E. Sandorf

I will be going to St. Lucia in the spring of 2000 and am looking for a solid hotel recommendation - one that has good fare/scenery and doesn't have too many kids. Also, is Castries or the southern-end of St. Lucia more preferred? Thanks.

Tammy

We just got back from our 10 day honeymoon in St. Lucia. We stayed at Sandals St. Lucia which is all inclusive and no kids or singles allowed. If your single the other place we stayed is Ladera which has very few kids, has good food and unbelievable scenery. But they are open air rooms w/ one wall missing in each suite, so their is no AC, but it's high on the mountain ridge so their are nice breezes. Alot of the bigger resorts are in the castries area, but the soufriere area is much prettier. If you stay near castries, just make sure to take tours to the southern tip.

E. Sandorf

Thank you Tammy for the info. Can you possibly recommend a hotel for singles/families - not predominantly honeymooners - that is fully-equipped (with AC, etc.) How's the Wynhdam? Club St. Lucia? Any and all further help is much appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

E, <BR> <BR>I stayed at the Wyndham with my family over Thanksgiving. It was very nice. I brought my kids along. There weren't many kids, but that could be because of the time of year. If you're going during Spring Break, you could see more kids. <BR> <BR>The food was very good, the hotel was nice, but not opulent. The staff was great. Beach is small and nothing to write home about, but not bad. All rooms have AC. Overall, I would rate it a very good place to go. St. Lucia is beautiful, and you do need to get out and see the sights. E-mail me if you have more specific questions. <BR> Mike <BR> <BR>

E. Sandorf

Hi Mike. Thanks for referring me to the Wyndham. I was looking at that hotel and considering it as a choice, too. Tell me, how far about is it from the airport. An hour? Also, would you recommend a beachfront room; or it doesn't matter that much?

lisa

E. Sandorf: You asked about Castries vs. the southern end so I wanted to put in my two cents. The area on the southwest coast around Soufriere, with the Pitons, is by far the most beautiful part of the island in my opinion. If you are looking for what you referred to as a "fully equipped" resort there I think you should take a serious look at the Jalousie Hilton. We stayed at Ladera, which is nearby, and it was absolutely incredible and it would be my first choice, but you specified air conditioning so that leaves out Anse Chastanet and Ladera, both of which are really fantastic (although at least at Ladera you definitely don't need A/C due to the strong breezes since it's perched up on a hill). All three of these resorts are adult-oriented and we saw very few kids at them. Anse Chastanet and Jalousie Hilton just made Conde Nast Traveler magazine's latest "Gold List" of the best places to stay in the world which is in their January 2000 issue (I think Ladera is too small to make the list). I think the only other hotel on St. Lucia that made the list was one of the Sandals, but I still think if scenery is important you'd be much better off closer to the Pitons. Check out www.jalousie-hilton.com, www.ansechastanet.com, and www.ladera-resort.com

Mike

E, <BR>Lisa is correct that the southern part of the island is prettier, however, the Jalousie is big bucks. That would have been my first choice, but frankly I couldn't justify the delta between it and the Wyndham. If money isn't an issue, then I would say go to the Jalousie. If it is a stretch for you than go to the Wyndham. Also, check out the Hyatt. It's new, and will opening up on the north end this month. Word of mouth is that the beach and facilities will be outstanding. Don't know the cost though. <BR> <BR>Now, to answer you questions, the ride from the airport to the Wyndham was about 1hr. 20 minutes. The scenery is breathtaking on the ride, so for me the time passed very quickly. The drivers are a little crazy (not your bus driver, but the people driving cars), but if you just admire the scenery, it won't bother you. As far as getting a beachfront eoom, my suggestion would be to save your money. Ask for an oceanview room. About a week or two before you go, call the front desk and ask for room 380, 381 or 382. They have a great view of the ocean and surrounding area. If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me. <BR> <BR> Mike <BR> <BR>