RFI, S/D, C/D, etc: "resort destinations" (carribean/bahamas/jamaica/etc)

My friend and I have a voucher for this site and we have no idea what the fuck the difference between any of these dozens of places actually is. We are trying to go somewhere more engaging than just a big building on a beach, somewhere w/ actual culture or nearby city or something like that as opposed to a giant boring faux-luxury tourist trap. I think we're leaning towards Costa Rica. Does anyone have any experience w/ any of these (Punta Cana/Bermuda/Aruba/Jamaica/St Croix/St Thomas/St Martin/Belize/Barbados/etc/etc, any of these types of places)

Panama City maybe? We can't go anywhere in South America unfortunately, and Europe is offered but sorta out of the question for both of us financially.

Thinking about trying to find a package deal for the fam, have never done this before. I think the goal is to do very little for several days, just relax and have shit taken care of. We need something kid-friendly but not too cheesy, and a reasonably short flight would be great. Interesting nearby stuff would be a plus but not essential -- we'll be with a ~4-year-old and a ~8-month-old and want to keep things simple.

Where do you get the best ratio of price/quality/ease/short distance from NYC? DR? PR? Bermuda? Bahamas? Key Largo? Montego? etc.

Would also consider Mexico's Riviera Maya/Tulum (have been before but not to an all-out resort), though we'd prefer not Cancun unless there's a resort so great that we won't give a shit about the location.

I guess my ideal is like a halfway point between one of those "giant boring faux-luxury tourist traps" mentioned above and some super-boutiqueish tiny eco resort, but I don't know if such a thing exists.

this yoga retreat (I know, I know) is on the side of Costa Rica fewer people visit and offers transport into town for some beach/touristy stuff but also great hikes, etc. The baby won't mind, the 4-year-old might get a little worn down by the hikes though, depends on the four-year-old. Been to the Caribbean 3 times, twice on business -- the other times I feel like a gross colonial and just feel all kinds of liberal anxiety about the economies of these places, but this place is pretty right-on. We weren't parents yet when we went, but there was a family with some older (8-ish I think) kids there who seemed to have a good time. it was an affordable vacation, we almost never take vacations so it was a splurge for us - we booked through green earth travel who I like a lot.

Yeah I don't think K is going to do well with a lot of hiking. I guess I would even take something that IS to the side of "giant boring faux-luxury tourist trap" as long as it is relatively peaceful and not completely gaudy and overrun with morons.

Bit the bullet and booked a four-night stay here b/c got a v good deal through Costco:

http://www.melia.com/en/hotels/mexico/playa-del-carmen/paradisus-playa-del-carmen-la-esmeralda/index.html?&exactc=29c146a4ce49873f508f82babba7c665&exkeyword=paradisus%20la%20esmerelda&matchtype=e&adgroup=6848209351&adposition=1t1&subid=c_&brand=1&mkwid=s32S6CHBX_dc&pcrid=87109923871&pkw=paradisus%20la%20esmerelda&pmt=e&gclid=CL_x68DByssCFdgRgQodK7MDRA

It looks nice enough and gets good reviews, although I have a feeling it will be a little bit like being on a stationary cruise ship. Just want to completely veg and be somewhere where the ocean breeze dissipates the whines of my children.