We were sailing for a few weeks on a charter boat (visiting St Martin, Antigua, Nevis and St Kitts) and decided we would like one night in a hotel to clean up and get a proper nights sleep. The hotel is located in the historic Nelson's Dockyard area were we had moored our boat. It looked striking from the outside. The friendly receptionist informed us that they had a "Yachtsman's Special" where we could have a suite for only 150 Euro.

The suite was superb: large, tastefully furnished and very comfortable. There was a living room, sleeping room and a small kitchenette area. The entire hotel has been brilliantly restored and I could not fault anything. I wouldn't stay there for a long holiday as it doesn't have a pool and is a long way from the beach. But for a short stay it is perfect.

The hotel does not have a restaurant open in the evening, but you are in the middle of Nelson's dockyard so there are several good options nearby.

I stayed in the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel with my husband during the week between Christmas eve and New Year's Eve. One thing that struck me as very odd right off the bat is that this week is included as a peak priced week, therefore is more expensive to stay there....but strangely enough, for most of the week I'd bet we were the only hotel guests staying there.

I agree with most everything that previous reviewers said about the hotel and the dockyard area. The historic buildings are really interesting to stay in and walk amongst, and it is quite a unique experience. It is true that there are not many amenities, but that was okay with us. After all, the hotel room is mostly for sleeping, and you don't usually spend too much time there. It was very cool to see all of the sailboats and yachts in the harbor and the general atmosphere there was really awesome.

There were some definitely downsides. The room we were first given (the contemporary suite "Hardy") has two levels. Upon entering the suite, a strong musty smell met our noses, and actually penetrated our clothes to the point that I smelled it on them when I unpacked a week later at home. The first level of the suite is a small kitchen, bathroom with shower, and a living room. The second level is a bedroom. The first issue we experienced was that upon trying to adjust the aim of the shower head, the entire shower head broke off leaving only a pipe shooting out water for a shower. There was also a counter and sink in the bedroom upstairs. The faucet in the sink leaked constantly and on our second day there, it actually spilled over the counter onto the floor, and then began to leak through the ceiling of the living room and onto our luggage that was below. After that, we asked to be moved to another room.

The second room was a slight improvement ("Ajax"), with no sink in the bedroom. The furniture in the living room was also more usable (a couch and table/chairs versus a chair and a table in the first room). Given the fact that this room cost around $260 a night (once you add in the 10.5% tax and the 10% service charge per night), I would have expected a more updated bathroom and kitchen area. I am attaching pics of both. The shower itself was tiny, there was barely enough room in there to take a shower. And it was dingy. The shower floor pan area was chipped and looked gross. The kitchen cabinets were warped. Just overall, the place needs some TLC, and a price adjustment on the room rates.

Oh - the hotel web page states that there is complementary wifi in the hotel. It doesn't exist, so if you need internet, plan to walk to a local restaurant/bar that offers free wifi. I tried working with the hotel staff on 2 occasions, but we couldn't get it working - and they alluded to the fact that the system needed to be upgraded badly.

The front desk staff were AWESOME! Very helpful, friendly and overall really great.

The continental breakfast that is supposed to be included with the rate was a bit odd. The first morning, we went down late (around 10:30) and sat down for breakfast in the bar area of the restaurant with menus....nothing was explained to us, so since nothing was set out for breakfast as you typically see in hotels that include breakfast, we ordered assuming we'd just missed it and we'd catch it the next day. The next day we were down for breakfast at 8am. There was nothing set up and we were given the same menus at a table in the restaurant. When we asked about it, we were told that a $14 continental breakfast that was on the menu was the included one for the room. We both ordered it. We were given a tiny yogurt (maybe 6 oz), a plate of fruit that included 3 pieces of melon and some toasted white bread. Honestly, had it not been free, I would have never paid $14 for that! (US$). Needless to say, that was the last time we ate there. The staff there was great, but the prices and breakfast was a little ridiculous.

One last note about parking. Upon entering the Dockyard area, you drive through a parking lot and then through a gate with a security guard. We rented a car, and after we checked in we were told we could park right outside the hotel near the Galley Bar. There were only about 7 or 8 parking spaces there. If that was full, we had to park a few minutes away near the entrance the Nelson's Dockyard. That wasn't an issue at all, just thought I'd mention it. One thing the hotel/dockyard could do that might help with this gate entrance is some sort of rear view mirror hang tag so the guard knows you are a guest at the hotel. Each time we passed through this gate, we had to explain that we were hotel guests. It just became a little tiresome.

As a lot of other people have said, there are many restaurants that are within a 5 minute walk from the hotel. A bunch of them were great! Trappa's, Hamilton's, Seabreeze, Mad Mongoose, Barb's...a lot offered breakfasts and lunch....some only had dinner.

Overall, I would recommend that this hotel reevaluate their rates, or upgrade the bathrooms and kitchens in the rooms. It was a neat experience, but I would not stay there again.

Simply put, a hotel setting like no other. A converted 18th century ship supply depot now serves as a pristine, comfortable and historic glimpse into the past. Literally at water's edge in English Harbour, the location is situated in the heart of Nelson's Dockyard National Park.

Our bi-level, asymmetrical room featured lacquered furniture and exposed wooden beams aplenty with the amenities you'd look for in a modern hotel: pumpin A/C, fans and sat TV. Room does include a kitchenette however ours did not include a stove or any heating appliance and only bear minimum utensils so you may want to bring your own if needed. Upscale toiletries were supplied for the bathroom.

There is a restaurant on the ground floor but we didn't eat there and it's not open for dinner fyi. But there's a ton of quality restaurants within 10 min walk including Admiral's Inn, infamous Abracadabra's and Trappas, which I highly recommend for dinner. If your visit includes a Sun, you must visit the legendary Shirley Heights BBQ which kicks into high gear after 7p.

Front staff were very helpful in answering my many questions including local recommendations for activities.

Again, one of the most unique settings for a hotel I've experienced.

Where do we start ! for those needing to stay in the English Harbour area, whether a boat crew member or just on holiday, the Copper & Lumber is the perfect fit, located within Nelsons Dockyard. The hotel staff were obliging, extremely friendly, nothing was too much trouble. Even allowing us to host the gathering of The Royal Naval Tot Club of Antigua and Barbuda (many thanks). The stunning outlooks of the harbour are quite breathtaking and the colonial style of the hotel takes your imagination back to Nelson's time. We so look forward to returning soon.