About Adults Only Resorts in the Caribbean
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While I have nothing against kids, as long as they stay off my lawn, I prefer not to drink with them while on vacation. Evidently others agree as adult-only resorts are popping up everywhere in the Caribbean.
You Can Leave Your Hat On
No you don’t have to “drop trou” to hang (pun intended) at an adults-only resort. At one time, adults-only meant swinging singles and nude beaches. Now the resorts have learned that some of us just want to drink at the swim-up bar in peace. There was a time when resorts like Hedonism I and II in Negril, Jamaica were the only options to vacations sans any kids at all. Speaking of options, clothing is one of them at Hedonism. These two are the proto-typical swinger’s resorts and are no longer the definition of Adults-only. In today’s travel world, Adults-only simply means over 21 years of age.
It’s Your Own Fault
Why this new trend? Most resorts have kiddy pools for the children and what they call adult’s pools, some with swim-up bars and some just for peace and quiet in other areas of the resort. The problem is: some folks feel these rules don’t apply to them and bring the kids wherever they want to go. Right or wrong, guests with no children, whether they are singles or have already spent their years raising children, would prefer to not have kids splashing chlorinated water into their Pina-Colada. There’s nothing wrong with kids running around having fun, but when designated adult areas mean nothing, people get upset.
Enter the Big Boys
It’s not just small resorts going Adults-only anymore. Some of the biggest chains in the Caribbean are offering a respite from the little tykes. Sandals, RIU, Barceló and Bahia Principe are just a few of the larger hotel chains with at least some of their resorts going for just the grownups.
Options Galore
A surprising amount of hotel resorts have gone the way of Adults-only in just the past few years. A quick search of CheapCaribbean.com, a popular vacation package website reveals 4 pages of listings for Adults-only resorts. You can now find them all over the Caribbean from Mexico to Grenada along with Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic among others.
What’s in it for Me?
For those seeking a romantic getaway, you can now have it. For those seeking peace and quiet, you can now find it. If you want to party like a drunken Frat-boy, you can still do that, but without worrying about setting a bad example for the kiddies. It also means no “accidents” in the pool. Although, when you see a couple guys drinking all day long at the swim-up bar and then realize, you never did see them get up to go to the bathroom…well, that was no accident.
