Sandals Regency Resort in St. Lucia: An Honest Review

Our honeymoon was nothing short of spectacular! The views, the pools, the food, was all out of this world. Sandals does a tremendous job with their guests at a price that is truly reasonable. Many couples shy away from the Sandals Resorts because of the price tag. I'm here to tell you NOT too!

We had decided long before the wedding that we wanted to go to the Caribbean for our honeymoon. After asking a few friends and consulting the Internet, we decided that St. Lucia would be the destination. I had a couple good friends that went there and just raved about it. They also both stayed at a Sandals Resort, which prompted us to look into it.

There are 3 different resort communities that Sandals owns in St. Lucia. The Grande St. Lucian, Halcyon Beach and the Regency are your choices. You have the option to visit all 3 for the price of one, which is a really nice option. We visited the Halcyon to try on of their restaurants. It was called The Pier Restaurant and didn't disappoint! The view was spectacular as it was situated on a short pier overlooking the resort on one side, and the ocean on the other. Overall, I thought Halcyon had a different feel to it than The Regency, where we were staying. It was much more of an intimate setting, low key and relaxed at night. If this is your style, try the Halcyon! We only went there one night for dinner, so I cannot comment on the atmosphere during daylight hours.

Okay, on to our resort, The Regency. When you first arrive, you are greeted with a Rum drink that is absolutely delicious after a long day of travel. Also, there are cool, damp towels in case you are feeling a little warm! A nice little touch. At this point, you are being checked in and given your key cards and getting the quick version of the orientation. Later, there is a more extensive orientation and tour of the facilities and how things work. We sat in on this for a while, but ended up leaving because we just wanted to get into our bathing suits and have a drink by the pool. One thing I did take away from the orientation, was that there is absolutely NO TIPPING allowed on the resort. And, it's true! The employees will not accept a tip, even when offered. So no hidden tipping charges that I expected to be an expense on our trip.

There are optional items that you can pay extra for. Massages, bottles of wine and private dinners on the beach are just a few of the upgrades that you can pay extra for, but you certainly don't have to. We did not opt for any of these and still had a great time. There are many restaurants, so being able to eat at a different place each night is certainly an option, especially if you leave to visit another resort. My only advice would be to take a minute to check and see if you need to make reservations for your restaurant of choice. Some take them, some don't.

We aren't much for activity when we're in the Caribbean, so we didn't take advantage of any of the sailing, scuba diving or various beach sports that are offered, absolutely free of charge. They are available if you choose, but we'd much rather lounge by the pool and sip tropical drinks, which we did! We took full advantage of the pool bar and spent the majority of our week on a lounge chair making friends with other newly married couples. The bartenders are a trip! They are very friendly and there is really never any wait for a drink. If you try a new drink and don't like it, they'll pour it out and ask you what else you want! It's great! They'll make anything you want.

Our room was just ok. We purchased the basic room plan and while there were no really spectacular views, the room was always kept clean and was very roomy and comfortable. It was like a one bedroom apartment. This didn't matter to us because the only time we spent in the room was to sleep, change and shower. So, the room was secondary to us when it came to placing priority on things at the resort.

The night life at Regency was very active. There was always a concert, show or production going on around the stage area. Some people like this, and some don't. Personally, I thought it was great because it was a real party type atmosphere and the entertainment was very good. They brought in bands one night, then dancers the next. It was never the same thing. However, if you wanted to sneak away and get to bed a little early, you could do that without being kept awake by the noise. That was something I really liked, because after a long day of drinking and doing absolutely nothing in the Caribbean, you need to get some rest!

Overall, I would recommend Sandals Regency St. Lucia to anyone looking for a getaway. It is not for married couples only, but no children are allowed. (another feature that I enjoyed!) It was truly a fantastic experience that I will remember the rest of my life and I'm very happy about my choice. The total cost for our stay of just under a week was around $4500, everything included. Air fair, alcohol, meals, you name it! I didn't spend a dollar on the resort until it was time to leave and I wanted to pick up some souvenirs. Out of 10, I would give Sandals Regency St. Lucia a solid 9.5!