AC in the Summer
 

I'm trying to decide between few hotels on our trip to Caribbean. The one that I really like in St Lucia doesn't have air conditioning. How hot does it get in June/July?

HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;-)

summer in Caribbean is hot!
could not live without ac, unless i lived there and could climitize (not done in a week)

Well, that's settled. Thanks!

I used to think I had to have a/c in the Caribbean, but over time I've come to appreciate not having the noise of it. Then again, I'm from Mississippi and the heat might not get to me like it gets to other folks.

It does get hot in the Caribbean in June and July, but many hotels are constructed to make the most of trade winds. Where are you thinking about staying?

I've found that in non-a/c places, I may have a little trouble sleeping the first night. Now I alleviate that by taking a Tylenol PM and a sleep mask to keep out the early morning light. But after the first night I've usually found no trouble at all falling sleep and staying asleep. A good ceiling fan can do wonders.

It really does depend on your own personal preferences. Steady trade winds and a ceiling fan are almost always sufficient for me to get a good night's sleep. If, however, you're in a room that isn't situated to catch the breezes, that could be a different story altogether.

Elevation also makes a big difference--staying up on a hillside rather than right on the beach is much cooler, for example.

If a hotel is DESIGNED not to have AC it's usually fine for me - breezes caught by well located windows, ceiling fans, on a cliff or elevated, wood not concrete, etc.

Totally different thing from a concrete block hotel with nscreened windows and the AC breaks.

liza put it more succinctly than I did. If, for example, the hotels you're considering are Anse Chastenet or Ladera, those are two places that were designed to make the most of the trade winds. I would imagine that you would be fine in either place. Their elevation, combined with their design, should make the bedrooms comfortable throughout the year without a/c.

I was actually considering either Anse Chastanet or Stonefield Estate-they both are up hill and have great views of the Pitons. The problem is I don't tolerate heat well, I even have hard time sleeping with the noise of the fans. For that reason it looks like staying there in the middle of the summer wouldn't be a great idea. May be I'll give it a try some time in the winter...

Ivan,

No matter what season you travel to the islands, it can be hot. So it really depends on the individual.

If you normally have trouble with the heat, I'd recommend AC all the way. Personally, I wouldn't dream of going to (ANY) island during (ANY) season and not having AC to cool me off.

I think only you truely can answer weather or not you'll need it based on how you deal with heat in general.

I believe the general rule of thumb in 5-10 degrees difference based upon the island. In early June from my experience the difference might only be 4-5 degrees all other things being equal.
But early June to June 20th +/- is quite save from hurricanes so go now.

That makes me wonder how people tolerate sleeping w/o AC at such quite luxury resorts as Anse Chastanet. Does being high up and open to the breeze make it cool enough? I figure that most people, at least from the US, are not accustomed to this. May be the way these villas were built does make a difference.

I wish I could go now! I'm planning to go there the weekend preceding 4th of July, keep my fingers crossed no hurricanes.

Ivan, We were on St. Lucia the first week in May at Jalouise. Actually Stonefield is next to Jalouise. We definitely would not have survived without A/C. I will not go to any resort or villa on any island any time of the year without A/C at least in the bedrooms. Good luck. Owa

Gotta luv the OP's name. DA! :D :D

Thanks Owa, I'm almost positive we'll go to Jalousie, the other option being condos on Marigot Bay.

I'm trying to decide on the room type: sugarmill rooms or montain/oceanview villas. Also I assume the higher the villa the better the view, so may be we should request something with higher number.

Ivan, If you click on my name I discuss the rooms in my trip report. Owa

Great report. Island hopping seems like a wonderful experience. So which location did you like better, Tobago Cays or the Pitons?

Don't ask me :) I try to only stay in places I don't need it. I really really don't like living in AC.