Antigua can thank ancient volcanic activity for its breathtaking coastline, which undulates with natural harbors and quiet lagoons. Straddling a peninsula between the calm Caribbean and Atlantic is the very plush Curtain Bluff Resort, rated a top Caribbean pick by the readers of Conde
Nast Traveler. This all-inclusive
resort sits on 15 acres of beach and gardens, with 72 gorgeous rooms and suites overlooking a bluff, top-notch service, and idyllic surroundings. Hibiscus spill over white stone staircases leading to suites with marble bathrooms, sunken living rooms, and sweeping water views. Curtain Bluff's two restaurants are known for some of the Caribbean's finest food, prepared by French-trained chefs, and each day culminates in a five-course gourmet meal. As an all-inclusive, Curtain Bluff offers rates that include lodging, meals (extending to 24-hour in-room service), drinks, snacks, entertainment, and a sizable array of activities including
tennis, croquet, golf, two beaches, a free-form pool, and watersports from kayaking and reef snorkeling to water skiing and scuba. For families, the resort also offers kids’ programs, an activities room
with games and movies, babysitting service (for a fee), and kids' menus with
early dining room hours for the younger set.
Curtain Bluff is running a Fifth Night Free promotion for a winter stay: Stay four nights in a Junior Suite or higher room category sometime from January 3 to 23, 2010, and your fifth night is free. If you book by December 15, you’ll also get two complimentary spa treatments per room. To see if this promotion is a good deal, we crunched the numbers. In January, a Junior Suite is priced at $1,325 a night for two adults. The rate for each child under 5 is $75 a night. For kids 5 and older, it's an extra $220 a night. That means a family of four with one toddler and one school-age child would pay $1,620 each night, or $6,480 for a four-night stay. That's a big hunk of dough, but getting the free fifth night is worth a whopping $1,620. If you make the early-booking deadline, you'll also get those two spa treatments, worth at least $220. A 60-minute deep tissue massage, for example, runs $120 and an entry-level facial costs $110.
Deal or no deal? No question about it, most families would consider this is a splurge even with the free night and spa treatments. That said, this package saves you at least $1,870 on a five-night stay, which ain't chump change. If you’re looking for a good deal on a high-end Caribbean vacation, this could be just the ticket.
