I’ve always wanted to go to the Caribbean on vacation. Hey, Florida’s great, but sometimes I need a change of scenery. Every time I’ve mentioned it to anyone, they always start with “Hey, there’s this cruise ship…”, to which I jam my fingers in my ears and spin around singing “la la la la la la…”.

Cruise ships and yours truly don’t mix. Traveling on someone else’s timetable, cramped quarters, and the ever-present Norwalk virus are not my ideas of how to spend time relaxing on Caribbean vacations.

A nice quick flight, a beachside hotel or resort, and fruity-umbrella drinks at a tiki bar – THAT’S living!

My parents visited St. Kitts a few years back, when my father was doing business down there. English-speaking, mandatory education through the 12th grade, and a higher literacy rate than the US made it attractive. Each visit, they stayed in high-end resorts for the same price as you’d pay for a Motel 6 outside of the gates at Disney World.

Poking around On The Beach, I found place that hit me juuuussssst right: The Flamboyant Hotel on Granada. Open-air dining and a beachside cabana take care of the basic needs, and complimentary kayaks and pedal boats for when I feel the need to stretch my muscles a bit. Oh, and the ocean, can’t forget about that, right?