Myself and my girlfriend stayed at the Reef Beach Huts for 9 nights at the end of April. It is worth pointing out that St Lucia had some HORRENDOUS weather that week which, if continuous in the Caribbean like it was with us bar 4 days, means there is quite literally nothing to do, especially down at the Reef.

However, having said that, there are some serious issues with the Reef that need to be addressed. Firstly , I understand that it's $60/night for a room and thus basic and trust me, I have stayed in simple huts on beaches in Central America & Africa for more like $15 a night which are FAR better.

On more than one occasion the power went down, the water stopped working, our toilet was blocked almost continuously even after requests to have it fixed, the water backed up in our shower from the drain outside (thus smelling), our room was cleaned only once and the rooms were insanely dark which means that when it rains (and boy did it rain), it is a very depressing place to be as you cant even read a book in your own room.

The main reason we went there was to learn to Kite. I'm at an intermediate level so didn’t need the basics, more the board work. However, by the time we arrived, the foreign instructors had left and the centre seemed like it was being run for the 3 local guys, who were supposed to be working there, rather than the paying guests / Kiters. In all 9 days I was there, I went out for 90mins. On more than one occasion, when the wind was good in the mornings, the local guys would go and ride for an hour, leaving the guests waiting........there is NOTHING more annoying. For the experienced Kiters, they had to pay for Kite storage, safety, launching and landing.....I don't think I saw the employees launching or landing a kite once.

Nevertheless, by far the most upsetting / annoying / oppressive factor of the stay is the fact that there is a local bar / dance hall next to the huts. For 3 of the 9 nights we were there, they had some of the loudest music I have ever heard. Don't get me wrong, I love Ibiza and loud music, but when your shack is shaking due to the base and you can't sleep through silicon ear plugs then this is totally unacceptable. I spoke to the owners about this and it seems to be a genuine problem they have with the owner of the bar renting it out for "birthday parties" but it came very, very close to ruining our entire holiday. We actually checked into a very nice hotel for our 2nd last night (this saved the holiday) and on coming back for our last night, were told at 8pm that a party would be happening.....no call / email earlier in the day to let us know so we could stay on in the other hotel. The last night at the Reef left a very sour taste in our mouths.

I don't want to be too negative and there are some positives. The beach is beautiful (in the sun), its lovely seeing the locals hanging out and swimming, some of the staff at the Reef (especially Shelly, Elisa & Vincent) are fantastic and the food / drink is cheap, albeit OK in taste.

In short, the weather is a massive factor. We checked into a nice hotel for one night and were left wondering why we didn't stay there for the whole holiday. I think it’s great to be staying in basic cheap rooms on the beach but you have to get the balance right. The rooms have to be clean, the toilets have to work and you HAVE to be able to sleep at night, otherwise it is just torture.....quite literally.

My dad and I stayed here for a week for the windsurfing and Kite surfing. The staff was wonderful, anywhere you stay that has someone who goes by the name "mama" you know you're in for a treat. The rooms are basic with the option of 1 bed or two singles attached to a bathroom with a shower and toilet. Lock boxes are located in every room for personal items. There is a ceiling fan in each room and no air conditioning. The weather was very comfortable when we were there and there really was no need for an a.c. anyhow.

The beach is beautiful with soft white sand and the water is Carribbean...no need to say more. Most of the tourist sites on the island are toward the north end so it's a very quiet beach with the exception of the occasional flight taking off from the airport and Sunday when all of the locals come to party on the beach. This was one of my favorite days because many of the locals will ride their horses up and down the beach and into the water...the local version of a pimped out Honda civic cruisin the strip with neon lights glowing underneath. We also sat on the beach and watched some guys playing a pick up game of cricket next to the water while the rest of the crew had music playing and a barbecue going about a half mile down from the Reef.

The Reef has an exceptional food and drink menu, very reasonably priced as many locals hang out here as well, with the option to sit under the shade of trees while you stare at the water and eat (oh yeah...and check your email via the wi-fi connection). Breakfast was included in the price of hotel and was enough to hold you until dinner. I couldn't tell you the number of people we met who made the Reef their last stop before going to the airport on their way out of town.

The winds are perfect for those looking to try some wind or kite surfing (mostly side shore winds with a protected bay so you won't end up in Brazil)...I suggest giving the kite a try, it takes a short time to learn the basics of the kite, you actually have a great time learning, and it's a much less physical activity than windsurfing. Anyhow, the staff is wonderful and there to help get equipment in and out of the water and can give you any training you need as well.

The owners of the Reef went out of their way to make our stay as nice as possible. With only four rooms they want to make sure their guests are happy. You can sit and talk and get to know them which makes your stay there that much more enjoyable. In my conversations with Jolien (one of the owners) I felt her deep love of the community and her sense of responsibility to the local community. This is a personal touch you don't get when you stay at mega resorts and something truly unique you don't find too often when traveling anywhere.

To sum up...you should make the Reef your hotel of choice if you can live without flat screen tv's and want a truly relaxing vacation. Great spot, I can't wait to go back!

Reef Kite and Surf huts

I stayed here for two weeks. The huts are basic and cheap...exactly what I was expecting. The huts are behind a great cafe and the kite/windsurf centre.

I went for the kitesurfing and didn't find much wind (50% days)...but them's the breaks eh!! The instruction and equipment were excellent, people...food...piton beer and rum made up for the unlucky lack of wind! Would visit again :)

Reef Kite and Surf huts

We stayed here for two weeks in late winter 2008. The huts are very cheap and basic (cold water showers only) but adequate. It's a lovely position right next to an amzing beach with all the kitesurfing and windsurfing you could want. It's also right next to the airport which is slightly alarming at first but not really a problem as there are only a few flights a day. Other than that, there's not a lot around, Vieux Fort isn't really geared up for tourists and there are few places other than the onsite cafe to eat. A hire car would be good though the buses are fine as long as you come home early (before dark is best) Must say though that the café at the Reef is excellent, especially the daquiris and fish! And having free wifi there is useful too.

I would recommend the huts at the reef to anyone who is not bothered about luxury - they were a lot better than camping! But there are a few things I wished I'd known:

The noise from beach parties at the weekends was awful. Earplugs made no difference and the parties went on until 3 or 4. Fair enough, people like to party, but I just wished I'd known so we could've gone somewhere else for those nights.

The mosquito nets were in a sad state, and we got quite well bitten for the first few nights. If you have your own I'd bring it along.

We went for the windsurfing and I didn't really find it ideal for me. I am definitely still at the early stages and the sea was not as flat as I had expected, making uphauling difficult and tiring. The winds are excellent tho, lovely strongish cross-shore. And the water temperature is just lovely. I was a bit intimidated by the shorebreak and the slightly dubious safety cover. Having said that my more skilled boyfriend thought it was just right and if you can waterstart, are not a wimp like me about sometimes wanting to be rescued, and are ok with a bit of a shorebreak it's great. I wouldn't recommend it for a total beginner or novice though.

Can't comment on the kitesurfing but they all looked like they were having a ball! The guys at the hire shop are more into kite surfing than windsurfing but the windsurf gear was in pretty good condition and there was enough choice and gear to go round. The staff member who specialised in windsurfing was also v sweet and helpful though we felt the others were only really interested in the kiters.

Well I think that's pretty fair. I didn't see any reviews of this place when I was looking for places to stay and windsurf, so I hope this is useful for someone. Enjoy St Lucia!