I've stayed at almost all of them over the years and my favorite is by far
the Ritz in Ocho Rios. Great facility, service was fantastic, Ocho Rios was fun and much safer than you always hear. Food was incredible and some nice duty free in the center just a short walk down the street. And Jamaicans are a blast - wonderful, happy people!
Curacao and Aruba facilities are nice and the beaches are, in fact, very good. The entry to the Marriott Curacao at night w/the colored lights in the fountains is really spectacular! Both are very safe but definitely on the pricier side. Scuba Diving at both is really, really good!
The JW Cancun is a nice facility but the beach is aweful. Not much sand, lots of rocks and big waves. It's a pretty crazy party town so, if that's your bag, it will be good for you. I have young kids so that scene was not for me.
I thought the St. Thomas hotel was a hole - nasty, moldy rooms but that was a few years ago so it may have been upgraded since. The island sucks pretty bad too imo. Poor, poor, poor. Scuba diving was good but it was just depressing to me to be completely surrounded w/such economic misery. Didn't feel real safe a lot of the time either.
The Marriott Grand Cayman was just average to me. The reef balls out front are fun but not spectacular. They will be in a few years but coral doesn't grow overnight. Hotel was no big deal and the island is probably the most expensive in the Carribean. Scub diving and snorkleing is world class.
We just got home from a week at Marriott San Juan, PR. It's not fantastic but not bad, not bad at all. I did like the beach, restaurants and the people. Lot's to do in PR too. It's a unique mix of water front beach on one side and then a fairly cosmopolitan city on the other. The locals were great and a lot of fun. No diving to speak of.
Another nice hotel is the JW in Puerto Vallarta. We liked the facility and the service a bunch and the town was nice and fun. Scuba diving was bad - don't waste your time under water there.
Haven't been to Nevis or Costa Rica yet. One of them will be our next destination.
Have fun and be sure to let us know where you went and if you enjoyed it or not.
Fins Up!
Bill