GDoxta
Feb 18th, 2006, 09:41 PM
My mother, sister (28), and I (25), are planning to go to the Caribbean for our first family vacation ever around June (preferrably departing the 9th or 10th). We are located in Toronto. Luckily, my mother's boss has offered to donate frequent flyer miles to cover our airfare IF we find a location and hotel that we like (and can afford).
Our budget is about 1200 each including taxes. We are looking to go to a sunny resort that is all-inclusive, beachfront, and basically just beautiful with no worries about much. I would love to have a seperate room from my sister and mother because I am a guy and I don't smoke.
I did some research and found that most all-inclusive packages include airfare are really aggressively priced compared to the hotel-only all-inclusive deals available. My mother's boss has suggested that if the difference in price is less than 600 dollars, it is not worth it to her to use her miles for the airfare. We were going to go even before she offered to help, so its not a major concern, but I would love to take advantage of her offer. Then again, I do not want to suggest a ridiculously far destination (i.e. Greece) because then the airfare becomes really expensive and we might seem like greedy ingrates.
So what am I really getting at? I would love you guys and gals to suggest some affordable all-inclusives that we may enjoy in the West Indies. I have been to Tryp Cayo Coco and would love to go somewhere of that calibre. My mother has never been on an AI before.
Locations I have scouted (for 55 year old mother, 28 year old sister, 25 year old male)
if we do not take advantage of my mother's boss' offer:
Arenas Blancas or Breezes Varadero - VARADERO
Almost any 4 star resort at Punta Cana
if we do take advantage of the offer:
Perhaps a 3 star place in Aruba
A 3 star place in the Cayman Islands (not sure if airfare would be high enough though)
......
Perhaps I am worrying too much about it all. Should I just get a great last minute deal? Would I be able to get a seperate room through the last minute deals? Anyone know how much the single supplement is?
Opinions/suggestions please!
thanks in advance,
Steve
Our budget is about 1200 each including taxes. We are looking to go to a sunny resort that is all-inclusive, beachfront, and basically just beautiful with no worries about much. I would love to have a seperate room from my sister and mother because I am a guy and I don't smoke.
I did some research and found that most all-inclusive packages include airfare are really aggressively priced compared to the hotel-only all-inclusive deals available. My mother's boss has suggested that if the difference in price is less than 600 dollars, it is not worth it to her to use her miles for the airfare. We were going to go even before she offered to help, so its not a major concern, but I would love to take advantage of her offer. Then again, I do not want to suggest a ridiculously far destination (i.e. Greece) because then the airfare becomes really expensive and we might seem like greedy ingrates.
So what am I really getting at? I would love you guys and gals to suggest some affordable all-inclusives that we may enjoy in the West Indies. I have been to Tryp Cayo Coco and would love to go somewhere of that calibre. My mother has never been on an AI before.
Locations I have scouted (for 55 year old mother, 28 year old sister, 25 year old male)
if we do not take advantage of my mother's boss' offer:
Arenas Blancas or Breezes Varadero - VARADERO
Almost any 4 star resort at Punta Cana
if we do take advantage of the offer:
Perhaps a 3 star place in Aruba
A 3 star place in the Cayman Islands (not sure if airfare would be high enough though)
......
Perhaps I am worrying too much about it all. Should I just get a great last minute deal? Would I be able to get a seperate room through the last minute deals? Anyone know how much the single supplement is?
Opinions/suggestions please!
thanks in advance,
Steve