Hot winter get-away 2014

[tenyardrambo]

I need some help looking for a decent resort that is not too pricey. Anywhere around Mexico, Dominican area, etc.
Travelling February 2014
It should have the following

1. All inclusive
2. On, or very close to a beach with waves big enough to boogie board.
3. Direct flight from Calgary
4. It cant be Hawaii, we have been there already.


Thanks for the help!

[surferguy]

Rent a house on VRBO and go to Costa Rica.

You will find waves "big enough"

[undercoverbrother]

No all inclusive, but hit up Barbados, safe, fun and good surfing.

[rubecube]

I love threads like this. Poster asks for advice with specific criteria, first two responses completely ignore said criteria.

Anyways, I think we need a little more info. What is your price range? How long do you want to go for? What's important to you in a resort (i.e. good food, nightlife, etc.)? What activities are you looking to do outside the resort?

Here's a good article on how to shop for all-inclusives:

http://yvrdeals.com/vancouver-to-pla...nclusive-deals

[gargamel]

If price is important, you're not going to beat Cancun. The Yucatan Peninsula is perfectly safe, but people are still afraid because it's Mexico, so the prices are lower than they should be. Most of the places are all inclusive, but you can get a good local meal or two too if you're willing to venture into the city.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Not sure if the waves are big enough to boogie board on...

But the Sol Luna y Mares in holguin Cuba is awesome...

[Northendzone]

how hot?

[rd_aaron]

1) Go to www.selloffvacations.com and search "All South" for the dates you want, and amenities (star level, beach-front, all inclusive, etc.)
2) Look at the available options and decide what you're comfortable spending.
3) Go to www.tripadvisor.ca and search for reviews on all the hotels that meet your requirements.
4) Pick the hotel that has the best reviews and meets your wishlist.

Usually I'd say to wait until far closer to your travel date before booking to get a better deal but there's some pretty good deals in February 2014 right now if you're not going during Feb break.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Rent a house on VRBO and go to Costa Rica.

You will find waves "big enough"

Just came back from Manuel Antonio. I second this.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by gargamel

If price is important, you're not going to beat Cancun. The Yucatan Peninsula is perfectly safe, but people are still afraid because it's Mexico, so the prices are lower than they should be. Most of the places are all inclusive, but you can get a good local meal or two too if you're willing to venture into the city.

Cancun and PV are pretty similar in price from what I can gather. Cancun has a larger selection of AO resorts, if that's important to you. Plus, I like the water better in Cancun.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

Usually I'd say to wait until far closer to your travel date before booking to get a better deal

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but is there a rule of thumb for getting value for your dollar? Is there a better time of year to book than others? Does it depend on time of year and destination?

[rd_aaron]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but is there a rule of thumb for getting value for your dollar? Is there a better time of year to book than others? Does it depend on time of year and destination?

The most expensive times of the year are around Xmas/New Years, February break, and spring break at the end of March.

The best way to get a deal is to book last minute (maybe a week or two ahead of time). Sometimes you can find some really solid deals ahead of time if you are planning on vacationing during a slow period (early December is usually pretty cheap).

This advice is assuming you're looking to do an all-inclusive vacation package.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but is there a rule of thumb for getting value for your dollar? Is there a better time of year to book than others? Does it depend on time of year and destination?

Again, I'd direct you to http://yvrdeals.com/vancouver-to-pla...nclusive-deals. Chris is actually a CP member and does a really nice job summing up all-inclusives.

EDIT: One tip I would add is setting up Skyscanner alerts to track flight prices for when you want to go, as well as price alerts on Hotels.com if you have particular hotels in mind you like. While this isn't a great way to track the charter companies directly, it can help you gauge value.

[Kybosh]

It's not great for all inclusives, but Google Flights is really great for flight browsing. I'm actually amazed at how good it is and how easy it is to use.

[northcrunk]

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.....done.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I love threads like this. Poster asks for advice with specific criteria, first two responses completely ignore said criteria.

Anyways, I think we need a little more info. What is your price range? How long do you want to go for? What's important to you in a resort (i.e. good food, nightlife, etc.)? What activities are you looking to do outside the resort?

Here's a good article on how to shop for all-inclusives:

http://yvrdeals.com/vancouver-to-pla...nclusive-deals

I covered off 3 of his 4 items.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I covered off 3 of his 4 items.

You can get a direct flight to Barbados from YYC?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by rubecube

You can get a direct flight to Barbados from YYC?

Yep, Westjet, but I think it only goes during our winter.

[cral12]

As I ponder a winter getaway, can we live vicariously thru others who already have vacations booked?
Where are you headed this winter?

[Calgary14]

I have been to the Mayan Riviera (just south of Cancun) a couple times and it's awesome. I will definitely go again soon. The resorts there are unbelievably nice