Alternatives to disappointing destinations

[Forgottenmyphone]

In response to my thread about disappointing destinations, where would you suggest as alternatives for:
Barcelona
Phuket
Paris
New York
Las Vegas
Bali
Venice
Egypt
Marrakesh
Maldives

I think Washington DC or San Francisco are good alternatives to NY and Bilbao or Valencia are good alternatives for Barcelona. Lombok would be a good alternative to Bali.

Malaga the actual city rather than the resort bits is a fab city break as is Utrect 30min outside Amsterdam

My favourite alternative to the Maldives is Zanzibar. We stayed last year in a 23 room boutique hotel set in between two cliff edges making the beach de facto private, some rooms had private pools, all had a a lovely terrace, beautiful crystal clear water, soft white sand, laying under the shade of a coconut tree sipping a cocktail. Easy day trips to snorkel, see museums etc. Staff couldn't do enough for you. Much more reasonably priced than the Maldives too! I'd love to go back.

@clareykb ah lovely Utrecht , the Hagueand Leiden are lovely too - I love the canal side bars in Utrecht how they are set below the street- quite unusual!!

@Crushed23 oh I don’t disagree - my H lived in Antigua for 2 years Asa child - so we went back in 2008 - staying in English harbour - to be honest I actually preferred Majorca - I got bit to buggery, thought it was really expensive and we had a rat in our villa - it was the week before that awful murder at Carlisle bay of that honeymoon couple and there were signs everywhere in the shanty towns about a rapist on the loose, so it didn’t really do it for me - although I can appreciate it was lovely beaches ( loved long bay) and yes it isa different kind of vibe - looked the Shirley heights fish fry thing though- went twice.