Royalton Saint Lucia, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort

The beach bartender was great, our butlers did a good job, and the food was okay. We had a decent stay, though it wasn’t the best resort experience we’ve had. The reason I’m giving it two stars is customer service didn’t honor what we were told. Snowstorms in the United States caused flight cancellations, and we arrived two days late. We called each day and added two days to our stay so we wouldn’t lose vacation time. We were told the first two nights would be refunded. After about 20 days of frustrating emails and phone calls, our refund request was denied. The Hideaway representative had promised it, and customer service should have followed through.

I had to use the medical services during our weeklong stay between work trips, and the nurse and doctor were compassionate and very knowledgeable. If insect bites cause you allergic reactions, bring repellent. The all-inclusive resort felt welcoming and clean, with the amenities you’d expect from a Caribbean stay. We also had a romantic dinner on the beach. Sacha, our wait staff, was amazing, and that dinner was the best meal of the week.

The gym was great and kept clean, and we enjoyed the pool activities during the day and the nightly entertainment. The dancers were really good. Our room was nice, and the maids were friendly and kept it tidy, but they missed cleaning some things that weren’t used. The tub was very grimy, the stairways weren’t swept, and there was a sewer smell every morning. Other guests said they had no hot water or working showers. Service at the buffet was very slow and seemed understaffed. We waited ages for water and coffee, and the menu barely changed from one day to the next. There weren’t enough towels by the pool, either. The public bathrooms need work: several stall doors didn’t lock, some doors wouldn’t open all the way, and the moldings around them were broken.

We had a fantastic stay, and I’m glad I didn’t let the negative Google and social media reviews put me off. Our room and the resort were clean, with a beautiful ocean view. The beach is a small cove, which kept it from getting too crowded or noisy, and we had no trouble finding clean chairs. January weather was in the mid-70s to low 80s with a nice breeze. Dela and Olivia, our butlers, made everything more relaxing. The staff were friendly and checked if we needed anything, and they paid close attention to dietary restrictions. The gym had good equipment. Food was decent, though this isn’t a five-star resort. Zen Teppanyaki and Calypso were our favorites. The drive from the airport takes about two hours on winding roads. Also, the resort seems to let outside companies walk along the beach selling excursions.