We stayed at this hotel 8 years ago (then called Mango Bay) and returned seeking the relaxed atmosphere and good food that made our first stay so enjoyable, although we had found the hotel a little tatty around the edges. Since then the hotel's name and management have changed and - apart from a small 'spa' in a shed (where you can have an inexpert massage for higher than London prices) - there appears to have been no investment or maintenance.

Staff attitudes varied from cheerful and warm (the room cleaner and O'Connor the waiter) to polite but listless (most waiting/bar staff) to uninterested verging on surly (some bar staff and office staff). The manager was nowhere in evidence - either physically, or in terms of his actually managing his staff or premises.

In descending order of quantity, not counting the crickets and geckos, you will find at this hotel the following: mosquitos, rats, staff and fellow guests and I will say a few words on each. The mosquitos are a problem in the evening - cover skin, use repellent and use insect spray in your room before you go for dinner. We spotted rats on the first night in the bar and restaurant area and reported them next day when our rep visited. She called the receptionist and assistant manager, who feigning shock and surprise gave assurances that this had never happened before, would never happen again, and that the pest control people would be called immediately. Needless to say, we spotted rats most nights, no pest control action was taken, and I note a previous reviewer also reported rats. This was particularly unsettling for my wife, who hates rats, and I was worried about the health implications as the dining area was open with breakfast tables laid in readiness all night.

The staff, I have mentioned above - they badly need guidance and supervision. Our fellow guests, though few, were pleasant, interesting and friendly.

The beach is not kept tidy - seaweed accumulates, and long-disused, broken chairs and water sports equipment are untidily piled up next to the loungers as though arranged by the last hurricane to pass through. Our first room looked down onto a junkyard of old water tanks, pipes, and broken furniture dumped behind the kitchen - rubbish the assistant manager promise was to be removed imminently, but remained in situ (so we changed rooms).

It is difficult to believe that the owners of this hotel are remotely serious about making it work in its present form; occupancy is rock bottom and as a business it is in its death throes.

All that said, there are some plus points. It is quiet and you can relax undisturbed, often as the only occupants of the beach. The lagoon is great for swimming (watch out for the stingrays though) . And some of the rooms are great - we changed to 203 a lovely corner room with a great sea view. The food is most acceptable and served at your table (rather than buffet style).

This may seem a bit strange we stayed in this hotel in 2000

I was just checking out the new resort at Lovers Beach (Verandah) and just had to have a look at Dian Bay.

I remember it as Mango Bay and my husband and two children visited here in October 2000. (It has obviously changed to an adults only since).

I hold very special memories of Mango Bay. It was my first trip to the Caribbean and I do not think that I could have chosen a better location/hotel. It was peaceful, friendly and beautiful. It may be on the atlantic side of the island but don;t be fooled. Mango/Dian almost has it's own lagoon, we loved it. It has safe snorkelling and watersports.

The rooms were clean and comfortable (Plumbing could be temperamental) the staff, restaurant and food were excellent (at that particular time of course)

Location, Location, Location

It was only last year that we saw this come back onto the Travel Agent Books. Originally travelled with Thomson, saw it last year with Virgin under Dian Bay as opposed to Mango Bay.

If you want quiet, restful and fairly secluded, without being out of the loop altogther, I would recommend it.

PS We had a seaview

Beautiful views from dining and bar areas. Food average, at best. Staff need customer care training. Main issue - rats scampering around dining area and bar during the evenings. Local rep. did her best to get the hotel management to recognise and deal with the infestation.

We had such great hopes for a quiet get away without any kids, there is so much potential here but it all falls so short, that is except for the food.

Tucked away down a pot holed track is a lovely setting on a quiet secluded bay near Devils bridge. The public areas are pretty good, with three nice pools - just a shame they turned from blue to green during our weeks stay.

Around 50 rooms, some with excellent views, other are just a gold fish bowl from the pool. The rooms are tired with the often threadbare bedding and towels grey in colour when they should be white. Thats WHITE WHITE WHITE if you read it, go and buy some more - they were distgusting to use but clean I hope.

The food at breakfast and lunch was a little repetative but the evening meals were excellent, four if not five star.

The staff and there were often more of them than guests at times, seemed bored. Trying to serve in the restaurant and run the bar just does not work, you were left waiting for drinks. At times during our week there were just three couples, so you could have the beach or one of the three pools all to yourself which was nice.

One of the sports/pool boys made an effort, the other never cleaned the beach or did anything it seems but sleep or watch the TV. The hotel in fact only seemed to function as a base for American eagle crew - who needed nothing but a bed for the night, you can't get much further from the airport so it seemed a little odd, guess it was cheap.

Only one member of staff sticks out for good reasons and I 've forgotten her name. She works in the bar during afternoon and evenings and changes her hair almost everyday - she was really friendly and a great laugh.

Guess it must be better in the main season, but during the quiet period it was probably best avoided. Must have been quite a place at one time with ten or so sailing boats available to use on the bay. All but one are now just wrecks littered around the back of the beach holding the rubbish and seaweed back, the one that still sails LEAKS!!

The highlight of our stay, meeting some lovely english and italian people that tried to make the best of what we had.........oh and before I forget watching the pelicans dive for food in the bay, that was amazing to watch. When the new Verrandah resort opens on the other side of the bay, I would reccomend trying there and before the noise scares the pelicans away get some great pictures