We just came back from a week long vacation from the Caribbean Jewel Resort. It is a lovely hotel with huge room, a balcony and a great view to the Rodney bay. It is a great place to soak in the pools and look over the bay. My toddler son, initially anxious of getting into water, got to love to play in the wading pool. Staffs are all friendly and helpful. A free Internet workstation is also available to the guests by the reception.

The open air restaurant sit on top of the building and gives the greatest view. Had it offer a more extensive menu we might be tempted to stay inside the hotel more.

The flip side is the uphill walk to the hotel. We didn't have a car and we walked at least twice a day. It is about 20-25 minutes to get to the center of the beach by the Spinnaker restaurant. I was hauling my 25 pound son so you can probably do better. Now I am the kind of person who love walking so I don't mind the physical exercise. Even then it gets tired after doing it day by day. St Lucia streets are also not so friendly to pedestrian as they lack sidewalk and the shoulder is often full of debris or parked car. It gets really hot in the middle of the day. Don't sweat it. Get a cab when it gets too much. We paid just EC$10 for the short ride.

Just returned from a terrific stay at the Caribbean Jewel. Our room was spacious, comfortable, [didn't think to ask for a refrigerator; that would have been helpful!] with a nice bathroom. And that view!
The balcony is large, open on 2 sides and a wonderful place to get out of the sun and relax. I felt like I was staying in a villa, sitting on that balcony! We had a king room, second floor and those cathedral ceilings are nice!
The grounds and pool are well kept. Everyone on the staff was pleasant to us. We only ate breakfasts at the restaurant [standard stuff] ; the one night we considered trying it the specials didn't appeal.
The walk to the beach is managable. We spent a day down there; rented an umbrella and chairs from one the hotels on the beach and used their facilities. Just as you come down the path to the beach there is a gal there with an outdoor kitchen of sorts and she served up a terrific lunch of fresh fish, breadfruit, dasheen, and plantain.
Lots of good food choices in Rodney Bay. Don't miss the Edge. We did cab it back one night [we're on vacation, right?] . Also spent a nice half a day at Pigeon Island, a short cab ride away.
Don't hesitate to stay at the Jewel; we loved it.

Just landed back here after 2 amazing weeks at the Caribbean Jewel. This place is fantastic and suited us down to the ground.

The room was enormous, clean and well equipped. Our room did not have a kitchen, just a sink and a coffee maker, but we asked at reception and they provided a fridge for us.

The bed was huge and sooo comfortable.

The balcony was spacious and had the most amazing view of the whole of Rodney Bay, the Marina and Pigeon Island.

The pool areas were lovely - swimming in a pool with a view is certainly an experience.

The restaurant runs on Caribbean time! Don't expect fast food here, We ate there a few times and, other than at breakfast, were the only patrons. This is a shame as we found the food was good and the staff just lovely. Another reviewer has posted that the menu is limited but I would suggest that you go for the specials as they were fabulous.

But there is the amazing view to admire while you wait, and Joselle's Rum Punch seems to make the time go quicker too!!

One of the best things about the Jewel though is the freedom to eat where ever you like in Rodney Bay. We just walked around and stopped where ever looked good. This way we sampled lots of different places which was great.

The walk to the beach or the town is a little steep but if you're reasonably fit then it isn't a problem. If you are feeling tired (big baby!) then a taxi is easy to get hold of and pretty cheap ($EC15 = about US$6 or £3). The great thing about the walk to the beach is that it brings you out at the quiet, secluded end of Reduit Beach that most people don't seem to discover. Also, walking back up the hill can make you feel less guilty after a big meal!!

We loved this place - its as far from a big all-inclusive place as you can get and this suited us just fine!

I just returned from a 4 day trip to St. Lucia. I have a friend that lives there and he is the one that actually picked this hotel. I really did not know what to expect, but I have to stay that I was truly impressed when I got there. The room was huge!! The room I had was upstairs, so it had this great vaulted ceiling that added to the spaciousness. The view overlooking Rodney Bay and Castries was spectacular. The staff was very friendly, courteous and helpful. The food at the hotel was not that great, but there are many restaurants and bars within walking distance, so it was not a big deal. Next visit to St Lucia, this is where I will be staying!