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For those that have issues with kids, do you not realize that most kids have a bedtime and someone (parents?) have to put them to bed at that time? I hate AIs and will never, ever stay in one. That said, a friend of mine and her husband (no kids) go several times a year. They tried the couples only but she told me those with kids are actually better. Come 7-8 pm, the parents with kids are all in the rooms, getting ready for bed, so the restaurants and hot tub area is not as crowded as it is at night at the couples places. Something to keep in mind if you like the nightlife.
For those that have issues with kids, do you not realize that most kids have a bedtime and someone (parents?) have to put them to bed at that time? I hate AIs and will never, ever stay in one. That said, a friend of mine and her husband (no kids) go several times a year. They tried the couples only but she told me those with kids are actually better. Come 7-8 pm, the parents with kids are all in the rooms, getting ready for bed, so the restaurants and hot tub area is not as crowded as it is at night at the couples places. Something to keep in mind if you like the nightlife.
Have you ever stayed in one????
As far as the Carib it's hard to find an ADULTS only resort that isn't an AI, that said, they don't have an anchor tied to your arse to keep you from venturing out & eating other places...
Sorry I'm with o/p on that one...I don't want or need to hear screeching kids when on vacation or I'd go to Disney Why is it when anyone inquires about an Adults only place they are taken to task for it?? Yeah kids are supposed to have bedtimes which is usally lax on vacation....
Sandals is about the best of them...St Lucia is very nice
Have you ever stayed in one????
As far as the Carib it's hard to find an ADULTS only resort that isn't an AI, that said, they don't have an anchor tied to your arse to keep you from venturing out & eating other places...
Sorry I'm with o/p on that one...I don't want or need to hear screeching kids when on vacation or I'd go to Disney Why is it when anyone inquires about an Adults only place they are taken to task for it?? Yeah kids are supposed to have bedtimes which is usally lax on vacation....
Sandals is about the best of them...St Lucia is very nice
Nope, we have not. That is so not our thing, right along there with cruises. When you stay at an AI, you pay for everything, food included. So, most people feel like they are spending double if they go out to eat, it's not our idea of a vacation. We'd rather spend less on the hotel and more on the car rental/restaurants since we only use the hotel to sleep and rarely use pools. Resorts are not for us.
We just got back from Turks and Caicos. We met several couples there who did nothing but sit on the beach at Grace Bay because they felt it was too dangerous to explore. Really? TCI is composed of 40 islands and cays and renting a car is highly encouraged, as is island hopping which we did. The couples we met wanted to explore, but were afraid to in a different nation.
I travel for local food, culture and not to be stuck in some AI eating spaghetti and pizza and drinking sugary drinks at the beach. When we walked up and down the beach at Grace Bay, it was practically deserted. That is until you hit the hell on earth known as Beaches, the AI. Even if you do leave that resort to eat, that's your beach during your stay, littered with people. No thanks, not my idea of travel!
To the OP, if you're the adventurous type, this place is great from what I hear! All adults, in Riviera Maya:
ETA: I just re-read the original post, and he never asked for an AI, not sure why everyone is even recommending them! He wants a hotel with 20-30 rooms (sounds more like a boutique hotel than AI) and activities outside the hotel. OP, TCI is your best bet. Tons of smaller hotels and we were there over Christmas week and barely saw any kids. You can go to Pelican beach, which is completely deserted, we were the only ones there.
I will definitely second the suggestion for Turks and Caicos, it's beautiful!
MAK: I was totally with you about the AIs until we stayed in one recently, it was actually cheaper to go AI than stay at a regular hotel. The food was amazing at the resort and even though we do enjoy exploring sometimes it's nice to just relax on the beach. I guess it depends what kind of vacation you're after. We ended up exploring for part of the time as well, but it WAS NICE to be able to get a drink while laying on the beach or wander up and get a snack without worrying about changing my clothes or paying (except tip). Not all AIs are like the Beaches resort you saw. The one I went to was secluded and not crowded at all... we did go slightly before the in-season started so maybe that made a difference. But I think the size of the hotel is what matters, not necessarily AI or non-AI. And I really think you should try staying at a smaller AI and see what you think before you write all AIs off. Just a thought.
Btw I will say that staying at an adults only resort was amazing. Maybe I'll feel differently if I have kids (I usually say WHEN I have kids!), but not having to hear crying kids made things incredibly relaxing.
I will definitely second the suggestion for Turks and Caicos, it's beautiful!
MAK: I was totally with you about the AIs until we stayed in one recently, it was actually cheaper to go AI than stay at a regular hotel. The food was amazing at the resort and even though we do enjoy exploring sometimes it's nice to just relax on the beach. I guess it depends what kind of vacation you're after. We ended up exploring for part of the time as well, but it WAS NICE to be able to get a drink while laying on the beach or wander up and get a snack without worrying about changing my clothes or paying (except tip). Not all AIs are like the Beaches resort you saw. The one I went to was secluded and not crowded at all... we did go slightly before the in-season started so maybe that made a difference. But I think the size of the hotel is what matters, not necessarily AI or non-AI. And I really think you should try staying at a smaller AI and see what you think before you write all AIs off. Just a thought.
Btw I will say that staying at an adults only resort was amazing. Maybe I'll feel differently if I have kids (I usually say WHEN I have kids!), but not having to hear crying kids made things incredibly relaxing.
Even if you have your own kids you don't want to pay for a relaxing vacation with just the spouse and have to deal with other peoples kids....lol
I guess kids playing in the sand or splashing in the pool don't bother me as much as other people. Believe it or not, most people try to control their kids in public and are as flustered when little Billy throws a fit as you are. I've seen adults act worse than most children, and that's not saying much! Kids, up until a certain age, don't really know better but adults should.
While in TCI, out of 8 days, only 2 were spent on the beach, the rest we explored Provo and surrounding islands. I'm not a lay on the beach for hours kind of person, especially since I live 10 minutes from one, so an AI wouldn't make much sense! TCI has some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, they really are amazing (though very expensive!). I also didn't have a single alcoholic drink, it's just not my thing to drink sugary mixed drinks, whether at home or vacation, so paying for that part of an AI would have been a huge waste.
My husband agrees with me, cruises and AIs are not for us. Which is fine, since it's maybe once a year that we travel to places that would even offer them. The other 11 months are trips to places without them. We also use Priceline for 90% of our hotels (unless the place we're going to doesn't participate), which allows us to save a ton on lodging so that we can travel at least once a month.
Turks and Caicos is exactly what you're looking for. We just got back and loved it. The water color is amazing, unlike any other island we've been to. And, plenty to do if you're willing to venture away from the beach. I feel bad for the people that go there and sit at their Grace Bay resort all day. We rented a car for our entire trip, and took a ferry over to North Caicos, where we rented a car and drove around there and Middle Caicos.
TCI is composed of 40 islands and cays, it's a shame most tourists only stick to Provo. If you're the adventurous type, you'll have a blast. We found beaches without anyone else on them, completely secluded. I highly recommend going there! The only thing is, I don't believe there are direct flights from Boston, you'll have to connect through ATL. We connect there any time we head to the Caribbean/Central/South American and never had an issue so I wouldn't let that hold you back. Here are a couple of pictures from our trip last week:
TY 4 this- we are thinking of going @ the end of Feb- this helps so much!
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Why is it when anyone inquires about an Adults only place they are taken to task for it?? Yeah kids are supposed to have bedtimes which is usally lax on vacation....
