This is an excellent property. The rooms are spacious and well cared for. The staff were amazing. There are lots of activities of all kinds around the resort throughout the day and evening. The beach is great for swimming and snorkeling. We have visited a fair number of resorts and often get tired of the food, but this resort had a lot of variety and the food was very good. We actually did not get to try everything we wanted to during the week we were there! We also really liked the feel of this resort. The property is big enough that there is a lot to see and do but small enough you got to know some of the staff and other guests. We got great service from the staff, especially chefs Raul and Sylvester, sports bar bartender Jonny, and beach server Krystal.
We booked this hotel relatively last minute due to another holiday being cancelled. We have stayed in Royalton Antigua before and at least had an idea what to expect. We arrived at this hotel after a 9 hour flight and a two hour transfer from the airport (first tip- book a private transfer and travel in comfort, the transfer is looooong). We also paid extra for fast tracking through the airport. This was great as you bypass any queues- which does feel counterintuitive as a Brit- we normally love a queue. Worth mentioning here that St Lucia insist on mask wearing pretty much everywhere. Not every tourist adheres to this, but the staff are more than willing to give you a nudge if you forget and I will say that the entire stay felt very safe from a Covid standpoint. The reception area is spacious, beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean. While checking in we noticed that the wrist bands we were being given were not Diamond Club which of course we queried. We were seated while the issue was discussed at length by several of the staff on reception. Eventually a senior member of staff (who’s name I didn’t catch) explained that there had been some confusion in their booking system and that the swim up DC room we had booked was unavailable, but that we would be put in a swim up in one of the other blocks (5) but with all diamond club privileges. From many hours research we already knew that all swim up rooms are basically the same, so although it was not what we had paid for we grudgingly accepted - on the proviso that if a swim up in DC or hideaway became available during our stay, we would be moved. The room. 5005 is a standard swim up room located in block 5. It overlooks the gardens and the quieter pool area, and the view also has the sea as a gorgeous back drop. Blocks 4 and 5 definitely get the most sunshine on their patio area in October, from late morning till sunset. The room itself has two double beds (very comfortable), a sofa, a spa bath and a double walk in shower room for the more romantically adventurous. The room is very spacious and was spotless throughout. The swim up patio has two chairs, a table, and two sun loungers- a wonderful spot for some afternoon sun after a day round the pool or on the beach. If there was one small criticism, its that the AC controls have a weird set up where they default to a room temperature of 15 degrees C overnight which was too cold. Hotel facilities. The beach is beautiful (though the sea was a little rough for a few days of our stay). Plenty of sun loungers in the main beach area and DC. The hotel has a main pool which is huge and runs parallel to the beach, it has a swim up bar and lots of sun loungers (though it does get busy down there). We preferred the quieter pool, which cascades through 3 levels in the centre of the beautiful gardens. There's a swim up bar in the middle- plenty of loungers, and doesn't get too busy, heaven. Special mention to both Maria’s and Neil who always greeted us with a smile and a warm welcome. The DC pool is also stunning, although no swim up bar (first world problems). I also felt that this area probably could have had more loungers as it got very busy- but in fairness it uses the limited space it occupies well. There is also a kids pool which I will say looked incredible fun- my inner child wanted to go and play in the huge water feature but thankfully my wife was the voice of reason here.. The hotel has a decent / well equipped gym, clean and tidy and never too busy while I was there. There is cleaning spray and cloth for the machines between use (Covid). Restaurants and bars We tried all of the eateries during our stay. Hunters (Steak House)- this was our favourite. Delicious and well cooked steaks in a lovely setting- good friendly service. Does get busy, but that’s a sign of a good restaurant. Grazie (Italian)- we used the Italian three times for lunch and once for dinner. Very good each time (one small gripe was that they ran out of mozzarella on two occasions). Again though food was tasty, well cooked and service was great. Calypso (Caribbean)- service again was great, food was not to our taste though. Ribs in particular were a disappointment. Zen (Teppanyaki)- this was great fun, our chef had us all singing along and also gave us his entire repertoire of “dad” jokes. Food was standard fair for teppanyaki, chicken, prawns and beef with veg- tasty enough- the miso soup to start was not great, and the cheesecake dessert was also average at best. Definitely worth a visit for the laughs though. Scores sports bar is great to catch some sports (note, F1 wasn’t available though, which left a few of us disappointed). They do a selection of bar food which we enjoyed thoroughly (the buffalo wings were great), and they keep the cold beers flowing while you watch the game- ideal. The martini bar is a great pit stop for a pre dinner tipple, or for an all night stay. Lovely selection of drinks and wonderful staff. Special mention to Jessica who was always a joy. Snack van- located by the kids pool this offers a selection of burgers and the like at lunch time. We had a burger which I have to say was not great- it was more Sloppy Joe than burger. Have to also say that the ladies in here were not exactly rays of sunshine- although I think I’d probably be a bit surly too if I was working in a metal box in 30 degC The buffet- we had breakfast here every day- always very good (if a little cold as it’s not actually a buffet at the minute). Kurtin on the omelette stand gets a special mention- made a huge fuss of us every day and is a lovely friendly member of staff. There is a coffee shop and ice cream bar. Nice friendly staff serving a lovely selection of coffees and ice cream- not much else to say. DC pool bar also have a decent lunch menu (more extensive than elsewhere). We ate here a few times and always enjoyed it. We also did the romantic beach dinner. This was comped due to the mix up with the room. We enjoyed it, the setting was breathtaking and it was very romantic. Our server was very attentive and made us feel special. We didn’t think that the food particularly lived up to the price tag- it was on a par with the standard restaurant offering (which is nice enough). Personally I think I’d have felt short changed had it cost $160. My wife used the medical centre while we are here, again- all staff were friendly, helpful and sorted the issue (though not cheap I must say- I suppose us Brits are just not used to paying to see a doctor). Finally, the entertainment. This really was a mixed bag (as hotel entertainment always tends to be). Some of the professional acts were great (the fire act for "white night" for example), other acts were not so good. There was also a DJ who, at least in my opinion needs to get some more practice in (and perhaps a set of headphones, makes makes mixing much easier). Diamond club. So- despite my scepticism, having a butler is useful- they do help keep you organised (they’re the only route to a table reservation for example). We had the pleasure of having Fabian and Ferna as our butlers and they were both amazing. Added lots of lovely little touches, like a bath with petals which was lovely after a day out on a boat trip. They came and found us every day to make sure everything was ok, it really did feel like they wanted everything to be perfect. I half expect one of them to appear at our house on Thursday such was their knack for tracking us down. You also get access to the DC lounge (we went in once for a bottle of water), and an exclusive pool and beach area. All very nice- it does feel special. Overall We have had an amazing stay, I must mention that we were never offered the room change that we were told would be forthcoming at check in- but the room we had was great, as was the DC service, so I don’t think that omission detracted too much from the overall experience. You can eat and drink to your hearts content, we had wall to wall sunshine for 11 days in late October and an unforgettable holiday. Overall we think this place is amazing- as good an all inclusive as we have visited (so much so that we are returning to the same hotel next year - something we have never done before). Would highly recommend this hotel.…
We stayed for one week. Great choice of pools, non of them were ever busy so plenty of sun beds. There are also plenty by the beach so no need to be up at the crack of dawn with your towels. Our room was lovely and always clean. We only used the buffets for breakfast, ask to be seated outside it was much nicer. We got into every restaurant ok. If they are full they give you a pager so you can go and have a drink whilst you wait. All of the restaurants offer a vegetarian option even the steakhouse. Entertainment was excellent each night. We did a trip to the rain forest which was interesting and we walked to pigeon island twice where there is a nice beach and bars. Would definitely return here for a relaxing break.
Arrival/transfer: It is a 2 hour transfer; however not of any concern as it gave an wonderful opportunity to view St Lucia and the surrounding scenery en-route. Roads are reasonably maintained and evident driver had previous transfer experience. On arrival at hotel, there was an extended wait on the coach, TUI could improve on representative at hotel on arrival to provide update and instruction; this missing section caused unnecessary unrest for many on the transfer, as minibuses were given first priority to check-in with no explanation. On checking in; provided with a welcome light refreshment and hotel staff were very helpful and friendly. Be advised there is a $6 fee per person per night tax; which was an initial surprise as TUI did not inform us pre-booking & a $200 dollar holding deposit per room (we stayed for two weeks) this is payable by USD or Credit Card. Room/Facilities: Janice: housekeeper made sure we had everything we needed and only to ask if required anything more, tipping helped service provided. Created lovely swans with towels and decoration of bed for wedding day; which was a lovely addition and a personal wedding note to us was going above and beyond. Stayed in: Block 4; Swim-up pool room. On first sight the room was clean and neatly presented, plenty of towels provided, bit misty smell - this is due to the cleaning products used for floor and not the room, as once patio door opened after few minutes the smell no longer remained. Sun most of day, pool pleasant temperature. All facilities on offer were of a good standard and provided light entertainment. E.g table tennis. Doors require locks being fixed at various locations around hotel. Snorkelling at the beach, paddle boarding and kayaking are a great addition and if wishing to pay a supplement there is jet skis available. Restaurants: Staff recognition for excellent customer service named below. General Tips: Due to being Al a Carte;the portions are generally smaller; however you can request more than 1 main dish and extra sides, and staff are more than accommodating to provide. Go to restaurants earlier if not with Diamond club upgrade, as buzzers will be provided to return back when tables are available (wait on average 20-30mins) Kaisha & Simon: Dorado (fish hideaway restaurant) Made our wedding evening meal that extra special and their service went above and beyond, made for a memorable meal in a private section of the restaurant and were friendly and attentive. Additional optional surcharge for lobster I would recommend and their lobster bisque was exceptional. Lea: Grazie (Italian) We had an evening booking here and also enjoyed lunch on more than one occasion; pizza’s, lasagne and pasta dishes were very tasty and if you wanted different toppings/ingredients staff were very happy to make any amendments needed. Lunch dishes were large and could be shared as a lighter lunch option. Lea couldn’t do enough and returned for lunch due to the exceptional service provided. Donavan: Hunters(steak house) By far our personal favourite restaurant and the meats here were amazing and their ribs are beautiful. Donavan was a fantastic waiter and deserves a mention. Calypso: (West Indies/Caribbean) Their sweet mashed potato is beautiful if you like the sweet/savoury taste. I would recommend having extra sides with your mains here. Sports bar: Has a good choice of meals/snacks, didn’t have much ingredients for the drinks requested on the occasion we used, provided football game that was on during stay and was put on without question. Gourmet Marche: Buffett Had a wide variety on offer daily and catered for any guests. Anything specific, through a simple request and they were more than willing to accommodate if not on show. Armadillo: Tex Amex Pleasant restaurant and menu, nothing stand out on our visit. Zen: Teppanyaki A one-off visit for us, as this was more for the overall atmosphere and entertainment than the meal offered, food was good standard but portions were on the smaller side. Food cooked on metal plates in front of you. Diamond Club: Michka, Tarnisha : friendly, polite and very helpful for any needs whilst there. Merv: Supervisor was exceptional and service provided was very good standard Dwight & Keitha: DC Butlers - we were fortunate to have had an upgrade due to marriage at Royalton and had the pleasure of having both treat us with fantastic service and highly recommended to any future guest, they appreciated our wishes for minimum interaction and accommodated our needs by WhatsApp promptly. Pre-booked tables at each restaurant and made sure we had complimentary robes and slippers available where these were not initially in room for us or our party. Fantastic service and many thanks both. Lavern: Wedding coordinator High praise and gratitude for her prompt, swift and wedding day support to ensure our wedding went perfectly. Very approachable and friendly and could not do enough for you. Any questions or concerns were immediately put at ease with clear responses. A special thanks. Excursions: Helicopter: Amazing experience, British pilot with British sense of humour, very informative and got to see the island from a completely different perspective. A wedding gift from couple we holidayed with; and certainly did not disappoint. Pigeon island: $10 dollars per adult, well worth visit, recommend walking shoes amazing views and historical background was a pleasant surprise, museum on site and a picturesque restaurant on a small private beach. TUI’s named Tout Bagay (a little bit of everything): Cruise along coast, waterfall and mud baths, Tip: take spare loose clothes & towel for changing, swimming costume that you don’t mind throwing after due to salts from mud baths. And snorkelling on return boat trip whilst sun setting. Street party: Friday nights, two strips of make-shift huts serving an array of food and drinks, at junction where streets meet has big speakers, live music and plenty of dancing Rainforest cable car/Zip lining: views amazing of rainforest (limited bird spotting). Cable car ride and guide very knowledgeable and interesting. There are many varying reviews and if you’re a glass half full than empty, the little things for improvement will be updated and fixed in time following the impact of covid restrictions and the effect on tourism St Lucia has had from one of their main sources of income. We as a party of 4 had the most memorable and fantastic wedding/honeymoon & holiday overall and would recommend to anyone wishing to visit, the people are genuinely friendly and off hotel site we all felt safe and at ease.…
Our Butlers Keitha/Dwight took great care of us and are so kind and always a friendly smile 😊 All the bartenders, waiters, chefs at the Diamond Club pool 🥰❤️🍹…. And Skinny Jimmy for hooking us up on a fun day trip to the Pitons, mud bath, snorkeling and a fun boat ride🚤⛰️🏝️🐠🐡🦑. The food at all the restaurants is really good the buffet is full of anything you could ever want, Hunter the steak house was so flavorful and tender. Our favorite by far was the Romantic Dinner on the Beach our Butlers set up… we got the surf n turf and the BEST thing we ate and couldn’t get enough was the fresh Clam Chowder 😋🤤🤤🤤 we could have just had the entire pot and would have been Happy with just that. We were honored that both the Head Chef & Executive Chef of the Resort came to meet us🧑🏿🍳🧑🏿🍳!!!! AMAZING gentleman I could go on and on…. Lastly make sure to eat all the bananas 🍌 you can, the freshest purest fruit you’ll ever eat…. Nothing like store bought…
Fabulous holiday with great service and staff and a super room. The beach is safe and also good choice of pool areas. Activities were great with the lovely entertainments team. Buffet excellent with lots of choices,with option to sit outside and good speciality restaurants, which our butler made reservations for. Hunters steakhouse, was our favourite and also Zen which was really good fun. This was our second visit here, as we had such a good time on last visit and this times visit was even better.
Returning home after a fantastic holiday at the Royalton St Lucia after reading many negative reviews I was apprehensive but how wrong they where. We at first was disappointed with our room but the next day was moved and upgraded to diamond club hideaway to have use of all the resort. Which was very much appreciated and everything resolved.the room was in diamond club very large room with lovely views. The hotel is a 2 hour drive from the airport but worth it. The buffet was very good lots of choices. We being in diamond club had reservations made daily for the a la carte restaurants,the best being hunters steak house, Zen teppanyaki was fantastic these booking made by our butlers Sacha and Nelson although we only saw them occasionally during our 2 week stay they messaged daily and surprised us with our room being decorated for our 40 th wedding anniversary and our jacuzzi bath run with rose petals all around after a long day out this was a wonderful surprise. The resort it’s self is very clean with good restaurants, all the drinks you could think of. Special thanks to Aline our room lady she looked after us so well even put fresh flowers in our room with a personal message. Our mini bar stocked up daily amazing. All staff so friendly and welcoming couldn’t do enough for us. The diamond club lounge and pool bar staff looked after us so well too. Manager Ronald goes out of his way to make sure things are ok he made us feel very welcome we appreciated everything he did for us. I would recommend this resort to anyone visiting St Lucia the setting is fantastic and service, hopefully will return one day.…
Our butler service was wonderful….we had never used this service before, but felt very spoiled. They took care of our supper reservations and service on the beach or poolside. Suggestions for activities, and chats about the island, off resort trips. Thank you Olivia and Rornel for making this vacation most enjoyable. Hope to be back .
Our stay at The Royalton has simply been perfect. The attentiveness and customer service has been second to none. The setting is beautiful and everywhere is kept spotless. There is a lot to choose from in terms of food, the buffet restaurant always had a lot to offer, we were almost spoilt for choice. The theme restaurants were fabulous too. I particularly liked the Steak House, where a return visit was warranted a couple of times - the ribeye steak is a must. The bar service could have been a bit quicker - but when you're in such an amazing setting and wonderful surroundings we didn't let it concern us. The entertainment was hit and miss. The country music night was great, the chap had a great voice and we shared a dance. Other nights were okay but not our thing. They also played the music quite loud at the main stage which you could hear in the rooms, but not passed 10.30pm so again it didn't cause too much concern. I would love to come back again one day - well done to the team. A truly magical visit to mark my birthday.…
This was our first trip to the Royalton Saint Lucia and it definitely won’t be our last! Rornel and Olivia took such good care of us during our stay, as did all the staff we met. The Piton Sunset cruise is a must for anyone looking for a relaxing excursion. The nightly entertainment was amazing, and the restaurants at the resort were all phenomenal. 5/5 stars!
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