Sandals St. Lucia - Feedback Requested

[virginiadiver]

I would appreciate any information on the Sandals Resort Halcyon and Grande. I have been getting mixed information, which indicates that Halcyon does not have diving available on-site. However, you can shuttle to the Grande for diving.

Any comments about either resort's stay would be nice to hear too. Thank you!

 

[daveg1]

I would appreciate any information on the Sandals Resort Halcyon and Grande. I have been getting mixed information, which indicates that Halcyon does not have diving available on-site. However, you can shuttle to the Grande for diving.

Any comments about either resort's stay would be nice to hear too. Thank you!

I was there in Feb of this year, Yes they do have diving. No the boat does not leave from the resort, Sandles has a dock in town that all 3 of their resorts on St Lucia shuttle to. The boat does not pick up at any of there locations on St Lucia. They use the same boats for snorkling as well. We stayed at Halcyon and plan to go back. The boats are only about a 10 min ride from there.

 

[Kleppta]

I would appreciate any information on the Sandals Resort Halcyon and Grande. I have been getting mixed information, which indicates that Halcyon does not have diving available on-site. However, you can shuttle to the Grande for diving.

Any comments about either resort's stay would be nice to hear too. Thank you!

I just booked Sandals Grande for Dec 11-18, 2004.

It is my compromise trip with my non-diving wife. Have you booked yet?

I have dove with Sandals resorts before althogh not on St. Lucia. I did dive in St. Lucia on day (was there on a cruise), the diving was pretty good and I was told by the other people on the boat (that had been diving all week) that this was the worst day of diving for the trip.
I have found Sandals to be pretty good. Depends on how many divers are with them for that day or week. If they have a small number and mostly AOW with good log books they will take you on the better dives, that may even envolve a further boat ride. (don't want to be 30 or 40 mins from shore and have to abourt a dive cause someone is in way over there head or runs out of air way faster than every one else)

I my experiance with sandals resorts, let the guys know at the beginning of your stay what you like and what you don't (politely). And even though this is a 'ultra-all inclusive' resort help them out with the gear, help them rinse stuff off ect ect.. They will be more willing to listen to your polite promtings for 'This is my last day any chance we can do that wreck again'.

I know your question was a little more specific than what I have given you but hope it helps.


Kleppta

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

If you are not set on Sandals check out the resorts nearer to Soufriere. The diving is better there anyway! I think there is a Hilton and also Anse Chastanet. We visited both when we were there and I can highly recommend Anse Chastanet and the diving right around the Pitons.

 

[ConchyJoe]

If you are not set on Sandals check out the resorts nearer to Soufriere. The diving is better there anyway! I think there is a Hilton and also Anse Chastanet. We visited both when we were there and I can highly recommend Anse Chastanet and the diving right around the Pitons.

I agree with Tim on the Diving part. Chastanet is excellent. Excellent resort as well. Not as many activities as Sandals, but they do have jungle hiking, biking, sailboats, kayaks, and many other items on their list. Don't stay at La Dera if you want a beach. La Dera uses Chastanet and provides a shuttle.

 

[Lottie375]

I think there is a Hilton

The Hilton isn't there anymore - It changed hands a number of years ago and is now The Jalousie Plantation

I agree about Anse Chastanet. Very good resort and the diving is right on their doorstep

HTH

Lottie )

 

[scubazlot]

Excellent timing on reviving this old thread.

I am heading down to St Lucia from Dec 27th - Jan 3rd. My girlfriend and I are recently OW certified. Along with the pool sessions and 4 OW check out dives, we have done 3 dives in a quarry on our own without our instructor. So yes, we are still very new to the sport of SCUBA.

Sandals website offers 11 dives, and 2 wreck dives for St Lucia. We are interested in the 11 reef/rec dives. I know we are somewhat limited to our skills and what trips they are offering each day, but does anyone have any helpful ideas for which dives would be good for newbies? Also, any other advice regarding our first dive trip, how to work with the DMs, how to schedule our dives, do we need to call Sandals ahead of time to schedule anything, etc?

Thanks in advance!

 

[daveg1]

I have dove with Sandals several times and you have nothing to worry about or set up in advance. After you arrive and get chaeked in just stop by the watersports shack and sign up. During your signup they will take care of what ever you need. More than likely the first dives you do with them will be a 1 tank trip on a fairly shallow dive. This is where they see how you do and that will determine what dive sites they will take you to on other days.

 

[nauifins73]

I spent 8 days at Anse Chastanet - I found it to be the worse place I have ever stayed! There were 300 stair steps (no 2 the same distance) from our bungalow. There is no AC in any room - ask for a fan when you check in - and be aware they will take it from your room. This happened to us. I got extremely tired of curry every meal.

The diving is very poor in my opinion. I saw nothing of any size because it has been fished clean. Diving from the Shop on the Anse Chastanet is done with one of the DMs taking the group. We dove for 40 minutes and not a second longer. One dive I came back to the boat with 2000 psi.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[scubajoe]

I agree with Becky. There were fish traps on almost every dive. One boat load of fishermen tied one end of there net to a tree on the beach at AC. Marine park my ***.
The 40 minute dive time really sucked! We hit the water after the other boat from Anse Chastenet and we were always out of the water before they were. I was pissed....but it was the tropics.
Joe