Board Basis
CHOOSING THE RIGHT HOTEL…
As with every purchase, price is always a good yardstick of what to expect and generally, as the holiday cost increases so do the hotel standards of comfort and service. To assist you in making your choice of hotel, we include our own ‘star ratings’, which by and large reflect the official grading laid down by that country's officially designated authority. However, the criteria used by each country to assess these gradings do vary considerably and therefore makes it difficult to compare hotels across different destinations. Our own star ratings are therefore based on the opinions of our staff and researched visitor feedback and reflect a hotel’s location, facilities and service within the context of the destination.
3 Star
This type of hotel offers quality amenities and a choice of facilities for guests to enjoy; these would include at least one restaurant and usually an outdoor pool. Unlike other operators, Travel City Direct does not feature hotels of a lower standard than 3 stars and therefore hotels of this calibre should not be interpreted as being of a basic nature
4 Star
With a 4 star hotel, the standard of rooms, dining facilities and other amenities are of a higher quality. There is definitely a ‘touch of class’ noticeable when you stay at a 4 star hotel, where you would expect a choice of on-site restaurants and a more often than not a location on or close by to the seafront.
5 Star
Staying at a 5 star hotel guarantees the highest standards of comfort and service with a diverse range of activities, entertainment and amenities for guests to indulge in. By choosing to be pampered on a holiday at one of our selected top-of-the-range Caribbean properties, you are assured of a fabulous location, a superb choice of dining and a truly luxurious all-round experience.
MEAL PLANS
One of the appeals of the Caribbean is the choice of dining plans available at your hotel. Below is a brief summary of what to expect…
European Plan (EP)
The generally used term for ‘room only’, where the cost of your accommodation includes local taxes but no meals. Certain properties do make a ‘breakfast’ plan available for a daily supplement
Modified American Plan (MAP)
The equivalent of ‘Half Board’ where meals included would be breakfast and normally dinner (some properties include lunch rather than an evening meal). MAP is generally an option available for a daily supplement although at certain times of the year – such as Christmas and New Year – this may be a mandatory condition of the accommodation and would be included in the room cost
All Inclusive (AI)
The Caribbean is famous for its wonderful All Inclusive properties. What is actually included does vary according to the property but essentially, the accommodation price will include all food (can be from set menu), drinks, entertainment and watersports (tuition would normally be at extra cost). Many Caribbean properties are exclusively All Inclusive but an ‘AI’ option is made available at most properties throughout the islands
