Jack Tar Village St. Kitts

St. Kitts

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Jack Tar to reopen Visited: April 2006 Posted by lpereira The Jack Tar Hotel in St. Kitts is planning to reopen. For more information visit www.myislands.myeyez.net 3 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A great place with great food but... too many frogs! Visited: October 2002 Posted by dianelbolton My husband and I made Jack Tar Village our destination for a long weekend getaway in October 2002. The grounds were immaculately kept (first thing we noticed). Then the room, we also gave an A. Then came the evening, and I could not believe my eyes. Frogs were everywhere! I am quite sure there were at least 5 frogs to every palm tree and there were quite a few palm trees! I know most people find frogs adorable, but the ones at Jack Tar caused me to be quite reluctant to leave my room for nightly entertainment. Everything else was 4 star. The food, the swimming pools and definitely the staff! 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A perfect spot for a honeymoon! Visited: July 2002 Posted by nicki_curd1 My husband and I went to Jack Tar for our honeymoon, we were welcomed on arrival and throughout our stay we were made to feel special. Although it was out of season, the hotel was impeccable in all standards as were the staff. The only downside for us was watching the building of the monstrosity across the way - the Marriott hotel. This was the only thing that would spoil the island as it seems to break all previous planning laws about buildings not being able to be built taller than the palm trees. We will hope to return to Jack Tar for an anniversary when we have saved up the funds once more. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? An exotic vacation worth returning to. Visited: July 2002 Posted by 718blackhawk We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by going away to St. Kitts and Jack Tar Village. It was the most amazing and exoctic place we have been to. The islanders made us feel at home and I never felt unsafe the whole time on our vacation. The atmosphere at Jack tar Village was excellent and so was the hotel staff. Our meals were out of this world and very tasty. St. Kitts is definitely a well-kept secret island with so much history. We are looking forward to returning sometime soon and visiting with the friends we met here. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A great value with clean accommodations and delicious food. Visited: February 2002 Posted by joyamunyon We stayed at Jack Tar for nine nights and were very happy with the friendly and prompt service. Other pluses included ease of getting on golf course, good drinks, quality food with creative menu options at the buffet plus fine dining three nights at the Italian restaurant. Nightly entertainment was pleasant. The resort was clean and well kept. The negatives included no admittance to the Atlantic Beach due the Marriot under construction directly in front of Jack Tar and the loss of nine golf holes. The 18 new ones were being built behind Jack Tar by Marriot. Our presumption was (no one at Jack Tar seems to know) that the Jack Tar will fade away - which is too bad. The island of St. Kitts was so lovely that we will probably go to the Marriot next year if we lose the Jack Tar option. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Wonderful place to relax and enjoy life. Visited: January 2002 Posted by Dford10310 This is the third time that I have stayed at Jack Tar Village and once again I had a wonderful time. The people are the nicest and most accommodating people you’ll ever want to meet. I would do it again and again. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Very relaxing and enjoyable Visited: December 2001 Posted by hep0950 We were looking for a good, relaxing vacation and thought of cruising but didn't enjoy the thought of the crowds. I suggested St. Kitts, since I was there in 1994 with the Air National Guard. My wife found an all inclusive at Jack Tar Village - so we booked it. Her breath was taken away when we arrived. She was amazed at the beauty the whole time we were there. The accomodations were more than adequate. One must realize this is a tropical Island subject to hurricanes and could not afford to get too elaborate on rugs and such. The service and food were good. They had plenty of good drinks. The beaches were great. We liked the Caribbean beaches better, more relaxing. There was a hut on the Caribbean where you could sign out snorkle gear, boogie boards, etc. The island was beautiful. I would suggest renting a vehicle for your stay and explore. It is far more convenient. Be careful though, they drive on the left side of the road. Would we go back? Definitely! We would also stay at Jack Tar Village. If you are looking for a great relaxing trip without the big crowds and do not raise your expectations too much, then Jack Tar Village on St. Kitts and is your destination. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Just a place to stay. Visited: November 2001 Posted by watkin1124 Jack Tar is just a "place to stay" Don't expect a lot of amenities; it’s very basic. No coffee maker, no hairdryer, no little bath amenities “extras”, no room service. You get the picture. We stayed in room 305, the patio faced the lagoon, the golf course, and the new construction. The room was large with a king-sized bed, 2 nightstands, 2 chairs and a table, a floor lamp, and a combination television stand/chest of drawers (with basic cable). The closet was large, but hangers were scarce. There was an in-room safe. The bath was adequate with a shampoo and bath gel dispenser. However, mold in the bathroom was a big problem for me (allergies). Housekeeping was good. The grounds were well manicured and the entire compound was clean. The hotel is about 18 years old and showing signs of wear and tear. 2 pools, both were well maintained. There was also a small disco and small casino. The bars made fresh drinks and always had ice (the icemakers didn't). Food was mediocre. If you are a lover of white meat chicken you will be disappointed. Only once did we get white meat chicken. All the other entrees were leg and thigh. This was prevalent throughout the island. We didn't find most of the people at the hotel smiling or friendly. Out of the hotel people seemed to be friendlier. The Italian restaurant was a big disappointment. In fact after a couple bites of our entrees all 4 of us decided to go to the main dining room for dessert and coffee. Overall, we found the food to be bland and uninteresting. However, one would never go hungry, as there was always a pasta bar, cheeses, breads and desserts. The lack of tropical fruits was a shock to us. An Atlantic beach across the street and the Caribbean beach was about 5 minutes away. The hotel offered bicycles to guest as well as the shuttle. Drinks were plentiful and a palatable wine was served at dinner. Food and drink on the Atlantic beach were included but not at the Caribbean side. There were several restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Taxi's were available and plentiful and set prices made bartering unnecessary. All in all, Jack Tar's okay, and the price is right. We felt safe walking around the area. We would go back again to Jack Tar. We met a wonderful young man who was our guide for the week. He has a modified jeep and was able to take us places tour buses wouldn't and his price was fantastic! We saw many places that most people don't. He took my son and husband into the rain forest and they are still talking about it. He knew all of the best places! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A quiet place to go. Visited: November 2001 Posted by smacksjjd If your looking for a resort or even an island where you can just relax and spend time doing nothing, Saint Kitts and Jack Tar Village is the place for you. I will base my rating on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. Pools: Spent most of the time at the quiet pool, which is very nice until the gnats started biting. Rating: 7. Bars: Limited types of alcohol—one beer (Carib) and no fruits to make tropical drinks. Rating: 5. Restaurants: Good variety. Most entrees were delicious. Caruso Italian Restaurant was very enjoyable. Rating: 7. Nightlife: Tropics Disco was non-existent. The Casino was adequate. Beware that in blackjack the dealer doesn't get the second card until everyone is finished hitting. Rating: 4. Staff: Very pleasant and informative. Everyone had a smile on their face and always said hello. Only problem was a girl waitress in the casino had a sour look on her face the whole week. Rooms: Somewhat small. The air-conditioners need to be upgraded. Our bathroom was infested with bugs at night. The patio was infested with gnats. No refrigerator to store drinks. Rating: 3. Excursions: Going to the city is a waste of time. There was nothing to do there. No shops worth going into to buy souvenirs. Rating: 2. Catamaran Tour: Booked through JTV. Blue Water Safaris had to be the worst sail we have ever been on. The food was not tasteful, the snorkeling was laughable and the Nevis beach was terrible. If you can find another Catamaran tour, please do. Rating: 4. Car rental: We rented a jeep and explored the island for the day for $77 including driver’s licenses. Only sites worth seeing are on the Caribbean side. The Atlantic side was scenic, but nothing else. Try to go to Brimstone Hill Fort ($5 entrance fee pp). Go to the Batik factory. Drive past the Batik entrance and go up the rain forest for an incredible view. Rating: 9. I wish I had more time to go into details. We had a very good time on our visit to St. Kitts. As in any trip, the fun you have is what you make of it. Would I go again? No because there are other islands to explore. I do recommend you go, but JTV needs work overall. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? All-Inclusive? Visited: November 2001 Posted by slb63 Since just about any resort allows free use of their swimming pools, fitness center, and other such leisure facilities, the only thing that seems to make Jack Tar all-inclusive is the free meals and drinks - on-site only! The Italian restaurant was closed all 3 days. The buffet was mediocre, basically dorm food. There was no nightlife except for the casino (not free of course). There were few activities happening at the resort, and especially not ones for free. We asked about golf and were told at the activities desk (3 people standing about) that the golf person was not around and that they knew nothing about it. We were given the number for a scuba shop, but this shop did not offer Saturday dives. So we had to do research and arrange the diving and pickup ourselves. The Atlantic beach is unswimmable. There is a free shuttle to the Caribbean beach, but once there you have to pay for everything. Who in their right mind goes to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean that has no beach, at least not a beach where you can get a drink under the all-inclusive rate? The Caribbean beach was OK, but no stunner. We had a hard time finding beach chairs that we could use without paying – finally someone took pity on us and directed us toward 3 white ones. Those were the Jack Tar ones. No representative from Jack Tar was at the Caribbean beach. Some staff members were friendly and cheerful, but many – especially those that were in charge of activities and the front desk – were apathetic. The night we checked in (with 3 other couples) all the reservations had been lost and it never was properly straightened out. The room was plain but would have been fine, except for the hundreds of bugs crawling around in the bathroom all night, leaving behind dozens of corpses in the morning. Also, there was no remote control for the TV. Another guest told us that you could get one at the front desk for a deposit. Bizarre. We were not offered one upon check-in, nor were we given towel cards or even the bracelets. Those we got the next day after we had be stopped by “security”. Basically, the all-inclusive rate at Jack Tar allows you to stay on their small property, sit by a pool next to the stagnant lagoon, eat so-so food, and drink. No frills here. Any activity worth your time – the better beaches, islands tours, hikes, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. – you will have to pay extra for. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Jack Tar provided a very friendly atmosphere. Visited: October 2001 Posted by smurphy1 Our visit to Jack Tar Village was really nice. The staff was very friendly and made this average hotel very nice. A big thanks to Jullian, who may be the friendliest hotel staff person I have ever met. The hotel was very simple, but it was kept up very nicely and was very clean. Our rooms were very simple, but were very clean, as well. The pools were older looking, but they were also kept very clean. There were not a lot of activities planned here, but we were here right after September 11th, and the hotel was really vacant. The staff was playing games with each other and had no problem allowing us to join in. The casino was quiet and Blackjack was played very differently here. The funny part was, our kids (ages 11 and 12) could play the slots. They got a kick out of that. If you go to town, don't expect much. There were very few shops and not much to do. Two hours would cover that visit. Cabs were from $20 to $40 a trip. All the drivers were very nice. Find one you like and he will pick you up day or night and even give you their home phone to call them. You must see Turtle Beach. Monkeys came down from the forest and we could feed them all day. There wan't much of an area to swim there, though. The golf course was nice and very scenic. Both beaches were not far from the resort. They drove us to the Caribbean side and that was the best swimming side. The Atlantic was just a walk across the way and was the most scenic place I have ever seen. Jack Tar Village was very nice. Don't go if you are looking to party all week, but if you want to relax in the sun and step back in time 25 years, this is the place to be. I sum this statement up with our drive back from Turtle Beach: we waited on the road three minutes so the farm cow that was lying in the road would move. Also, don't forget to bring bug spray, you need it after dark. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Perfect Wedding. Visited: October 2001 Posted by philip What a wonderful fortnight I just enjoyed at Jack Tar Village. My room was comfortable and well equipped and kept beautifully clean during the whole stay. The food was first rate and special mention should be made to Ronaldo, the Head Chef; he made sure my wedding day was complete with a Chocolate Wedding Cake. Extra special mentions for Gillian my wedding coordinator that made sure our every wish came true and always with a lovely smile, and Madi the Air Tours representative who was always on hand ready to help and had a great sense of humor. Take the boat trip on the "eagle," which a had a great crew, some good snorkeling and fresh BBQ food in an exotic location. Also if you have some time, fly to St. Martin for some great jewelery bargains. On the downside, there is some construction work opposite the site not due to be finished until 2002. It marres the view somewhat, but once you are inside the complex it does not spoil your enjoyment. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Liked the resort, loved the Island. Visited: September 2001 Posted by mc_cantin My husband and I went to the Jack Tar Village hotel for our honeymoon. We chose this destination and this hotel because we wanted to go for two weeks and the price was acceptable. Although the rooms are very simple in style, they were comfortable and very clean. The overall service at the hotel was really good and there was no one better than Rose to book our expeditions. They only have two restaurants, but the food was good and diversified enough that we weren't completely sick of it after the first week. I would recommend the Jack Tar to my friends for sure—just make sure that you are not expecting a 5-star hotel. As far as expeditions, make sure that you go scuba diving. Do the Catamaran Day out on the sea, the Rainforest and the Island tour. Have a good trip! 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Good value and relaxing. Visited: September 2001 Posted by rob_pip We just returned from our first visit to St. Kitts and Jack Tar Village. The island was beautiful and a lot greener than expected. We found the people were friendly and polite. We enjoyed our stay at Jack Tar very much. It was a really good value, all-inclusive hotel. The hotel accommodation, although basic, was comfortable and clean. The pools were nice, especially the quiet one. The activity pool didn’t seem very active. There was a volleyball net and basketball hoop set up in the pool. There is an itinerary by the pool but the staff didn’t seem to adhere to it. The food in the buffet restaurant was good with a wide range of choice. Our only comment would be that the food could have been hotter. The Italian a la carte restaurant was very nice. We feel that it should be open more than twice a week as we had trouble getting reservations. My husband enjoyed the golf and I enjoyed the rainforest trip, it was really interesting. Be sure to wear insect repellant! The Island Tour was also good but it would be nice to have more time at Basseterre. We were disappointed with Turtle Beach. The beach wasn't great and the sea was full of seaweed, which we didn’t expect. Overall we had a great holiday, very relaxing, which is just what we needed. We would definitely go back. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Good All-Inclusive Value Visited: July 2001 Posted by rholm Jack Tar Village opened in 1983 and although very well maintained, it has a design that shows its age when compared to some of the flashy new resorts nearby. If you can get past this, the rooms are fine, good air conditioning, bathrooms, tv, etc. Some rooms face the lagoon while half of them face the pool, road, etc. If you need an oceanview, make sure you specify. This used to be an all-adults resort, but now allows children, however, they were all well behaved. Other comments about food are well taken. They make an effort to vary the main items, even some Creole fish, chicken, etc., but the same buffet set-up got a bit tiresome after three days. They do have the Italian option when it is open, but you have to reserve after arriving at the hotel and its usually fully booked. It would be great if they opened Caruso more nights—or did a Mexican night, BBQ or something different some nights. There is construction across the street surrounding their Atlantic Beach Facility - for the new Royal Resort & Casino and from the looks of the model, it will eventually consume Jack Tar's property as well. This should be a great addition to St. Kitts when it’s done, but probably at rates twice that of Jack Tar (or more). We ran into friends that had stayed at Jack Tar the month before and were staying at another resort for this trip just so they could have the option of different restaurants. They ended up paying more, but got to experiment with different restaurants (many of which also required a taxi to reach). All in all, we had a great time at Jack Tar and St. Kitts/Nevis has plenty to do so you're never at the resort all that long. Staff was overall very good and the active/quiet pool choice was great. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Charming! Visited: July 2001 Posted by felicia_mohammed St Kitts is utopian. It will sweep you off your feet when you're there and leave you pining to return when you're gone. Don't make my mistake. Go for longer than one week. The atmosphere is amazing. The government is doing an excellent job of conserving the environment. St Kitts is a great place to visit if you are interested in eco-tourism. Nature is evident everywhere. Don't miss the volcano hike with Chris! He makes a mean local herring salad dish that you'll get to eat for lunch once you make it to the top and inside of the crater. Visit the old plantations in Nevis with Teach. They're lovely. Don't miss the Royal Botanical Gardens in Nevis either; it's one of the best-kept and most breathtaking RBG's I've ever seen. Go into town. Get a taste of the culture. The local people are some of the sweetest and friendliest I've ever met. Very few were aggressive towards me and my family, and many were helpful. Trust the folks at Jack Tar to take care of you during your stay while you explore the island. The all-inclusive route is definitely the way to go. The rooms are clean and have good air-conditioning. The food is fresh, good and plentiful, with an alright mix of North American and Caribbean dishes. (However, I wish there had been more Caribbean food to sample!) The drinks are good and always flowing. There are two pools, one quiet and one loud, both well kept, but beware the mosquitoes that the stagnant water (from the pools and the lagoon) attracts at night! The Atlantic Beach is just a five-minute walk away from the resort, and the Caribbean Beach is just a twenty-minute walk away (or you can take the shuttle which comes every 30 minutes). The staff is overall very friendly and helpful. Thank you Gillian, Theresa, Peggy, Julian, Joseph, Mario, and everyone else whose name is escaping me right now for taking care of us in St. Kitts. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Jack Tar Village was my salvation during a time of need Visited: June 2001 Posted by taimassage Everyone was extremely nice; this being a most welcome change from home. Just hearing "good morning" and looking upon the many smiling faces, that work so hard everyday to make the visit worthwhile, was a lift for my spirits. When planning this trip with my travel agent and friend, I had specifically asked that "a quiet" spot be found for me to visit...a place for reflection as it were. She couldn't have chosen a better spot than Jack Tar in St. Kitts. Although there is much to choose from in the way of activities...there is also space to enjoy the company of ones own thoughts. It was the best vacation I've taken in a very long time. I plan to return again and again... 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Not What I Thought It Would Be. Visited: May 2001 Posted by miselainis My husband and I thought that the all-inclusive deal sounded really good. However, I was disappointed that for all the buffet offerings in the main restaurant, none were remotely Caribbean. There was definitely a lot of food, but what we got reminded me often of dorm food in college. The room was clean, and the air-conditioning worked well. The best part for me was walking along the catwalk to our room and getting to see the wonderful ecosystem around the lagoon--so many exotic birds, fish, crabs, etc. It was fun to try to see how many we could see. The unlimited alcohol was nice, but if we do the islands again, we will not go the all-inclusive route. We will go for semi-nice lodgings, then eat out. I feel like I missed out on some great Caribbean food. Luckily, we ate at Ballahoo in Basseterre for lunch one day, and the conch fritters were excellent! P.S. The sliding glass door in our room did not lock. When my husband told them about it, they said they would "jump right on it," and when we checked out 2 days later, it still had not been fixed. Two or three members of the staff seemed happy or enthusiastic, the rest just sort of acted like they could care less that we were there. My review might have been higher had I detected any better attitudes. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Great time! Visited: January 2001 Posted by tookoolmom This resort is a great place to stay. We felt very comfortable here. The rooms were very clean and roomy. The maid service was great. The view was nice. The staff were very nice, especially Gillian, Alyston & Kevin. A special thank you to Gillian ("Fatso the Clown") for doing such a great job with the Kids Klub and making our 3-yr-olds trip a great one, and to Alyston for his help with the kids. It is hard to go to a place like this with a 3-yr-old and try to relax and enjoy yourself, but they made it possible. Kevin, the bartender, sure can make a mean drink, Kevin's special. It was great! The food was wonderful. The buffett was the best, always something different and alot of it. You never left hungry. There was food from morning 'til night. The pools were great, always something happening at the activities pool. Alot of fun! The nightly entertainment was good too. There were 38 of us staying here and we had a great time. A special thank you to Dennis, Trevor and Albert, the taxi service across the street from the resort for the wonderful tour of the island, and the trip to Turtle Beach to snorkel and see the monkey. The island tour was very interesting and a must to do. The only draw back was that you had to walk to beach. But, all in all, the resort was very nice and a great place to stay. This was our first trip out of the U.S. and based on the experience we had on St. Kitts and at Jack Tar Village, we would go again. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Outstanding food, service, value & golf Visited: January 2001 Posted by brockm Jack Tar St. Kitts was a pleasant surprise, more than exceeding our expectations. The buffet food was outstanding - fresh, imaginative, varied and plentiful - and the Italian restaurant was as good as those we patronize at home. The room was spotlessly clean and the bed was firm and comfortable. Everything 'worked' and the 115v current in the bathroom was very convenient. Having two pools - one loud and active, the other quiet and for adults only - was a brilliant idea. The Atlantic beach was wonderful for long, long walks and active play in the surf while the Caribbean side - although likely much more attractive before the last few hurricanes - provided calm, relaxing swimming and watersports. The golf was nothing less than spectacular - a far better course than one expects from an all-inclusive resort. (Slope 126, rating 72 from the blues for those who care.) Bring a straight driver, a strong putter and a string to keep your hat on in the winds off the ocean. But the best part of Jack Tar St. Kitts? The staff and service! Every request was greeted with an enthusiastic and pleasant response with none of the attitude often encountered elsewhere in the Caribbean. To a person they appeared to actually "care" about my satisfaction and the enjoyment of my vacation. Nobody's hand was out expecting gratuities (although they were both gratefully accepted and well rewarded). St. Kitts (and Nevis, a lovely day trip which should definitely include lunch at Tequila Sheila's on Cade Bay) is friendly and inclusive. Nowhere did we feel any concerns about personal safety or any resentment/attitude towards tourists perhaps due to the apparently higher standard of living (compared to other islands in the region) or the very evident church-going, 'god fearing' tone of society. And nowhere did anyone harrass us to purchase goods or services. (Vendors approach pleasantly and politely... and understand 'no.') Pack your bags. Jack Tar St. Kitts isn't a five-star resort but it is certainly a five-star value and as good a vacation as you could ever hope to have (perhaps excluding you wild, young singles.) Eat, drink, tan, golf, gamble and dance the night away to Socrates and his band! And plan for next year. 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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