1. St. Lucia....have you ever seen the Pitons? They are the most incredible sight. We stayed at the Windjammer Landing. All villa's are built into the hills...the views from every villa are simply breathtaking. It's quite a drive from the airport to where the hotels are located (probably about 90 minutes), so we hired St. Lucia Helicopters to take us from the airport to a smaller airport closer to the hotels. It was an amazing experience to tour the island. There is also a full day catamaran trip around the Pitons, snorkeling, a walking tour to a live volcano and a visit to a cocoa plantation which included lunch - a very fun tour.
2. Antigua....we stayed at a small time share on the island right next door to Sandals. The local people are wonderful, the restaurants are great and the beaches are absolutely incredible. The highlight of our trip was the Wadadli Cats - catamaran tour - "Juan Love" was our tour guide. Rum punch was pretty good too. Check out http://www.wadadlicats.com
3. St. Martin....ahhh the island which has a French side and a Dutch side. Marigot is the capital of the French Side. The French side is quaint with wonderful hotels, shops and restaurants. Go for breakfast on the French side to one of the outdoor cafes. Simply fabulous...you will think you are in Paris. And be sure to check out Orient Beach - rent wave runners, lots of little restaurants, shops and bars. (NOTE: there is one section of the beach which is "clothing optional"...don't say I didn't warn you....). While on the way to the French side don't forget to stop in Grand Case - gourmet restaurants galore right on the beach. The Dutch side is bustling with jewelry store after jewelry store, restaurants, casinos, beautiful beaches and lots of night life. First time we were on the Island we stayed at the Blue Sapphire and the next time we stayed at the Maho right in the centre of all the action in Phillipsburg (capital of the Dutch side).
4. Puerto Vallarta - we've been there twice. First staying at the Krystal Vallarta and the second time we stayed at Grand Velas.....the Grand Velas is an amazing hotel. The service is impeccable. The restaurants are incredible. The hotel is on the expensive side but if you are celebrating an anniversary or birthday it's well worth the splurge. Go explore downtown Puerto Vallarta it's lovely.
5. Mayan Riviera....I think I've lost track of how many times we've been there. We just love it. We are fans of the Karisma Resorts chain (El Dorado Royale, Azul, Azul Sensatori, El Dorado Maroma). These are first class hotels with great accommodations, food, beaches, people. Check out http://www.karismahotels.com
If you'd like more information on any of the destinations or hotels that I have mentioned please let me know.
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