Thank you so much, 11:37 and 11:41, for the suggestions. I am going to look into all of them. Thank you, thank you!

I don't know if you'd consider Mexico, but from the way you describe yourselves I think you would really LOVE Tulum, Mexico. You fly into the Cancun Airport (3.5 hrs. direct from Dulles) - then taxi through Riviera Maya, through Playa del Carmen, then you hit Tulum.

It is truly one of the most special, natural, romantic places I have ever been. The beach is as good if not better than any you'll find in the Bahamas - looks straight out of Gilligans Island. Because of the proximity to the Mayan Ruins, the beach town is under UNESCO protection - so it's all eco-run. It's "eco- chic" all filtered ocean and rain water used etc. The food is fantastic. At night, all of the open air restaurants are lit only by the night of the moon and lots of lanterns. Lots of yoga and spas.

If you consider it for this trip or the future, two hotels to look into are: Ana y Jose http://www.anayjose.com/ and Las Ranitas http://www.lasranitashotel.com/

I'd also chime in that Atlantis is a bit Disney-like. Don't get me wrong, the sheer size and grandeur is pretty amazing - incredible architecture - but it's very commercial and crowded. From Paradise Island, you can take a bridge across to downtown Nassau. It has it's charms -- but again, it's very commercial and a huge cruise ship destination. I'm not sure if it's the relaxing, romantic destinaton you're searching for...

There's probably thousands of places to stay if your criteria are just beach, kitchen and not too close to Grand Cayman.

You could VRBO in many places, including St John, you try Esperanza Inn on Vieques, or Village St Jean on St Barts, etc. etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh really? If it is like Vegas or Disney on a beach, we'll hate it! Ugh? Really? Vegas and/or Disney = hate for me. AGH! Ok, maybe I am back to the drawing board. . .again. Zzzzzzz. I thought planning this vacation would be fun but actually it's beginning to bug me. Maybe I should just go back to the ol' European type vacation we know and love. That seems way easier to me. Ok, sorry just griping out loud. Thanks for your input! I am very grateful if you saved us from a stupid Vegas/Disney type vacation. UGH.

If you like to fish, snorkel or dive, you could try Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros.

http://www.myoutislands.com/bahamas-resorts/resorts.cfm/resort/Small-Hope-Bay-Lodge

Ooooh! Yes, this looks like our type of place!! Thank you! I will check it out!!

Any other suggestions along these lines, oh wise ones of DCUM? Grateful for any and all ideas!!! THANK YOU!!!

Anonymous wrote:Oh really? If it is like Vegas or Disney on a beach, we'll hate it! Ugh? Really? Vegas and/or Disney = hate for me. AGH! Ok, maybe I am back to the drawing board. . .again. Zzzzzzz. I thought planning this vacation would be fun but actually it's beginning to bug me. Maybe I should just go back to the ol' European type vacation we know and love. That seems way easier to me. Ok, sorry just griping out loud. Thanks for your input! I am very grateful if you saved us from a stupid Vegas/Disney type vacation. UGH.

If you like to fish, snorkel or dive, you could try Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros.

http://www.myoutislands.com/bahamas-resorts/resorts.cfm/resort/Small-Hope-Bay-Lodge

Anonymous wrote:Check out aqua bay club condos on grand cayman.

I checked it out and this place looks awesome. It looks like it would be right up our alley, were it not for the fact that I am "afraid" to go to the Caymans because, as I mentioned, we have relatives who live nearby who would probably want us to visit. This might sound super-nice and like a First World Problem to have (admittedly, it is! :oops but we just want to have this vacation for the two of us.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a place like this, but at a different location? Bahamas? Bermuda? St. Lucia? Anywhere that would be good for a 4-5 day trip sometime next May/June? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know I sound so clueless and inexperience at this!!!!!

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm, I am so torn now. Thanks to the PPs for input. I like the aquarium idea because we really love animals and wildlife and, above all, we just want this vacation to be EASY. We have had a lot of stress in our lives in the past couple of years (infertility, adoptions, etc.) and have had our share of pennypinching and just wnat to be able to RELAX on this vacation and basically have everything done for us. It is like a complete 180 for us and our past, and our typical day-to-day life, so that's why I am finding it hard to plan, I think! We do not gamble and we do not play golf. We would be intersted in beach, pools, aquarium, water stuff like the waterpark and slides. We don't need super-gourmet food but just wante decent food w/o breaking the bank.

PP back. Sorry for the multiple misspellings and typos in my above post.

Anonymous wrote:Check out aqua bay club condos on grand cayman.

OH really? Ok, I will check this out. Thank you. We do have relatives who have homes in Cayman (Cayman Brac) so I just wonder if they'd be insulted if we came this far and did not visit them. But I will check it out. Thank you for the idea!

Hmmm, I am so torn now. Thanks to the PPs for input. I like the aquarium idea because we really love animals and wildlife and, above all, we just want this vacation to be EASY. We have had a lot of stress in our lives in the past couple of years (infertility, adoptions, etc.) and have had our share of pennypinching and just wnat to be able to RELAX on this vacation and basically have everything done for us. It is like a complete 180 for us and our past, and our typical day-to-day life, so that's why I am finding it hard to plan, I think! We do not gamble and we do not play golf. We would be intersted in beach, pools, aquarium, water stuff like the waterpark and slides. We don't need super-gourmet food but just wante decent food w/o breaking the bank.

Check out aqua bay club condos on grand cayman.

DH and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas and spent a day at Atlantis, and loved it. It's not like Disney in the characters, etc. It's like a nice waterpark, lazy river, water slides, pools, etc. The best waterslide goes though a clear tube that is in the shark tank. The acquarium is neat but not terribly impressive. There is a casino, but we didn't gamble.

we liked it but it is very commercialized and not natural. They have the largest man made aquariums that are formed by concrete and molded cement. As an engineer I enjoyed the man made structures. If you do go I would suggest purchasing the lower meal plan because food was very expensive. Also they charge you a lot for WIFI so DCUM addicts will have to pay for their addiction.

Oh really? If it is like Vegas or Disney on a beach, we'll hate it! Ugh? Really? Vegas and/or Disney = hate for me. AGH! Ok, maybe I am back to the drawing board. . .again. Zzzzzzz. I thought planning this vacation would be fun but actually it's beginning to bug me. Maybe I should just go back to the ol' European type vacation we know and love. That seems way easier to me. Ok, sorry just griping out loud. Thanks for your input! I am very grateful if you saved us from a stupid Vegas/Disney type vacation. UGH.

Why would you go to Atlantis on a special occasion? It's like going to Vegas or Disney on a beach. One thing if you have kids, but not very appealing if it is just the two of you.... I would go to Bermuda, St. Lucia or a dozen other islands before Atlantis/Bahama's....

My DH and I are trying to schedule a trip for our 10th anniversary/my 40th sometime next spring/early summer. We are looking at this 1 bedroom condo which is ostensibly 5 minutes from Atlantis. But we don't know the Bahamas, Paradise Island, or Atlantis at all. This would be the first time we do something like this. We have, in the past, been more of the budget/backpacker/hostel/European type of travelers. So, while this may look "budget-y" to many of you, amything that is "beachy" seems pretty luxurious to us! We also like that it's a condo so we can prepare some of our meals there (to save some $$) and it also appears as if there is a kind and helpful local person (per the write-up) who meets you there and offers to take your grocery shopping when you arrive, so we can pick up some groceries that way too. But we'd probably also like to splurge on a few of the niceties offered at Atlantis (maybe one night out? a visit to see the aquarium? stuff like this) if possible too, so if the advertised distance to Atlantis is in fact demonstrably more than what it is advertised for, that may give us pause, or at least we should revisit this decision?

For those of you know this area and have vacationed here before, is this (link below) what we are looking for, or not really? Thanks if anyone has any input!

http://www.vrbo.com/392853