<p>Check out Atlantis at Bahamas. The Harborside Resort of Atlantis has kitchen and separate bedrooms. There are even grocery delivery services at Paradise Island. We’ll be there in two weeks and can’t wait!</p>
<p>sunnydayfun - I guess I should have also added that we’d prefer not to stay some place that is attached to a casino. We are not gamblers, nor we have any desire to try. So we don’t need all the bright lights and nightlife that goes with casinos. Definitely want something more secluded.</p>
<p>The Bahamas is just not far enough south for my comfort level either. December in the Bahamas could be rather chilly. Puerto Rico is about as far north as I’d consider for this reason.</p>
<p>Teriwtt, May I suggest this one? It does have kitchenettes and a beach. I know the location is great. It’s kind of quiet and laid back here.</p>
<p>[Rooms</a> and Rates](<a href=“http://www.tamarindreefresort.com/index.php/hotel/rooms-and-rates]Rooms”>http://www.tamarindreefresort.com/index.php/hotel/rooms-and-rates)</p>
<p>Mom60, my question #37 should have read La Polima, in CR, which you recommended.</p>
<p>terriwtt</p>
<p>[Luxury</a> Beachside Doubloons at The Buccaneer, a St Croix Hotel](<a href=“http://www.thebuccaneer.com/luxury-accommodations-doubloons.htm]Luxury”>http://www.thebuccaneer.com/luxury-accommodations-doubloons.htm)</p>
<p>At the Buccaneer these villa rooms interconnect and provide a lot of room. Granted no actual kitchen, but the breakfast view from the patio of the lodge is part of the great thing about the place. We would go into town and stock up the mini refrigerator so there were always fruit, fresh bread and cheeses and snacks and stuff to sip on.</p>
<p>Parent1986- the lack of AC was not even noticed. When we went to Costa Rica we had about 9 day so made the decision to basically go to one place aside from two nights in San Jose at the beginning of the trip. La Paloma is off the beaten track. It is very nice but not stuffy. The rooms especially the Sunset Casitas are amazing. Plenty of room for 5 people. It is the sort of place for those who want to enjoy nature. It is not for those who want to have drinks with umbrellas in them brought to you on the beach. We stayed at La Paloma for 6 nights with a 20 yr old and a 15 yr old. They were not bored. They want to go back.
I am making note of some of the different places. Have never been to St Croix and it sounds nice.</p>
<p>Even though it is the USVI they drive on the “wrong” side in St Croix. We had a rental Ford and wife and I did fine.<br>
Nothing was gonna get me up on the Bermuda “mo-peds” when we visited a few weeks ago. Not only driving on the wrong side, but roads are extremely narrow, albeit scenic.
We stayed at a villa in the Dutch side of St. Marteen a few years ago. Full kitchen, very reasonable for extended family, but it was August.</p>
<p>Thanks, mom60! I reserved the last cabin available Christmas week - the one with the gorgeous view of the Pacific. I’m not familiar with St. Croix, but you can’t go wrong with Hawaii, and my favorite island experience (if you want to travel) has been Fiji.</p>
<p>Ha! We’ve rented the mopeds on Bermuda. Had a lot of fun, despite my running up on a curb on my first turn.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, D1 just called. Her new boss is actually from Puerto Rico and knows exactly where this place is! She said PR is a lot of fun at Christmas time, and the weather would match our standards. Also something about everyone taking off a month in December. I forgot to ask her if everyone takes a month off, who’s working at the resort!</p>
<p>Yea, nevermind! The rates per night during Christmas are $1500 for a 2-bedroom.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, I saw that, too.</p>
<p>Don’t know how but somehow I managed to get us a three bedroom casita in early March for about $600 per night, with breakfast included. I used Expedia and spent hours on the phone. Once we got to the resort, I realized that somehow we lucked out enormously.</p>
<p>Christmas is probably hopeless. At spring break they were offering discounts.</p>
<p>All I can say is our family really did badly need a great vacation at that moment.</p>
<p>It looks like our best option may be St. Croix. They are the most reasonable flights and we can get a vrbo for around $2700 for a week.</p>
<p>Found this one:</p>
<p>[Sugar</a> Bird Rest](<a href=“http://www.vacationstcroix.com/SugarBirdRest/Sugar_Bird_Rest.html]Sugar”>http://www.vacationstcroix.com/SugarBirdRest/Sugar_Bird_Rest.html)</p>
<p>US Park Service includes Buck Island Reef just off St Croix. Check it out on the Park service website. It was a fun day trip. Sail and swim, snorkle or scuba at the reef.</p>
<p>07DAD - it seems as if every rental place listed mentions Buck Island Reef and its proximity to the rental (does the rental have a view of it or not). I kind of gathered it is an important place to go see if you’re there!</p>
<p>Bookmarking–just in case…</p>
<p>Teriwtt, Buck Island is breathtakingly gorgeous! You will love it.</p>
<p>I remember it fondly as the place where my husband tried to drown me on our honeymoon.</p>
<p>I am jealous of all of you who get to enjoy an island vacation on land. The only way I am getting my H to another tropical island is if we are on a sailboat. Everytime I mention vacation he brings up sailing.
Parent1986- lucky you! We stayed in two of the sunset casitas on our trip. Both with amazing views. Definitely sign up for the night bug tour. (it needs to be done in advance)</p>
<p>teri: I didn’t read the entire thread, but are you committed to the actual week of Christmas? Because both kids are off earlier, we booked USVI (stThomas) for the week before and saved a bundle on both air and hotel…(dec 18-24)</p>
<p>Florida is still open for business! Hit Miami Beach for Christmas.</p>
<p>Yea, lizard… not guaranteed warm enough for me.</p>
<p>Rodney, yes we are committed to being gone for Christmas. This is the only way we can most efficiently utilize D2’s vacation days and get the most time away. She has figured out how many vacation days she has left and when to use them surrounding weekends and days given off since Christmas/Christmas Eve fall on a weekend this year.</p>
<p>Next year she will be in a wedding between Christmas and New Year’s, so if we don’t go this year, it will have to wait two years. At that point, D2 may be out in LA, which would just add to the complexity of planning a trip that is convenient for everyone (D2 is at home now).</p>