Pimp your HM

MeaghanandMichael

Mike and I want to go somewhere warm. We want to go somewhere sickenly romantic. We want to go somewhere where they bring you drinks in the sand and in the swim up pool. Sorry, Europe and Hawaii are out. We don't want to spend too much time traveling.

AI is a plus. Mike gets sick on cruises unfortunately and we are trying to keep costs middle of the road but could be wooed into something fantastic!

Links are bonerific and appreciated!

number55

Give me price range and if you want AI or not. These two things would make a huge difference to my suggestions. Also, do you want busy or quiet and secluded?

tidetravel

Well, we went to the mountains for our HM, so not exactly what you're looking for, but I've always been a fan of cruises.  No stress, great food, lots of different things to do, and they're relatively cheap.  Royal Caribbean is the best, IMO.

[Deleted User]

I'm not kidding when I say that I was blown away by our HM. We went to Excellene Playa Mujeres (near Cancun but not in Cancun). We had our own private rooftop pool. And they absolutely spoiled us. It was amazing. If you want to party, it's not really the place for you, but if you just want to relax, drink by the pool / beach and have a super romantic time, then I would definitely recommend it.

They even threw me a little birthday party by sending me flowers, baking me a cake and coming in a decorating our room.

MeaghanandMichael

I edited my OP to give more details of what we are looking for.

And yes, CEW, I definitely want to be able to 'partyp as in Mike and I being stupid together, but I don't need a nightclub scene at all. In fact, I don't really want to see other people!

[Deleted User]

Sorry, forgot the link:

http://www.excellence-resorts.com/all-inclusive-resorts/playa-mujeres-mexico/playa-resort-specials.htm?gclid=CJjWs4adjKUCFQO87Qod9xSqMg






We also had a main floor balcony where they would bring our breakfast every morning. They had theme nights like casino night and impersonator night. We would spend the whole day drinking in the sun, so we pretty much went to bed early every night.

MeaghanandMichael

zomg swan towels!! No really. I love when they do that stuff.
But good lord does it look amazing. Thank you SO much for that rec!!

number55

Okay...here are my St. Lucia suggestions. Yes, they have just been hit a by hurricane but my friend just flew in yesterday (she own land there, in the community where we run a summer camp) and it is looking good. They rely heavily on tourism so they really want people to keep coming.

High End:

Jade Mountain - This place is the ultimate in luxury. Butler, Infinity Pools, etc...and VERY VERY EXPENSIVE. But you get what you pay for apparently. Also located in the one of the best scuba/snorkeling areas of the island. 

Ladera - Oprah once voted this place her favourite spa in the Caribbean. I have never been there but have heard lovely things. It isn't cheap though. It might be slightly cheaper than Jade Mountain but for the difference I might go to Jade. (the link WILL NOT insert - www.ladera.com

Middle to High End:

Ti Kaye (I have a special place in my heart for this place. We go there at least once, usually more often, each summer as it is very close by to where we live. It is VERY secluded. You can take a day trip or rent a car and get places but you will not be walking ANYWHERE as it is a good 40 minutes in either direction from anything. The point of this resort is ultimate relaxation. It is generally visited by Europeans and Americans. It only has 32 rooms so there aren't that many guests there at any given time. It is LOVELY. The rooms have 3 wall and then the 4th wall opens up to the sea, they have a wonderful spa and AMAZING scuba/snorkeling. The food is amazing (but not cheap although they do have AI type packages). It is a walk down stairs to the beach (but this is typical in St. Lucia). If you ever ended up going there I could hook you up with about half the staff since I know most of them (they are the mothers of the kids we run the camp for!)

MeaghanandMichael

Thank you SO much Number!!! I am emailing this thead to Mike right now

[Deleted User]

Oh and if you want to see more pics, I have several others on my FB.

number55

MM, you will notice that I did NOT include the 3 Sandals resorts on the island. I did so because I know that they are the first that everyone suggests and I get tired of ONLY hearing about Sandals resorts.

One option that  A LOT of people take is to stay at one resort for 3 days and another for 3/4 days. A lot of the resorts do these kinda of deals in St. Lucia. It allows you to stay in two different 'types' of resorts. I think that at the Sandals resorts you feel like you are at a big resort whereas the three I suggested are MUCH more boutique style resorts. It kinda depends on what you kinda feel you want but by splitting the trip between two resorts you get the best of both worlds. The Sandals resorts are much closer to the capital (and to the big market and some shopping) and at least one of them has rondovals (the room where you have your own pool) and swim up pools and the such. 

FWIW, the place where cew went on her HM is where DH and I are going to go (if we ever effing go) but that's only because St. Lucia is like a second home to us. It would be weird to go there on our HM. 

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_pimp-hm?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:1c4011d3-9f2f-4ff0-a584-870c0a669e00Post:76b25570-e757-4199-b45c-7fbf1e8fe4ba">Re: Pimp your HM</a>:
[QUOTE]Sorry dude, we drove RT 66 across country :)
Posted by mag920[/QUOTE]

I've been thinking about doing this next summer. Do you think it would something that a 6 year old would enjoy or should we wait until Ben's older?

leayn

We may be going to North Carolina for 2 weeks.  It has to be somewhere we can drive AND somewhere we can bring our dog.  No one wants to watch a Dobie for 2 weeks and I will not leave her with strangers.

[Deleted User]

Where in NC are you going?

LesPaul

CEW - Rt 66 here in the west is a lot lf driving without a lot to see.  It would be boring for Ben at 6 years old, I think.  There are probably stretches that are much more interesting further east.  My brother lives at the westernmost end of 66 in California.  They have a RT 66 festival every year that is a lot of fun, with lots of vintage cars and history of the highway.

Steph0871

We've gone to the Palace Resorts in both Cancun and Dominican Republic.  They were both ah-mazing.  Not sure if it's still this way, but the one in Pvnta Cana, DR was still 'under construction' in February so the rates were much lower.  They were just finishing building a few of the hotel rooms, but the rest of the resort was perfect.  Plus side to only half the resort being open? My family had pretty much two pools to ourselves.  I have pictures on my fb, I think, of the rooms, too. It was wonderful.

[Deleted User]

That's such a cool site, Mag. Thanks for sharing. I think I'm going to start looking into it and decide next spring. I want to do something beyond the normal beach trip, ya know?

kd.joseph

Well we rented a beachouse in Isle of Palm, SC. So thats not what you are looking for.

I think I'd go with Cew's, hell I want to go now.

We did stay at a Sandals in Jamiaca, I know a lot of people dont like Jamica, but as long as you just want to lounge around a resort we stayed in Negril and it was really nice. We would go back.

Good luck and have fun.

MeaghanandMichael

Wow these are ridiculous! Thanks for all the info ladies! KD - I have heard the Jamaica is awesome too as long as you stay in the resort and all that good stuff!

leayn

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_pimp-hm?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:1c4011d3-9f2f-4ff0-a584-870c0a669e00Post:1b097a0f-3f5d-4003-87f8-eb14e5f02601">Re: Pimp your HM</a>:
[QUOTE]Where in NC are you going?
Posted by cew515[/QUOTE]

I haven't nailed it down yet, but probably Nags Head or the southern shores.  What is the weather like there in early May?

[Deleted User]

It's nice, but it's not hot. In fact, it can be sort of chilly and windy on the beach. The best time is late May / early June.

LesPaul

It wasn't a HM, but I had a great time in Belize.  Stayed in Ambergris Caye and went scuba diving for the most part - no time on the mainland.  Not too expensive for an 'exotic' location.

leayn

Hmmm I can always push it out 2 weeks.  I definitely want to go to the beach and in the water, so hotter would be better.

Are you near any hot vacation spots?  We could always turn one night of our HM into a NC GTG!

[Deleted User]

Yeah. If you want to play in the ocean, I would definitely push it back. I mean, you could definitely do it in early May (that's when my parents always go), but it just might be a little cooler. Matt's parents go in July and it's hot as hell, so June is the best time.

I'm about 4 hours from the beach (5 - 6 from the Outerbanks) and about 1.5 from the mountains.

Nebb

We didnt go on a honeymoon. We will be going on a trip close to our 3yr anniversary, but thats not really a honeymoon. This is the first time since we got married that we will be able to afford it

MeaghanandMichael

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_pimp-hm?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:1c4011d3-9f2f-4ff0-a584-870c0a669e00Post:22071d13-8ada-493e-a48b-a561a03e3db1">Re: Pimp your HM</a>:
[QUOTE]We didnt go on a honeymoon. We will be going on a trip close to our 3yr anniversary, but thats not really a honeymoon. This is the first time since we got married that we will be able to afford it :(
Posted by Nebb[/QUOTE]

hey Nebb! Any idea where you are thinking of going yet? That is so exciting!

leayn

The mountains are nice too!  I have more investigating to do.  I think it is about an 8 hour drive for us to get into NC.

Nebb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_pimp-hm?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:1c4011d3-9f2f-4ff0-a584-870c0a669e00Post:87b86a50-377f-465f-b3c9-1c27c7be900e">Re: Pimp your HM</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Pimp your HM : hey Nebb! Any idea where you are thinking of going yet? That is so exciting!
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]
Its pretty certain we are driving out to maine and getting a vacation house on the coast somewhere for a week. :D Im rather excited.

kd.joseph

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_pimp-hm?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:1c4011d3-9f2f-4ff0-a584-870c0a669e00Post:a90202c5-3654-47e1-883c-8765f169bee3">Re: Pimp your HM</a>:
[QUOTE]The mountains are nice too!  I have more investigating to do.  I think it is about an 8 hour drive for us to get into NC.
Posted by leayn[/QUOTE]

Leayn- If you look at the Mountain side, look into Lake Lure. DH's daughter got married there a few years ago and we rented a cabin. It is beautiful.

LesPaul

PSA for vacationing - Vacation Rentals by Owner is a great site: VRBO.com.  We have used them 5 or 6 times with great success.  They have rentals in every state, from studio condos to giant houses.  I highly recommend it if you don't want to do a hotel.

pirategal03

Leayn, I'd push the trip to June if you want to play in the ocean at OBX. If you go south of Cape Hattaras you would probably be fine in late May. We go to H's family's house on Topsail early May each year and it's usually a little cool for swimming or sitting on the beach. Check into the beaches around Wilmington or Morehead City (Crystal coast area) for some ideas of more Southern beaches.