winter sun holiday for my parents

[miggy]

My parents are having a golden wedding anniversary in december. DH and I have decided to buy them a holiday somewhere nice as a sort of honeymoon-as when they got married they were quite young and had no money so mum just joined dad in austria and germany for a week (he was in RAF after the war)
Would need to be in jan-so as to be fairly near.
They are quite young in outlook and happy to travel. Enjoy sitting round pool/swimming/reading, not mad on beaches. Mum loves shopping (!), like nice food.
Do you think Dubai (they have been before and loved it) or caribean-have never been to this area-pos more romantic?
Any other ideas/hotel recommendations? Trying to keep under £1500 for 2. Would love some help as such a big thing and cant ask them as would prefer to be a suprise

shameless bump

miggy - since it's quite close, why not have a look at lastminute.com, and see what's available and somethng you hadn't thought of might grab your fancy? It sounds as if almost anywhere warm/hot might give them a nice romantic break. Mexico? (never been, it just sounds exciting!) Better check where has a rainy season in Jan too, before booking!

i went to the caribbean and i wouldnt recommend it, sorry

what about a cruise

Nailpolish-where did you go and why didnt you like it? we have been to jamaica and barbados and liked both but was looking at antigua for my parents. Would be very interested to know where to avoid.
Blu-have been looking on lastminute-thanks-def have the best prices. Thought Mexico might be a bit too "exotic" but dont know much about it-will research it thanks.

We went to Negril, Jamaica and absolutely loved it!

Not sure that Jamaica (particularly Negril) is back up and running for tourists after the Hurricane. I thought I'd read that some parts of Jamaica had taken such a battering that it was going to take many months to get things back to scratch.

hi

we went to jamaica (ochos rios) all inclusive and we went on loads of trips to mountains and waterfalls and the usual stuff but when we left the hotel and walked down the street i was really upset cos of all the poor people (of want of a better word) begging and offering to "braid hair" etc just for a few pennies. i was just upset cos of the children etc who were so thin and begging and all the rich americans just stepping over them in the street to get to their souvenir shops.

"that it was going to take many months to get things back to scratch"

Not sure that sentence made any sense, but you know what I mean

i must also say that there were good bits of the holiday, like the boat trips and also the hotel staff were the friendliest and funniest people i have ever met!

slinky

I had my hair braided but the girl refused any money. All she wanted were some books - so I gave her all my books I'd taken with me.

nailpolish-if you want somewhere with lovely people and caribean weather BUT no poverty, would recommend the Seychelles. We had fab holiday there this summer and was lovely to be in a fab place without feeling guilty about being a tourist.
11 hr flight so think bit far for my parents though.

Maybe you should feel guilty. Poverty does exist you know. Blimey I hate to think how you would react to India.

Anyway, not the place for that conversation.

Tobago is very nice and pretty prosperous. They may like the Blue Haven www.bluehavenhotel.com/ v nice hotel. Rubbish shopping though.

Or how about somewhere with a bit more to do - are they into nature, if so Costa Rica. Or antiquities - Mexico would be good.

Or as you say Dubai.

Hope they have a lovely time!

Sri Lanka would be good too.

CD-thanks for the suggestions will check them out.

I didnt say that there wasnt a need to feel guilty-just reacting to Nailpolish's comment re Jamaica. Some people do find it upsetting to witness poverty first hand, especially as a "rich" western tourist. The Seychelles has a very good welfarehousingeducation system and there is no obvious poverty-obv there is, as there is here but not on the scale of Jamaica.
FWIW I have spent 4 mths in India, travelling and doing some charity work and yes I agree, brings a new meaning to the word poverty.

Sorry didn't mean it to sound as terse as it came across - it does wind me up, the "eurgh, poor people" brigade in their all-inclusive hell holes lining the pockets of the already rich hotel chains!

btw for Tobago the best flights are with Excel Airways, their intermediate class is very good. http:/www.westernair.co.uk cheapest place to book.

Or www.justtobago.co.uk are quite a nice little company i believe.

Nailpolish, which resort were you in? We went to Beaches in Ocho Rios and loved it. But seeing the poverty on the drive from the airport was eye-opening to say the least. Don't you think that, as tourism is such a big industry for a lot of Caribbean nations, if those of us who are more fortunate spend our vacation dollars (or pounds!) in these poorer countries that that is doing them some good?

Nailpolish - to me that sounds like a good reason not to visit America, rather than not to visit Jamaica!

I think the Seychelles might be out of your budget, Miggy...you might get a cheap deal to Mauritius - not the greatest of shopping (some good markets if you travel away from the hotel, fabrics clothes, Ralph Lauren factory Shops, vanilla pods, great hand made baskets, but no posh shopping) but the local people really do benefit from good employment in the tourist industry.

How about florida, you could rent a villa with a pool and enjoy the florida sun in your own luxury. try www.platinumvillas.com