rated the Papillon St Lucia Resort as follows:| Cleanliness |  | | Location |  | | Staff |  | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We stayed in the Rex Papillion on St Lucia in April 2006. There were two couples, one of whom had stayed there the previous year.
After a hair-raising hour and a half minibus journey from the airport to the resort. We checked into the resort and were greeted by an unsmiling receptionist. The smart reception area was in the sister hotel, the St Lucian. However, on reaching the block in the Papillon where our room was situated, it was not nearly so nice. In fact the unfurnished room beneath ours had it’s front door hanging off its hinges, which didn’t give a very good first impression.
The room and bathroom were ok but you couldn’t say more than that. The curtains were stuck almost closed so we could only open them about 6 foot and it was like living in a cave. The hook on the back of the bathroom door was missing so we rang and got that replaced immediately. We also mentioned the curtains but they were not fixed. We later found out that the resort was more than 30 years old so I guess an update is well overdue.
The majority of the staff were very pleasant.
The first evening there the water for our shower failed and we had to get someone to sort the pump out. The second evening we got back to our room at 5pm and all the towels had been taken away. It took four calls to reception before new towels appeared and when we finally went for a shower, the water wasn’t working. That was when my husband went to see the Assistant Manager, Mr Devon Charles, and from that moment on our holiday improved. Mr Charles immediately arranged for us to move to a better beach front room. It was about the same size room but just smarter and it had a fridge. Mr Charles was always on hand to see that people were having a good time and was a real asset to the resort. Nothing was too much trouble for him.
The meals in the Monarch Restaurant were very good with lots of choice. Obviously with self service you could have as much as you wanted and you could drink what you liked with your meals. It was strange drinking champagne with our last lunch there! For a treat on the last night we had a meal at the Oriental Restaurant in the St Lucian and this was brilliant. I would certainly recommend it. You get a credit of 40 ecu each off the bill so it wasn’t too expensive.
The evening entertainment in the St Lucian was very good and the surroundings there were smarter than the Papillon. Do try their Pina Colas, I’ve never tasted anything like them! And their strawberry daiquiris too for that matter.
The pool bar again served drinks virtually all day long and there were some wonderful cocktails available, both alcoholic and non. The pool itself was a nice size and never overcrowded. More serious swimmers could use the larger pool at the St Lucian.
We went on the sailing boat sunset cruise on the same boat that they used in Pirates of the Caribbean and I would recommend this. They served the usual rum punch and canapes and the crew were excellent. The cruise was not as busy as the daytime one and there weren’t so many children.
The other trip we did was Whale and Dolphin Watching. Again I would recommend it. Only about 12 of us on a beautiful newish boat, crew again excellent and, yes, we saw lots of dolphins but no whales. We sailed right down to the Pitons so lots of opportunities for photographs of them.
The beach itself was as you would expect. We used the resort’s catamarans (hobi cats) a number of times and that is great fun. Book a lesson first so you know what you are doing. You could also use canoes, which we did, and borrow snorkeling equipment to use over the rocks at the far end of the beach. The equipment was very second rate so if you like snorkeling, bring your own stuff. No coral there so no really exotic fish but still lots of different ones to see.
Overall it was a good holiday and I wish we could have stayed longer than the one week.
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rated the Papillon St Lucia Resort as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Following our 9.5 hour flight from Manchester to Hewanorra International, St Lucia with Britannia Airways (links to flight reviews are given at the end), the transfer through the airport was easy. Once disembarked and inside arrivals, passport control and immigration was painless. The immigration card we filled in on the flight was handed in with our passports. The original top layer was retained by immigration and the copy stamped and returned in the passport ready for our departure. We were surprised to find that our baggage was already waiting for us in the baggage collection hall when were arrived; it only took about 10 minutes! After collection, we were asked a few questions by customs about our visit to St Lucia (where we were staying and purpose of stay) before meeting the Thomson rep. A mini bus was allocated to our group and we were on out way to the hotel within 20 minutes of touchdown, very efficient. We were staying at the Rex Papillon located in Rodney Bay. Rodney Bay is in the north-west of St Lucia whereas the airport is located in the far south of the island. Although the island is only 27 miles long, the volcanic nature of the island meant some steep hills and tight bends. The transfer to the hotel was approximately 1.5hrs but he scenery during the transfer was breathtaking with mountains covered in tropical rainforests and banana plantations in all directions.
Once at the hotel, the porters told us to go and get a drink and they would take care of our baggage. We were directed through the lobby area where we were greeted by the reception staff with a tray of fruit punch and a tray of rum punch. The fruit punch was very refreshing, rum punch a little strong but we were on holiday after all! Once everyone was enjoying their fruit/rum punch, the reception staff talked us through the hotels check in procedure. It was straight forward, just had to fill in some personal details and passport numbers. A refundable room deposit of $100US was payable, the first time I’ve had to do this. We were told that we would get this back once we checked out minus any expenses incurred during our stay (eg telephone charges, safe charges etc). The deposit would be refunded in Eastern Caribbean Dollars (ECD’s) once checking out. Alternatively, a credit card number could be left and any charges made directly to the card.
Once checked in and rooms allocated, the porters asked us to identify our luggage and let them know the room number so they could deliver the luggage to the room. Another porter escorted us to our room as the hotel was like a maze the first few days.
The Rex Papillon and its sister hotel, the St Lucian is really two hotels merged in to one. There are no distinct boundaries between the two hotels the facilities of both hotels could be used as part of the all-inclusive package. My room was 534, set at the rear of the Papillon complex. This block of rooms was the only 3 floor block in the Papillon, the rest were all 2 stories. There are no lifts in the hotel, but the steps are wide and not steep so they are easy to climb. The rooms are not big, but adequate. The rooms slept up to 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children. Our room, one of the standard rooms was equipped with two double beds. The room was very clean and well maintained. The patio doors lead on to a small balcony overlooking well-maintained gardens with a view of the Caribbean in the background. There was plenty of storage space with a wardrobe, 2 chests or draws and a shelf for suitcases. A large, digital safe was located in the wardrobe (charged at $2.5US per day) for keeping passports and money safe. Safety deposit boxes were available at reception for free. Rooms are air-conditioned and have a ceiling fan. The superior rooms also benefit from sea views, a TV, hairdryer and mini-fridge but don’t have ceiling fans. There are dual power supplies of US 2 pin and British 3 pin varieties, both supplying 110v.
The brochure stated that some rooms might encounter occasional noise from nearby pubs. This was accurate as a bar across the street from the hotel was open until the early morning, particularly Friday and Saturday nights when loud music could be heard up to 5am. This was more audible in the block I was in because it was at the back of the hotel in direct sight of the bar. Those rooms closer the centre of the hotel may not have heard the music. Although the music was present, it didn’t bother us.
The hotel grounds are well presented with tropical plants, coconut palms and various other trees and shrubs. The lawn area, down by the beach was large with plenty of sun beds to go around. The palms provided plenty of shade, which was essential around lunchtime as the temperatures were well in to the late 30’s and the sun very strong. A thermometer on Pigeon Island showed 32 degrees in the shade.
The swimming pool was smaller than expected and 4’8” at its deepest. The Caribbean sea was only 20m away so that wasn’t really a problem! The pool has two sections about 18inches deep for children. The water temperature in the pool was a very nice 30 degrees Celsius, the sea a very pleasant 27 degrees. A Jacuzzi was located at the side of the pool with enough room for
The Clipper bar, open from 10am until 1900, was located adjacent to the pool with a seating area and a veranda, which was sometimes used for entertainment in the evenings. This served Heineken and Piton (the local brew) on draught, as well as wines, spirits and soft drinks. The Clipper grill is located next to the Clipper bar, which is open between 1230 and 1500 serving lunch. The Clipper grill serves burgers, hotdogs, chicken wings, salads etc. Tea and coffee is available from the grill between 1230 and 1700 with cakes on offer from 1600.
The main restaurant at the Papillon, the Monarch restaurant is located in to the old reception area. The Papillon’s reception is no longer used, as the main lobby area at the adjacent St Lucian is now the main reception area. The Monarch bar is located in the old reception area which is open from 1900 until 0030, although this sometimes closed early depending on the evening entertainment. Tea and coffee was available all day on a help yourself basis.
The Monarch restaurant is well laid out with a good selection of table sizes (2 – 10 persons). The tables had plenty of space around them, not cramped like some hotels. Most tables had ceiling fans, as it was often very hot in the restaurant. There was no glass in the windows, just wire mesh inserts to keep the larger birds out. This provided a welcome breeze. The restaurant was open from 0730 – 1000 for breakfast, 1230 – 1500 for lunch and 1900 – 2145 for dinner. A dress code was in place for diner. No shorts or t-shirts (eg football shirts, round necks) were permitted and people were often turned away and asked to change for this reason.
Food was varied and consisted of a full English breakfast and cereals etc for breakfast. Lunch consisted of salads, soup, vegetables and cooked meats (the Clipper grill is also open). Diner was salads, soup, vegetables and normally fish, chicken and either Beef, Pork, Ham or Lamb. This was followed by a selection of cakes and fruit salads for desert. A barbeque was held once per week as well as an Italian and St Lucian night every fortnight. Overall, the food quality was good. The main restaurant in the St Lucian could also be used which served similar menus, for a small charge.
An oriental restraunt is located in the St Lucian, which requires booking. A credit of EC$40 (about £9) was credited to each guest. The Oriental restaurant is air conditioned and decorated in a traditional Chinese style. The air conditioning was a welcome break from the Caribbean heat. The Oriental served a variety of different dishes including Indian, traditional Chinese and Thai dishes. The food quality was superb. Prices were very reasonable (about £4 for a starter and £12 for a main meal). A selection of wines was available but these were quite expensive as they were imported. Beers etc were part of the all-inclusive package. This restaurant is highly recommended.
Evening entertainment was sign posted on a board at the side of the Monarch restaurant each evening. This detailed what was happening at the Papillon and St Lucian, you had a choice! Entertainment included Steel bands (which were excellent), local vocalists and live music. A casino night was held on Tuesdays, alternating between the Papillon and St Lucian and the nightclub was open every Wednesday for a night of dancing with staff members. The local dance, a variation of the meringue is very eye opening!
Next to the Clipper grill, overlooking the sea is the watersports centre where non-motorised water sports can be used as part of the all-inclusive package. This included hobby cats (for experienced sailors), canoes and snorkelling equipment. Tuition in the use of any of the equipment was available at extra cost. Beach towels are available from the watersports centre between 0900 and 1700 and water taxis to Pigeon Island and other locations can be booked through them for a small charge. A water taxi to Pigeon Island for example is $12US per person return. Once at your destination, just let the driver know when you wanted picking up and he was their on the dot.
Agents for local excursions were located next to the watersports centre. These offered bike riding, jungle tours and scuba diving (with Scuba St Lucia). As a qualified diver, I opted for a day’s diving. I was picked up at the hotel lobby and transferred down to Castries harbour where one of the dive boats is docked. A 45 minute transfer down to Soufries, where the dive centre is based was also a good was of seeing the sights of St Lucia. Diving is conducted on the Ansa Chastanette marine reserve set up to protect the coral reefs on the west coast. The reefs were in pristine condition with hundreds of different fish species. The day, including 2 dives, equipment, lunch and all transfers cost $99US.
The wildlife around the hotel is stunning if you look carefully enough with some great snorkelling opportunities straight in-front of the hotel. Large land crabs sit in burrows during the day, small lizards scurry around for insects and frogs can be seen hopping around after dark. Large birds of prey circle around the skies along with many different smaller.
The beach is quite narrow in front of the hotel, especially at high tide. As all the beaches in St Lucia are public, the hotel does not have any authority on what happens on the beach. Sun beds cost $2US per day, parasols (which are essential) are extra.
The Caribbean Sea is a warm 27 degrees Celsius and home to some fascinating marine life. Straight in front of the hotel is a large sandy plateau, which is home to a limited selection of fishes. However, to the left, at the end of the bay is a rocky area that is home to many different species of fish. The reef system is not in very good condition, but is still alive and home to creatures such as lobsters, crabs, and limited stands of hard and soft corals. Visibility can be limited by the swell that is sometimes rough at this side of the bay. Visibility can be as little as 3 or 4m or as much as 10m+. Because of the rocky nature of the reef, it is not recommended for inexperienced snorkellers, but intermediate to advance snorkellers will be fascinated by the marine life. If you are lucky, you may encounter some large Porcupine Puffers, Barracuda (I saw one which was bigger than me!), Squid, Sea Snakes and Loggerhead Turtles. There was a report of a Shark in the bay but I didn’t witness that unfortunately. Inexperienced snorkellers are better staying in the shallower areas as the sea averages 2-3m deep before shelving off to 10m+. Sea Urchins are plentiful in the rocky areas so foot protection is recommended.
Those wanted to do a bit of fishing will find plenty of opportunities off the rocks. There is a small track from the end of the beach which follows the coast. Float fished bread works a treat with Sargent Majors, Damsels, Parrot Fish, Wrasse, Needlefish etc providing plenty of sport. Boat fishing trips and deep sea trips (Blue Marlin and Barracuda) are readily available on the beach or through the watersports centre.
Overall, the Rex Papillon is a nice hotel in a superb location. It’s only 15 minutes by taxi to the capital, Castries where there is a market Monday-Friday. The hotel is clean and tidy and has everything you need for a relaxing holiday whether you want to just sit around the pool or beach catching the rays, or use it as a base for diving, snorkelling, fishing etc.
Darren
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Christine from Usk travelled to Papillon St Lucia Resort with
Hayes & Jarvis
on a couples holiday.