I read a recent review that was not very flattering to the St. James club and I am truely puzzled. My husband and I, along with another couple, returned to the St. James Club again this year, we for the second straight year and they for their 3rd visit in January 2012. The people could not have been nicer and, when we checked in, they had already made reservations for dinner for the four of us for that evening. All we had to do was go to our rooms and stop by one of the open bars for a drink before preceding to the ocean side beach. We loved the "wind" as it kept us very comfortable while lying on the beach reading. The water soprts on the bay side are handy and always available. The food at the various restaurants was more typical towards fish and local dishes, rather than the steaks many people may be used to, but there was always a great selection, including beef. Breakfast was anything you'd like.

But the best part of the stay is the staff. EVERYONE was pleasant, smiling and willing to do anything asked. I have never met a nicer group of employees.

We will continue to vacation at St. James Club and will bring as many friends with us as we can.

We stayed at Beach Club Superior Room for the sixth time over the last seven years. Virgin All Inclusive. As you can probably guess we think the resort is excellent (why would be go back again and again).
We choose superior room merely for the fact that it is only two steps down to the beach. Apart from that no other benefits other than 1 free bottle of rum each week and cans of drinks supplied weekly (which we don't use but give it as tips to the beach boys (the cans not the rum!).
Staff are mostly excellent and if you say please and thank you to them (which is only manners anyway) they cannot do enough for you.
I reckon that we must have met about 30 couples over the last two weeks that are repeat guests and indeed we have met some of them over the full 6 years or so. So we think that says it all.
The rooms have been improved over the years and this year the furniture has been renewed in the rooms.
Food very much the same as previous years (good but not fantastic) but dining arrangements have changed - particularly for Virgin Beach Club clients:
Cocos now does breakfast as before
Is now open from 11 to 11 as a fast food restaurant (Burgers etc and a choice of 3 salads and Chicken Noodle Soup (not any others other only chicken noodle!). Suggestions were made on a questionnaire and to the duty manager to have a " soup of the day" but to no avail!!
Docksiders is now all Buffet with nightly entertainment - Buffet is a different theme each night - eg French, Italian, Caribbean, International, Tex Mex (the Chilli was mean!) Fish- can't remember the other but repeated each week
Rainbow Garden is al la carte every night with buffet at lunchtime
Virgin Beach Club clients can now use all bars and all restaurants.
Downside of new arrangements is that Cocos becomes a bit boring for lunch as we preferred the salad/buffet (as did about 10 other regulars that we know) it is such a lovely spot for lunch and much more pleasant than overlooking the main pool or sitting in the aircraft hangar called Rainbow Gardens
The only other downside was that Cocos beach has this year a lot more seaweed that it needed constant clearing (which was done) rather than first thing in the morning.
Otherwise an excellent holiday which we hope to repeat again next year

6 day vacation at SJC, Januray 28 to Feb 3, 2012. Very nice resort - beautiful grounds and multiple venues within the resort so it is NOT the same beach, same restaruant, same pool every day. Food was average which is what you get for all inclusive at this price - one night the buffet was fine(sea food) and one night very dissapointing (oriental). Pay the extra $35 and eat at the italian restaruant Piccolo Mondo at least once - we ate there twice. Lovely setting and very good food. Do not miss the lobster (lime and butter sauce).
Had a very bad experience checking in - we specifically requested a second floor room in the Mango building - one of three right on the ocean beach. When we arrived we were placed in a first floor room. When I explained that we had very clearly requested a second floor room and we were assured we would get one by the reservation person - the women at the reception desk said it was not printed on our confirmantion and basicly told us tough nails. She made no attempt to search for avialabitiy the next day, just politely said tough. So we went to the room - DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT stay in a first floor room on the ocean beach. They are poorly furnished, they have very low cielings, poor lighting, the sliding door was rusted and the room had a terrible musty smell (room 359). It was depressing. Next day my wife found a very helpful person at the front desk (Collette) and we moved to a second floor room in the Mango building. Room was great no complaints. Vaulted cieling, nicely furnished, nice bathroom and shower, great patio with a terrific view of the ocean. Hard to believe they charge the same price for first and second floor ocean beach front rooms.

Quality and beauty of beach is important to us. Ocean beach is lovely and the view is spectacular. Beach is nice for swimming but no coral reefs to snorkel. It was very windy for the first 4 days and this limited the use of the ocean beach. Nice thing is they have a bay beach a very short walk from the ocean beach. And well protected from the ocean winds. Very nice beach but it is a bay - no aqua blue water, muddy bottom 20 feet out and no coral reefs. For two days wind reduced and we really enjoyed the ocean beach. There is also a pool adjacent ot the ocean beach - very nice - and a place to eat lunch just above the pool. This is what I mean by multiple venues - ocean beach is one, bay beach another (also with a pool just up the hill and a very nice little beach grill), bluff overlooking bay and ocean another with two pools. Also with the exception of the front desk women when we checked in the staff were very nice and very helpful.
Played a round of golf at somthing Valley (cannot remember the name),. Course was oK.
Enjoyed Shirely hights on Sunday - yes lots of tourists up there (including me and my wife!!) but I liked it, great party atmosphere and great steel band.
We did eat at a restaruant called EAST at Carlisle Bay resort (super upscale resort - about 1500 US a night vs 600 at SJC). Excellent food. Expensive cab ride (as are most because SJC is at the far end of he island). Should have explored he island a little more - there are some great beaches arond the island - but we were not up for running around.

So to sum it up - if cost is a big factor this is the place to stay. If you can afford more I woudl suggest you take a step up.

I went to the SJC on a recommendation and i was not upset that I chose this hotel. The hotel is very beautiful and the food was top notch. It is a little out of the way from all the other hotels but I guess that can be a good thing. If there was one thing I didn't like it was the beach area. It was really hot and i didn't like the lagoon side of the ocean and the ocean side has alot of wind and rough water. As I traveled around the island I found so many other beaches that are postcard perfect. That being said the staff was very friendly the food fantastic and my room which was ground level and overlooked the ocean was impressive with a nice size to it. The grounds were impeccably manicured. I would definatley recommend this hotel to anyone looking to go to Antigua.