St James Beach Club Reviews

we love the maldives but couldn't afford to take both girls there as they don't have big enough rooms and it worked out £15000 .So we came here instead as the rooms are on the beach.

We had a ground floor large room and big bathroom with steps to the beach.The sand isn't as white as i expected but the sea was warm eventually and safe for kids.One side was the kids club which was a room with one guy in watching them but i wouldn't have let my two stay there as the 2 year old would wander out and no one was really watching them.Then the other side was the restaurant which had kids menus and really nice staff.we could take food back to the rooms for the kids.Tried all the restaurants in st james club and they were great too.We had a babysitter about 6 times so we could go to the casino,she was fab.The taxi drivers were very helpful and trusting.Actually the last night we ate in the italian restaurant which you had to pay a bit extra for and that wa amazing,we may go back same time this year and would eat there most nights.

we met a couple who had been going there for 13 years but they had suite in st james club but liked the breeze of our beach.Theres a little guy in a golf buggy that brings drinks to you every hour or so which was different but if you make friends with him he drives righ up to your sunbed.

The Beach Club comprises of 3, 2 storey buildings that are part of the St James Club. The St James Club occupies a small peninsula that juts out into the Caribbean. The Beach club is situated on the Atlantic side and as such is subject to more wind than the calmer (and hotter) Mamora Bay side. You will have access to both beaches and all the facilities of the St James Club.

Food: Your main source of food and drink will be Coco's Bar and Restaurant situated at one end of the beach club. The food is very good and the staff are excellent. Everything served with a big smile. Breakfast is buffet style and so is lunch although you do have the option of selecting items from a menu such as burger, hotdogs and sandwiches if the buffet does not appeal. Dinner alternates between buffet style and a set menu on certain nights (they post the dinner menu at breakfast so you can see in advance what to expect). Again the food is very good with plenty of variety. Adjacent to the restaurant is the bar that overlooks the beach and ocean (this is also where you can to claim fresh towels for the beach). On two evenings you will be able to eat at the Rainbow Restaurant and Docksiders. The excellent Piccolo Mondo's (if you want to treat yourself) can be enjoyed for a supplement of $35 per person. I would recommend this is the food, location and service are excellent (we went twice in 7 days).

Rooms: We had a superior room which in on the ground floor with a patio. A few small steps down from the patio and you are on the beach. The sea is literally a (small) stones throw away. The room was very spacious with a large double bed, small table and chairs, a sink with coffee and tea facilities, fridge (stocked with 3 bottles of water and some cans of coke, sprite, and ginger ale. A large bottle of rum is also included. Bathroom was large but quite basic. Everything was very clean and the maid service was very good although on days when other guests were arriving she did not come round till at least 4pm.

Facilities: Coco beach is purely for swimming and sunbathing. Mamora Bay is where all water sports are located. Kayaking, Pedaloes and Sailing are most popular although you can go water-skiing as well. Thankfully there are no jet-skis to disturb the peace and tranquillity. The water here is very calm and excellent if you have children as it gently shelves out for about 20-30 feet before getting deeper. There are two jetties into the bay with sun decks at the end if you want to sunbathe and avoid the sand. The Mamora Bar will serve you drinks but you will have to pay extra for these as they are not covered by the Beach Club all inc deal. The bar is near what is called the Village, an area of small 2 bedroom villas overlooking the bay.

Note: There is a dress code for the evenings i.e. after 6.30pm where guys will have to wear long trousers and collared shirts. On a number of occasions this was flouted (usually by Americans) wearing shorts and sandals. No-one seemed to mention anything to them though so I guess this is a very relaxed rule.

All in all this was an excellent resort in a great location.