Venezuela is a very pretty and nice country even with its history and reputation.  I enjoyed Caracas very much when I visited it a few years back.  Being right on the coast of the Caribbean is has some nice beaches and lush forests. It is a fun town with lots of smalls cafes and bars, very Americanized (they love Harley Davidson's).  The Grand Melia is a nice hotel in the central the financial district.  If you dive it is a great location because it is close to the A, B, C islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). Caracas turned out to be a very nice surprise with very friendly people!