Click here for a slideshow of Grand Pineapple Antigua

Vacations at All Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean can be very expensive for families and some of our favorite resorts, Beaches Resorts, can really stretch a lot of budgets.  I just returned from the island of Antigua and think I might have found a fabulous authentic, Caribbean option for families on a tighter budget.    Sandals and Beaches Resorts offer a more moderate rustic all inclusive option called Grand Pineapple on the beautiful island of Antigua.

Grand Pineapple is located on one of the nicest white sand beaches on the island of Antigua.  The beach at this resort is amazing and because of the resorts location in Long Bay, there is very little beach traffic at all if any!  Some of the rooms are located directly on the beach so you can simply step out of your room and hit sand within a few steps or you can fall asleep at night to the sound of the ocean below in some of the rooms.  There are also oceanview rooms nestled into the hillside if having that commanding panoramic view is important to you.

Grand Pineapple is one of the nicer rustic and authentic Caribbean style resorts I have seen especially since its recent renovation.  So if you are looking for clean, Caribbean style accommodations with authentic Caribbean cuisine on a beachfront setting and you don’t want to spend extra to have the fancy pools with waterslides, XBOX garage and Sesame Street characters, Grand Pineapple might be a great option for you as it prices out about half the cost of Beaches Negril  in Jamaica.

I recommend booking either one of the Beachfront Rooms which are situated directly on the beach (also available as inter-connecting rooms) or the Tropical Waterfront Rooms place you right above the water with the sounds and sights of the sea right outside your balcony.  All of these rooms have been renovated unlike the garden view rooms which are set back quite a bit and are in need of renovation.  The resort has two pools and offers a couple different restaurant choices from Topaz buffet to Chef Pietro Italian style beachfront dining or you can reserve a spot at the Pineapple Grill which offers inside International and Caribbean cuisine WITH air conditioning.  For lunch a must stop is up the hill at The Outhouse (only good old fashioned air conditioning up here) where truly authentic BBQ pork or chicken is served up on the bluff and you can relax in the shade with a nice breeze and enjoy a good meal, beer and views of the Caribbean.  Islander Miss Mary has been cooking and serving her homemade specialties at The Outhouse for 20 years.

Stay tuned to our website as there is a strong possibility that the Sandals Family may turn this lovely little rustic resort into a Beaches Resort and add some of those infamous Beaches Resort amenities.  But for now, this resort IS what it is and that is a clean, comfortable, cozy, friendly and authentic Caribbean resort on a FANTASTIC beach.    If you want to learn more about this resort or other Caribbean resort options, please send me a email at patty@totemtravel.com. I am happy to help!

Hello Patty!!!

So Couples Swept Away… I cannot say enough about this resort. We had the time of our lives. The staff was PHENOMENAL. We LOVED our room – Beachfront Verandah Suite on the 3rd floor (thank you again for putting those requests in!!). For future clients, I would highly recommend paying a little more to be in the newer buildings (at least they seemed newer – but maybe just renovated). These are all the Beachfront and Oceanfront buildings (if you’re looking at a resort map, they are on the right part of the resort). Not only are these buildings nicer, but they seemed larger too. They have TVs, which we wanted. Even though you don’t think you’ll watch much TV, it’s nice to have while you fall asleep or get ready for dinner. They are also NOT by the road, which we heard was quite noisy. So overall, we were extremely happy with the room choice we made!

One of the reasons we chose Negril was for the beach. It did not disappoint. White sand and crystal clear water every day. There were always plenty of lounge chairs available, as well as drink flags. There are also several hammocks up and down the beach that were wonderful to lay in.

The food options were amazing. We have done all-inclusive before and the food here was light-years better than the other places we have been. Feathers restaurant was our favorite place – we ate there two nights. The Thai place was probably our least favorite – but we are very picky about our Thai. I think we are spoiled in Seattle! Patois was delicious… especially the Banana-stuffed french toast at breakfast! The view from Patois was also incredible – you look out over the pool and beyond that to the
blue blue ocean! The other restaurants were also wonderful. We always had stellar service too.

The Catamaran/Sunset Cruise that we got free with the resort was probably our favorite activity!! It took us from our resort, all the way down the coast past Rick’s Cafe to the Lighthouse, turned around, and then stopped so we could swim in caves and go off the slide on the side of the Catamaran. So much fun!! We also took advantage of the other all-inclusive benefits including sea kayaking, snorkeling, glass- bottom boat tour, sailing, etc. We did not scuba dive but it was offered.

The last thing I will say about the resort – if you have clients who are fitness enthusiasts, this is the place to be. Their 10-acre fitness complex is the largest on the island and has everything you can imagine - tennis courts, squash courts, racquetball courts, basketball courts, a huge lap pool, fitness classes, a running loop with cross training stations, an open-air workout room with state-of-the-art machines, billiards, ping pong, a lounge area with TVs, and a rejuvenation bar with energy drinks, smoothies,
infused waters, teas, etc. The spa is also located here and we took full advantage of our free couples massage! Heavenly!!

Thank you again for everything,
Kirsten

Couples Swept Away Negril is a fantastic choice for a honeymoon or special anniversary trip especially if you are beach lovers, as Negril is one of the most amazing beaches in the world. We also specialize in Sandals “Couples Only” Resorts which also offer a romantic honeymoon experience. If you are drawn to a more unique, small, boutique type experience, perhaps The Caves just outside of Negril would fit what you are looking for. We will help you find the right spot and always guarantee the lowest prices. Give us a call at 1-800-321-7907 or you can email me patty@totemtravel.com

I am happy to help!

Click here for more pictures of Beaches Negril

Beaches Negril is one of the best all inclusive resorts for a family vacation.  I only say “one” of the best because Beaches Turks & Caicos is pretty hard to top, but not every family has the budget it takes to vacation at Beaches Turks & Caicos.  Beaches Negril isn’t as big and fancy, but offers everything Beaches Turks & Caicos does so it has to be considered one of the best all inclusive resorts for families in the Caribbean.  Beaches Negril is an ideal place for anyone that loves lots of activity, a beautiful beach, great entertainment and good food.

The beach at Beaches Negril is spectacular, and the soft, white powder sand stretches for seven miles with the stunning clear turquoise water as the backdrop. Would you like to windsurf? Snorkel? Or handle a kayak or hobie cat? How about scuba diving or water skiing and tubing?  It’s all included for free!!

Beaches Negril has a wonderful water park with two giant waterslides and the very popular lazy river which can be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike.  Of course no Beaches resort would be complete without a great pool and that wonderful Caribbean tradition: the swim-up bar!  Order to drink whatever suits your pleasure and enjoy the pool at the same time.  Life doesn’t get any better than this.  At a Beaches Resort, everyone in the family gets a vacation, including mom and dad.  The kid’s program is one of the best with Ultra Nanny Service, Teen Disco Night, XBOX Garage (no quarters need – it’s included!), supervised age appropriate kids activities and even a program for infants.  You won’t hear “I’m bored” at Beaches Negril and while you will enjoy some of the activities together as a family, often mom and dad will get plenty of quiet time on their own where they can relax on a beach chair or go snorkeling.

This is what one family I sent recently had to say after returning from Beaches Negril:

Patty, Heather and I want to thank you for your assistance and advice in choosing our wonderful vacation destination.  We absolutely loved Beaches Negril!  The kids (and us) were nonstop with so many different things to do.    We also found time to relax on the beautiful beach while the kids collected seashells and built sand castles.  We were a little concerned with all the rain Jamaica had received leading up to our arrival.  We flew into MBJ while it was still raining that first afternoon, and it lasted throughout that evening.  However, we woke up the next morning to beautiful sunshine that continued for the remainder of our stay!

The Beaches employees went out of their way to make us feel so comfortable and they always had nice friendly things to say to the kids.  Rachel and Jacob thought it was pretty cool going up to the bar and ordering their own drinks and making friends with the bartenders!  They also participated in the Sesame Street parade around the resort and down to the beach for the big beach party.  We took lots of photos and couldn’t resist purchasing some of the great family photos that the Beaches photographers took as well.  Simply put, it was a great vacation with memories we will cherish.  We can’t wait to return!

Thanks again, Patty!
-Scott & Heather Carlson

We would love to help you and your family experience one of the best all inclusive family vacations around so give us a call at 1-800-321-7907. We have three Beaches and Sandals specialists in the office and we are all more than happy to help.  Or you can book your Beaches Negril vacation directly online.

Because I’ve been to all the Sandals Resorts numerous times and written several articles about how to choose the best Sandals Resort for an adult only all inclusive vacation, I get lots of emails and calls asking my opinion.  Lately, a number of inquiries have referenced a web site which ranks Sandals Resorts from best to worst.  So I found the site, read the list and decided it was time to update my own guide to finding the best Sandals Resort.

First let me say there is a lot of helpful information on the web and Trip Advisor is a fabulous tool when used properly.   With Trip Advisor you are clearly reading one individual’s opinion, each resort review is dated, you can identify trends (and throw out glaring exceptions), and you can somewhat qualify the author’s experience by reading the review carefully and within context.   Unfortunately that isn’t the case with the aforementioned best to worst Sandals list and while I agree with some statements about individual resorts, I disagree with an equal number.

The author of the rank ordered list is anonymous and should you wish to ask a question or request further information, you will find your email undeliverable and no phone number to call.  The printed Sandals Resort reviews are merely a summary of traveler opinions without the individual perspective, date or context.  And frankly that means everything helpful is missing!

The “deals page” mentions 2010 and 2011 as a good time for a discount and links to a dead web site.  Plus the concept of offering the best price on Sandals Resorts is completely misleading as Sandals sets its own specials and promotions and guarantees the same price through all distribution channels, online and human.  Period, over and out, guaranteed in writing!

Most importantly, a list of this sort is out of date the moment it’s printed and with Sandals Resorts this happens even more quickly.  Two new resorts, Sandals Emerald Bay and Sandals Royal Plantation, opened since the list was published and both would be top contenders for “The best Sandals Resort” in my opinion.  Another long time favorite, Sandals Dunns River, is no longer a Sandals Resort because necessary renovations were not agreed to by the owner and Sandals refused to renew their management contract.   Still another resort, Sandals Grande Ocho Rios, has been transformed in recent months with the infusion of tens of millions of dollars and is now Sandals Grande Riviera and Golf Club.  For all intents and purposes this is a new resort with remodeled rooms, additional restaurants and new, very chic beach club.

As I write, Sandals Grande St Lucian is undergoing a huge expansion and will soon offer the Caribbean’s first overwater bungalows.  A new pool area, new restaurants and additional bars are also part of the expansion.  Sandals Whitehouse has announced plans for a golf course and nearby all inclusive Beaches Family Resort and the list goes on and on….

So why write about the best Sandals Resorts?  Because there are a huge number of people who want help choosing the best Sandals resort for their vacation and I answer questions about Sandals all inclusive resorts every day.  But to be helpful I’ll want to know your wish list, your style, your travel timeframe and your budget before suggesting the best resort for a romantic honeymoon or adult only all inclusive vacation.  That’s because there is no “best resort” for everyone but there is a best resort for you!

That’s’ also why Sandals has a specialist program, lists Preferred Agencies on their web site and recognizes the top travel agents every year as “Best of the Best”.  With 13 adult only all inclusive resorts on five Caribbean islands, and prices from about $300/night for an entry level room to more than $1500/night for an over the top butler suite, it can be overwhelming to choose a resort and room category.  But we’ve been to all the resorts and it won’t cost a penny extra to have the help of a Sandals Resort specialist.  So please call, email or book online.  Sandals guarantees the lowest price available and we love to spoil our clients!

P.S.  The same philosophy applies to selecting the best resort in Bora Bora or the best vacation package in Tahiti, choosing a honeymoon resort in Fiji or selecting the best all inclusive resort in Mexico.  We publish resort reviews on all these destinations and regularly write and post pictures on favorite resorts.  So subscribe to our RSS feed or check back regularly.  Happy travels!

Click for Slideshow of Beaches Turks and Caicos

Are you and your BFFs planning to get away together, but just don’t know where? How about that Bachelorette Party you’ve been tasked with planning?  Beaches Resorts has the answer!

Although Beaches Turks and Caicos is a resort for everyone, during the months of October & May, Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, have set aside 4 nights dedicated to Girl Bonding!  Exclusive BFF Activities have been planned.  These include Island Dance Lessons, Beach Bonfire Pajama Party, Sunset Catamaran Cruise, and a “Learn to Have It All” class.  (Isn’t that what we all want??)

In addition to all of the exclusive activities, you will also receive $200 Red Lane Spa gift certificate, a welcome goody bag filled with gifts and a 5 X 7 picture to commemorate your BFF vacation!

Beaches Turks & Caicos, an all-inclusive resort, is the perfect place to have fun, eat, drink and relax!  With 16 restaurants, and twelve bars the eating and drinking is taken care of in spades!  Swim-up pool bars are the ultimate in decadent relaxation!

The beach is absolutely amazing, with beautiful white sand, and water sports galore.  Are you a SCUBA diver?  Diving is included!  Also, snorkeling, sea kayaks, Hobie Cats, wind surfing, and water skiing are all included!

Pirate Cove Water Park brings out the kid in all of us.  Water slides, lazy river, and the surf simulator will keep you in the water all day!

Want  to really indulge yourselves?  Why not opt for a Butler Service room……your every wish is his/her command!  Want chocolate sundaes at 3am?  Why not?  How about a glass of wine, and your flip-flops waiting when you return from your snorkel trip…no problem.  Your butler will be there with wine in one hand and your shoes in the other!  Want to make sure that you have your favorite beach chairs each day…don’t worry, this can be arranged by your butler.  In other words, live like a princess for a few days!  What could be better!

If October or May do not fit into your schedule, no problem mon!  For girlfriends traveling in groups of 5 or more rooms, Beaches offers customized getaways all year long.

I would love to help you plan your BFF vacation!  Just give me a call or send an email!  sandi@totemtravel.com 425 821-4100/1 800 321-7907

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