Anyone ever pimp it at a "Sandals" resort?

[truth]

About to pull the trigger on the Grand St. Lucia for 5 days in Jan, any info would be appreciated.

[Vinman]

Went to one of the ones on St. Lucia for our honeymoon. Pretty cool place, swim up bars, free drinks, the occasional topless sun bather(female), good food, fun stuff to do, snorkeling, tours, Cuban Cigars etc.....

Both the wife and I won drinking contests on a tour cruise. Won a good bottle of St. Lucian Rum and another cruise tour.

[Buster Highmen]

On your keyboard of life, be sure to type in trip insurance, lots of latex products, sunscreen, other suitable emollients and remember that vegetables are not the only vehicle for lipids.

[Oarhead]

Went to St. Lucia for a month over christmas when I was a kid - my parents are docs and volunteered at a hospital just outside of the capital (can't remember the name). We were POOR for the trip- 2 families in a 3 bedroom hut (7 kids, 4 adults), no vehicle, no spending money and we had the best time of our lifes (good lesson that money is not always necessary to have a great time). The local people were really cool, we travelled a tiny bit and had a ball. I would recommend visiting En-shastinay (I know I spelled this wrong) - it is a hotel between the two tetons - absolutely gorgeous scenery, food was stellar and the accomodation was incredible - the balcony drops waaaaay down to the beach about a mile downslope. Snorkeling was inredible too. I heard that at one end of the island there is a "whites only" bricked housing area - didn't go there and not losing any sleep over it.

A really cool island, make sure you get away from the bubble of americana that is found within the resorts and immerse yourself in their culture - little things like goingto the market and haggling for some fruit - I guarantee you will enjoy it.

[dipstik]

Went to St. Lucia with the family a few years ago....

You'll have fun, just as long as you don't leave the resort until it's time to go home. It's a terribly poor island and the natives know you have money, so in terms of safety...it's not that good.

But like I said if you just plan on throwing your bags in your room and getting drunk by the pool/beach it will be fine, but it's definitely not the kind of place where you go exploring outside of the hotel.


edit: my bad, St. Lucia is not the same as Grande St. Lucian...oops.

[Vinman]

- it is a hotel between the two tetons

Pitons not tetons. That is the name of the local beer there too, Piton

[Oarhead]

Pitons not tetons. That is the name of the local beer there too, Piton

Thank you, grade 8 was a long time ago.

[PlayHarder]

A really cool island, make sure you get away from the bubble of americana that is found within the resorts and immerse yourself in their culture - little things like goingto the market and haggling for some fruit - I guarantee you will enjoy it.

You'll have fun, just as long as you don't leave the resort until it's time to go home. It's a terribly poor island and the natives know you have money, so in terms of safety...it's not that good.

Ahhhh, perspectives.

[Vinman]

Definitely not all that safe. I remember being harassed quite a bit at some of the market places. And having the hotle people give kind of a safety talk.

[EPSkis]

My boy "Junior" (6'6", 320lbs) got in a cab whilst stupid drunk.

Beyond being dragged out of the taxi, having a gun waved in his face, having his wallet stolen & being very itchy....(The 2 incidents were not related, thank God.).......He tells me he had a GREAT time!

[truth]

Thanks, I'm looking at a check in / beach / drink / eat / hang from the chandelier / repeat experience...I see poverty and blight every day, on vacation I like to keep the blinders on.

[dipstik]

A really cool island, make sure you get away from the bubble of americana that is found within the resorts and immerse yourself in their culture - little things like goingto the market and haggling for some fruit - I guarantee you will enjoy it.

Ahhhh, perspectives.

heh, well lets not forget oarhead went quite a few years ago...


Yes, immersing yourself in the "island culture" is fun; going to the markets, traveling the towns, chatting with the locals and awing them with stories of white stuff that falls out of the sky. That’s all great, but St. Lucia is not the place to do that. They just want your money, and will aggressively try to get it.

I'm not trying to hate on the island, it's a beautiful and unique place, but If you want to experience "island culture" there are safer places to do it, thats all I'm saying.

[PlayHarder]

Heh, sorry Dipstick - it was just funny reading those back-to-back.

[Stu Gotz]

Truth,

Seems like you are pretty set with the Sandals thingy, but if you are still looking, check out Montpelier Plantation on Nevis.

Small, full service inn which is a beautifully restored sugar plantation. It is very different from the full service resorts, but I thought I had found a small slice of heaven when my trip was finished. I can't recommend the Inn or the Island enough. Ate in town a number of nights, got puzzled at many of the local seaside bars/dance clubs, and I still think of Lionel Richie as a musical genius after an afternoon of Killer B's at Sunshines.

http://montpeliernevis.com/

[Lumpy]

About to pull the trigger on the Grand St. Lucia for 5 days in Jan, any info would be appreciated.

Soooo, there should be unseasonalbly frigid weather in that vicinity for the above time period? Ice planning on making the jaunt also?

[iceman]

No trip to the Carribean in the works, which is probably a good thing for the locals as we all know that it snows when I leave places and I doubt they are prepared for an epic day on the Pitons.

Truth departing may get them a dusting, but if TrueIce, Inc., made the scene all those poor folks would freeze to death within a week of our departure.

[Spicoli]

I made the mistake of booking an all inclusive trip to "Thandals" on a drinking binge once.

I am still cleaning sand out of my .............

[cj001f]

Pitons not tetons. That is the name of the local beer there too, Piton

Sounded like the Freudian slip of a teenager at the beach....

[truth]

Truth departing may get them a dusting, but if TrueIce, Inc., made the scene all those poor folks would freeze to death within a week of our departure.

The legend never dies...

[Greydon Clark]

Bro, January is ski season.

[truth]

Truth,

Montpelier Plantation on Nevis.

Thanks, looks super cool, but for the $$$ it's not quite what I'm looking for. The thing with Sandals is it includes everything. Ya just can't beat unlimited food, booze and SCUBA.

[truth]

Bro, January is ski season.

Well, with the str8line camp on 1/8, Retallack 2/21 and AK 4/21, I think ski season is covered. One can not overlook the power of time on the beach beach in Jan.

[Stu Gotz]

Ya just can't beat unlimited food, booze and SCUBA.

That is true. Enjoy!

[Benny Profane]

One thought about those swim up bars - some people are in there for hours - without leaving for the bathroom - drinking heavily.

[Mulletizer]

Well, with the str8line camp on 1/8, Retallack 2/21 and AK 4/21, I think ski season is covered. One can not overlook the power of time on the beach beach in Jan.

Pulled the plug on LG?