamaica, I heard the crime rate is scary. I was bored in the Bahamas and we had a hard time finding a good meal.

[KrissyCat7]

Thank you to all of that have posted. We have been to Jamaica and we absolutly loved it. I felt safe there and we did venture outside of the resort.

We were just married in Mexico (Riviera Maya) so we have ruled that out.

I think we are really narrowed down to the three locations that I have listed in the poll.

For those of you who have made recommendations for either Jamaica, Punta Cana or the Bahamas.....is there a particular resort you would recommend or advise against for that matter?

[HeatherFL]

It's not all-inclusive, but the Caves Hotel (http://www.islandoutpost.com/the_caves/) in Negril, Jamaica is really nice. I'd stay away from Hedo I in Negril. It's really gone down the tubes. Hedo II is okay, if you are into that kind of thing. It's not as nice as other resorts, though.

I've heard the Half Moon (www.halfmoon.com) is nice too. I stayed there when it was the Wyndham many years ago and it was nice. I'm sure they've redone the whole thing. But I'd choose Ocho Rios or Negril over staying in Montego Bay.

We had dinner at the Royal Plantation Inn (http://www.royalplantation.com/resort.cfm?keyword=royal_plantation&WT.srch=1&source=google) in Ocho Rios while we were staying at Hedo II last year and loved it. What a lovely property! They also have an all-inclusive option there. We'd probably go back to stay there even though Jamaica isn't our first vacation choice.

I'm not a huge fan of the commercialized areas of the Bahamas, but The One and Only Ocean Club (http://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/flash.html) on Paradise Island is nice.

And on Punta Cana Paradisus Palma Real (http://www.paradisuspalmareal.travel/) is a new All Inclusive that is supposed to be really, really nice. (There is another Paradisus, but it's not as new.)

Hope this helps!

~H.

[KrissyCat7]

Thanks Heather. I appreciate your recommendations.

Any other suggestions?

[HeatherFL]

I've also heard that the Secrets in Punta Cana is nice and that Grand Lido Braco in Negril is nice. I've been there, but haven't stayed there. It was pretty. :)

[KrissyCat7]

I think we have narrowed it down to either Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica or Riu Ocho Rios

Both are fairly new and they look great. They also have pretty decent reviews on tripadvisor.