David Seeberger: Some people have the mistaken impression that the Caribbean is only for the luxury traveler. There are nice moderate accommodations on almost every island in the Caribbean basin. The Dominican Republic has several all-inclusive properties that are a good value. The Caribbean has lots of all-inclusive resorts (and not just the heavily-marketed resort chains), which for the budget traveler often provides more bang for the buck.

Jamaica and Puerto Rico are known as having good values for the budget traveler. The Caribbean is a very complex market compared to many other destinations, and while it’s easy for any agent to book resorts in the Caribbean, you’ll usually find that a specialist with a thorough background in the Caribbean can find you a better and more memorable experience for your money.

When is the best time to go to the Caribbean?

David: The Caribbean has become a year round vacation destination. The peak travel season is December to March. This time frame has the highest prices and coincides with the worst weather back here in the mainland US.

The official Caribbean hurricane season is June 1 to November 30. Many resorts offer hurricane rebate guarantees and many tour operators require travel insurance purchase during this time. The travel insurance will insure refund in the rare reality of a hurricane hitting your destination during that time. Your travel agent will have the most up to dated travel protection ideas for your vacation. Many travelers don’t realize how massive the Caribbean region is, and it is highly unlikely that a single hurricane will affect devastatingly a large area of the Caribbean. If a hurricane is headed to your vacation island, the airlines will generally suspend additional travel to the area and evacuate as many vacationers as possible before the hurricane arrives.

If you’re going to be honeymooning during hurricane season, and can’t take the chance of being visited by a hurricane on your vacation, there are some wonderful islands like Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao which lay beneath the traditional hurricane belt, and are rarely if ever touched by hurricanes.

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Best rates for travel generally occur during the low season, but some properties close some of their facilities during that season. Working with an agent who specializes in the Caribbean will help you pick accommodations that will provide the best experience for your holiday. Legend has it that “once you visit the Caribbean, you will return again and again.”

Do you have any favorite “hidden gems” in the Caribbean?

David: Hidden gems exist all through the Caribbean. Some of my moderate favorites include the Bucuti Beach hotel in Aruba. Below the hurricane belt in Aruba, this hidden boutique hotel jewel is family run and has the widest sand beach in Aruba.

Another moderate hotel that helps you get much value for the dollar, is booking the Comfort Suites in Paradise Island. If you stay at this hotel adjacent to Atlantis Resort and Casino, you get to use the facilities of the amazing Atlantis.

Anguilla is one of the most popular islands for celebrity watching now. One of my favorite moderate hotels is on that island. At only 35 rooms The Anguilla Great House Beach Resort is a good value. All the rooms have a nice view of the Caribbean Sea and it’s a great spot for romance.

My current favorite world-class property in the Caribbean is the Four Seasons Resort on Nevis. Although it is a little bigger at 196 rooms, it is still a low-rise resort, and is small enough to still feel intimate and pampered. It has one of the Caribbean’s largest sports facilities and one of its best golf courses.

If you want to splurge a little, two of my favorites for romance are both intimate properties. The Horned Dorset Primavera in Puerto Rico is considered to be the most elegant, romantic inn in Puerto Rico, with private plunge pools and tubs for two. I also love the small Anse Chastanet on St. Lucia. Some of the plantation villa style rooms have one wall missing, opening to a freshwater pool, helping the lucky guest become closer to nature.

What makes the Caribbean a special destination when compared to Mexico or Hawaii?

David: The most important difference is air distance. Clients just don’t want to fly as far as they used to. The natural travel market for the Caribbean region is the midwest and east coast of the U.S. The southern states’ natural travel market is Mexico, while the west coast loves to visit Hawaii.

Like Mexico and Hawaii, the Caribbean is predominately known as a sun and sand destination. The Caribbean provides a close-by destination to experience different cultures, history, countries, and sometimes even different languages–although in most destinations English speakers are easy to find. The Caribbean has a wider selection of accommodations to choose from, compared to Hawaii or Mexico. They range from small guesthouses, to moderate and world-class all-inclusive resorts, to world-class best-of-the-best luxury villas. The Caribbean also provides more gaming and duty free shopping opportunities then Hawaii or Mexico.

Where do celebrities like to stay?

David: Celebrities flock to the Caribbean for the same reasons we all do- SUN, SAND, RELAXATION AND RENEWAL. Many celebrities have homes in the Caribbean. Some of the more recent celebrity hangouts include St. John where Kenny Chesney makes his home. Another popular celebrity hangout is at Paradise Island in the Bahamas where Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods and many other celebrities have homes.

Anguilla contains the Cap Juluca resort, a 179-acre celebrity favorite. It is a dramatic, white Moorish-style resort totally devoted to romance and luxury. Sandy Lane in Barbados is also known for its celebrity clientele. Tiger Woods rented the entire hotel in 2004 for his wedding.

Current hot celebrity island destinations include St. Barts, often referred by Hollywood as St. Tropez in the Caribbean. David Letterman, Uma Thurman and many others favor St. Barts.

David has been with TheBigDay Travel since March 2005. He brings a wealth of experience on the wholesale as well as the retail side of travel. His main passion is helping arrange wonderful sun & sand vacations to areas such as Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. Be sure to ask him about his recent European journeys as well.
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The only problem with going all inclusive is deciding which resort to go to because there quite a few out there. To weed some of them out lets consider what it is you want out of a post wedding vacation; namely peace, privacy, and romance. Fortunately there are a number of couples and adults only resorts that cater to just those things. Now you just need to decide which couples only resort is the place for you and your soon to be spouse.

With that in mind we have compiled a list of what are considered the top rated all inclusive honeymoon destinations. They are not in any particular order and any one of them would make for memories that will last a lifetime.

Excellence Playa Mujeres – This adult’s only luxury resort is located just north of Cancun, Mexico, on a pristine 20 mile peninsula. The nice thing about this resort is its proximity to Cancun. A quick 10 minute shuttle or taxi ride will get you to shopping, clubs, and nightlife of the downtown area but the resort itself gives a feeling of isolated seclusion. There are two miles of beach for plenty of water sports fun, suites with Jacuzzis with some suites offer rooftop terrace Jacuzzis, 24 hour room service, and a top of the line spa.

Couples Swept Away – Located along the legendary 7 Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica, this is one of the most popular adults and couples only resorts in the Caribbean. This all inclusive resort features great food, service, and with the Couples Resorts extra inclusions that include golf, scuba and snorkeling trips, and sunset sails it is truly a one of a kind value. If a Jamaica honeymoon is in the cards then this is the resort for you.

Excellence Riviera Cancun – Another luxury adults only resort by Excellence, it is located in the well known Riviera Maya region of Mexico between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It sits on an immaculate white sand beach and includes 6 pools, 8 restaurants, 10 bars, and Excellence’s 24 hour room service. All the rooms are suites and include Jacuzzis inside the rooms and most have Jacuzzis on the outside balcony or patio.

Sandals Grande St. Lucian – The latest offering in the Sandals Empire of couples only all inclusive resorts is located on a peninsula with beaches on both sides. The sheltered mile long beach boasts some of the calmest waters in all the Caribbean and is perfect for water sports or just relaxing next to its tranquil waters. This resort feature 6 gourmet restaurants, 5 pools including swim up lagoon suites, a world class spa and a night life that’s first rate.

Royal Playa del Carmen – This adults only, suites only resort sits right in Playa del Carmen in the Riviera Maya region of Mexico. What’s neat about this resort is its proximity to the town of Playa del Carmen. It’s just a short walk from the resorts gates to the town’s famed 5th avenue of shops and night clubs. If you decide to stay on property then there is plenty to do including 9 restaurants, 7 bars, 2 pools, a spa, and all the beach activities you could ever want to do.

Sandals Grande Antigua – Voted the best all inclusive honeymoon destination at the World Travel Awards for 6 years in a row it is easy to see why once you and your spouse arrive at this wonderful resort. The nice thing about this resort is it can be at full occupancy and never feel crowded. It boasts 10 restaurants, 5 pools and a complete European Spa to pamper you in peaceful bliss. It features its new Mediterranean Village to compliment the original Caribbean Grove side with its renowned gardens.

All these top rated honeymoon destinations all inclusive resorts are world class in their accommodations, service, and tropical beauty. It’s hard to choose wrong among them and once you’ve made your plans you know that you will have a honeymoon full of memories that last a lifetime.

Honeymoon Destinations is here to help make your honeymoon a lasting romantic rendezvous you and yours will remember for a lifetime. To enter Honeymoon Destinations please click here.
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The first thing to say is that it is vital you ensure you splash out a little and take at least a superior seaview cottage, if not a premium. The standard cottages are very noisy because of the road, and a neighbouring hotel, which they are close to, whereas the superior, and premium are up the hill, and round the corner. They have huge balconies, and spectacular views with king sized beds. Their main drawback is the uphill walk, and the fact that with no air conditioning you tend to leave the doors open, and let the mossies in, and the nets were not too efficient!!

My idea of an all-inclusive hotel is not what I found here at Cocos. I imagined a full on loud large resort, which must be terrible, but what we got was the most laid back relaxing small beautiful rustic Caribbean idyll.

The attention we got from the staff from the moment we arrived until we left was extraordinary, this has to be the friendliest most attentive hotel we have ever stayed in.

The biggest problem everyone in the hotel suffered from were the sand flies, so if you are going you will need 100% Deet spray, but that itself doesn’t protect you completely. Someone told us that they didn’t like sun tan oil and so we bought some, threw away our creams and lotions, and the combination seemed to work well.

Why therefore is this one of the top all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean?

The answer is a combination of things, but mainly the secluded romantic setting, plus the fantastic staff who couldn’t be faulted in any way at all.

Even the food which can be quite dire in the Caribbean, was quite superb, and we found plenty of choice, and when we did go a la carte it was extremely good value for money. We did enjoy the barbeque evening

I think though my favourite time was relaxing on a very comfortable sun lounger by the pool drinking cocktails brought by a happy smiling barman.

We will certainly return because we like to feel we have escaped from dreary 5 star hotels, and found authenticity, and this was just that.

Definitely Cocos is one of the most affordable romantic ideas in Antigua.

Jason Law has written two or three articles for http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com and recommends it as a source of vacation destinations and hotels
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