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Hello all
Finally managed to get reward flight booked for next December using FTV. Will be gone from 19 Dec to 1 Jan. Can anyone advise of a good hotel over there. Ideally child free with decent room service.
Thanks all
Zoe- This topic was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
About 5 years ago I stayed at Sugar Beach and thought it was pretty good. Fairly child free, but I didn’t try out room service.
Thanks. I fear Sugar Beach may be out of my price range. But will keep looking.
We visited in the summer just gone; we spent 3 nights at Hotel Chocolat up in the mountains which is a wonderful experience, however perhaps not somewhere you’d want to spend your entire trip. Following that we spent 5 nights at The Landings in Rodney bay which was equally fantastic, perhaps one of the better kept 5* resorts!
George
Thanks. I fear Sugar Beach may be out of my price range. But will keep looking.
I bought mine as a package on British Airways Holidays, I don’t think it was eye wateringly expensive as I remember.
Cap Maison is wonderful. Very beautiful location and good food.
We visited in the summer just gone; we spent 3 nights at Hotel Chocolat up in the mountains which is a wonderful experience, however perhaps not somewhere you’d want to spend your entire trip. Following that we spent 5 nights at The Landings in Rodney bay which was equally fantastic, perhaps one of the better kept 5* resorts!
George
+1 for the Boucan by Hotel Chocolat recommendation. We stayed in one of the luxury lodges and it was very private and luxurious. Not beachside though if that’s important to you. We also stayed at the BodyHoliday which is adults only but we didn’t like that as much.
Slightly cheaper would be hideaway at royalton. It isn’t really child free as the main royalton has kids roaming. If you go for diamond club you get decent room service via the butler service. Also diamond club guests are housed in block 1 with excellent ocean views and furthest from the main part of the hotel. I’d rate it a decent 4* rather than 5*.
Thanks everyone. I am not seeing any love for Sandals. Any thoughts on them? I went to Sandals Antigua and was not wowed.
Thanks everyone. I am not seeing any love for Sandals. Any thoughts on them? I went to Sandals Antigua and was not wowed.
I went to Sandals La Toc last year, and Sandals Antigua this year. They worked for us, as we wanted to go scuba diving and that’s included. Our impressions from both resorts were fairly similar, so if you didn’t like Antigua then Sandals probably isn’t for you. We thought the resorts were good, the food was good and plentiful, the service was patchy and often poor.
We had a great time in both – you just have to accept it for what it is.When we were in St Lucia the transfers between the 3 Sandals weren’t happening due to Covid rules – if they’re back on it would extend your options there.
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
I went to Sandals La Toc last year, and Sandals Antigua this year. They worked for us, as we wanted to go scuba diving and that’s included. Our impressions from both resorts were fairly similar, so if you didn’t like Antigua then Sandals probably isn’t for you. We thought the resorts were good, the food was good and plentiful, the service was patchy and often poor.
We had a great time in both – you just have to accept it for what it is.When we were in St Lucia the transfers between the 3 Sandals weren’t happening due to Covid rules – if they’re back on it would extend your options there.
Hijacking the original thread but, which did you prefer Matt?
Boucan (Hotel Chocolat) is awesome, but the rooms can get very hot. You should check they’ve fixed the issues with their ceiling fans. If you like the beach then you should probably look elsewhere as you need to be shuttled there. Food and drink is superb and if you ever tire of their restaurant the equally awesome Ladera is across the road.
Ti Kaye has great food (and better wine), an awesome beach and a range of rooms at different prices. It’s a really good compromise. The beach is down a lot of steps, but there’s a buggy shuttle. So far it’s been my favourite resort in St Lucia.
Smaller still and very good value is Tet Rouge. It’s another shuttle to the beach job (or you could hire a car) but very, very intimate. Staff are amazing, food is good but not as awesome as Boucan and Ti Kaye..
Look around for offers on the BA website; we got a great deal on Jade Mountain for our next trip. I realise that’s for some value of ‘deal’ but we’ve been wanting to go for ages and decided post-pandemic washouts was the time for a splurge.
Finally on offers, don’t dismiss Sandals if you want child free, especially if you’re a scuba diver. Once you tot up the costs of an island that is very expensive to eat out, it can be great value. Rooms are great and the St Lucia restaurants excellent. If you are somehow upset by honeymooning Americans getting wasted in the pool, you might want to go elsewhere. If booking peak periods, get a butler or at the very least a ‘Club Level’ room so you have a bit of priority on restaurant bookings.
Hijacking the original thread but, which did you prefer Matt?
Difficult to say – La Toc was much hillier, which made for some better scenery in the resort, but also a fairly terrifying hour long transfer – the roads on St Lucia are “interesting”. Antigua is flatter, without the great sunset views from the resort, but a shorter, more pleasant transfer. Diving is better from Antigua – the boat goes from the beach, whereas there’s a bus transfer in St Lucia (actual diving is great from both).
The food, restaurants, drinks and service levels were all much the same between the two.
If you’re planning to hire a car and drive around the island for a day or two then I’d pick Antigua any time. If you’re staying in resort then either will be good.+1 for Boucan Hotel Chocolat, try to fit a night in if you can.
Difficult to say – La Toc was much hillier, which made for some better scenery in the resort, but also a fairly terrifying hour long transfer – the roads on St Lucia are “interesting”. Antigua is flatter, without the great sunset views from the resort, but a shorter, more pleasant transfer. Diving is better from Antigua – the boat goes from the beach, whereas there’s a bus transfer in St Lucia (actual diving is great from both).
The food, restaurants, drinks and service levels were all much the same between the two.
If you’re planning to hire a car and drive around the island for a day or two then I’d pick Antigua any time. If you’re staying in resort then either will be good.Wonderful – thank you!
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Thanks everyone. I am not seeing any love for Sandals. Any thoughts on them? I went to Sandals Antigua and was not wowed.
Great variety of room choices at Sandals, good butler service, good food for an all inclusive (quality & choice). Bit too American for my liking – noisy shallow pools with swim up bars. Overpriced, you are paying for their large marketing budget. hideaway at royalton is almost the same, without the marketing – the butlers aren’t so proactive and the food portions aren’t so large and depending on the time of year there will be kids roaming in the non hideaway part of the hotel, but better value for money.
Sugar beach is excellent, sometimes has deals on BA holidays.
Thanks everyone. I am not seeing any love for Sandals. Any thoughts on them? I went to Sandals Antigua and was not wowed.
Where we stayed at the Landings was next door to Sandals Grande; from walking through their beach to Pigeon island (all beaches are public in St Lucia) it looked like it’d seen its day. It came across as noisy, slightly tacky and in need of refurbishment! This might not be other people’s first hand experience, but given The Landings was cheaper and is basically an upmarket yacht club… I know where I’d be booking! 😂
Thanks everyone. My current thought process is to stay at Sandals Halycon in a Butler swim up as it is so much cheaper and apparently quieter than the Grande. Then go south and stay in an unbelievable airbnb villa With view of Pitons. I will have another look just to be sure before final booking.
sorry to jump onto this thread but i am currently researching St lucia hotels – we are going end of may so wondered where you ended up going please?
If you are toying between St Lucia and Antigua, we stayed at Nonsuch Bay a few years ago (pre Covid) and it was delightful. Beautiful bay, lovely staff and absolutely stunning suite.
If you can stretch (and it is expensive) then Eastwinds Inn in St Lucia is totally amazing.
@Peter K – Curio Harbour Club. (Sorry this is a bit of a thread hijack as it definitely isn’t adult only).
First of all I should say that a ‘flop’ type of hotel is not at all my usual style so I am probably lacking some important comparatives. However… I thought the pool area was great, with 5 separate pools, so cabana area (half day use comped for diamond) is separate from the pool for swim-up rooms, which is separate from the ‘main’ pool with swim-up bar… Rooms were finished nicely, and the hotel is quite new. Everything was push-button, no switches or knobs. Excellent aircon. Nespresso, fridge, safe, Noir by White Company toiletries, comfortable bed etc. Food was decent without being outstanding. A tasty goat curry, chocolate dessert and 2 local beers was 55USD inc tax, 10% added service and 5% extra tip. Breakfast for diamonds was continental, with not a huge spread. For unexplained reasons 2 days out of 5 I was given a coupon for the cooked buffet, which was again decent but not spectacular. As a data point there was no attempt to charge for these randomly given cooked breakfasts.
If you have ambitions to do more than flop then the hotel is not as convenient as it might seem. You are just a couple of minutes’ walk from the marina restaurants but despite the physical proximity of reduit beach it is an unpleasant 25 minute walk or 5-10 minute drive. The transfer to the airport is 95USD and if you aren’t hiring a car be prepared to drop a sizable amount on taxis on the island.
Given that the hotel is going for a flop market, I think your overall enjoyment is going to depend greatly on your room. The hotel is built right on the main road, sandwiched between it and the harbour. If you get a basic room or one with island or mountain “view” I think you will be very disappointed. I was upgraded (diamond on a points stay) to a marina view balcony room, which I loved and found a very relaxing spot. As far as I can tell there are only 32 of these rooms (plus a few suites and 8 swim-up rooms).
Apologies for the ramble. If you have any specific questions I will do my best with them.My favourite hotel in St Lucia is Sugar Beach but. It is now so expensive so the last couple of times we have done a split stay staying in either Rodney Bay in the north or Marigot Bay. We stayed in the resort there when it was a Capella hotel but it is now a Zoetry hotel. The rooms are lovely but the beach is across the bay. It’s more expensive now than when we stayed.
We first stayed at Sugar beach when it was the Jalousie (in fact I still think of it as The Jalousie as I think the name suits it better) – we have been back three times after it was renovated by the Viceroy group each time in a villa with a plunge pool (they were more cottagey pre renovation but they had plunge pools back then too). There are cheaper rooms close to the main buildings. The food has been very good each time. The setting is just so stunning.
I would never stay in a Sandals – we walked in to one on Antigua but it all seemed so cheesy and we walked along the beach in front of the Sandals Grande in St Lucia – there are security guards at the edge of the property on the beach presumably to keep the locals out even though all beaches in St Lucia are public!
@Peter K – Curio Harbour Club. (Sorry this is a bit of a thread hijack as it definitely isn’t adult only).
First of all I should say that a ‘flop’ type of hotel is not at all my usual style so I am probably lacking some important comparatives. However… I thought the pool area was great, with 5 separate pools, so cabana area (half day use comped for diamond) is separate from the pool for swim-up rooms, which is separate from the ‘main’ pool with swim-up bar… Rooms were finished nicely, and the hotel is quite new. Everything was push-button, no switches or knobs. Excellent aircon. Nespresso, fridge, safe, Noir by White Company toiletries, comfortable bed etc. Food was decent without being outstanding. A tasty goat curry, chocolate dessert and 2 local beers was 55USD inc tax, 10% added service and 5% extra tip. Breakfast for diamonds was continental, with not a huge spread. For unexplained reasons 2 days out of 5 I was given a coupon for the cooked buffet, which was again decent but not spectacular. As a data point there was no attempt to charge for these randomly given cooked breakfasts.
If you have ambitions to do more than flop then the hotel is not as convenient as it might seem. You are just a couple of minutes’ walk from the marina restaurants but despite the physical proximity of reduit beach it is an unpleasant 25 minute walk or 5-10 minute drive. The transfer to the airport is 95USD and if you aren’t hiring a car be prepared to drop a sizable amount on taxis on the island.
Given that the hotel is going for a flop market, I think your overall enjoyment is going to depend greatly on your room. The hotel is built right on the main road, sandwiched between it and the harbour. If you get a basic room or one with island or mountain “view” I think you will be very disappointed. I was upgraded (diamond on a points stay) to a marina view balcony room, which I loved and found a very relaxing spot. As far as I can tell there are only 32 of these rooms (plus a few suites and 8 swim-up rooms).
Apologies for the ramble. If you have any specific questions I will do my best with them.Thank you for this. I’m not properly a “flop” type person either. I’ll usually spend max of about half the days at the hotel, but really I want to be out and about exploring the area.
The lack of cooked breakfast for diamond (I’m only gold) is important for me as I need gluten free food and that’s often the bacon, eggs and mushrooms at most places.
Was there loud music played all day like I’ve read in some reviews?
Doesn’t sound like a place I’d want to spend 5-7 days at as I suspected. Thank you.
Ah! I thought about the music once I was on the plane. I think it would be fair to say you need to like your reggae. Fortunately, to quote 10cc’s cod-reggae, “I love it”. Personally I would call it background rather than loud, but it is there all day. Starts at 7 in the breakfast area and gets a bit louder and more general from 8. Until at least 9pm.
The continental breakfast is definitely gluten heavy, though the aforementioned chocolate dessert was flour free.
Places to explore locally pretty limited: Pigeon Island and Gros Islet town.
I did find my 5 nights at the Curio very restful, but on the whole I preferred my 5 nights around Soufriere.
Glad to have helped, even if only by taking it off the short list.
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