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Latest Caribbean Holiday ReviewsView Cheap Holidays To CaribbeanCaribbean Romantic Caribbean Rating: 9/10
Submitted by: Sue
Date of travel: 12/10/2007
I travelled with my Husband, daughter, son-in-law to be and my grandaughter to Antigua for their wedding. We stayed at the Jolly Beach which is an all inclusive resort. Upon arrival, I was a little disappointed at our room which was small, basic but clean. My daughter's room was lovely as they had upgraded before travelling. However, the resort was clean, friendly and right on the beautiful beach where we had a choice of either swimming in the pools or swimming in the lovely unbelievebly blue sea. The wedding was handled with the utmost care by the on site wedding co-ordinator and the day was absolutely perfect. All we had to do was turn up! They had even booked the happy couple in for a romantic meal on the beach the following evening where they dined by candlelight under the stars.
Overall, the Jolly Beach was excellent value for money and I would have no hesitation in returning there again.
Antigua is small, friendly and the perfect holiday for both children and adults. Caribbean Great Resort Rating: 8/10
Submitted by: Bonnie
Date of travel: 03/12/2008
We are from Winnipeg, Canada and stayed at the Paraiso del Sol just east of Cabarete from March 12-26th, 2008. We chose this all inclusive because of the price, Cabarete location and because it offered singles’ rates. Eight of us stayed at this resort, two couples and four singles. It is really hard to find affordable single rates and the Paraiso del Sol offered this. Initially, because of so many poor reviews we had read on this resort, I was very apprehensive but as this was my 7th trip to the Dominican and my boyfriend’s 10th, we knew that you have to take the poor reviews with a grain of salt.
This was a great resort and all of us plan to return to it next year. We have stayed at other Cabarete area resorts (Wyndham Tangerine) and PdelS location was great as it is out of Cabarete so there are no early morning night noises from nearby resorts or bars in town but close enough to take a cab or moped or free shuttle.
The beach is great with miles to walk in either direction. Waves can be big but that is what to expect at times from the ocean……..it is a big, powerful, beautiful ocean and makes you wonder at the power of Mother Nature. Cabarete is a free shuttle or a 50 pesos moped ride away so if you like calm beach then you can go there. The ocean view is great.
The resort was great, staff helpful and friendly and there are three pools that kept us cool - a huge more shallow pool and a nice deep pool closer to the beach as well as another near the restaurant that we didn’t go to.
Our rooms were clean, which is my main concern on any trip. (The women in our group liked the fact that bleach was used on the floors in our rooms and hallways). The single people in our group had rooms with two double beds so they really liked the extra space. Air conditioners help but be advised that the air is turned off during the day as this is a country that does not have services we take for granted here in Canada, like drinkable tap water, great electrical, etc. We were never in our rooms during the day anyway except to change for supper and to sleep. As long as air is circulating, a ceiling fan or air conditioner will do the trick to get the air moving.
No complaints at all about our room, showers, or anything. Pillows were a bit lumpy but after a day in the sun and sand, I could have slept on the floor. No one lost weight on the trip and my compliments go out to the chefs and kitchen workers on this resort who gave us tasty, nutritious meals with local, fresh produce in, I am sure, a non-air-conditioned kitchen prep area. Beets and carrots grow well in the sandy soil and all of us in our group ate fresh chicken at both lunch and supper every day. There is a big taste and texture difference between fresh Dominican poultry/fish versus the frozen chicken that we get here in Canada. The breads were made fresh each day and Swiss meringue is the icing they use on their cakes. The rice pudding is the stovetop kind and was every bit as good as my grandma’s. Chicken, fish, rice and beans and fresh cabbage salad are Dominican staples and are nutritious and good for you. Pork is also fresh and tasty. You will not lose weight unless you choose to eat fresh, juicy pineapple and rice every day.
This is an underdeveloped country that is doing its best to satisfy everyone that comes and visits. It is unfair of tourists to expect the things we take for granted in our countries of origin to be readily available in this country. What is available in the Dominican is: wonderful people, sun and sand, fresh produce and fruit, inexpensive Brugel rum and any other kinds of spirits and beautiful breathtaking scenery. All in our group like to support the Dominicans so would buy beer from a local for ½ or less the price that they would charge at a restaurant or bar run by non-Dominicans. Ice cold Dominican made El Presidente is a great beer!!!
My boyfriend and I always go to the Cabarete area as we have made friends with three local familCaribbean trini in tobago Rating: 8/10
Submitted by: judy
Date of travel: 18/01/2008
I have visited Tobago before but my husband never did until this year and he really enjoyed it.We found it very quiet,peaceful,food more expensive,and the people more friendly than us trinis.I went to the coral reef 30 years ago and it seemed as though the corals were dying.I would advise anyone to pay a visit before its all gone.Try and avoid going to this 'thing'they refer to as Sunday school.The price of the food was astronomical and I could see how easy it was for tourists to get ripped off.I may go again but only in transit.It is a highly over-rated island with not a lot to do.After the second day I was totally bored and my son was ready to fly back to Trinidad.My husband liked it but we would not holiday there again.Caribbean Not 5* Rating: 8/10
Submitted by: Carol
Date of travel: 12/05/2007
My husband and I stayed in the Riu Merengue, set on the beautiful Bahia Maimon, for 14 glorious days. The hotel is advertised as 5* but is more 4* however the majority of the facilities on offer are of a very high standard.
The Rooms:
Colonial style bungalows, set in blocks of 8 on 2 floors amidst palm trees and lush vegetation. We had bananas growing on the palm in front of our balcony. The balconies are huge but it was so humid and the mosquitoes quite active that we spent very little time out there. The rooms are spacious but ours smelt very musty and even after returning home it took many months to rid our clothes and cases of the smell. We had a cockroach in the room which was unpleasant and lots of mosquitoes. However I believe this was a small price to pay as everything else more than made up for this. You have a fridge which is filled every other day with beer, coke, water etc and your very own optics with gin, vodka, rum and brandy. These are full strength and much stronger than the drinks from the bars. The bathroom is well lit and with all amenities however the window is alongside the bath and shower so everytime you take a shower you are on view to whomever is passing by. The beds were large but a little hard.
Food & Drink:
Spoilt for choice. The hotel is all inclusive and the cuisine of a very high standard. The fabulous freshly made smoothies at breakfast were particularly delicious. Every evening in the main dining room presented an enormous choice of culinary delights. The themed evenings were especially notable. There is food available virtually all day and night either from the snack areas or restaurants and most of the food is cooked fresh. Daily beach activities provided fresh fruit dishes and drinks in coconut shells. The alcaholic drinks all seemed a little diluted as there was always such a lot of ice served with them (and yes you could safely have ice in your drinks) but this was probably just as well given the daily temperature etc. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, bottled water were available 24/7.
Activities:
The usual pool side and beach games ie water polo, volley ball were offered as well as bingo around the pool, fashion shows, aerobics, football, boules, table tennis and fun team games in the pool. Evening entertainment was provided by the animation team and this consisted of their miming whilst performing shows such as Grease. I do not think it was supposed to be funny but we found it hilarious when cast members came on stage carrying cardboard car cutouts and they were taking it so seriously. There was also a seperate disco in the grounds open until 2.00am but we were never disturbed by any noise. There was also a casino and carribean street. Non motorised water sports were also free as part of the package and motorised activities available for a charge.
Excursions:
The reps pushed these as usual but we did not partake. They offered the Monster Truck trip, visit to Puerta Plata amongst others but I cannot give any further information as I have said we did not go on any of these.
The Weather:
When we stayed it was in the high 30's and by 10.00am it was too hot to sit in the sun however there are lots and lots of shady places to lye on your sun bed and just chill. It never really cooled down which meant your clothes always seemed to be stuck to your body - perhaps January/February time might be a little more acceptable - but whether or not your clothes stuck to you, it was still fabulous to know that tomorrow the sun would shine just as it did today. We had one day when we thought (hoped) we were going to get a downpour but it was only a few spots and then out came the sun. The heat does take some getting used to but I would gladly suffer it at this moment. As soon as you step off the plane into the none air conditoned airport and then outside again, you begin to struggle with the humidity but to be able to sit at midnigCaribbean Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada Rating: 8/10
Submitted by: Emma
Date of travel: 26/11/2007
Great holiday. The sun shone most of the time and the beach really was top notch. Would definitely go again. The people, staff and natives, are v friendly (if a bit pushy when trying to sell you stuff).Caribbean DO NOT GO TO THIS RESORT!!! Rating: 1/10
Submitted by: Jessica
Date of travel: 21/10/2007
My boyfriend and I recently stayed at the Lifestyle Resort on Cofresi Beach in the Dominican Republic. During our stay we were offered the opportunity to become VIP members by bulk buying weeks to use at a number of their resorts worldwide. We were wary of the heavy sales pitch but as the area of the resort that we were staying in as non VIP members was so appallingly run down we were probably more curious about the possibility of an upgrade to a decent room with better food and facilities than we might have been otherwise. We were brought endless alcoholic drinks while they were doing their sales pitch and the rep kept assuring us that if we signed up and then changed our minds we would be able to take advantage of a 14 day cooling off period with our credit card company to cancel the package. We eventually buckled and paid £1600.00 as a deposit for a 25 week package, at the time we were both simply relieved to have found a solution to getting out of the awful hotel we had been put in and were hopeful that the VIP experience might salvage the remains of our holiday. Sadly, VIP World itself was an absolute disappointment, to the point where we checked out and flew home three days early. As soon as we got home we called our credit card company to cancel the payment, they told us that the payment had been taken and there was nothing we could do other than contact the resort. None of the correspondence we have received from the resort have acknowledged the fact that they are promising a cooling off period that does not exist, they have made countless references to our contract being signed in the presence of a ‘Verification Officer’ who would have explained to us that we could not cancel the contract, which is completely untrue. The only assistance they’ve offered us is the opportunity to re-sell the package through their Resale Program. Throughout the duration of our stay we were constantly accosted by sales reps trying to flog these packages to us and every day there were more unsuspecting holiday makers being pushed to buy these packages with lies about cooling off periods and the option to cancel. Having investigated this matter further I am finding countless people out there who have also become victims of this scam, some having paid far more than we did.
If you have had a similar experience please contact me as I am not inclined to let them get away with this but having already recieved a threatening email from the resort manager I suspect a lot of people decide to back off rather than fight them.Caribbean the island of smiling people Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: barbara
Date of travel: 21/01/2007
barbados is beautiful, as you come into land the colour of the sea is breathtaking, on deparing the aircraft the smell of the bajan spices hits your nostrils this was our fourth visit to the island and we dont wish to go anywhere else, im now trawling the web to find a holiday there for a month to get away from the depressing weather here, the people of barbados are warm and welcoming and my husband says with an island that the sun shines almost continually , the people speak english they drive on the left and play dominoes as a national pastime you cant go wrong absolutely delightfull , a trip to the flower caves is a must as is harrisons caves. getting lost in the "interior was a good experience " but we wernt lost for long if you can find a road with a bus stop you know you will get back to civilisation the only bad part of our holdays was having to leave, but we always come away with the thought that we will back next year and start trawling the net , our holidays are always self catering, the food shopping is great the water drinkable as its filtered through coral and the people you meet are great roll on 2008, were coming back.Caribbean juan dolio dominican republic Rating: 8/10
Submitted by: melvin
Date of travel: 29/01/2007
we stayed 14 days all inclusive at barcelo talanquere it was absolutley brilliant.Caribbean Pure Relaxation Rating: 7/10
Submitted by: Christopher
Date of travel: 09/10/2005
Tobago is a nice place to visit. We went there to relax for our holiday and relaxing is what we got. There was a beach, our hotel, a couple of restaurants and boat rides. It is not for the fun party scene but for nice and quiet, and peaceful tranquil journey away from it all.Caribbean Honeymoon Bliss Rating: 9/10
Submitted by: Rosanne
Date of travel: 27/06/2007
Ideal island for a honeymoon. Whenever people think of the Caribbean they think of Jamaica, The Cayman Islands or the Bahamas but not many people think about Tobago. That is why my new wife and I chose it as our ideal destination. Boy, it was one of the best decisions that we made right before our wedding. The island is gorgeous and offers so much. We did everything that was there to do and in 3 weeks we still had not done it all. We cook and ate with the locals. We learned how to dance to calypso and soca tunes. We learned Toboggan slang like “wha’gwan” which they are really say “What goes one” when you take away the accent. That is how they say “What’s up.” Sailing, sun bathing, scuba diving, dancing in the streets.
It was amazing and was a pleasure. The beach hosted white sand and tall standing coconut trees. We sat on the shore and watched loads of fish being taken in by the next and had the delight in partaking in fresh sea food. And the drinking water from the tap did not taste like water. It had a different taste as if it were flavored. Tobago is a must do and see again so we will have our 3rd year anniversary there in 2010. I hope to see you all there.
Caribbean Carefree and Loved It Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Katherine
Date of travel: 25/02/2007
Just off of the bigger Island of Trinidad, Tobago is a brilliant Caribbean Island. Stunning warm blue water and fresh island water breeze blowing through the trees. Amazing food and fresh coconut juices served in the original coconut shells straight off the trees. No freezing or ripening chemicals, just pure fruit. They spoke English but the accents of the Tobagans was so sweet and when they spoke to each other quickly it was like they were speaking another language. Plenty of space for rest and relaxation on the beach, in the hotel, listening to Soca in town. Very nice, very beautiful. We did two boat tours, one to Venezuela coast and one to Mainland Trinidad. Venezuela was very nice but Trinidad really did it for us. We made sure that we were in time for Carnival and no wonder why Trinidad’s Carnival is ranked among the most famous in the world. The food, the music, the costumes, the dances, all legendary. There were a lot of people there (A LOT OF PEOPLE) but you didn’t seem to mind. Everyone was in good spirit and having a good time. Everyone was family for at least Carnival week and the pure joy in the air is something that we have never experienced before. We were care free in Tobago and Trinidad and look forward to next year when we can experience that again.Caribbean Chill out man! Rating: 9/10
Submitted by: Eddie
Date of travel: 09/10/2007
One of my favourite holidays ever! Jamaica is a fantastic place to go on holiday especially if like me all you want to do is drink cocktails relax on the fantastic beach and make general chit chat with the locals. I stayed in Montego Bay and although there are other places to visit, I never really felt the need to leave the area so I didn’t. I also picked up a few local words which I cannot share on here but you can probably guess what they are.Caribbean Relaxing holiday Rating: 7/10
Submitted by: Louise
Date of travel: 13/04/2007
A great place for a relaxing romantic holiday. As we stayed in an All Inclusive Resort, there were limited places to visit at night, and we did find the evening entertainment a little quiet. However, the views were wonderful and beaches were gorgeous. There was lots of water sports to take part in and the weather was fab! Outside of the resort was like a shanty town so we didn't go out much. However, the people all seemed really friendly. Caribbean 10 out of 10 Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Ben
Date of travel: 04/08/2006
Okay here is the greatest review you will ever get and it is absolutely 100% the truth. Barbados is all about the beach, babes and drinks and that’s all we did the whole week we were there. We spent the whole day on the beach relaxing and admiring the scenery, we had plenty of cocktails and drinks in the evenings as we partied hard into the early morning and then we slept it off at the beach again the next morning. The best holiday anyone could ever ask for!Caribbean Birthday Present of the Year Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Jackie
Date of travel: 20/08/2007
I took my husband to St. Lucia for his birthday and he has thanked me for weeks now. Who know that one week on this small island would have this man turned upside down! Every experience was great for him; he really surprised me because he has been traveling before. I read many reviews on different traveling sites and some left me thrilled while others left me uneasy. Getting there made me grateful for positive reviews because the landscape was brilliant, hotel staff unremarkably kind and my mouth still waters at the thought of the food. The menus at the restaurants and bars are not as big as home but they changes everyday. The wine was sweet tasting and they had this cheese (the name escapes me) that I had to have with most meals for bread and crackers. The most odd but nice experience was the outside shower. The shower was outside of the hotel and I would walk with all of my toiletries and clothes but it was comfortable and big. For time out we went to the Pitons, twin volcanic spires that jut our of the see and stand strong against the crashing waves. Another volcanic wonder was La Soufriere Dive in Volcano where we actually dove into a crater of the Volcano and walked beside the hot sulfur springs and hissing steam pools. Our last journey was Marigot Bay to go on a yaught and walk along the bay. I wonder what island present he has in store for me. I expect nothing less.Caribbean We'll Be Back Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Reggie
Date of travel: 29/06/2007
First trip in to St. Kitts and Nevis and am already planning our next one. We stayed at the Marriott, being it was a hotel chain that we recognized. The people were nice and accommodating and were smiling our entire stay long. On the restaurant property there was a lot to do. Swim, eat, drink, go to the gym, hair-braiding, limbo, and live jazz concerts. Off the property we did the horseback ride through the rain forest with a guide. Andrew pointed out all of the animals big and small and calmed me and my horse when the gallop got too fast. It is cost a little something but it was well worth it. I drank my fill of island cocktails. You have not tried real cocktail without out fresh island food, music, and the island touch. We went on the tour of the villages and we saw the school children in class. All in uniform they ran to greet us so we could tell them all sorts of things the UK. I held the baby of a village women and I have never seen eyes so alert and attentive. The time of our lives.Caribbean Grenade Behind the Scences Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Robyn
Date of travel: 15/03/2007
My family is originally from Grenada so I went there for holiday since I have never been. I had family there so I did not stay in a hotel and was better able to enjoy other fun things that required money. When I was too far away to eat auntie's cooking, I ate at the local restaurants. Coconut pie at Coconut Beach was addictingly good. My cousins took me there for the excellent food at excellent prices. We ate to the sunset on Grande Anse with our feet dug under the sand. You can do that sort of thing in the Caribbean. My cousins also to me to market to buy things reasonable. I got hats, unique sandals, beads and the coolest island gear around. I got to see everything that tourists see and usually do not see. I saw open market in a small town of animals, food, materials, and candy. I danced at real island dance clubs with performers who grew up in the small towns. I liked very much all of the beachside, tours, and shows that they show to foreigners. But if you are ever in Grenada, hire a local man to show you the backside of town. Pay his wife to cook for you and tell him to take you to town market. You will have a better time.Caribbean Why did I Wait So Long? Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Terrance
Date of travel: 01/07/2007
For years I have been told that I must travel to Cuba because it is a holiday paradise. It was only until recently that I had the desire to go. Three days into the holiday I kicked myself for not coming sooner. Where do I begin? Hmmm?I chose Havana because it was the place that I knew most about and the one that was recommended for a first time experience. The airport was a good size and it only took me 20 minutes to get through customs (I have waited in lines of over an hour before). The Hotel Raquel was very spacious and well maintained. The bathroom was a god size and one bed could hold a family of four. I had a wardrobe, table, chairs, couch, desk, and internet plug ins. Members of the staff walked right up to me by the pool or in the lobby and asked me if I needed anything, like a free drink. I did not like the reception staff at the front desk. They were somewhat rude and gave the impression that they had better things to do than to check me in but the other members of the staff made up for them.
I have had Cuban food before but not like this. The spices and the boldness made my tongue dance. I had chicken, beef, fish, rice, pasta, and endless baskets for real Cuban bread. I had flan and tried Cuban soda; even sweeter than the soda from home. I thought that it would be hard to enjoy night time fun by myself but I made friends with many of the guys at the clubs and bars. And it was a good thing that I like to dance because the women were incredible dancers. For water fun outside of the beach, I went to Catamaran to snorkel. I will be returning soon.
Caribbean More Time Please Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Aaron
Date of travel: 16/06/2007
It was hard to choice which part of Bahamas 700 islands and cays to travel to but we went to Nassau. Nassau had me doing things that I never image that I would do like doing well at gambling, swimming with coral reefs, diving with dolphins and swimming outrageously close to sharks. There were also the things that I expected like dancing to island music all night long, going out on boats with the Bahamians to fish and swim, enjoy the sand on breath-taking beaches, and falling in love with the Ardastra Gardens zoo. The hotel was nice and the Bahamian people were always smiling. They sang delightful ditty's about life. Fresh fruit, good food, exotic women, and tropical drinks?could I ask for anything more? Oh, yeah, more time there.Caribbean Festive Holiday Rating: 9/10
Submitted by: Jasmine
Date of travel: 05/02/2007
Antigua is a holiday of festive culture. It was the perfect Caribbean getaway at not to bad of a cost. Our hotel was very nicely set in the Caribbean theme surrounded by Palm trees with hammocks attached. Women and young girls offered us a chance to braid our hair. It was the most money I have ever spent for someone to tug and pull at my hair but it was worth it. I did not have to do my hair for two weeks. At night we danced to steel drum band music and learned how to properly move our hips. Oh, the colors of the outfits were so bright and tropical and the way they fried a plantain put my mother to shame. What really hurt your wallet more than anything was the cost of food. We spent pounds and pounds on meals. The food was incredible yes but from the prices we expected to eat it off of golden plates. But then again the dinner venue of the beach almost made up for it all. On the beach vendor sold cut fruit that were fresh. Fruit is more juicy and has more flavor when it is not filled of chemicals. Our hotel was quiet and just right to relax after your days of boat touring, fishing, the beach, or dancing. Around the hotel and in the tourist section in general there were not too many bars and no night clubs. But if you are the adventurous type further in town the clubs are fantastic and the bars are cheap, especially cocktails.Caribbean Lime in the sunlight Rating: 10/10
Submitted by: Adriana
Date of travel: 01/07/2007
Tobago is one of the best holiday experiences that I have ever had. It is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the place where my fianc? and I had the time of our lives. Our hotel, The Humming Bird, was on the shore of the amazing Crown Point beach where we enjoyed hours of scuba diving. My favorite part was that everything was laid back and relaxed. It was not a 24 hour party hot spot with noise and it was not over glamorous. It was simply a small get away spot where we could talk and spend quality time together in the presence of wonderful people, service, and relaxing activity. We simply had time to laugh and lime (the way Toboggans say ?hang out?). If you are looking for a place to get to really discover yourself or others, chose Tobago. Go sightseeing, diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, or swim. Or eat the best Island food of your life. Curry chicken and bake never tasted so good.Caribbean Rating: 9/10
Submitted by: Shelly
Date of travel: 19/07/2004
Can't fault Barbados 1 bit... I wanted to explore the coral sea and sandy beaches and go scuba diving, it was so beautiful and the resort was very open, with lots of palm trees, bar huts, restaurants etc. The hotel had a sea view, so waking up in the morning to the sound of the sea was awsome! There were 3 pools with in the resort so you was never crowded and you had your space to relax, swim and sit under the water fall too. Everyone were so nice and welcoming, this was the best experience of my life.Caribbean Rating: 7/10
Submitted by: Tina
Date of travel: 10/07/1999
Where do I start?!? Jamaica is a wild place, top beachs and ace people! I was sat on the beach when I was approached by a woman who braided hair, it wasn't cheap but it was a laugh though. I enjoyed Malibu cocktails on the beach and tasty food too, the hotel was ok, but you was never in the hotel long enough anyway.. There were some top market stalls where you could buy anything, I also went on a little boat trip and visited another island for the day... It was a great holiday and cool experience...Caribbean Rating: 8/10
Submitted by: Sarah
Date of travel: 19/06/2007
Top, top, top that's all I have to say about the Dominican Republic! I stayed in Playa Dorada and the hotel was amazing. I had a pool view which was cool plus the beach was 2 secs from the resort. There were so much to do in the day time, I was amazed with all the activities such as, Scuba diving, snorkling, wind surfing, banana boats, boat rides, cycling, sports centre etc... Plus in the evening there was a bar for the adults and a bar for everyone, with a disco, dance competitions, karaoke and stand up comedian... What more does anyone need? I've already booked my next holiday to Playa Dorada.
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