Bay Gardens Beach Resort

What is Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa?

Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa is a beachfront resort on Reduit Beach in Rodney Bay Village, on Saint Lucia's northwest coast. It sits beside the island's busiest stretch of bars, restaurants and marina, offers room only, half board and all-inclusive options, and suits couples, families and groups who want a beach holiday with plenty within walking distance.

Rodney Bay is the island's main resort and nightlife area, with a marina, a shopping mall and a long run of places to eat, and Rodney Bay is the place to read about before you commit to a base. Bay Gardens is a small family of three properties in the village, and the beach resort is the one that fronts the sand. If you are comparing hotels in Saint Lucia, this is the lively, practical, good-value end of the choice rather than the secluded, scenic end.

Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa at a glance

Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa stands on Reduit Beach in Rodney Bay Village, in the Gros Islet district on the northwest coast of Saint Lucia. The nearest town is Gros Islet, with the capital, Castries, a drive further south along the coast. The nearest airport is George F. L. Charles Airport at Castries, while most flights from the UK land at Hewanorra in the far south, which means a long road transfer. The style of stay is a lively beachfront resort rather than a secluded retreat. It suits families, couples and groups who want a beach, a pool and plenty of places to eat within walking distance. Stays can be booked from bed and breakfast up to all-inclusive, and the resort has a lagoon-style pool, a spa and non-motorised water sports. Guests also get access to Splash Island Water Park, subject to age and height limits.

How does it differ from Bay Gardens Hotel and Bay Gardens Inn?

The names are similar, so it is worth being clear about what you are booking. Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa is the property on the beach, with direct access to Reduit Beach from the resort. Bay Gardens Hotel and Bay Gardens Inn are its two sister properties elsewhere in Rodney Bay Village, and a complimentary shuttle links all three.

The Hotel is the quieter of the pair, with fewer facilities on site, and it is where Spices Restaurant and Bar is found, which beach resort guests can also use. The Inn is a smaller property whose rooms have private balconies, and it is pitched at couples and families who value privacy over a beach on the doorstep. Guests staying at the sister properties can use the shuttle to reach the beach resort's facilities, which is useful if the price of a beachfront room is the only thing holding you back. If sand underfoot and the water park matter, book the beach resort itself.

What are the rooms and suites like?

Rooms are grouped by position rather than by dramatic differences in style. The Deluxe Garden View rooms are close to the lobby and have a private patio. The Deluxe Pool View rooms sit around the lagoon-style pool, which suits anyone who wants to step from their door to a lounger. The Deluxe Beach Front rooms are on the beach side, with a balcony or patio looking toward the water, and they are the ones to ask for if the view is the whole point.

There are also one-bedroom suites, with a separate living room and bedroom, a full kitchen and a dining area, and two-bedroom suites that combine a deluxe room with a one-bedroom suite, for larger families or two couples travelling together. Most room types sleep up to four, and the larger suites more. The kitchens make the suites useful for longer stays, when you may want breakfast on the patio and a quiet lunch rather than a restaurant every time.

Room types, sizes and views change as the resort renovates, so confirm what is current with your tour operator or the resort before you pay a deposit.

What is there to do on site?

The beach is the main event. Reduit Beach is one of the most popular stretches of sand on the island, with calm, shallow water for most of the year and a steady buzz of beach life along its length. Our guide to the best beaches in Saint Lucia explains how it compares with the quieter bays down the coast. Guests at the resort can use non-motorised water sports such as kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, paddle boats and small sailing catamarans, while motorised options are run by operators along the beach for an extra charge. For wider choices, read about water sports in Saint Lucia.

The resort has a large lagoon-style pool, a Jacuzzi and a fitness centre, and guests get access to Splash Island Water Park, an inflatable play park on the water with trampolines, slides, climbing walls and swings. Age and height limits apply, and life vests are required, so check the rules if you are travelling with younger children. La Mer Spa offers massage and beauty treatments, and the resort has run sunrise yoga sessions and aquarobics, so there is more structure to the day than a sunbed if you want it.

• A children's playground, a games room and babysitting are available, and a kids' programme has run on most days of the week, though some activities carry an extra charge.
• Wellness classes and spa treatments vary by season, so ask which are running during your dates.

Where do you eat and drink?

Hi Tide is the beachside restaurant and the resort's main place to eat, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with both buffet and à la carte service depending on the meal. Lo Tide Deli handles lighter bites, there is a tapas restaurant, and the bars include a beachside bar on the sand and a second bar near the pool. Beach resort guests can also use Spices Restaurant and Bar at the sister hotel, which serves Caribbean and West Indian cooking.

Board options run from bed and breakfast through half board and full board to all-inclusive. The all-inclusive package covers meals, drinks including alcoholic ones, the water park and a daily spa treatment, with some dishes such as lobster and steak charged separately. Some all-inclusive stays also include a dine-around scheme using restaurants elsewhere in Rodney Bay Village, usually with conditions on the length of stay, so check the terms.

Outside the resort, Rodney Bay is a good place to eat on a room-only or bed-and-breakfast basis, which is one of the real advantages of the location. Our guide on where to eat in Saint Lucia covers what to try, and the nightlife in Saint Lucia page explains the village scene, including the weekly street party in nearby Gros Islet.

What is near Bay Gardens Beach Resort?

The beach comes first. Reduit Beach runs along the front of the resort, with calm water, a long shoreline and sunset walks, and Rodney Bay Marina and Baywalk Shopping Mall are within easy reach in the village, so you can spend a week without hiring a car. A short drive north, Pigeon Island National Landmark is a former military base with ruins, trails, views over the bay and quiet beaches, and our guide to historic forts and ruins puts it in the wider story of the island. The village of Gros Islet is a little further north, and Castries, with its market and harbour, is a drive south.

For eating and drinking, start with the resort itself: Hi Tide on the beach, Lo Tide Deli for light bites and a tapas restaurant, plus Spices Restaurant and Bar at the sister Bay Gardens Hotel for Caribbean and West Indian cooking. Beyond the resort, the village has bars and restaurants around Reduit Beach and the marina, which are easy to reach on foot after dark. The north's best-known night out is the Friday street party in Gros Islet, a short drive north, where the streets are closed to traffic and the town fills with grilled food and music. Our page on nightlife in Saint Lucia explains what to expect, and the where to eat guide covers the island more widely.

Things to do nearby are mostly on the water. Sailing and boat trips leave from the marina area, and you can read about catamaran sunset cruises, sailing and boat trips and deep sea fishing. Snorkelling and diving are best on the west coast further south, as explained on our diving and snorkelling page, and the north has golf and tennis, covered under golf and tennis. The north also has a spa culture, and our guide to spa rituals and mud baths shows how to combine it with your stay. For other resorts in the area, see East Winds, Cap Maison for a smaller, more private stay, or Sandals Grande for a couples-only all-inclusive.

The result is a strong base for a first visit. From the resort you can swim, sail and eat well without a car, spend a day at Pigeon Island, join the Friday party, and book a guided day south to the Pitons and Sulphur Springs. Our north Saint Lucia guide maps the area, and the getting to Saint Lucia guide sets out the airports and transfer options.

Is it right for you, and when should you go?

Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa suits families who want a beach and a pool in one place, couples who like to have a choice of restaurants after dark, and groups, because the room mix includes larger suites. It suits you less if you want near silence, a secluded cove or dramatic mountain views, since Rodney Bay is a lively village and the resort is part of it.

Saint Lucia is warm all year. The drier months from roughly December to May are the most popular with UK visitors, and the wetter months are quieter, with short heavy showers and a greener island. Our best time to visit Saint Lucia guide sets out the seasons and the hurricane period. The north of the island is the closest part to George F. L. Charles Airport in Castries, while most long haul flights from the UK arrive at Hewanorra International Airport in the far south, so allow for a long transfer after landing and book it in advance.

For families weighing up several options, our family resorts in Saint Lucia page is the place to compare. Confirm current board options, room types and facilities with the resort before you book, because details change from season to season.

Planning St Lucia holidays around Bay Gardens Beach Resort

Bay Gardens Beach Resort is one of the places to stay in St Lucia we cover in detail, and the right choice depends on the kind of stay you want. Our guides to luxury hotels in St Lucia, all inclusive resorts in St Lucia and family resorts in St Lucia help you compare it fairly.

To build the rest of your a holiday in St Lucia, check the best time to visit St Lucia, flights to St Lucia and our St Lucia itineraries. Couples can read about a honeymoon in St Lucia or weddings in St Lucia as well.

Questions travellers ask