Sandals Halcyon Beach St. Lucia - St. Lucia

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Halcyon is an excellent Sandals resort. Visited: March 2008 Posted by windsortraveler We stayed at Sandals Halcyon from March 10 to 17th, and found the resort to be an excellent choice. The resort is small and intimate, with only around 170 rooms. Our room was close to the main pool and the main building, and was fully adequate. Most of the rooms, and in fact, the entire resort were right on the beach and the ocean. We did not have an ocean view room, but were only steps away from an ocean view. There were two swimming pools. We spent most of our time around the main pool, but they are both very good. We had no trouble finding loungers at any time of the day at the main pool. The second pool had a quieter image. They served tea and sandwiches in the afternoon, and had a popcorn machine! The restaurants were all first class. There was the Bayshore buffet, Mario's, The Pier, and the Beach Bistro. Mario's and The Pier were only open for dinner. You can also arrange a candlelit dinner for two (extra charge) on the beach or in one of the wedding gazebos. The staff all seemed friendly and ready to be of service. Both pools and the Beach Bistro had a bar, and there was a piano bar which was open at night. There was no drink service on the beach or around the pools. You had to get up and walk over to the bar to get a drink. Shuttles were available running between all three Sandals resorts in St. Lucia, and you should take advantage of them to visit the other resorts and restaurants, which are larger and each different in their own way. We had a great time and will return. 20 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was the worst vacation! Visited: December 2006 Posted by sotoboy My wife and I recently completed our honeymoon at Sandals Halcyon Beach. We feel we did not receive our money’s worth out of our stay. We paid full price to stay at Sandals, and had to deal with restaurant, pool and beach closures during our stay. On our first evening, the Pier restaurant was closed for a private party, Mario’s was closed two evenings, etc. This resort only has three restaurants, forcing us to leave the property to go somewhere else. On two occasions, while dining in the outdoor Bayside restaurant, we witnessed some of the largest rats we have ever seen running steps away from us. I haven’t seen rats that large in New York! Needless to say, we weren’t too excited to eat at the Bayside after the rat sighting. The most disturbing for us, were issues arising from the hotel Christmas party held Sunday evening. While we think it is wonderful to reward your staff with a lovely party, it should not be held on premises while guests are on the property! Once again, we had to leave the property for dinner as most restaurants were closed. Second, the few staff who were working were not very pleasant, and some were downright rude! After returning to the property after dinner, I went to the bar to get a soda for my wife, and was embarrassed by what happened. An employee (or guest of an employee) came out of the party to the bar area, obviously intoxicated or under the influence of something else. He was very loud and obnoxious. He tried to speak to one of the guests at the bar, but the man was obviously uncomfortable and embarrassed at the individual’s intoxicated state and walked away. The individual said something to the guest to the effect of “what are you, better than me? Too good to talk to me?”. When one of the bar employees told him to settle down around the guests, he responded with extremely crude language. Not only was there no evening entertainment due to the party, but after the bar incident, I felt that my wife and I should just stay in our room rather than encounter any more incidents like the one described above. We were on the whole quite disappointed with our stay, especially since we had heard such good things about Sandals. The tired appearance of the hotel, along with the issues outlined above, made us feel that the price we paid was too much. 12 users found this review helpful. 14 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Ours was a first-class experience. Visited: January 2004 Posted by peter2 The Halcyon was the smaller of the three Sandals establishments on the island and was probably the quieter. However, there was free transport to the other two Sandals hotels and their restaurants were also free to guests, so it made sense to us to make Halcyon our base and travel to the others for odd days, returning after dinner. Being a more intimate resort, we found it to be far more acceptable and our stay of five days, to be just right. The only possible downside was that few rooms faced directly to the ocean, and those that did, were a bit too adjacent to the pool activities. Many rooms had a partial view of the water and, in general, this was acceptable, as most looked out on immaculate well-kept Caribbean gardens in which tropical plants from all around the world were nurtured by the very attentive staff. Included in the price, were plenty of water sports - and certainly at the Halcyon. And we found that there was no waiting to be able to take out a kayak, aqua cycle or sail boat, none of which really required much previous experience or any real restrictions on where you went. Although, the water sports staff did keep a relaxed eye and their rescue boat was soon dispatched if you appeared to be in trouble or disappeared over the horizon heading towards Martinique which could be seen from the hotel grounds in the distance. Food was first class at all restaurants. They catered to almost anything guests desireed. Also, the wines, which in most cases are limited to two or three different types of red, two or three white, plus a sparking, were all very good. And should a couple be capable of finishing a bottle, another will arrive post haste. During our stay, one attraction on the dinner menu was fresh lobster of which the chef informed us that 400 were bought fresh that day. We had a most pleasant visit. 19 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Don't believe the bad things you read. Visited: October 2003 Posted by wlawrence This hotel is simply great. Is it the top place in the entire Caribbean to stay for all-inclusive? No, of course not. Is it a nice, quiet, very lush, well fed resort where you can go, relax, and simply enjoy a wonderful island, its wonderful people, and have a wonderful vacation/honeymoon/wedding? Of course! My wife and I got married and had our honeymoon here for seven days and thought it was simply perfect for it. The other Sandals resorts were bigger and a little better, but they were also louder, and had more hustle and bustle. Halcyon was quiet, more compact, and perfect for the romantic trip we wanted it to be. The Pier and the Italian restaurant on the property were both very, very good. Service was also good for whatever we needed. As I wrote before, don't believe all the bad things you may see about this hotel, it's a very good place to stay. 15 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Sandals was a nice place to stay. Visited: July 2003 Posted by sericker We spent five days at this resort and it was a nice place to stay. The vacation was for our honeymoon, and the same seemed true for every other couple staying at this resort. In that respect it was a bit much to handle. The food was fine and the drinks were never ending. It was nice to be able to travel to the other two resorts for a change. The other two resorts were nice in appearance, but you have to think if you want to spend the extra money for a room to sleep in. Our room was great and we could always travel during the day to spend time at the other two resorts. I would say it was not worth the money to stay at the other two resorts. 9 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Our honeymoon was a dream here. Visited: May 2003 Posted by dmbrown23 Our twelve-day honeymoon was excellent, thanks to Sandals and the wonderful people of St. Lucia. We had booked the top honeymoon beachfront room. The view was exceptional. The room itself was pretty nice, not very large, but clean and comfortable. Our room bar was stocked fresh daily with soda, water, mixers, beer, wine, etc. We loved it! We ate at all three of the restaurants. The Pier Restaurant was our favorite. We also traveled via a free shuttle to both of the other Sandals resorts for dinner many times. We enjoyed La Toc and Armandos at the Golf Resort and Toscanni at the Spa Resort. Overall, we were still glad we picked the more quiet, intimate resort. We made friends with many guests staying here, as well as with some of the playmakers. We tried it all: scuba, snorkeling, hobie cats, laying around in oversized hammocks, and drinks at the pool bar. If you have the money, don't hesitate to book your next stay at Sandals Halcyon. We are first timers hooked on the Sandals all-inclusive thing and we will be back next year! 6 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a great island and a nice hotel with so-so food and beverage. Visited: April 2003 Posted by donutsapd We spent 12 days here in April of 2003 for our honeymoon. It was a small and cozy resort, but the giant sister resorts (Grande and Golf Spa) were all within a 15-minute shuttle. It was an extremely enjoyable island. The locals were great and there was plenty to do. The resort itself was calmer but, with a much nicer beach. My main complaint was with the food and beverages. The beverages were no where near top shelf. The bartenders appeared well intentioned, but they were either rookies or didn't have proper training. I would recommend it, but don't expect five- or even three-star meals. 2 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a perfect getaway! Visited: August 2002 Posted by traveldreams10 My husband and I stayed 6 nights at Sandals Halcyon and enjoyed every minute. We weren't looking for a lot of disco/nightlife activity, so it was perfect for us. They provided beautifully manicured gardens and clean comfortable rooms. We were in the 800 section near the Paradise Pool, which was considered the "quiet pool", but it was nice sized with a swim-up bar and afternoon snacks were set up daily around 4:00 pm. It was a rare moment we didn't encounter a smiling face greeting us - everyone from the gardeners to management. We traveled a bit to Sandals Golf Resort for dinner and spa treatments (heavenly) and were happy to have so many choices. The Pier and Marios were the only a la carte restaurants on site; buffet and beach grill for lunch; they just started to experiment with a la carte breakfast service at Mario's while we were there (nice). I celebrated my birthday while we were here and found our room and front door decorated with balloons and a bottle of chilled champagne that evening (hubby didn't tell them). Our favorite restaurants were La Toc, Armando's (both at Golf Resort); Mario's (res only at Halcyon). Tours: Day sail to Soufriere was excellent - Sunset Party Cruise was great fun! Shopping trip: $10 per person, which basically consisted of a stop at the vendors in Castries and a trip over to Pointe Seraphinen for upscale duty free shopping. It was worth it to take a cab to the strip mall across the street for souveniers (about $5) or take a cab on your own to Pointe Seraphine - Castries didn't have a whole lot to offer. We were very lucky with the weather (we actually escaped the heat wave and humidity of New Jersey going to St. Lucia). Rare moments of very quick rain showers - always quick, maybe 1 or 2 in the afternoon - no different than Florida actually. It was a beautiful island. We plan to go back when the third Sandals resort opens up - wow, that's going to be great! 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It's not a rainforest without lots of rain! Visited: May 2002 Posted by noel My wife and I spent a short week at Sandals Halcyon in St. Lucia to attend a friend's beach wedding. Be prepared for rain - lots of rain. Usually it poured for five minutes at a time. But for the week we stayed here, it rained about five to ten times a day... mostly short-lived. But, that's why they call it "rainforest". The service was fantastic, and the employees were very hospitable. I would also complain about the bar service and evening entertainment being weak. They closed the disco at about midnight or 1:00 a.m. each night, although they boast its hours being until 3:00 a.m. Especially annoying were the weak beverages that were obviously watered down bottles of White Rum. The reason I say "obviously" is because they make a point to let you see them fill half your glass with the bottle of rum, but upon your first sip, it tastes almost non-alcoholic. One of the best parts of the resort was the very colorful native 'beach vendors' who Sandals allowed on their beach. Although they could be a little annoying when they visited three or more times in one afternoon, they were local flavor with lots of style and smile! Unlike some of the previous reviews, we had no waits for dinner, and had a great experience at Mario's (wow... what an antipasta buffet!). We also enjoyed a wonderful tree frog serenade every night. They chirped all night long, were tan in color, and were about the size of a peanut M&M. Snorkeling was great, and included the bonus of taking a long 45-minute boat ride around the island near the Pitons. It was gorgeous! But, Aruba's Baby Beach was much more impressive and pristine. I would visit again - maybe after another island or two. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a great honeymoon experience. Visited: April 2002 Posted by parkercornett This was a perfect honeymoone spot. We thoroughly enjoyed everything from the immaculate room to the poolside bar, even though service was slow at times. The fact that tipping was not allowed was obvious. There was no incentive for people to cater to you. We were certainly pleased overall, though. We loved the watersports and the land and sea tour, as well as the sunset cruise which had all-you-can drink champagne. We met several lovely couples who we keep in touch with. We would love to come back for our first anniversary. We recommend it to any couple in complete and total love. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A romantic and tranquil place, but we had mixed reviews. Visited: March 2002 Posted by elemteacher123 My husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary here in March, 2002. The setting was romantic and the rooms were clean. We stayed in a honeymoon beachfront room, which included a fridge that was stocked daily. We were also the closest to the beach, with hammocks, a tree swing and gazebos. The beach was nice, but smaller than I pictured. After a somewhat rocky start with watersports staff (we both waterski and the MasterCraft was often not working!), water activities were great - especially the hobie cats, waterskiing and wakeboarding. Estelle at the BeachFront Grill was wonderful! She had a knack for remembering everyone's name. The restaurants were pretty good. You could always find a place to spend quiet time together with your husband/wife at this couples-only intimate resort, with only 170 rooms as opposed to the Spa and Golf Resort's 340. The one excursion we did was the Soufriere Day Sail and it was wonderful! It was very relaxing (not rowdy). It included all drinks, stops at the botanical gardens, lunch, volcano, Marigot Bay, and snorkeling at Anse Cochon. At $80, it was a bargain! One of the negatives we encountered was that they have only one bartender at the main pool! With all the tropical drinks that included crushed ice, be prepared to wait and wait and wait for a drink! Everyone was grumbling about it. Instead of ordering beer at the pool, my husband got to the point of just going to our room's fridge and getting a beer from there instead! Also, at the Pier restaurant (the one in all the brochures), we waited for 1/2 an hour to get a menu. And again, after one beer, no one asked if my husband would like another. My husband then just got up and got his own beer from the bar in the back of the restaurant. Additionally, if you are looking for a lot to do at night, this is not the resort for you. You'd be better off at the Sandals Golf and Spa Resort. After 10:00 p.m., there was usually nothing going on. The piano bar was supposed to be open until 3:00 a.m., however, a group of us were told a little before 1:00 a.m. that they were closing! We later found out from an employee that we should have reported that incident to the manager on duty. 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a wonderful time. Visited: January 2002 Posted by tony_mower We've never been to a place before where most of the staff knew our names within a couple of hours of arriving. This had to be the most friendly resort. We were there for our 25th Silver Wedding Anniversary, and the manager and staff made it one to remember. We certainly plan to return to this idyllic retreat. Halcyon seemed to be a lot more friendlier than the larger Golf Resort. We tried all of the restaurants, but mainly ate in Halcyon because of the atmosphere. 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a blast! Visited: October 2001 Posted by tarbell My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon. We stayed in the Honeymoon Beachfront Room and the only difference between the other rooms was that it was across from the beach and we had a fridge stocked with beer and wine everyday. The resort was beautiful, the food was good and we made a lot of friends. The staff made it a point to see you were being treated well and would remember your name after your first introduction. The weather was pretty much overcast with a couple of sunny days, but we never ran out of things to do. The beach was clean and very big. Do expect to be approached at least once by vendors selling their beads and other stuff, as they have a tent on one end of the beach. They aren't allowed on the resort, but if you are on the beach they do take that opportunity. You need to be firm if you’re not interested. Overall, we would like to return on our first anniversary. 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Everything we expected and more! Visited: August 2001 Posted by lacochran We honeymooned at Sandals Halcyon and were delighted with our choice! We were greeted at the front lobby with smiles, cool washcloths, champagne and a free sample pack of shampoo/lotions/etc. They immediately upgraded us to a beachfront room which was well appointed including a stocked minibar and we had a spectacular view from the private porch. The grounds were quite pretty (they raked the beach every morning!). It had a lush, intimate feel, with inviting strolls. The food was also good. We are vegetarians and always had options. We visited the sister resort for dinner a few evenings and it was nice to have those choices, too. We particularly liked the restaurant at the larger resort that served Caribbean style food. The Bayside and Marios provided consistently good choices, too. The snorkeling was fun! The piano bar was a hoot. There was a "loud" pool which was great if you wanted to play games with the playmakers and there was a "quiet" pool which was perfect for drifting and drinking. Instead of taking a Sandals provided tour, we recommend hiring a cab (through Sandals) for a private tour for about the same amount of money if you team up with another couple. We did this twice --once up the coast to Pigeon Island and once down to Soufriere. We definitely recommend seeing the botanical gardens and the volcano. Our drivers were very knowledgable and one even knew of a roadside casaba bread vendor! (Yum!) This kind of local color you probably wouldn't get on a larger tour. We did take a Sandals tour to the Castries market (interesting) and the Duty Free shops (pricy, but nice stuff). We found the service at the resort to be exemplary! We much prefered Halcyon to the larger resort, finding it intimate, romantic, charming, and serene. Overall, we were blown away by the beauty of St. Lucia and found its people (even off the resort) to be friendly and laid back. We are hoping to go back soon! We'd love to go back! 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A beautiful place to stay Visited: July 2001 Posted by jdputtycat We had never stayed at an all-inclusive resort before, but we are hooked now. The drinks were wonderful; there’s anything you want from beer (we loved the Piton beer) to mixed drinks. There were 3 restaurants at Sandals Halycon, although we ate at The Bay restaurant every night. We rated the food as excellent. The desserts were wonderful. If we were at the beach, it was just walk a few steps to the bar to get a drink or enjoy a hamburger at the outside grill. It rained off and on several times while we were there, but usually cleared up and didn't ruin the whole day. The grounds were kept immaculate. The foliage and flowers were just beautiful. The room was very nice with a 4-poster bed and cable TV. It was nice to come back to an air-conditioned room every night, as some days were quite humid. They have many excursions you can take and book right at the hotel. We did take one, but ended up renting a car and exploring the island ourselves. Just be careful if you're not used to driving on the left-hand side of the road. Soon enough we got used to it and had little problem. Leo, who works the rental car desk, was very helpful with hints and directions, and we also received a map. We had a total blast driving around the island, but we'll warn you that the roads are very curvy, going up and down mountains. There are tons of "hairpin" turns. It’s kind of like a roller coaster trip after you've been in the car for a while, but worth the fun. We even drove to Anse Chastanet, which was a 2-mile drive from the resort on a 1-lane road, so be cautious in case you meet someone coming the other way. But, the road is passable - just take your time. We made it with no problem and had a small car. In summary, the island is spectacular. Don't miss a chance to see the Pitons, which we found to be just beautiful. We would rate Sandals Halycon as excellent! 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a great time! Visited: June 2001 Posted by LisaKittyPhil My fiance and I went for a week, and we enjoyed every minute of it. When we first arrived, we were pampered until we left. We had a hard time adjusting to the relaxing atmosphere - but it did not take too long. There were so many activities to do - volleyball, beach sports, water sports, water volleyball, and drinking smoothies all day. We would definitely return. I highly recomend the Sandals resort to all couples or even singles wanting to go on a vacation. You can bring your friends, or meet people here and have a ball. As far as rain, it rained almost every day, but it only lasted about five minutes (the longest). So that was definitely not an inconvenience. We also highly recommend the Sail for the Day on the catamaran (the excursions were not inlcuded, but were well worth the $80-$90 per person). We met several couples and we had a ball. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Outstanding Resort Visited: June 2001 Posted by melissam My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon. We were originally booked at another resort on the island, but were so disappointed with it that we moved to Sandals. This was everything that we expected our trip to be. The staff was incredibly friendly, and we loved the intimate nature of it all. The grounds were well maintained, and our room was well appointed. It was a wonderful place to rest and relax. On a couple of occasions, we did go to the other Sandals property for dinner at various restaurants. While it was a very nice resort, I was happy that we were at the Halcyon. I would highly recommend this as a honeymoon destination. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A great place to play and relax Visited: June 2001 Posted by dlc4ever We had an excellent time! We traveled here for our five-year anniversary and it was well worth the wait. We booked five months in advance and had a lot of time to research the island and the resort. We definitely liked Halcyon better than the much larger all-inclusive resorts. For us smaller was better. We enjoyed our trips to the other resorts, but preferred the quiet, laid back atmosphere of Halcyon. The staff all around was great. Our only complaint was the bar service was slow, but that may also be part of the laid back “no problem” way of life. We met many wonderful couples while lounging around the pool and enjoyed the option of doing nothing if we so desired. We did, however, participate in many activities, which seemed to be enjoyed by all—even those who just watched had a smile on their face. I am sold on the all-inclusive way of vacationing and I see us going back in 5 or 10 years. With a 3-year-old daughter, my next couple of vacations will be to Disneyland. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? So much relaxing, so little time Visited: November 2000 Posted by jrwall Even with a hurricane blowing off in the distance, my wife and I had the most amazing visit. If you're looking for dancing, parties and lots of new friends, this is not the place. If you're looking to spend great time with your significant other enjoying the beach, food, diving and floating on a raft in the pool, this is it! 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Very enjoyable! Visited: September 2000 Posted by dianadajovan1 The company that I work for had a FAM trip to St.Lucia. We stayed two nights at Sandals Halcyon. From the time we walked into the hotel someone greeted us with fresh cool towels and cold wine. What a welcome! There was a group of us checking in, yet they serviced us in a very professional manner. Seeing that this was our first time at the property, someone walked us to our rooms. Only a couple of minutes passed and our luggage arrived promptly at our rooms. The thing that impressed me the most was when the front desk staff called to ask if my room was to my liking. Believe me, it was! I had a second floor garden view room. It was so beautiful! Since I was on a business trip I had a room to myself. As far as the staff was concerned, they were very nice—especially the front desk. One person that comes to mind is Cyril. He was so helpful. Another person was Kelvin, who worked at the Beach Grill. Each night I would go to the Grill for a late night snack and I would sit there and talk to him while my food was being prepared. Now that I have actually seen this property, I know I will sell it more than I did before. I recommend this hotel for anyone who wants a quiet getaway. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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