BeachsideBargains
Live large and spend less on
a Caribbean vacation
AN ALL-INCLUSIVE Caribbean
resort used to mean three meals
a day plus the three B’s—beach, booze,
and a bedroom—all for one low price.
Now, thanks in part to increased com-
petition, it’s more like a land-based
luxury cruise that doesn’t charge extra
for, well, almost anything, from golf to
in-room dining. Some questions to ask:
Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort in Aruba
What does all-inclusive include?
An all-inclusive should give you lodg-
ing, all nonmotorized watersports
and on-site activities, plus meals,
snacks, and beverages. The various
chains and resorts ratchet things up
from there, so ask what you get for the
price. Sports such as kayaking and
sailing are typically gratis, though in-
dustry leaders Sandals (888-726-3257;
sandals.com) and Super Clubs (800-
467-8737; superclubs.com) include
scuba diving and water-skiing.
Whom does the resort cater to?
Some brands—including Beaches
(800-232-2437; beaches.com), Club
Med (800-258-2633; clubmed.us), and
most Breezes resorts (800-467-8737;
breezes.com)—are family oriented;
others, such as Couples (800-268-7537;
couples.com), cater to twosomes. If
you love mile-long buffets and loathe
dinner-jacket dress codes, you might
prefer the more casual Riu (888-748-
4990; riu.com). Size makes a difference, too: a big property may mean
crowded beaches and longer waits for
popular watersports.
Are there discounts?
As more resorts open, you can expect
more value-added deals. Divi Village
Golf & Beach Resort (800-367-3484;
diviresorts.com) on Aruba offers free
golf after 3:00 P.M., including a cart,
throughout 2009. A 30-minute massage awaits guests who book three
nights at Antigua’s Hermitage Bay
(268-562-5500; hermitagebay.com).
Some of the best deals are in hurricane-prone September or October. The
odds of being hit by a hurricane are
low, but consider travel insurance
and resorts that make guarantees. If a
hurricane strikes a SuperClubs resort
during your stay, for instance, you’ll be
reimbursed for disrupted nights and
receive a voucher for a visit the same
month the next year. —Laura Daily
