Fly into this Caribbean Island, pass through customs, and less than 15 minutes you’ll be checking into the 5-story oceanfront, sprawling St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino on Frigate Bay Beach. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S.-style full-service resort offers Marriott amenities for your Caribbean escape.
With its tile roofs and tropical landscaping, the 22-acre St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino is what it is – a property catering to the comfort of the tourists with 8 restaurants, 6 bars, a children’s program, 3 outdoor pools, an 18-hole golf course, health club, casino, and a full-service spa.
Arrival Experience
The St. Kitts Marriott Resort staff greets you with a smile, welcome cool washcloth, and non-alcoholic fruit punch. The marbled open-air lobby gives tantalizing views of the Atlantic Ocean and the expansive pool area. A few steps down from the center of the lobby are a replica of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria, surrounded by a pool and waterfalls.
After a quick look around, I returned to stand in the long check-out line as unfortunately many of my fellow passengers arrived at the Marriott at the same time. The lines were long and check-in took 15-20 minutes, but staff members were pleasant and friendly. Behind the front desk was a mural — a map of the West Indies.
Accommodations
Situated in the main hotel building, St. Kitts Marriott Resort offers king guest rooms with stunning views of the ocean from private balconies. Photo: St. Kitts Marriott Resort
The sprawling resort’s 648 guest rooms and suites are Marriott-style spacious combined with the bright colors of the West Indies. As expected, the property offers all the in-room amenities: flat-screen, small refrigerator, in-room coffeemaker, and perfect working desk space with in-room WiFi (additional cost).
After a super long flight from Denver to St. Kitts, sinking into the Marriott Revive king bed was almost worth the trip!
Dining
Fresh catch of the day at Blu Restaurant, St. Kitts Marriott Resort. Photo: Diana Rowe
On-site dining options are numerous, but my favorite was the terraced oceanfront Blue Restaurant. Billowing cloth ceilings, palm trees, and French Doors provide the setting to take advantage of the view.
The menu offers an extensive selection of fresh seafood, including the catch of the day which was absolutely delightful.
Other Notables
If you’re in the Caribbean, you’re definitely in it for the water. If tackling the sometimes rough waters of the Atlantic isn’t for you, the resort offers three freshwater pools with waterfalls and multilevel sundeck.
Resort spas are a crapshoot, but the Emerald Mist Spa was one of those gems. A simple Swedish massage was exactly what I needed to work the kinks out of my muscles, post-5 hour hike the day before. My therapist applied the right amount of pressure, and I left the spa feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is the onsite 18-hole championship golf course, reinvented in 2003 by Canadian Thomas McBroom. The front nine eases players into the game with wide fairways surrounded by brightly colored homes perched on the surrounding hillsides.
The back nine kicks up the game with a bit more challenge, and the view gets better at the oceanfront holes 14, 15 and 16. Linger at the picture-perfect signature hole, the par 3, 15th hole, where on a clear day you can see all three islands! The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is a perfect four-hour golf game and addition to your Caribbean vacation.
Summary
The sprawling resort is supersize, especially for such a small island. However, the location of the resort, steps away from the Atlantic beach and offering easy access to St. Kitts notable attractions, the 300-year-old Brimstone Hill Fortress, hiking the 3,800 Mt. Liamuiga peak, ziplining, and the quaint villages scattered throughout the island, makes the St. Kitts Resort the perfect place to lay your head.
Book directly at Marriott.com or compare rates at Priceline.com.
Photos courtesy of Diana Rowe and St. Kitts Marriott Resort who also provided accommodations for purposes of a review. The opinions expressed are my own.