Island Vacation Recs with 3 Year Old?

Looking for a place to go on vacation for the week after Christmas. We have never really taken DD on a long vacation (besides NJ shore, etc). I am initially attracted to Beaches Turks and Caicos b/c of the water slides, water park, supposedly good babysitting, but some of the reviews are "iffy". We would ideally love a place that is very nice. DH doesn't get a lot of vacation time, and he wants to go all out (with a child...lol).

We really want to fly out of Newark b/c it's close to us. Any island areas that are fun to take a 3 year old to?

TIA!!!

Re: Island Vacation Recs with 3 Year Old?

We went to Montego Bay Jamaica and stayed at the Hilton. It is all inclusive and is on a beach. They have a playground, kids club, zero entry pool, waterslides that DD (2.5 at the time) went down with us, and a lazy river.

They had a nice children's menu and tons of family activities.

The staff was so nice to us and especially to DD. We loved it.

We used Clive's transportation service and he was fantastic for the trips to and from the airport. He even installed our car seat for us, properly.

Re: Island Vacation Recs with 3 Year Old?

Beaches Turks and Caicos was amazing. It was great for kids and adults. I didn't think there was anything iffy about it.

Re: Island Vacation Recs with 3 Year Old?

We went to the Atlantis last Nov. and are going again the week after Halloween. It is an amazing place for kids and adults too. Last year my kids were 3 & 2 and they had a great time.

It isn't all inclusive but the food is great, the pools are amazing, really there isn't anything bad about this place. We stayed and are staying again in the coral towers. They just renovated the rooms there. The Royal towers is the center one that has the casino's and is right by the kiddie pool. We walked to it everyday and it was only about a 10 minute walk.

Message edited 10/2/2010 9:13:10 AM.

Re: Island Vacation Recs with 3 Year Old?

We've been to a bunch of islands with DD#1 - Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten twice, Aruba three times.... I would say Aruba was the best for kids. I've stayed at the Radisson without DD and I loved it. The Hyatt also looks amazing. We stayed at the Marriott there with DD and it was nice but wasn't luxury. I would consider Aruba or St. Maarten. I've heard great things about Beaches Turks and Caicos and i really want to go but I'm not sure if it's more geared towards kids and not fancy, or it's a fancy place and they have kids stuff to do KWIM?