I’m the St Lucia pp who loved it. I’m not sure what people are doing there to hate it but it’s important to pick a good place to stay. The beauty is in the pistons. The food was great - culturally there were plantation tours, volcano and spas to enjoy and of course the boating. I’m not sure how you hate all that? I got engaged on Turks years ago and loved it. You couldn’t pay me yo go back now it’s a lot of high priced zero ambiance places on the beach to stay now. Yes the sand is amazing but I can think of at least 5 beaches elsewhere that have great beaches and ambiance including Sugar Beach St Lucia. I think Tulemars private beach, Flamenco in PR, Virgin Gorda and Clearwater and even Sanibel though it’s more shells are great beaches. bravado beach in DR as well.

OP do Hawaii if you have the time. I totally agree about 10 days. It’s a trek. Kawaii is my fave island or on Oahu I like a couple places that are less big resort and more boutique I have to find the place we stayed but let me know if you wanted.

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I actually have never been to Hawaii, which is why I was thinking of using this as a base. Total Hawaii novice but Kauai looked amazing. Was thinking something like Kauai and Oahu to get the Pearl Harbor/North Shore activities.

For those of you who absolutely hated St Lucia (and there seems to be a few of you!), what did you hate? Pure curiosity at this point!

I am a NP who also hated St. Lucia. It was decidedly not easy to get to… long flight, long wait at customs, long drive to the resort. We got to the hotel at like midnight and they immediately tried to make us sit through some sales pitch. Once there, unless you wanted to spend a ton of money on tours or drivers, it’s really hard to get to anything not right at your resort.

We were hoping for culture, food, hikes, playing in the waves, etc… and got basically none of it. This was probably 10 years ago, so maybe it’s gotten better, but I would never go back, even if it were free.

iave don eboth Hawaii and St Lucia

loved both. Granted St lucia was in a 97 (honeymoon 7 days) and 2007 (anniversary 10 days), hawaii was 3 years ago (10 days)

Loved all three trips. Im sure st lucia has changed over the years. We rented a house a had a blast. no direct flights but at least you stayed in the same time zone.

hawaii we did Maui and oahu it was nice the flight was was long time change sucked... Hawaii is not much different than any Caribbean island. once you get out of the big cities its a wasteland.

OP pick somewhere you've never been extend the trip out to a week and have fun.

*12-14 hour trip*

We moved to Hawaii from DC when I was in high school and I have gone back to Oahu nearly every year since then. (I moved back to DC for grad school and stayed.) It is a 12-14 trip depending on connections. I would never go for fewer than 10 days *on the ground.* You will spend 3 days recovering from jet lag, then fly home and recover again. I went once for 8 days on the ground plus 2 travel days, and never made that mistake again.

What are your parameters? I might pick a place that usually has $$$ flights if any flights will be covered.

Anonymous wrote:Hawaii Mauna Lai Auberge Resorts Collection.

Even has its own user friendly weather station.

WEATHER STATION

Coconut Moving....Windy
Coconut Still....Calm
Coconut Wet...Rainy
Coconut Dry....Sunny
Coconut White....Snow

I got married at the Mauna Lani (It's "Lani" not "Lai") on the Big Island a few years ago. It is a 10/10. Fantastic snorkeling right off the hotel's beach. We did a boat trip to do night snorkeling with the rays which was amazing and unforgettable. Then we did a couple of nights at Volcanoes Nat'l Park across the island, stayed in the park, also amazing. And then went to Hilo. A highlight was an astronomy program at the observatory on Mauna Kea (you need very, very warm coats for this). It might be the best trip I've ever had and I've traveled quite a bit.

I'm the PP at 14:53 -- I said "no" to Hawaii because I thought you just had 3 nights; if you can take the 3 free nights but stay longer at your own expense, then yes, by all means consider Hawaii. If not, then no, you don't want to travel that far for 3 nights (I've gone to Oahu for 2 nights for work, and the turnaround is awful).

I've been to both Hawaii and St. Lucia.

I love Hawaii, it is one of my favorite places on earth -- but I'd never travel there for a 3-night vacation; it's way too far and the travel to get there is grueling. From the East Coast anyway, which is where I am. So no way.

St. Lucia is much easier to get to. Do you like spas? If so look into the Body Holiday resort; I loved it! Spa treatments are included. The other thing that was great about it was that there is excellent snorkeling right off the beach -- a couple of other resorts pulled up in boats to snorkel there. I went for three nights and it was perfect (do be aware though that the resorts, certainly Body Holiday, are not right by the airport and it takes a long time to drive across the island, so you will probably arrive late and need to leave early, so you really only get 2 real days). If you have a bigger budget/don't love the spa/health theme -- look at Jade Mountain and Cap Maison.

BAH VIP award? Congrats either way!! I used mine for Mexico and others have done Hawaii. If you haven’t been I would do Hawaii. Mexico is too dicey these days.

Hawaii Mauna Lai Auberge Resorts Collection.

Even has its own user friendly weather station.

WEATHER STATION

Coconut Moving....Windy
Coconut Still....Calm
Coconut Wet...Rainy
Coconut Dry....Sunny
Coconut White....Snow

OP here.

I actually have never been to Hawaii, which is why I was thinking of using this as a base. Total Hawaii novice but Kauai looked amazing. Was thinking something like Kauai and Oahu to get the Pearl Harbor/North Shore activities.

For those of you who absolutely hated St Lucia (and there seems to be a few of you!), what did you hate? Pure curiosity at this point!

I agree with the PP who mentioned the award gives you a good start on Hawaii. The other locations are closer so you could do those some other time. Use the free nights to build on for the Hawaii trip.

Hawaii. Maybe you can add on a few days if you pay for it?

Barbados has a direct flight now

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was awarded a 4 day, 3 night vacation by work. Obviously we can add on days, but that’s what they are covering. It has to be in North America, Hawaii or the Caribbean.

Looking for suggestions. Beachy and relaxing with other activities (hiking, water sports, etc.). Something different from our every day life. We’ll be traveling without kids. We go to Europe and the USVIs/BVIs, so I’m at a little bit of a loss. Hawaii seems far for such a short time (how much would you plan to add on?), St. Lucia looks interesting. I’ve been to Bermuda a million times but it does sort of fit the bill.

Anything I’m not thinking of? Another island you’d recommend?

I don’t like anything about St. Lucia. Hawaii is too far away for 4-5 days. Turks and Caicos and Grand Cayman are manageable and lovely.

What’s wrong with St Lucia PP?

New poster… we went last year. Hated it. I wouldn’t go again even for a free trip. Nope.

Can you elaborate? What did you hate, and where else have you visited in the region (if anywhere) that you preferred?