Sandals Halcyon Beach

Your Saint Lucia adventure starts with the transfer to the resort. Reviewers often comment unfavorably about the lengthy trip to Sandals after deplaning. The island’s principal airport is diagonally across from Castries, the capital, on the opposite side of the island. The road has many switchbacks and elevation changes and the ride takes about 90 minutes, more if there is heavy traffic. If you are susceptible to car sickness, you might try the ferry or helicopter. If those methods are not appealing, you might consider another island. That said, it is an interesting trip with all the terrain changes and a run through a tropical rainforest. We like having the opportunity to get to know other arriving guests as we travel to the resort. Other criticisms focus on slow service or a lack of response from certain staff members when things go awry. Everyone wants their vacation, especially one at an expensive resort, to be perfect. But having travelled to other Sandals and stayed with different resort chains, including Secrets, Excellence, Iberostar, and Karisma, I can state that Sandals has done a terrific job in tough situations (see my Grenada review from earlier this year). And any issues are likely to be more challenging elsewhere. If you do have a problem, speak up, be polite, smile and stay calm. In nearly every case, staff members want to go the extra mile to help. Vendors can be an issue at any resort. We have found beach vendors especially polite and respectful on Saint Lucia. I can’t say that for certain other islands that shall go nameless. If you’re not interested in a tour, trinket or whatever, a polite “no” generally does the trick. Same goes for the spa ladies. That said, we’re always friendly towards the people on the beach whether we’re buying anything or not. We consider Halcyon Beach to be a special place. Its smaller size makes it more personal and intimate. It takes very little time for servers to recognize guests and provide preferred beverages without being asked. Similarly, because of the compact nature of the resort, you will see the same guests on the beach, at the bars and at the restaurants. We particularly enjoy meeting up with friends that we encountered on previous trips. The warmth of the staff and familiar returning guests make the Sandals “Welcome Home” greeting especially meaningful. We would recommend that guests, especially those staying a week or less, make dinner reservations as quickly as possible. Kelly’s is a favorite and fills quickly. The same is true for popular spots at the Grande and La Toc, such as Gordon’s and La Toc. But be flexible, sometimes you might have to dine earlier or later than you prefer. The food at Halcyon is consistently good. Our favorites on site are Mario’s and the Bayside and it is tough to beat the over the water ambience at Kelly’s. Off site, La Toc is a must for us. One small nit regarding Mario’s, put the risotto back on the menu! People: manager Sharon Fagan is warm, enthusiastic and very attentive. She will happily tell you all the plans that she has in mind for Halcyon, including the long awaited coffee cart. Importantly, when we had a problem with a toilet the morning we were due to leave, she went out of her way to find a nearby room that we could use to comfortably get ready for our departure. Ava, Venicia, Patrick, Kanesha all helped make our stay more enjoyable. Kudos to bar staff, especially Karim at the Irie and everyone at the Bistro. The entertainment was also quite good. In addition to the obligatory fire show and Michael Jackson tribute, individual soloists like Curtis on piano were terrific. Karaoke night was a hoot as was the piano bar in Kelly’s. Mornings at Bayside would be incomplete without one of Veronica’s omelets. Be sure to say Good Morning! One small disappointment was resolved our last day when we saw Berthelina at the Bayside. A regular server, she has been a joy over the years. She had been out ill and her return the day we were leaving really helped make a great stay even better. We look forward to returning and seeing our great friends from the US, UK and Canada next year.

We had our wedding here and Elizabeth was fantastic from beginning to end! She was so helpful and they tailored everything to our preferences