Having read as much as we could we were looking forward to relaxing on a private island in the sun. After roughly 18 hours, 2 flights and 1 boat ride from the UK we arrived. We were greeted by the manager, Don, and some of his staff,(nice touch), and shown with drink in hand to our plantation suite. The room was massive about 27? x 21?, shame about the 2 queen beds, would rather have had 1 king. The room was very dark even with lights on, too dark for close make-up attention, so I was told. The AC is a fixed, stand alone style and is very very noisy, and because you cannot seal the room, is ineffective, ask for 17 degree cool and you may get 24 if a breeze is blowing in though the screened and slatted windows. Biting insects everywhere although not seen, most people bitten, they did spray during and after the frequent rain and supplied Off and other sprays, but they didn?t seem to be totally effective even with a mosquito net on the bed. Staff were very helpful to my wife who was bitten over 50 times one night, supplying anti-histamine and cooling gels etc, especially the reception staff and Dons wife Mary.
Was told to ask for anything to help our stay improve, we asked for Dry Noilly Pratt, a French vermouth, as we had seen the red, sweet, bottle and were told they could not obtain this from any Grenadine Island, strange as I had never seen the red before. One glass table was cracked and left with a sharp shard just waiting for an accident, either staff when cleaning or guests when brushing past. After 5 days of speaking with 5 different staff it was taken away but only after contacting my rep! They ran out of food on our second beach BBQ, and you had to wait 35 minutes for more to arrive. Andy, food and beverages manager, said they had been overwhelmed, hard to see how when they knew exactly how many were to eat and when. We also were not aware of the many visitors who were allowed into one of the 2 restaurants on a pay per visit basis, which took you away from the private empty resort you thought you were to experience. You also had to endure the visiting Captain Yannis catamarans dropping visitors off who then wandered around the main beach albeit they were not supposed to utilise the resort amenities and the resort guest was asked to help police the resort and go and advise the staff when visitors transgressed. I for one felt this was a cheek, as I had not gone to police their resort; they should have provided enough staff to do this themselves. They know and knew the arrivals times. Because of this and some other matters we left the resort 3 days early from a 14 night break and finished our ?special? holiday in Barbados at Cobblers Cove. Well worth it! Super hotel.
Overall Palm Island Impressions:
Food: not good, nothing like the web site pictures, poor offering at breakfast, have had better buffets in the Dominican Republic. Some ?hot? food served cold.
Accommodation: Plantation room very large, Tree lodges supposedly for honeymooners but contain 2 queen beds not 1 king!?! Garden and Beach rooms not very big but sufficient. All rooms dark when the sun has gone down. Rooms 43 and 44 are Tree lodges and have a little private beach area outside their rooms, 42 is probably the best room on the resort, a tree lodge standing on its own near the tennis courts and is amongst trees and bushes.
Staff: some with attitude although most were friendly and helpful, Tricia cannot physically stop laughing and is a credit to them.
Pool: in need of some painting, it looks like the floor is littered with rotting leaves but it isn?t, it is the blue paint peeling away.
Local animal life: tons of mosquitos, or noseeums, lots of wandering Iguanas who just wander away when they see you.
Tranfers: No problems with luggage on TIA, very friendly Palm boat staff.
Expectations not met, overall a resort worth visiting as part of a 2 centre, for a 4 night stop off but we would not return.
Met some residents, John and his wife, very nice English couple, great tea makers and welcome polite stoppers, they are generally there for 4 months a year from January.
I am sorry if you are reading this and are booked to travel here, but please remember all views are subjective to the author and may not adequately reflect your own standards.