We arrived on Bequia from Union Island via the MV Barracuda Mail boat on 10 May 2005. We met up with Raleigh (a local taxi driver, who became our regular taxi driver while on Bequia) by happenstance at the ferry dock. Raleigh offered to take us to our lodgings. We told Raleigh we didn't know where we were staying. "You don't have reservations?" he asked. Nope – no reservations. "So where do you want to stay?" "Not sure", we said, "but how about lower bay?" Raleigh agreed that was a good start and offered to take us to his favorite place down there. He said he'd drive us from place to places all over the island until we found something we liked. Great! Friendly and helpful - we are hooked.

Raleigh took us the De Reef Apts first. We looked at a few rooms and found one we really liked. An A-frame with bed & bath upstairs, and living dining kitchen & 2nd bath (with tub/shower) downstairs. Both floors had spacious balconies facing Lower Bay beach. We had a partial view of the the beach from our balconies. The surrounding tropical gardens and night sounds of the birds and animals more then made up for having only a partial view.

We got the whole A-frame for USD50/night as a walk-up price. Lower Bay beach (very nice for walking and swimming) was down a very short driveway, across a one-lane sand road (the main road for the lower bay village, which should tell you how small the village is!)

We stayed for 3 days and loved every minute of it. It was like having a tropical resort all to ourselves. The villagers were very welcoming and friendly. Two beach bars were right on the beach in front of our property. Other restaurants and rum shops in the area got hopping at night. At least one local rum was very casual with great local flavor and a fun places to hang out and meet locals after dark. I'm not even sure if this rum shop had a name.

We absolutely would go back to De Reef again. We rank it as a 5 star. Please be advised - there is no comparison between De Reef and high class resorts. It simply can't compare because it is uniquely fabulous. We hate high class resorts that isolate us from real local people. We personnal rate De Reef 5 star on our scale because it has everything we want in lodging when we travel in the Caribbean – local ambiance, cleanliness, fans, fresh air, balconies, beach very close by, and several eating and drinking establishments within walking distance.