drrich2
Contributor
The wife and I like being treated like we are " Rich and famous" for a few days of our meager Middle Class lives. We definitely like going to the 'All Inclusive resorts." What are the best Diving All Inclusive resorts in the Caribbean??
I'm too cheap to pay for what you may be looking for, but I don't know what you're calling 'rich and famous.' Most any dive tourist qualifies in the eyes of many locals. Some like 'valet diving' where staff set up your gear. Especially as you start out in the hobby, there's a lot to be said for setting up your own and building familiarity with where to put weight & how much, how to get the strap tight on the tank, etc... I know convenience matters, too.
And some people want to be catered to by hotel staff who know your name, in room jacuzzi, onsite massage options, etc...
From what I read in others reports, aside from my own travels, if I wanted what you may, I'd consider...
1.) Utopia Village in Utila - check out Blues Runner's review. Then hunt up Giffenk's review.
2.) Cozumel Palace - I don't see a lot of reviews, but what I see are pretty much golden, if you put the price aside. If I wanted to stay at a southern A.I. for short boat rides, I'd look at those. I've seen positive mention of Grand Park Royal (Trip Advisor page). Be aware in Cozumel, you can often book with a dive operator separate from the hotel/resort, even if there's an onsite dive op.
3.) St. Lucia is a beautiful island, and it's got a number of Sandals locations. They don't take kids (Sandals is associated with another resort line, Beaches, that takes kids), and they ain't cheap. Reviews of Sandal's included diving I've seen (I don't recall which locations) weren't particularly good; short dives, for example. You can book (& pay) an off site operator; I've dove with Scuba Steve's on St. Lucia a couple of dives and loved it. One place in St. Lucia that gets some very nice reviews (from people willing to pay the cost) is Anse Castanet.
4.) On Bonaire, the more upscale place is reputed to be Harbor Village. Their page claims 'boutique luxury.' I don't see many reviews but then, airfare to Bonaire is expensive enough I think many aim to contain costs on island. If you really want to make it special, book a day or two with Bonaire from the Sea, sort of a private charter luxury boat if I understand correctly. We've got a thread on Scuba Board talking about it.
5.) Curacao's larger than Bonaire, said to have more topside stuff to do, has sandy beaches and thus easier entries/exits at the cost of longer swimouts compared to Bonaire. Maybe @diversteve or @Damselfish knows a luxury resort there?
Richard.