Ot - What's A Great Family Resort In The Caribbean That Won't Break The Bank?

[HeatherC]

Hi - Being the traveling family that we are, I'm always looking for new places to go. While my dh and I have been to the Caribbean a few times, we have never been able to find a "financially reasonable" resort to take our 3 kids.

We have done a couple cruises with them (have one booked for next Feb.) ...which we love, but would love to stay at a land resort one year. The problem is that I'm finding everything to be extremely expensive. Beaches Resorts would cost us almost $10,000 for a week! That is just insane to me. So here is the criteria I was looking for:

1. Easy to get to from the Northeast....don't want to have to make a ton of connections or take a 6 or 7 hour flight to get there.

2. Accomodations are some type of villa/condo. Since we have 3 kids, one hotel room does not work for us. Also like a little kitchen to make snacks/breakfast, etc..

3. Want to be near or on the beach.

4. Resort type setting where there are some restaurants and activities for the kids.

5. Relatively safe...not a place with a lot of crime.

6. If it is an all inclusive, the food has to be good. If the food stinks, we'd be very disappointed.


7. Airfare can't be insane either since I have to buy 5 tickets. If the tickets are $500 a person, that is $2500 just to get there.

I know I'm asking a lot...but I also know that there are probably deals out there, I just haven't found them yet. Hoping this board will help point me in the right direction.

Thanks so much!
Heather

 

[YachtClubWoman]

We have found Mexico to be a great value. Since you are in the Northeast check out Apple Vacations - they have great rates and airfare is included.

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

The Atlantis in the Bahamas. Our friends just went and said it was a very kid/family oriented resort. Food is very hight but they had a rental car and just drove away from the resort to eat. They also have some villas there, so you could do some of your own cooking. Hope this helps.

 

[Darcy03231]

Try TNT Vacations. They offer all inclusive resort vacations all over the carribean and the airfare is included. We're frequent cruisers and done the all inclusive resorts with the kids once. The kids really didn't like the resort, they preferred cruising. They were ok for the first couple of days and then they were bored. I've found overall there's much more on board the cruise for the kids than there was at the resort we went to. Also, I didn't think the food was as good as on the cruise. It was ok and there was a lot of it, but not great. If I gave my kids the choice of a cruise vs a resort the cruise would win hands down.

 

[tink2dw]

Send in a card to win a trip from Live's Sun Blast Trivia A-Glo-Go from Regis and Kelly!! Go to their website to check out the resorts!!
http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/regisandkelly/contests/triviaaglogo/index.html

 

[leslieseagle]

I know this is not quite the same, but there is a cruise to Bermuda out of the Baltimore area and it stays docked at the same place all week. Maybe this would be a good middle ground. You would not have to spend so much on airfare, and you would not have to worry about food. At the same time, you would have the whole trip to explore, no coming and going at the craziest times.

 

[HeatherC]

Thanks so much for the replies! That's a great idea on the cruise out of Baltimore that docks in Bermuda all week.

I will price Atlantis again. Once concern I would have with that is that the pool area alone is monstrous. (Toured it when we were on a cruise stop) I think I might be afraid of losing one of my kids.

Anyone know any resorts in the Turks and Caicos that are pretty affordable? I know it is an easy flight from Boston.

Thanks so much! Keep the ideas coming!
Heather

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Turks a Caicos is veery pricey. Well worth it I am told, but pricey. Whe we looked into doing beaches with our family in March, T & C was 2500 more for our family of 5, then Beaches (any of them) in Jamaica.

Thanks for posting this...I am watching it too, as we are a family of 5 as well.

 

[lovebuzz]

I just got an email from Atlantis that if you book 4 or more nights then your companion air is free. just sign up on their website for the deals

 

[ogreenlee]

Turks and Caicos is one of the most expensive Caribbean destinations you can find.

There are some great all-inclusives along the Riviera Maya, Mexico.

We're going to the Barcelo Maya next month for a wedding. So excited. Two of us, 6 nights, flights and transfers: $2300. The reviews are mostly good (except this past month b/c of spring breakers who invaded and wasn't supposed to). There are kid's clubs, a kid's swimming pool with waterslides and stuff, several a la cartes (you get four for a week's stay), and the buffets get great reviews there.

check out www.unofficial-barcelo-maya.com for pictures and info.


Oh, and most of the reviews rave about snorkeling right off the beach at the resort. (there's a coral reef off the coast right there) They say it's better than the eco sites where people pay to snorkel.

 

[bettyann29]

sunset beach resort in Jamaica is a pretty nice resort.. We went there the year before last for a day while we were cruising and the food and drinks (including alcohol for adults) is included.. they have non alcohol slushy type drinks for the kids and coke.. they have a restaurant, which this food is included also.. they have their own beach, paddle boats, kayaks, quiet areas for book reading, snorkle gear, ping pong, several pools, a swim up bar pool (drinks free), hot tub, I believe miniature golf and they have since added a water park for the kids with lazy river I thought I heard..

Since we just did a day pass I cant vouch for the rooms, but I cant believe they are bad.. This is one place that is on my to do list for a land vacation.. its located in Montego Bay

 

[brandylouwho]

We stayed at Beaches Sandy Bay (in Negril Jamaica). It wasn't necessarily cheap, but it was cheaper than Beaches Negril & Beaches Turks & Caicos. It will also depend on the time of year you plan to go...off season is quite a bit cheaper. I think we booked through funjet, the airfare was reasonable from Milwaukee direct to Montego Bay in January.

I loved it...it was not a ritzy resort, it was smaller/more intimate and sooo relaxing. Perfect for us with a 2 year old (they had a drop off "daycare" too). We could take a bus (or walk up the beach) to the larger, busier Beaches Negril to use their water park, restaurants, etc.

Honestly, I think I just laid out all day and drank daquiris.

I think older kids would like Beaches Negril, but Sandy Bay was better for younger kids.

I wish I was there right now.

 

[HeatherC]

I will check out the other Beaches resorts. Didn't know that the ones in Jamaica were priced a lot less. Although, I think the one in Negril will still cost us almost $8,000 for a week. That just seems like a lot to me because while it includes everything, we would still all be crammed into one hotel room. Not fun.

I'll check out Sunset Beach Resort as well. That's exactly what I'm really looking for. Those places that others haven't necessarily heard of.

Any other lesser known resorts that people want to share?

Thanks again!
Heather