Which Couples for Honeymoon in June? Help me Pick

I'm planning a honeymoon in early June of 2010 - but I have a problem. I can't decide where we'll stay. They all seem great. After hours and hours of searching for AI's in the Caribbean, my brain was on overload until I talked to friends who are very satisfied CTI customers and are returning again soon.

Now I'm experiencing the same sort of overload. I've spent several hours searching flickr and browsing the message board.

We're in our late 20's and love the beach (we live in southern Florida). This will be a surprise for my soon to be wife.

Here's what I'm looking for:
- Nice beach, like a Corona commercial, not too busy
- A resort which doesn't feel overcrowded
- Minibar in room, swim up bar at pool

Nice to have:
- Room service
- Zip line
- golf

No need:
- Nude beach

If you can help me narrow it, that would be great!
Thanks.

First, we have stayed at CN and CSS and taken a day pass to CSA. We have only read about CTI on this board, but are excited about our trip there next month.

Well, CSS is the only one of the Couples resorts that has real room service. The others have a continental breakfast delivered to your room, but the breakfast buffets are unbelievable, so I would skip the continental breakfast.

CSS and CTI have secluded beaches, but the sand is brown and hard like Iowa river sand (not quite that bad). It's still a very nice beach though. CSA and CN have beautiful beaches with soft white sand, but there is foot traffic from guests of other resorts and local people and some vendors (they do have to stay at the water's edge).

CSA is the one (or so I've read on this board) that may feel crowded. We were at CSS when it was at 100% and it felt empty at times. CSS is a huge resort with only 150 rooms. CN has never felt crowded to us either.

Some of the rooms at CSA and CTI do not have mini bars, so check the room type descriptions before you book. All rooms at CN and CSS have mini bars (I believe).

Your age makes no difference. All of the Couples resorts cater to all ages of people in love. You will see many people from 20 to 75 at all of the resorts.

The nude beaches at all of the resorts that have them are away from the textile beaches, so they won't be a bother to you. Topless is allowed on the CSA and CN main beaches and CTI's pier, not on the CSS main beach, if that bothers you.

There are many, many off-site excursions available from all the Couples resorts, including zip line and golf, so you are fine there.

From your desires, I would have to suggest CN first and CSS second, depending on whether the sand or seclusion on the beach is more important to you.

One thing to remember...there is no wrong choice. No matter which one you decide on, you will be blown away!

We were married at CSA in 2007 while we were still in our late 20's. We visited CN on a day pass butdidn't stay the whole day. While we enjoyed our time at CN we really loved the feelof CSA due to the spread out nature and all the foilage between the buildings, to us it felt less hotel like the rooms were not so close together.
The beaches at both CSA and CN are amazing, if you notice in the photo threads that is where all those amazing sunsets com from,the western side of the island. The sand is white andsoft and the water is always crystal clear and calm you can lay on a float for hours and barley move. Cn's beach is deeper and CSA's beach is longer. The BFVS is right on the beach and the views from the third floor corner rooms are the most amazing we have ever seen.
CN has a large pool and pool bar. CSA has 3 pools one has a swim up bar. Both are a fun place to be during the day.

CN is the more compact of the 2 resorts. CSA is larger so I don't know how Wally felt it was more crowded, but to each his own opinion. We never felt crowed on the beach, in the pool, or at dinner, in the gym, basically anywhere on the resort.

I don't know about the rooms at CN but certain rooms at CSA do have mini bars and fridges, just read the room descriptions we love the BFVS and the OVS. The feel less hotel like as compared to the GHVS and GHJS but again that is just us. We loved the french doors opening to the verandah and we stay on the 3 rd floor when we go so we can leave our doors open and just listen to the waves and the sounds of the night. You will see what I an talking about my wife and I love the sounds of those trees frogs singing all night. The wood and white linens just make it feel so tropical.

No room service at CSA but the cabana grill is open like 23 hrs. so food at any hour is no problem. Food will notbe a problem at couples it is wonderful where ever you descide to eat, if you go hungry at couples it is your fault...LOL
It is also very niceto have the mini fridge in your room.

Both resorts have a free shuttle to the same golf course so no problem there, both cansetup excursions for you. Since the resorts are only 5 minutes apart the time to get to them is the same as wellas the choices.

I could go on but I think I have rambled long enough here. This has been just my opinion I am sure you will here from others with their opinion of which one is better. The truth is there isn't one better than the other, it will be the one you find that you think is better for you. Ifyou have any more questions just ask I will see if I can help.

Oh you didn't say if night life was a big factor or no,My wife and I loved the Aurora Lounge ,Martini Lounge and of course "Ultimate Chocolate" on the piano is a blast.

All of the things you are looking for can be summed up at CSA! We spent our honeymoon there in 2007 and it was truly paradise that was highly recommended by my travel agent mother in law. CSA will have a mini bar, and amazing beach, very spread out do it doesn't feel overcrowded at all..and the best part are the bungalow type rooms. I highly recommend a Beachfront Verandah 3rd floor corner if you are on a honeymoon but I am a bit partial. Trust me you will not regret it. CSA has all you are looking for and more.

ok registering was a pain,but go to couples swept away ive been there three times and stayed once in S and once at r swept away is the most corona comercial you can find. get a ground floor garden view they have mini bar stocked daily beers glass bottles of pepsi 7 up ting, and you have bottles in your room vodka,scotch,rum it has the nicest gardens and ponds with fish in it and bridges exotic plants you will be blown away and culture shocked.....it is by FAR HE NICEST PLACE GREAT ACOMANDATIONS GOOD PEOPLE AND SOME OF THE BEST FOOD YOU WILL HAVE AT ANY RESORT EVER!!!! so go there and you will be thanking Jamaica Sean also its the best part of the 7 mile beach you can walk down theres security on the beach a five min walk youll be at margaritavile and many other cool places
I have friends that have gone to many places and now just swept away takecare have a good one !!

csa! it was so fabulous! relaxing beach was beautiful. It has swim up bar, nice beach, mini bar in room. I had my honeymoon there this past july and we are already possibly planning a trip back it was sooo great!

Things to check out why there
ricks cafe - Fun!
take the cruise also fun!
and check out the piano bar it wasnt at all what i thought it would be we ended up there a few nights and met alot of great people it was fun.
other than that just lay on the beach and relax!!
--- only thing that i did not find enjoyable was the people trying to sell you stuff on the beach they were nice about it when you said no but you had to do it about once a day, because they would just ask again the next day but i think you would get that anywhere. :)

nate..We have had the pleasure of staying at CN,CSS and CTI...We also have visited CSA on day passes for two different years.

In my opinion,CSS is the very best for a wedding or honeymoon and it meets what you are looking for and things nice to have...Please take a minute and really do a thorough search on CSS.

Hugs

If you're looking for a gorgeous, "Corona commercial" beach, you're probably going to need to go to one of the Negril resorts - CSA or CN. I believe CN has minibars in all the rooms and CSA has them in certain categories. Both have swim-up bars. Good luck. You can't go wrong.

Nate, We just picked couples CN for all those reasons. My fiance and I will be getting married on June 5th and headed for CN June 7th thru 12th. I haven't been to any of them but have researched them for 2 months. I came to the conclusion of CN for the beach, swim-up bar, and I have also read that CN is what most "couples" newbies pick so you may tend to find more couples in their 20's, 30's. We are 27 and 26 so if you pick CN and are going at the same time let me know

Russ and Alyssa

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nate

I'm planning a honeymoon in early June of 2010 - but I have a problem. I can't decide where we'll stay. They all seem great. After hours and hours of searching for AI's in the Caribbean, my brain was on overload until I talked to friends who are very satisfied CTI customers and are returning again soon.

Now I'm experiencing the same sort of overload. I've spent several hours searching flickr and browsing the message board.

We're in our late 20's and love the beach (we live in southern Florida). This will be a surprise for my soon to be wife.

Here's what I'm looking for:
- Nice beach, like a Corona commercial, not too busyALL
- A resort which doesn't feel overcrowdedALL
- Minibar in room, swim up bar at poolCN, CSS and depending on room catagory CTI, CSA have mini-bars. ALL have a swim-up bar

Nice to have:
- Room serviceCSS
- Zip line ALL
- golfALL

No need:
- Nude beachCN, CSS, have a nude beach, CTI has a nude island, CSA, no nude option

If you can help me narrow it, that would be great!
Thanks.

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Don't know if that helped....probably confused you even more, but I tried :)

We just came back from CTI and as much as we loved all the included activities, features and facilities of this place, the beach is just sub-par. Great spot for a vacation but not a honeymoon where you like to lie on a beautiful beach.

How important is your room? Do you want/need a jacuzzi? Is a large room important? Do you want a hammock just for you? The rooms vary.

We've only stayed at CN. The pluses are a perfect beach -- not nearly as long as 7-mile (CSA) but deep and very few resorts on it. Bloody Bay is perfect for water sports.

The property is large for the number of rooms -- we've never felt crowded even if the resort is full.

Downside -- not many activities outside of the resort. Upside -- who wants to leave the resort? :)

There are only 2 types of rooms at CN -- rooms and suites Decor and size are exactly the same. Views differ a bit. The basic rooms are fine but I would not describe them as luxurious (say, by NY standards). The suites have similar decor but larger bath and room. The pix on-line are pretty realistic. If you want a really fancy room, the Ocho Rios resorts (CSS, CTI) might be better. If you don't spend much time in your room (we don't), then it may not make any difference.

Most of us just go with our "gut" instinct. Do that and then stop worrying! You'll have a great time.

I noticed that someone said all the resorts have a zipline???? Did I miss this the last time I was at CSA!?!?! can someone enlighten me!