We love St Lucia and its beautiful marine reserves around the whole island with all its beaches being public...you can swim anywhere you want! This was our 5th trip and our second time staying at Hummingbird Beach Resort (HBR).
We still find this boutique hotel to be the best views there are of the Pitons looking across the water from our hotel to them (except for those from Jade Mountain, which are pretty hard to top).
It is located directly on the beach, which we love because it allows us to go for a swim first thing in AM before breakfast or before we go out to dinner. Water is crystal clear and yes most of beaches have rocks, but directly in from HBR is fine. Now HBR has beach chairs that the security guard will pull out on the beach wherever you like to layout on one, which were great!

However, it is one of the nicer beaches in town and the locals do frequent it. Although we have always enjoyed talking with them and getting to know more about thier beautiful town & island. We especially enjoy watching the kids play soccer on the shore.

We love it also because Chester has his Scuba shack right on HBR grounds now. So whether you want to snorkel or scuba dive...Chester is the best. He knows the waters around St Lucia and will make sure that your time in the water is the best it can be!
We like to snorkel right out drom the beach along the cliffs and their is quite a drop off as you get out to end of them. But we also have used Chester to take us out snorkeling to reefs we can't swim to and snorkel. In addition, with the dock there and also the HBR beach, we catch local boats who take us to other beaches (Jalousie, Anse Chastanet (black sand beach and one where they have it corconed off for snorkelling) , Malgretout, and TiKaye/Anse Cochon.
BTW...we like to use these water taxis/local boats (HAVE USED JOSEPH FOR A NUMBER OF OUR TRIPS) to get around rather than taking the taxis...its so much more beautiful way to travel. You can arrange to be dropped off and picked up later or they will stay with you for the day and go where ever you ask them...you just prearrange a price before setting off for the day of sightseeing).
Back to HBR hotel rooms are nicely done, but this is mostly truly island retreat! Most rooms are without airconditioning, but their walls are made of plantation shutters...so they are open to catch every breeze off the ocean and all rooms I think have ceiling fans and they also have standing fan...if you need more air in your room). Both times we have stayed in the same room - The Honeymoon Suite, which is the best room in the house, because it has a blacony that is the very last room and hangs out over beach with a window over your bed that also is over beach. We can never get enough ofthe views of the Pitons from this room. We had a local masseusue the last time we stayed who said the view was the best she'd seen in Town of Soufriere.
But if you want to save money...you could also stay in the cheaper rooms and just enjoy the view from the pool/ patio deck which is also breathtaking!
We have always felt the food at HBR is some of best if not best in Town!
Waiters, Servers, Bartenders, Front Desk Staff and all Housekeeping girls (security guars too) are all so sweet, friendly and want to make sure that your trip is everything you hoped for. If you are lacking somethig let front desk know and they will try to do their best to find a solution.
We have stayed also at Jalousie, Stonefield,Estate and Mago Estate, but still love the
Hummingbird Beach Resort. It allows us to walk into town to get a few things from grocery stores (snacks, Pitons and bottle of rum). Our room has a refrigerator in it, which I love to come back after being out at beach all day, take a shower and relax on my balcony with a drink in my hand and the views of the Piton across the ocean while I watch the humminbirds flying about the grounds.
I just got a note from HBR yesterday saying they are having a Summer Special Buy 6 or 7 nights get one night free and full breakfast each morning. Also for repeat customers staying 7 nights or more...you get one free roundtrip airport transfer, welcome cocktail upon arrival and free full breakfast eat morning. We love their full breakfast with eggs or frenchtoast! I think you have to book by end of August but travel is good until end of October 2009. Makes me want to go back right now to see all the friends we have made in St Lucia in the 5 years that we have been visiting this beautiful little island.
I will post some photos soon of our last visit.
You can't go wrong with HBR as long as you know this is a small hotel and make sure you ask for room with AC if that is a necessity for you!
This island is very tropical full of rainforest...so there are mosquitos...just bring good repellent and we also bring coils to put out in our room when we leave for dinner, so when we come back to our room to sleep for night, mosquitos generally don't bother us. Having the standing fan in our room blowing over us...helps too!
We love the family who runs this plcae too - Joan, David & Joan's husband (I am drawing a complete blank with his name). They are all very nice! A big hello to them all!
Mike, Judy & Timmy Conner from Fort Lauderdale, FL