My wife and I went to St. Lucia to attend a friends wedding so we didn't choose this resort. For the price that we got, I really can't complain too much about Coconut Bay Resort. However, there are definitely some things the resort needs to do to bring itself up to a better level.

Arrival in Vieux Fort was smooth. Quick custom's check and straight out to awaiting shuttles to the resort. Forego the porters as soon as you walk thru customs. They charge $3 per bag and the walk is only about 50 feet.

Check-in a Coconut Bay was fast. We weren't greeted with punch when we arrived as mentioned in an other review here, but the bar is just a few steps across the lobby. Bus boys bring up your bags right away... they say "no tipping" but if you want service, you'll soon learn the "folded bill in the palm of your hand" handshake gets you far.

The rooms are clean and brightly decorated and there is plenty of closet space. Each one with a safe which we used to store passports and cash and jewelry. We were with about 30 people and some were on the ground floor. Be warned that if you get a room on the main floor, there is no seal on the bottom of the door and there is a space of 1/4 - 1/2 inch. Many of our friends soon learned that insect bites while sleeping are common. Before bed, toss a towel down to block the door gap. We were on the second floor and never got any bites, but there are bugs.

The rooms all face the Atlantic and the eastern wall is all windows and glass doors. Some told us leaking was a problem. Not in our room, but in another room there was an inch of water in the seating area. And if the wind kicks up, the howl can be quite loud and it rips though the seals of the windows and doors.

The pool areas have plenty of deck chairs and the pools are kept clean. Not spotless, but that's to be expected seeing the wind sometimes blows stuff into them. The waterslides are a huge blast and the lazy river does allow you to float around while relaxing on tubes. The swim-up bar is pretty much always busy if the sun is out. With one or two bartenders on duty, expect a bit of a wait for your drink. Mainly because the majority of the drinks are blended (the Crème Coco is deadly if you ask for a double shot -- and it's very, very tasty). If you're drinking beer, the only one is Piton (brewed locally and named for The Pintons). It's a lighter beer and is rather good - and it's served quick! Remember, there is a high number of British visitors who line up for everything. Don't just walk up and find a hole at the bar and flag down the bartender like we do in Canada and the US. If you do, you'll get "looks" from both the BT and the line. Same goes for the buffet line. Wait your turn and file passed all the food. Don't line jump!

If you want to relax on a white sand beach, then you're not going to want to go here. The beach front is pretty bad. Verry littered and tones of seaweed. There are 3 breakwaters and the Atlantic side kicks up hard. I grew up on the Atlantic and this beach has some wildest waves and under tows I've seen. Don't let your kids go in the ocean here. Waves can easily toss you onto the rocks. If facing the ocean, go right and walk passed the Reef Bar to the point. There are better beaches down there. Whatever you do, DON'T go north up the beach too far (passed the volleyball nets), especially at night. This has been referred to as "no-man's land" while we were there, and there was an incident the week we were visiting (and us if you read further down).

As for food, the Italian and Asian restaurants are OK. Nothing spectacular, but a nice change from the cafeteria food served on the main level. Make sure you get up early to get a reservation in as you have to line up to do so. They won't take reservations over the phone. The main level food served in the "Coconut Walk" restaurant was horrid the week we we there. All the food is served buffet style and hot to start, but it cools rather quickly and is not restocked very often. The ala carte night was better, but service was slow. The servers we had didn't seem to be very happy and did not put much zip in their step. It's quicker if you get up and walk up to the bar to get drinks, as our 2 hour service only provided 2 refills of the shot size wine glasses. And make sure you remember what you ordered because the waiters won't!

The poolside burger place is good for fries, but the hamburgers and hot dogs are cooked on a disgustingly greasy cook top. I mean this thing was gross. I ate one burger and could only get one bit down. The bun sops up the grease good! Only eat here if you're real hungry. Skip the hot dogs and hamburgers and opt for the toasted grilled cheese sandwich. That's good.

There is a duty free shop on the second level. If you're buying anything, they accept US and EC's (Eastern Caribbean Dollar). There is a little trick used everywhere on the island (including the duty free shop an CBR) that I discovered. If you buy in EC's, the cashiers never seem to be able to make the exact change. Usually an EC dollar or two short. So the majority of the time you just say "keep it" as it isn't that much. But after 6 times in a row at various locations around the island one day, I said "find the change or round the cost down to the nearest available dollar amount". Change miraculously becomes available quickly if you insist.

Travel around the island is easy. The busses that come to the resort are small vans. They are plentiful. The only vans that are allowed into the resort are ones with green or red plates on them. I'm sure there is an upcharge. For example, a return ride to Laborie (20 minutes up the road) will cost 15US from the hotel. Walk to the main gate and you can get there for 2-4 EC's (each way) if a non hotel bus stops for you (just put out your hand).

HERE IS A WARNING:
If you want to rent a car and go out on your own, be VERY careful. The AVIS rep at the hotel only warned us of the driving styles and the chance of mudslides when we rented our car. What they should warn you against is actually renting a car if it's just you and your wife. We were just passed Soufriers and into a smaller drive through village when we were instantly mobbed. Men asking to be guides and others trying to direct you into other streets. We made it through, but just as we hit a secluded spot in the road a car quickly came up behind us, passed us and jammed on the breaks to force us to stop by blocking our car. Three men jumped out and came at us, obviously looking to rob us. We were lucky as the windows were rolled up and the doors were all locked. I had enough room to maneuver around the car blocking us and gassed it as fast as I could. They never followed us. We found a police station in Marigot Bay and left the car there. AVIS was not helpful at all and I had to threaten legal action before they would wave the rental fee. However, AVIS insisted we pay for gas. AVIS would also not arrange transport back to CBR. The hotel did pick up the tab for a private bus back, but no one from management really made an effort to see how we were. We did get a phone call 4 hours later from the manager on duty.

If you do want to rent a car, find others to rent with you. There is safety in numbers!

We did wander into Vieux Fort during the day and found the people there very friendly. It was a rainy day and we had to duck from shop to shop to stay dry. There was always someone there to chat with us. The man at the NAPA store gave us lots of island history. If it's raining and you go into any town, wear closed toe shoes and forget the sandals. Most, if not all, have above ground plumbing which drains directly into deep concrete gutter which can overflow during heavy rain. Sewage, rain, overflow, sandals... you get the picture.

If it rains hard, expect the phone lines to go down. Also, forget calling cards. We had a Bell Canada calling card which worked for the first 3 days. Dial 9 + the 1800 number then followed the instruction. No problem. Day four, no go. Busy signals. We dialed 0 and got an operator who said you cannot dial a 1800 number from the island. What? But no way would she connect us. She wanted a visa number.

Upon checkout, we were presented an invoice for phone charges for the times were were able to get out using the calling card. We refused to pay and the resort waived them after arguing with management. It's an obvious money grab.

Over all, I would never suggest my friends go to Coconut Bay Resort. However, I'm also not saying that others won't have a fabulous vacation there. Each visitor comes away with their own opinions. I just wish I saw this site before I went as it would have helped me better understand where I was going.

So, we saw the good and the bad during our trip. Sadly, the bad has more effect than the good and we probably won't return - not just to Coconut Bay, but St. Lucia as well.

Good luck to all and be careful.

(PS. Get a Hep A & B shot before you go. All the blended drinks are made with local water and ice which even the locals say can be "iffy".)

My fiance and I have just returned from a 2 week stay at Coconut Bay. The whole resort was spotless - the room was cleaned every day + the public areas were very clean - the pools were cleaned every day. I have read a recent review slating the food saying there was no variety? Maybe they got the hotel mixed up because Coconut Bay had a different theme every day! Breakfst was nice - they had fresh tropical fruit, cooked breakfast etc... The 2 a la carte restaurants were nice - ok - it was a pain having to book very early but I'm no shallow enought to let it ruin my holiday. Sometimes on the a la carte nights in Coconut Walk - (the main buffet restaurant) the service was slow but there were a lot of last minute holidaymakers who should have gone to Cancun but had to change holidays at the last minute due to the hurricane, so there was a bit of a staff shortage but hey, I was on holiday - not in a rush!
There was a lot of seaweed on the beach but there were men out every day cleaning it up - again this would definitely not ruin my holiday! I did hear that some people moved hotels because of the beach! I also heard somebody complain to the rep because they were bitten by insects!!! I got bitten too but I had expected to - St Lucia is the Caribbean!!!
We did go on a few trips but we organised them ourself as the reps + guest services let us down a few times - we booked a trip and were told that they had to get the numbers up in order for it to go ahead but they never got back to us so we booked a trip through "Mystik Man Tours" who were great. We also hired a car - the lady off the Avis desk was very nice + marked on a map all the places of interest.
The staff were great but I have to say that some of the staff couldn't cope that well under pressure!
The gift shop is nice + has lots of nice gifts at reasonable prices - Vernessa who works in the shop is lovely - always very pleasant. The staff in Coconut Walk are lovely - especially Catherine, Clare + Martha who makes the omelettes!!! Also, the girl at the Beach Grill does good hot dogs + burgers!
After reading some of the other reviews, I really can't understand why people wouldn't like this resort! It is not that close to Castries but hire a car or go on a trip! It is very close to the airport which is good as the winding roads are very bumpy!
I would definitely recommend this hotel + would go back.

Shame on all you people who rate this a 4 or 5 star experience. We have never been so disappointed in our lives. We have been to many all-inclusives over the past 15 years and by far this one is the WORST! We (2 adults and a 13 year old) arrived at 5:30 PM on November 5th to a half empty resort. Transport and check in ran smoothly so we thought we were off to a good start. It went downhill quickly.
CHECK IN- Chad greets you with a rum punch. He also delivers your bags to the room.
ROOMS – The rooms are adequate except for the tiny ants that are everywhere. Also no bright lighting if you want to read. Floors are extremely slippery when wet so watch yourself. If you have small children, there are no bath tubs. Close the bathroom door to get the room cooled.
POOLS – They are a bright spot here unless you like to swim laps. The lazy river is enjoyable but the tubes are too small to fit around most adults. Because of that use caution when flopping into one. We saw way too many people flip into the water and there are walls near the entry point where you can easily bump your head. The large pool is full of different levels and walls but never gets deeper than 4 feet. This is where the pool bar is situated. The “activity” pool is on the other side of the beach grill. Unfortunately, not much activity goes on there. In other resorts the entertainment staff coax people to partake in activities. Here the staff makes an announcement and if no one shows up, they disappear. In fact, we didn’t see them for days. The adult pool is also quiet.
BEACH – There is none but we knew that before we arrived. There are lots of rocks and seaweed in front of the resort and it is the windward or Atlantic Ocean side of the island. You have to anchor everything down or it will blow away. There are lots of security guards along the beach since it is public, not private.
BEACH GRILL/POOL BAR – The grill and bar are attached. You can get burgers, fried hot dogs, French fries, lunch meat and grilled cheese sandwiches at the grill. We don’t eat that stuff at home so we sure didn’t want to eat it in St. Lucia. The pool bar is always busy, probably because only Skeeter and Ray are assigned there. During their scheduled day off there is not replacement. They are very nice but can’t work fast enough when the bar is full. Everything is mixed from scratch. Most islands have frozen drinks prepared ahead of time to facilitate serving. Watch the floor in the grill, again very slippery. We saw numerous falls.
ACTIVITIES – Mostly non-existent during the day. We met many wonderful people from the U.S and U.K. We mainly entertained ourselves. Evenings have local bands. None could carry a tune. Lots of folks sat around the lobby but not many appeared to be having any fun. They had a mock casino night that generated the most noise and participation. The game room has 2 ping pong tables, a fooseball table and pool tables. They were mostly unused. There is an arcade room with 4 machines.
DINING – This was the biggest disappointment of all. We are in the food service business and are used to serving thousands of people a day at fairs and festivals around the country. This place obviously is very short staffed although they will not admit it. How can you mess up Breakfast? Fresh fruit was constantly empty. One poor woman waited 15 minutes at the buffet line for a cup of yogurt. The egg and pancake station, or alternate day French toast selection, was prepared by just one cook. That created long lines for food. The milk containers were constantly empty. Juice was never marked so lots of glasses were wasted by people trying to get the juice they wanted and leaving what was poured and not taken. That left a shortage of glasses. Tables were never bussed. You had to clean off your own dirty table by moving used dishes and silverware to another table. Then you had to scrounge for clean silverware, napkins and salt and pepper. Coffee was rare. Both, yes only 2, of their coffee pots were broken for several days. Even when fixed, you were on your own. There were only 3 or 4 workers to help you – they were simply overwhelmed. Lunch and dinner were more of the same. Very poor food selections, rarely refilled when empty. One night for dinner they had 2 meat selections – corn dogs or leg of lamb. It made me want to be a vegetarian but those selections were empty by the time we arrived. Saturday and Tuesday have outside dinners around the pool which were okay. There are 2 specialty restaurants, Bellagio and Silk. We were able to get reservations early in the week and then after Thursday it was impossible. You have to wait until 8:00 AM to make the reservation, you cannot call from your room, and there were long lines that began around 7:30. One person was at the reservation desk. The food at Bellagio is decent however it took us 3 hours to get through our meal. Half the tables were empty but there are only 3 servers and the way food came out, there is probably only one cook.
SERVICE – The help that is there is very friendly and tries their best. They lack proper direction and training which is a shame for them. How can the front desk personnel deny there is not enough help when the lobby bar in sight of them has 25 people in line and it never gets any shorter? There are many smokers and ash trays in the lobby. The ash trays were never empty and the open air lobby had a constant breeze. This was not pleasant for non smokers.
INSECTS – This is a tropical island so we came prepared by bringing a DEET product. It did not help. There was a lot of rain the week we were there and everyone had bites everywhere.
TOURS – The hotel gets a percentage of any tour you book. A tour of the entire island costs $130 per person. If you walk out to the main road you can save a lot of money by hiring a private, clean, air conditioned cab which seats up to 9 people for $120 for the entire day.

On Thursday, November 10th a wedding party of 200 arrived at the resort, many from the neighboring island of Martinique. By then, there were over 500 people staying at the resort. Coconut Bay management staff came out of the woodworks. Unfortunately it did not seem to help our situation. Food still was scarce, service still was slow and tables still were dirty. Lucky for the wedding party, they only stayed there. The wedding was held at a different resort. Many of the guests we spoke with during the week were originally booked at Cancun and Playa Del Carmen resorts. Due to the devastation from Hurricane Wilma there many hotels are closed until December. That forced them to change their plans. Sadly Coconut Bay did not capitalize by impressing them to return. I urge you to change your plans before it’s too late!

This place should be considered ALL EXCLUSIVE because of all the things it excludes. I have stayed at several moderately priced all inclusive resorts and this is by far the absolute worst. Let me begin by stating the good things they have, it will be short trust me. Nice size rooms, beautiful pools, well maintained grounds and relatively friendly staff. Now the things they have that aren’t so good. Tiny ants in the rooms, a ton of frogs that come out at night along with rodents (don’t wander onto the grass at night, stay on the walkways).Now onto what they DON’T have
NO beach (The ocean then the resort; there is nothing in between- no sand, no nothing, maybe some rocks.)
NO premium liquor
NO selection of liquor- One brand of beer on tap
NO 110v~220v outlets (That’s for all of us from the U.S. who wish to recharge our camcorders or digital camera batteries)
NO converters/adapters/transformers. Whatever you wish to call it to convert there 115v~235v over to the 110v~220v (bring your own or buy one from town)
NO regulation of your A/C (set at 70 degrees)
NO good food selection.
NO umbrellas for the poolside chairs.
NO tubs just tiny shower stalls
NO arcade to speak of (two video games PacMan and Streetfighter and one pinball machine for an entire resort)
NO jacuzzi to speak of (My idea of a jacuzzi is water that has HEAT to it; this should be classified as a whirlpool)
NO disco to speak of (It was a closet with chairs in it. The DJ couldn’t put 2 songs together to save his life).
NO Activities to speak of (Bingo, running in place in the pool; crab races; can you say BORING).
This resort is for people who do not drink, don’t dance, wish to sit by a pool and read a book and bake in the sun (if there is any that day) and then go to bed.
Anyone who says this place is great must not have too much to compare it to or must fit into the category above.
I arrived on a Saturday and by Monday I couldn’t wait to leave. We lost power to one side of our room at least twice and it just happened to be the side with the television on it. We frequently lost our cable service. You might ask why go on vacation to watch TV, my answer would be because there’s nothing else to do. This place was a waste of my hard earned money and my precious time, if you value either of the aforementioned do not waste them on this place.