Short flight and convenience of Tenerife or tropical delights of caribbean!? It'd be obvious if it didn't involve a 2 year old and a long flight!

[SaveScrabulous]

Ok I have the rather lovely choice of:
Option 1
A week in a gorgeous hotel in Tenerife in March. Weather could be dodgy but I've stayed there before and it is a truly fab hotel.
Flight - 4.5 hours, no jet lag, no early start

Option 2
A week in an equally gorgeous hotel in the more beautiful surroundings of a Caribbean island.
Weather should be better.
Flight - 8+ hours incl overnight on the way back but ds doesn't typically sleep on flights.
Early start for outward journey. 4 or 5 hours time difference.

If it weren't for the fact we are going with our almost 3 year old it'd obviously be the Caribbean but is it worth the hassle of that long flight to go further??!

I can't decide....

caribbean, weather is too unpredictable in tenerife.

Yes we went in April last year and it was a bit dodgy some days!
It's just the thought of 8+ hours on a plane with a 2.8 year old...albeit that as kids that age go he's relatively ok at concentrating/ sitting still but it's a long time!

oh come on where is everybody tonight!?
I need more opinions!

I would probably pick caribbean, we have flown to caribbean, florida and australia with 2 young children, I always expect the flights to be awful and they never have been, also we didnt seem to have too much of a problem with jet lag going to florida and the caribbean.

I'd go for Tenerife but then have never done long haul with DS. I found the 4 hrs to Tenerife bad enough! BTW whcih hotel in Tenerife?

Caribbean would win my vote. As long as you have plenty to do the flight will fly by

Sods law says if you play safe and go for Tenerife, then you will have massive flight delays and end up spending days in the airport at both ends of the trip.

I would go for Caribbean, especially as you have a night flight on the way back. Can you stay in a hotel airport to make the outward start a little less early? Does DS still nap in his buggy in case you do get stuck at an airport?

Hi OAP - you are so right and the weather will be awful and I will spend the whole time thinking 'we should have gone to the Caribbean!' Unfortunately he wouldn't nap in his buggy and we don't even bother taking one anywhere any more but it would have to be a heck of a delay to get to his nap time! Slightly worried he wouldn't sleep on the way back! Are you planning post treatment holiday? I think we all need one on our IVFers thread!!

Chocolate - hotel in Tenerife is Abama - absolutely fantastic. It's in the middle of nowhere, so quite isolated but stunning. The closest thing I've come across to a tropical Caribbean or Mauritius style resort without going long haul.

Will have to trawl through old threads on how to amuse kids on long flights.....I've managed fine for 4 hours but there'll be another 4 after that - yikes!But hopefully very worthwhile!

I would def opt for Tenerife. My ds has just turned 3 and I think I would get really stressed at the idea of the long flight ... it would probably be fine in reality but I wouldnt relax thinking about it. I worried enough about a short flight to Portugal last year. Mine doesnt sleep in buggies or on planes either so I dont want to consider long flights for a good few years yet.

whereabouts in the caribbean? Have taken my lo to Caribbean twice and he is 21 months. It is a bit of a slog but worth it for the beautiful sunshine!

antigua.
We've decided to go for it....am starting to gather sticker books for the flight!

good for you! How exciting! Have a great time. Remember to take extra food on the plane with you as the kiddy meals are crap.

I found these fantastic puzzle Magnet books- has 4 puzzles in it and the bits are all magnets. They stick well , we did puzzles, made stories and she wanted to do more but we had landed !!! DD has my little pony but there were lots of 'boy ones'. Have a great holiday