Well what a fantastic 2 week holiday at the St. James Club we have just returned from. We really couldn't fault it at all. Read all the negative reports before we left and must admit was a bit worried, but everything that was complained about we found the total opposite. We (2 families) stayed in Club Rooms and they have to be one of the cleanest rooms I've ever stayed in. Beds were extremely comfortable and all bedding/towels changed regularly and were beautifully crisp and clean.
Air conditioning fantastically quiet and wonderfully cooling. If there was a comment to be made about the rooms, they were perhaps a little sparse and bare, but that is the only negative thing I think I can say about them. Beaches lovely, although we did stay mainly on Mamora beach where there was a bar (perfectly walkable) either end, and the little drinks cart drove round hourly from 12 until around 4, so you couldn't possibly get thirsty. None of the pools were overly large, but were perfectly adequate for a dip. Watersports very good indeed, smart hobie cats and sunfishes, you can have a lesson of water skiing as part of the all inclusive package. There are also kayaks and pedalos.
Restaurants wonderful - a wide variety of beautifully presented meals - there must be something for everyone and as for drinks as soon as our glasses were empty they were being refilled - hardly ever had to ask.
Must totally disagree with the people who found the staff rude - we found the total opposite - nothing but wide smiles and friendliness wherever we went. Trips we can recommend - the Jeep Safari with "Elmo" and friends - great fun and lots of laughter. Elmo was a real Eddie Murphy and kept us in great spirits all day. The Wadadli Catamarans also great fun - did a trip to Cades Reef and also a Sunset Cruise. The cruises that leave from St. James do hit the Atlantic for a bit (depending which way you are heading) and there is quite a swell out there - so remember those sickness pills if you're not a good sailor! A trip to Shirley Heights (shuttles from St. James Club) is obligatory - steel bands and reggae bands, a good night out. St. Johns worth a visit (again a shuttle from St. James will get you there) but there isn't really too much to see unless you are after a nice piece of jewellery or a named watch, this is where the cruise ships dock (often on Wednesdays) and the prices are very competitive. We travelled with Virgin Holidays and had a fantastic trip - all the better with their check in chill out on the last day so that your cases are whisked away to the airport and you can sit on the beach until the last possible minute without all that hanging around at the airport. Oh one last tip - St. James Club runs a Vacation Club - go to their presentation if you receive a leaflet - there is absolutely NO hard sell at all and for having a look at the smart accommodations for ½ an hour you receive a voucher for the St. James Club Shop and a voucher for some free chips in the Casino which gave us at least 2 hours of fun while we managed to loose them!! I wish you a fantastic holiday at the St. James Club and hope that you come away with the lovely memories that we have - all of them good, we certainly wouldn't hesitate to return again.

First of all, if you look at just a few of the reviews written about any one hotel, you will find a wide spectrum of opinion. Why do so many people find it difficult to understand that a personal review is a completely subjective account of one person's experience, the "I can't believe someone said x,y,z" quote........

We have just returned from a 2 week stay, and our experience is as follows.......

What was good....... The quality of the food and drink was very good, especially for an all-inclusive hotel, where we have often found food to be v.poor, and the wine undrinkable. We found the 'Docksider' and 'Picolo Mondo' restaurants especially good, with a great choice and variety of food, and the option to pay an extra US$12 for 1/2 lobster, fillet steak, or surf & turf. We alternated between these 2 restaurants for dinner for our entire stay. There were many brand name spirits included in the all-inclusive package, including 'Pimms', 'Jack Daniels', 'Baileys', etc, which is often not the case with all-inclusive. The white and red wines were of a very decent quality and eminently drinkable. The sparkling wine (the hotel referred to it as champagne), was also reasonable, either on it's own or particularly in a 'bellini'!

The beaches and grounds were lovely - the beach on the atlantic side benefitted from a welcome cool breeze, whereas with the Mamora Bay. the heat was intense with no breeze, but the sea was 'lagoon-like', which made for excellent watersports. Both beaches has adequate shelter/shade.

What was ok....... The pool area was 'ok', but tended to be noisy and busy, and was on a peninsula, and didn't lead on to the beach. Most people tended to choose one or the other. The rooms were ok - a premium room's view of the sea was partial at best - small pieces of blue between the huge palms outside the room. Essentially basic, clean and functional, but tired. No frills here.

What was bad.......... Service was generally better in both the Picolo Mondo and Docksider for dinner. Less impressive at Cocos and the Rainbow Restaurant, where insufficient staff seemed to be a problem. On 3 or 4 occasions I asked for a bottle of water (not included - $1.50), and it never arrived, despite asking 3 times over the course of the meal. In the end we gave up. It also wasn't uncommon for your food to be brought out, and be sat around getting cold for 4 or 5 minutes before it was delivered to you. Ordering tea in the morning - often the tea bags would come 5 minutes after the pot of hot water. We would quite often go and get them ourselves. Rudeness.... Most of the time it was polite, if unsmiling. At other times the rudeness and ignorance was beyond belief. We could approach the bar, and with a smile, say "hi", (no response), "may I have (eg) 2 cokes, please". The drinks would be served, and you would either get a terse "room number?", or the person recording all the drinks ordered asked you your room number, in which case not one single word would be uttered by the person serving you.
Ordering a burger at the Mamora Bar, not realising they had stopped cooking 5 minutes previously....

"May we have 2 hamburgers please" "We're finished" was the curt response from an employee mid-sandwich herself without even looking up at us.

If these types of incident were one or two in number, I wouldn't have mentioned them because it happens all over the Carribbean. But they happened with alarming regularity - in fact it's the worst we can remember out of some 15 Carribbean holidays in the last 8 years. We have found that if you want decent service, go East: Mauritius, Thailand, Hong Kong. Also Dubai.

We thought it was a shame that the quality of the grounds and the food and drink were great, but the attitude of some of the staff was too often rude and ignorant. We often felt like an inconvenience when asking for something, a feeling akin to walking on eggshells.
Evidently, a view that was shared by some (more vocal) guests, both around the pool and on the flight home.

Oh, and if you're calling back to the UK from your room - expect to pay US$30 for a 3 minute call. Cheaper to use the mobile!

Wow!St. James's Club was really impressive. The Club sits on a secluded peninsula, which is about 110 acres. More palm trees than you've ever seen in one place...the beaches (both of them) are lined with palms! Makes L.A.'s famous palms look like a budding nursery compared to these great beaches.We had a blast! The Resort is a terrific place for families, couples, everyone. As a young professional, I found the resort to be very relaxing and service-oriented, but with plenty of activities like watersports, live bands, full Casino...or just taking some time out to read a book in the shade. What's that worth these days?!!! "Priceless!" (Especially since the kids are kept well entertained with swimming, and having a ball with their new pals.)The food was consistently good, with nice variety. Also, there are some very nice restaurants on the island like Le Bistro (French), Alberto's (Italian), and Life (casual/Caribbean), all of which are worth visiting.St. James's is only 10 minutes from English Harbour, which has lots of fun things to see, like old forts, shops, and Admiral Horatio Nelson's Dockyard. Don't miss the steel band and reggae part at Shirley Heights on Sunday night!Anyways, you can't go wrong. Bottom line: fun, relaxation, good food and drinks, sun, sand, blue water.

St. James's Club truly offers a FANTASTIC Caribbean getaway.

We were at the Club last week, and extremely pleased with what we found.

First, St. James's Club boasts not just one, but TWO FABULOUS BEACHES!
Both beaches are white sand, and if you get up early enough you will see them being meticulously raked and cleaned every morning.

Next, the FOOD at the resort is TERRIFIC. Unlike many resorts, St.
James's has a total of FOUR RESTAURANTS. Each restaurant has a distinct ambience, and all are very nice. The Docksider has an upscale marina atmosphere, and lovely watefront views. The Picolo Mondo is a more intimate Italian-themed venue, with a fantastic staff. The Rainbow Garden has a lovely, breezy Caribbean ambience, and Coco's restaurant provides true Caribbean rustic elegance (not to mention great drinks and burgers for lunch!).

As far as activities go, there is always something to do. There are five swimming pools, all kinds of water sports activities, a great KIDS CLUB, and a tour desk that offers lots of fun tours (try the Sunset Cruise!).

If you want to be pampered, the resort has a very nice spa, and a beautiful beachfront reflexology centre called THE SANCTUARY. Heaven!

Many of the resort's room have been recently, and very nicely refurbished. The Beach Club rooms are fabulous, and the Villas have undergone significant, and very effective clean-up and renovation. It is obvious that the Club has spent a lot of time and money in improving its food, services, and accommodation. The grounds are beautiful, and covered with lovely tropical gardens. The beaches are lined with dozens of tall, waving PALM TREES.

The staff at the Club is very FRIENDLY, as with many Caribbean islands.
If you make the effort to smile and start a conversation, you will no doubt make new friends. There are always guest services and property managers on-site...and even golf cart shuttle service if you're feeling too lazy to walk....oh, did I mention the roving bar on wheels (a custom gofl cart/mini bar conversion) that lazily roams the beaches!

You really can't go wrong at St. James's. We travel a lot, and greatly appreciate the fact that the Club caters so well to couples and families. There are so many nice, relaxing places to sit and soak up the sun, or enjoy some shade and read a good book. And in the evening the bars are fun and lively....lots of great conversation with your fellow vacationers...especially after a few rum punches!

Anyone who reports not having a good time at St. James's Club must have really tried hard to be a sourpuss. We were all smiles, all the while...and that is saying a lot considering we have stayed at many of the "nicest" resorts in the Caribbean and around the world.

Go...have fun...and you'll be back again. Take a look at their site: (--) where you'll find some good info.