Great location to experience St. Lucia. Staff is very helpful and friendly. We stayed for a week and went on 4 excursions that were arranged by the hotel. Food was OK and service was slow for the amount of people staying at the hotel.

My wife and I stayed at Bay Gardens Beach Resort for 3 nights at the end of October 2012 for the start of our honeymoon prior to moving down to Jalousie Plantation (also reviewed). Upon arrival we were given a refreshing rum punch and were given a quick orientation. We stayed in a 3rd floor end unit beachfront room, which while basic, was spacious and clean and provided us with lovely unobstructed views of Reduit Beach. The only issue with the room itself was a slightly leakly AC unit that would leave a little puddle on the floor near the closet. This didn't really bother us much though. Slightly bothersome though, was that all rooms were bulilt to be cojoined, so the interior doors to rooms next store serve to easily allow noise to travel into your room. Breakfast, which we had included as part of a Fall promotion, was buffet style and was adequate for us, though nothing special. For dinner, its easy to walk a few blocks off property to a good selection of Rodney Bay restaurants, or down the beach to Spinnakers. The beach itself is very pretty, well maintained and is long for St. Lucia. The pool area seemed nice but we hardly spent any time there since we were mostly on the beach. Most employees we encountered were very friendly and always greeted us with a smile. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and were happy to kick-off our honeymoon here.

Most people assume that a holiday in the Caribbean would be best enjoyed at an All Inclusive resort. This hotel and resort is the best possible location if like us you prefer freedom to explore, and if you want a wide choice of dining options. From arrival, the staff at Bay Gardens Beach Resort were helpful, professional, and friendly, whilst leaving you to get on with your holiday at a leisurely pace. There are entertainment and activities if you want them, and if not, no pressure.
The room was excellent. We had a deluxe pool view room on the second floor, which gave us a view of the pool and the sea - best of both. The room was a great size and had everything you need, in-room safe, fridge, iron and board, brolly (didn't need it), British sockets. We had a look at a suite on the last day and it was even better for a bigger family. We ate at two of the hotel's establshments, Hi Tide (on the Caribbean buffet night) and Trio's next door. We really enjoyed Trios. Chef Ian served up amazing food, and explained the interesting menu to us before making our choice. The atmosphere was perfect, just what someone coming to St Lucia would want.
From what we could see when we picked up holidaymakers from other hotels on our way to a trip, the Rodney Bay location is the best you could ask for, with enough restaurants to eat somewhere different for a month. There are even two American style shopping malls (smaller versions). The beachfront location of Bay Gardens was also perfect. The pool is great quality and beautiful, however we found it very hot there and preferred the beach with the cool breeze. The beach itself is excellent. Its never crowded and the vendors are no trouble at all. If you make friends with them and buy a couple of trinkets at the start, you will have no trouble. There is a lady on the beach called Elizabeth who sells lunch and you can get a roti (wrap with chicken, or saltfish, or vegetable), cakes, drinks, etc. All reasonably priced and tasty.
I would thorougly recommend Bay Gardens Beach Resort for a trip to St Lucia, it was the best decision we made. Everyone we spoke to agreed.
Huge thanks to the management for a wonderful holiday. Any small issues, and they were very small, were dealt with professionally and promptly. Also thanks to Peggy, the Virgin rep who was very helpful and professional, and like everyone in St Lucia, so friendly. We will be back!

First the bad, or rather not so good.

Service in the bar and Hi Tide restaurant is very slow and not that great. Everything has a service charge added on to it and in what seems to be an employment creation scheme. The person who serves you your drink is not the person you pay. It is someone else who sits beside the till.

Very slow service as I have said. There is only one blender for cocktails in the whole property and it is moved to the bar area of the restaurant at the start of happy hour at 1730 (5.30pm for our American cousins). The only draught beer pump is also at that bar which closes at 1830 after happy hour.

Breakfast is pretty rubbish. Cold pancakes, lukewarm sausages and over cooked streaky bacon the coffee is terrible.

There is free wifi everywhere, however you will need the password and it is not very fast and prone to dropping out.

There is a policy of only serving drinks in plastic cups at the pool for safety. But several people were observed bringing bottles down from their rooms and drinking out of those glass bottles at the pool.

There seems to be some crazy music policy where annoying loud music is played at the bar every night. As soon as the steel band at happy hour on a Monday finishes on goes the loud CD player


The good.

It's a nice place. The food at the Hi Tide restaurant was very good. If a little overpriced.

The pool area is lovely except when they have stupid water jets that point into the pool on. If you are sitting next to one your stuff gets soaked.

There is a great bar next door called Spinnakers. Go there for sundowners! Beer comes in proper glasses and cocktails are 2 for 1 from 1700 to 1800.

Supermarket is ten minutes away. Buy booze there.

Rooms are nice and clean. One bedroom suite came with full kitchen, ideal for cooking on nights that you can't be bothered eating out.