By Andrea Sachs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 28, 2007

Booking an all-inclusive in the Caribbean can be all-consuming. Unlike a standard hotel, there are myriad variables to consider: Do you want a full bar in your room or will bottled water suffice, full or limited access to the pools and restaurants, freedom to roam the town or guided tours only? To simplify the process, follow these 10 steps to finding and reserving an all-inclusive.

1 Pick a destination. Consider the culture, language and off-campus activities. For example, Nassau in the Bahamas has nonstop action with casinos, shopping, booze cruises, etc., whereas Barbados can be a bit more mellow, with English-inflected attractions such as garden tours and cricket matches. For info on Caribbean islands: Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 212-635-9530, http://www.doitcaribbean.com.

Safety is also an issue, as some resorts discourage guests from straying beyond the gates. For example, in Cancun you can often safely walk to attractions off the resort grounds or take a bus, but in Jamaica, touring solo is not recommended. Brief yourself on safety concerns on the U.S. State Department's Web site ( http://travel.state.gov).

Another factor is flight time. Some of the smaller islands, such as Turks and Caicos, require a connecting flight and often lengthy layovers (one T&C itinerary takes 12 hours!). If your vacation time is short, focus on islands with nonstop flights from Washington, such as Jamaica (3 hours 15 minutes from BWI to Montego Bay).

On the topic of air, fares vary wildly depending on the destination: For the most part, you can fly much more cheaply to regions with more mass appeal, such as Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, than to those with a smaller following, such as St. Kitts. Frequent-flier miles may come in handy for those who want to book a la carte, but check packages first before you squander those hard-earned miles.

Finally, if your passport has expired, pick an island where the document is not required, such as any of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Conversely, if you want another stamp in your book, you have plenty of places to choose from: Mexico, St. Lucia, Dominican Republic, etc.

2. Select a travel time. Pay attention to weather patterns, such as hurricane season (June 1-Nov. 30), as well as holidays, including summer, winter and spring school vacations. Prices go up when kids are on break and drop when tropical storms threaten. During shoulder season (April 15-May 30 and Sept. 1-Dec. 14), costs are moderate and crowds are not crushing.

For weather updates and average temps on the islands, go to the Weather Channel's Web site ( http://www.weather.com) or consult the National Weather Service at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/sju/caribm.html.

3. Settle on a type of resort. Knowing your style of resort is crucial. If you are not discerning, your family could end up surrounded by smooching couples, or your romantic getaway could be ruined by screaming children. If you desire a kid-free vacation, for example, go for an adults-only property, such as Sandals. If you want your offspring to be occupied from dawn to dusk, find an all-inclusive with a generous kiddie program, such as Beaches.

Size also matters: A place with one elegant infinity pool will be more intimate than a theme-parkesque resort with three Olympic-size pools, a lazy river, hot tubs and water slides.

4. Check the major online booking sites-- Orbitz, Expedia, Hotwire -- for air and land packages. You'll need to plug in a destination and dates, but you can play around with both to see what options pop up. Some sites also let you streamline your search by listing only all-inclusives. Travelocity, for example, has a section that features all-inclusives ( http://www.travelocity.com, click on "All-Inclusive"); Priceline ( http://www.priceline.com) highlights its all-inclusive properties with a blue logo.

The sites often post last-minute deals as well, such as Travelocity's special at Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay for $765 per person double, departing Washington on Nov. 2 and returning Nov. 6.

5. Research travel retailers and wholesalers that specialize in all-inclusives or Caribbean packages. These include Apple Vacations (800-517-2000, http://www.applevacations.com), Vacation Express (800- 309-4717, http://www.vacationexpress.com) and Funjet Vacations (888-558-6654, http://www.funjet.com).

Compare the prices with your earlier findings. You might even come across a new property to investigate or a last-minute deal, such as Travel by Bob's seven-night special to the Riu Mambo resort in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, for $498 per person double, departing Dulles on Nov. 2 or 4. Info: 866-504-6180, http://www.travelbybob.com.

6. Before booking, visit the resort's Web site. Check the property and its amenities. Pay special attention to what's included: Do you have admission to all parts of the resort or are there restrictions with your package? Is food offered 24-7? Any additional perks thrown in, such as golf lessons? Also double-check the quality of the resort on a guest-review Web site such as TripAdvisor ( http://www.tripadvisor.com) or the Caribbean-specific WhereToStay.com ( http://www.wheretostay.com).

7.While on the resort's site, plug in your dates to determine the daily rate and whether the a la carte price is less than the package. Remember that packages often include airport transfers, taxes and gratuities.

Also, check for promotions. Sandals (888-726-3257, http://www.sandals.com), for instance, has discounted by up to 50 percent a dozen of its resorts if you book by Oct. 31. Call the resort (many have toll-free numbers) as well, because sometimes not all deals are listed on the Web site.

If the room rate seems substantially lower than the packages you've found on the other sites (minus the air), start shopping for flights.

8. If going a la carte, search for airfare deals . Go to the major booking Web sites (Orbitz, Expedia, etc.) as well as the sites of specific airlines, such as Air Jamaica (301-589-0432, http://www.airjamaica.com) and discount carriers such as USA 3000 (877-872-3000, http://www.usa3000.com). Also peruse Travelzoo ( http://www.travelzoo.com) for island airfare sales. And if the resort arranges flights, see what price it's quoting.

9. Call or visit a travel agent. A travel agent knowledgeable about the Caribbean and/or all-inclusives, such as All About Travel & Honeymoons (410-730-3077, http://www.allabouttravelandhoneymoons.com) in Columbia, can help you sort through the stream of properties and find the best package, hotel rate or airfare. For certified companies, visit the American Society of Travel Agents ( http://www.astanet.com).

10. Book it. Once you have found the lowest price for your desired all-inclusive -- whether as a package or DIY air and hotel -- go back to the booking site or travel agent and get that vacation. Now, you can finally relax.