Royalton Hideaway Saint Lucia: Letter that has been sent to Royalton. Barely worth 3 stars let alone 5

Dear Royalton St. Lucia Management, I recently stayed at your resort, and while I greatly appreciated the warm and friendly demeanor of your staff, my experience was overshadowed by significant operational shortcomings that severely impacted our vacation. Given the premium cost of this trip, I believe it is fair to request compensation for the loss of use of our room and the many inconveniences we endured. Key Issues Encountered Prolonged Room Access Issues For over a day and a half, we were [... read more] unable to lock or unlock our room safely without locking ourselves out entirely. This was a major inconvenience and forced us to leave the room unlocked after cramming as many valuables as possible into the safe, just so we could enjoy some time outdoors. This unacceptable situation compromised both our security and peace of mind. Housekeeping Challenges Upon check-in, the room was inadequately stocked, containing only two face cloths and a floor mat. We discovered this on our first morning and called housekeeping. Over two hours later, with no response, I located a cleaner in the hallway, who was shocked at the oversight and kindly provided us with two towels. Additionally, there were no beach towels available on multiple occasions. This appeared to be exacerbated by guests using them to reserve chairs, a practice that was not managed effectively by staff. Food and Beverage Service The inefficiency of the food truck was astounding. It seemed overwhelmed despite relatively moderate demand, due largely to poor organization and undertrained staff. A streamlined system could resolve these issues, as the food itself was fine but not worth the excessive wait. Room service failed to deliver drinks we ordered, which was another frustrating lapse in service. Facilities Issues The Italian restaurant lacked basic hand-drying options in the bathroom (no paper towels or dryers), which detracted from an otherwise enjoyable dining experience. A broken ATM left guests stranded without access to cash, with no alternatives available at the front desk. Impact on Our Stay The most significant impact was the room access issue. The inability to secure our room or easily access it for over 36 hours created unnecessary stress, disrupted our plans, and diminished our enjoyment of the trip. This was compounded by delays in service and inadequate amenities, leaving us with the impression that the resort was unprepared to meet the standards expected at this price point. Request for Compensation Given the disruption and the inability to fully enjoy the core aspect of our stay—our room—I kindly request compensation for this loss. While I appreciate the friendliness of your staff, the numerous operational flaws detracted significantly from the experience and failed to align with the premium cost of the trip. I hope this feedback is taken constructively, as the Royalton St. Lucia has immense potential to offer an exceptional guest experience. With improved training, operational planning, and guest support, future stays could be far more enjoyable. I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter. Please feel free to reach out if you require further details about our experience. Sincerely,

Royalton Saint Lucia Resort and Spa: Great stay!

My husband and I booked our last minute honeymoon through trip central. We were very happy with the resort. The beach is beautiful and so still. We enjoyed all the dining aside from the Asian. The rooms are clean, a little damp but overall nice. The grounds are beautiful and maintained. We had a swim out, which was lovely, however, the first few days the water level seemed to be low. 2 days went by and the water levels seemed to be back up—which was good. We were on ground floor of building 5. T [... read more]his was nice and central, however, quite loud as it’s a main passage for guests heading to breakfast as well as employees arriving (employee parking lot located behind the building). If you’re looking to have an uninterrupted morning sleep consider a different building or not being on ground floor. Overall, great spot.

Bay Gardens Marina Haven: Amazing hotel!

The hotel was amazing, small, cozy, friendly environment made it nice and quiet but also easy to make friends with others there as well! Shuttle to the beach was quick and on time. As well as the Friday street party was walking distance. Super good food and amazing staff. Would definitely recommend staying here!

Sandals St Lucia Grand Bay: Great resort

Pros: Wonderful people, lovely grounds, great seafood. Cons: Room very small for luxury ocean view. Small bathroom with no enclosed toilet so at times only one individual could use it depending on activity. Overpriced compared to the Riu and Bahia Principe chains. Better food, larger suites and wonderful nightly entertainment. Staff at the restaurants were painfully slow.

Bay Gardens Hotel: Nice resort and good location

Hotel is close to everything , grounds, rooms and shuttle service was great. Food was good and staff was friendly. They also had karaoke on 2 nights for entertainment. It was also a bonus to use the facilities at their bay gardens beach resort, which staff were eager to help set up chairs and unbrellas. Would go to the Bay gardens hotel again.

Bel Jou Hotel: Bel Jou Hotel - Paradise

Perfect boutique style hotel. The views are stunning. The food is good with enough options for the picky eater. Quiet hotel definitely perfect for anyone wanting to relax and unwind. Not a party hotel. The staff were welcoming and friendly. The hotel manager Dean was always around when needed, Princess has an infectious smile and is a great dancer she went above and beyond for our group, Quincy and Mikey always greeted us with a warm smile and were ready to help when needed. The Friday night str [... read more]eet party in Castries is a must, and the land and sea tour was amazing. The evening entertainment is great. Definitely recommend this hotel and will be going back.

Royalton Saint Lucia Resort and Spa: Wonderful resort

This resort offered pretty much everything you need for an enjoyable stay. The rooms were bright, modern and clean. The resort offered 6 different restaurants plus the buffet. The food quality was great and there was nightly entertainment.

Bel Jou Hotel: Great Hotel

This hotel is well run, clean, with two nice rooms and views. The food and service are excellent. I would highly recommend this resort. The hotel is located on a hillside so not close to the beach. The only downside is the 2 hour ride from the airport.

Royalton Hideaway Saint Lucia: Nice resort but many disappointments as well

Stayed for 10 days in Apr/24. Overall, we enjoyed our time on this beautiful island. I'm giving a detailed list of pros/cons. Lots of cons compared to other resorts we have been to, but we tried not to let them bring us down. I do think hotel management needs to address some of these issues - we heard similar complaints from other guests. Pros: - good food, including buffet. Minor issue of overcooked steak once but otherwise we enjoyed most meals. As with most Caribbean resorts, if y [... read more]ou are a chocoholic, you may be disappointed with the desserts! - no reservations necessary for a la carte restaurants, except the Japanese one. Usually wait was not that long - they gave you a buzzer to go and have a drink and get notified when table was ready - lots of pools - bracelet with key is great - no need to keep track of a key card - beach/pool towels - take as needed, no need to sign them in/out or being limited to 1 per person - room was nice - no charge for canvas-covered cabanas, just first come first served (although you'll need to get up early, likely before 6am to snag one) - separate check-in lobby for Hideaway guests was nice, but our room wasn't ready even though we didn't arrive until after 3 - shout out to room attendant Maxilina - she left a few handwritten notes for us welcoming us and showing appreciation. Also, Hideaway beach bartender Brian was great! Had a lovely waitress at the Italian restaurant - sorry, can't recall her name. - country singer, Shervon Sealy was great - an amazing voice - snorkeling off the beach was really good. Tons of small fish. We brought a bun from the buffet and broke off pieces and were swarmed by lots of fish. Cons: - most wait staff and bartenders (with the exception of those noted above) were not friendly and seemed annoyed/bothered whenever you ordered something. The restaurant greeters were friendly and welcomed you but after that, staff did not engage. We've been to other resorts where all staff members smiled and greeted you whenever you encountered them, including maintenance staff passing you on the sidewalk. Not so here, they don't engage and do not seem to be enjoying their job in the service industry. - even though the resort did not seem full, there were never enough bartenders at the swim up bars. Very slow service as a result. - bars were constantly running out of ingredients to make standard cocktails or the special cocktails on their menu. Also ran out of beer one day! - other shortages: napkins and spoons at buffet were often missing, facecloths in rooms. Witnessed someone asking housekeeping for a bar of soap only to be told they were out. - nightly entertainment was pretty lame for the most part and somewhat repetitive. 'Live music' was usually just a karaoke-type performance. Also, most shows end at 10 and then a big gap until a vibe party at 11. We never bothered hanging around for that - I think they hope this is the case so they save money on alcohol if everyone turns in early. Silent headphone party was particularly disappointing. There were only 2 channels of music to choose from. One was not our style but the other initially appealed to us and several other guests who were up dancing and singing to Abba, Shania Twain etc. But then I guess we were having too much fun because the songs soon changed to a style similar to the other channel and then no one was dancing and people were handing back their headphones. I guess the dj's were more interested in playing the songs they liked instead of being aware of what was appealing to the guests. - the foot washing/shower stations between the beach and the pool didn't work, so no way to rinse off the sand other than in the pool. So the sand collected in the pool and was never vacuumed out. - separate toilet area in our room had a barn-door which didn't latch and wouldn't stay shut. We requested it be fixed the first day and no one ever showed up to fix it. - the swim up pool bars had chunks of the bar ledge missing. Some upkeep is definitely needed. - just a heads-up that the canvas umbrellas and canvas cabana covers do not protect from the sun as you would expect. We burn easily so were very careful to move our loungers around as the day went on to be sure we were always in the shade. However, we still got sunburned. The beach has wood umbrellas which served the purpose much better. Excursions: - helicopter transfer from the airport was amazing. Got us there very quickly and the views were amazing - walked to Pigeon island - about 25 minute walk taking the shortcut (talk to the security guard at the edge of the property near the Diamond Club for directions). Park opens at 9:30. Cost to enter is $10 each. We climbed both peaks. Taller peak was more demanding and you will want proper footwear for this - flip flops will not work well! - catamaran/sulpher mud bath/waterfall/lunch/snorkelling - this was fun. Great way to see the island from the water. Mud bath was kind of neat but overrated. Staff seemed to really rush you through the whole process with so many other guests. Waterfall was cold and powerful but fun. Staff take pictures of you on your phone which is great. Lunch buffet was nothing special, but the view was amazing - we were up high in the mountains and looking over at the Pitons and ocean. Snorkelling - lackluster, not many fish and not that colourful. -ATV adventure - was very fun going on trail through rainforest. Stopped for a few picturesque views. Tour guide was very quiet/low energy but still had a great time. - 30 minute jetski ride for $80 from beach vendor was a lot of fun.

Royalton Hideaway Saint Lucia: Wonderful Vacation

Stayed at Hideaway by Royalton April 13-20, 2024. Absolutely wonderful vacation. Booked Diamond Club and the upgrade was worth the extra money. Butlers Fabian and Gillian were responsive, attentive and made our stay that much more enjoyable. Food was very good at all restaurants. Private transfer with Island Taxi highly recommended. We look forward to visiting again!

Bel Jou Hotel: This resort is awesome

The resort was spotless, the staff were the kindest most welcoming people. The room was clean, the food was delicious and the Thursday night barbecue with entertainment was excellent. The only negative, the fine dining dress code is not enforced.

The Soco House: Resort not for everyone

This is whole new concept of resort for our family. Before we vacationing on all inclusive, buffet style dining and daily entertaining by amateurish local artists. This one was completely different and that is why we loved it. No kids, quiet, exceptionally attentive service on every angle of the resort spectrum. Fantastic upper class style food. What could be improved - fitness room has broken equipment, tennis court out of order. WiFi in rooms has frequent crashes. But if you not for it t [... read more]hen - it is yours. Very creative approach to provide cold drinks for the beach in small coolers, reserved beach chairs no need to chase and fight in the morning. Overall score 8/10

Bel Jou Hotel: A BIT OF HEAVEN

The Hotel is small and very personal, the staff very willing to accommodate any request. The pool areas are pristine and the self serve Bar at the lower pool is a great idea. Our Ocean view room 3rd floor was clean and had a great view but the 4th and 5th floors have an even better view. The food was OK .. buffets were decent with a lot of variety but I would of liked more local fruit

The Soco House: Small resort

Soco House is a small 72 room resort. Clean well maintained 2 bars 1 pool. This resort is not beach front, short walk, were they have an area with lounge chairs and umbrellas. The hotel will give you a cooler with ice and beverages of your choice. The people of ST Lucia are polite and friendly. Close to town within walking distance to restaurants and shopping. There is one restaurant at this resort that is a la carte. Same menu daily for Breakfast, lunch and dinner change daily. The food w [... read more]as good small portions and previous comlaints of slow service we never a problem. The menu was a problem for us . I would return if they changed the lunch menu so that you could get variety like hot dogs pizza hamburgers fries ect. Most people were older and absolutely no entertainment.

Sandals St Lucia Halcyon Beach: Worth Every Penny

Sandals Halcyon St. Lucia is a small boutique hotel, with a narrow strip of real estate property, but well used, close to the highway and a small fishing village. The grounds were impeccable, with beautiful flowers and luscious tropical plants everywhere. It has 3 lovely pools everyone can access, the Sunset pool (main pool), the Quiet Pool in beside Kimono's restaurant, and the Walking Pool (Crystal Lagoon). There are comfy/quiet seating and napping areas all around the resort (such as a fir [... read more]epit seating). There are 6 restaurants, 2 of which require reservations: Kelly's Dockside, Bayside (International Buffet breakfast and lunch, and a French restaurant at night), Kimonos (Japanese), Soy (sushi) , Mario's (Italian) restaurant and the Beach Bistro (for lunch and late snacks plus take-out). Spa services are available through Red Lane Spa on site. There is no shortage of loungers on the beach and by pools, but prime spots are scooped up by those with butlers, so it is good to have an early riser in your party! The resort is only 15 minutes or $15/person ($30 one way) into the port of Castries to visit the markets. Tours and on-site events organized by Sandals are plentiful and tastefully done. There is drink service at each pool and at the beach. Don't be surprised if a waitress remembers your party's name and drink order by day 2! Bars are stocked with Scotch, Vodka, Rum, Gin, and the fridge daily with Piton beers, a selection of Robert Moldovi wines, as well as water and soft drinks. Coffee and tea are also provided in room. House cleaning occurs every day is never missed! Drycleaning services are also provided.

Mystique St. Lucia by Royalton: Just Okay

This hotel is being demolished in July 2024. That says it all for the most part. We stayed 11 days at the beginning of April 2024, a little too long for this place. It’s a small, intimate resort and doesn’t offer much entertainment or amusement. The ground floor room was spacious and the bed comfortable, which we loved. We didn’t have any problem with water - great water pressure but the 3rd floor wasn’t so lucky according to guests we befriended. The location is spectacular! The beach and water [... read more] are fantastic, very comfortable for swimming. The staff provided good service, some better than others. Totally understandable since they’ll be jobless after July. Breakfast was the best meal, every single day. As stated in other reviews, a lot of duplication from lunch to dinner. Mainly local dishes and cuisine but always decent quality. This was fine with me since I will try almost anything. My husband struggled some days to find foods that were appealing enough for him to eat. While we had an all inclusive package, it was definitely not worth what we paid.

Bel Jou Hotel: Paradise

I cannot say anything negative about this resort. Staff amazing, food was delicious. Grounds were well groomed. Rooms were clean and comfortable bed. Adult relaxing resort, if you are looking for relaxing vacation this is perfect.

Coconut Bay Resort & Spa: Amazing Resort

Coconut Bay Resort was everything a holiday should be. The staff was exceptional Star our room attendant was so friendly and went above and beyond in making our stay enjoyable. The grounds, pools and food were exceptional. Unfortunately I enjoyed myself so much I burnt the tops of my feet and had to go and see the nurse. Nurse Monrose was so concerned with the burn she called the doctor to come and have a look. After a prescription and excellent care I am well on my way to recovery. I woul [... read more]d definitely go back and would recommend this resort.

The Soco House: Nice small hotel.

Nice small hotel, great it you are looking to relax. Beach is a 3 min walk away, if you need beer, water too take with you the hotel will give you a small cooler. The staff try too keep you happy. Food is good, all al la carte. Healthy meals. The rooms are clean. We would return. A bit of a Bus ride from the airport, so just sit back and relax & enjoythe views.

Starfish Saint Lucia: Good and Bad Points

The location is top notch. Food was okay although we were unable to get into the al a carte restaurants as they were always fully booked. We peeked in twice and barely anyone in the a la cartes so not sure what the issue was. Daytime front desk lady was very rude. All other staff were lovely. Definitely not enough bar staff and it’s ridiculous that the three bars must share one blender. Resort was clean so that was good.