bestforlast

Hi All – I am new to the forum. I am in the very beginning stages of planning my weddingmoon (destination wedding/elopement) for October 2010. Yes, I know it is hurricane season but we are willing to risk it. It will be just my fiance and me. I’ve been to many Caribbean islands, but I have always wanted to go to St. Lucia. I’m a little overwhelmed by all of the resort options. Let me tell you a little about us and our preferences and maybe you can help me sort this out. I’m 35, he’s 55. We’re both very young at heart, active, and healthy. We are very athletic. I did an Ironman last fall and he’s training for one this year. We love to eat (good thing we exercise so much) and finding great restaurants, whether it an ethnic hole in the wall, a fabulous brunch, or a 5-star restaurant is one of the highlights of our travels. While we are very active, we also appreciate down time. Our ideal resort will have access to activities like snorkeling and jet skis, but will also have a great beach where we can just relax and read. We are both extroverts and enjoy being sociable, but I envision this trip as being a little more solitary than most cruises we’ve been on. While it is nice to get to know new people, for our honeymoon I think we want to just by ourselves more than we ordinarily would. We are also early birds who don’t really do the nightlife thing. When I think of St. Lucia and a beach getaway, I’m thinking ocean front. In looking at some of the resorts – they all blend together at this point – it looks like some of them are not right on the beach. We would love one of the rooms with a missing fourth wall and an outdoor shower but not at the expense of being oceanfront. Luxury accommodations (nice furnishings, sheets, towels) are high priority. We would love to wake up and see and hear the ocean. That would be a dream. Finally, we aren’t opposed to all inclusive if the food is good. Neither of us drinks more than a glass or two of wine a month, so we are concerned that we won’t get our money’s worth at an AI. If anyone can shed some light on the differences between the different areas of St. Lucia, that would be appreciated. Maybe I can start by narrowing it down that way. Thanks everyone! BTW, we are professionals and can spend a little more than we ordinarily would on this trip, but my frugal side prevents me from wanting to pay more than $500/nt. Thanks in advance!