BodyHoliday St. Lucia

Review of Body Holday St. Lucia Pre-Arrival Body Holiday is a very service-oriented facility. We were able to book car service from the airport (about a 90-minute drive) and back weeks prior to our arrival. The operators set everything up and it went without a hitch. They are also able to answer most questions you might have. The website encourages you to register for the webroom to book spa treatments prior to arrival. This was one of the small negatives we encountered. There seem to be a lot of issues surrounding the web services. I was able to book my treatments, but we had issue with booking them for my wife. Fortunately, the pre-arrival phone folks were willing to take an email with schedule requests and book most of them for her. While you can book at the Spa directly, be aware that you may have to choose “off hours” times for treatments. Late afternoons are very popular. It is also very important to note that only Spa treatments, excursions, and a few restaurants require appointments. Activities like pool and beach volleyball are just show up… no reservation needed. Also, the resort should spend a bit more time on reviewing the content of the website. For example, the website clearly states that men are expected to wear long pants and close toed shoes to dinner. This is not enforced, and we ended up packing unnecessary clothing as a result. I would hope that this is clarified in the future. Reception When we arrived at the gate, several staff members were present to welcome us with cold cloths and a refreshment. They were all very genuine and gracious in their welcoming. Your bags will be taken from the car directly to your room by resort personnel while you check in with the concierge staff. These folks are very knowledgeable and helpful. They are available 24/7 for issues, help with reservations, directions and just about anything else you can think of. Don’t be afraid to ask. They will escort you to your room to make sure everything is satisfactory and make sure you know how everything works. I highly recommend the Welcome Tour. It’s a great way to find everything and understand how things work. Wear comfortable walking shoes…there is a lot of walking and hills! Room We booked a Grand Oceanfront Junior Suite. We were not disappointed. The room was large and functional and nicely decorated. The deck fronted to the right of the beach overlooking most of the resort, as well as the jetty. We loved the view and the sound of the water. The room includes a safe, basic toiletries (bodywash, shampoo, conditioner and lotion). The shower and toilet were individually glassed-in with a double vanity just outside. The king bed was extremely comfortable and you can pick the kind of pillow you want. Tea and cookies were provided each evening. Yonna, our housekeeper quickly picked up our room preferences and adapted to them quickly. She was very pleasant and helpful. There is a loaded refrigerator with soda, beer, a bottle of wine and a bottle of sparkling wine included. We were able to customize the mix as we don’t use all of these. In a bit of an interesting turn, you are free to use any of all of what’s in the refrigerator at no additional cost, but if you need to replace any of it, there is a charge. There is WiFi in the room. There is no TV (which is a good thing). Restaurants You can preview the menus at the various restaurants on the tablet in your room. It is important to note that all restaurants are basically open air, with the exception of Cariblue Windows. Cariblue Cariblue has an unbelievable breakfast buffet every morning. Made to order eggs, Caribbean staples, breakfast meats, potatoes, pancakes, waffles, cold cuts, the best mini chocolate croissants, pastries, fruits, and fruit juices. Gluten free and vegan options are available as well. A French press of coffee is available, as well as individually made coffee and tea drinks. Chef Popo and the other chefs were prompt and very accommodating in all of our interactions. Lunch at Cariblue is also a buffet that varies each day (Caribbean, Italian, International, etc.). Food is well prepared and there is a great variety. They make their own ice cream and sorbet which is available daily as well. Dinner here varies. Some nights it is ala carte and others it is a buffet. Regardless of the setup, the food is very good. Plantation Grill This restaurant serves a tea everyday from 4:00 to 6:00. There is also an ice cream wagon available at this time too. Lunch consists of soups, pizzas, sandwiches. The menu can be found on the chalkboards outside the grill. Dinner is ala carte some nights and others a buffet is provided. Again, the food is very good. Tao Tao is the premier restaurant on the facility. Reservations are needed. The food is excellent and beautifully prepared. This is a must do at least once. Most dishes are included, but some may have an extra cost. Cariblue Windows We did not have dinner here. It is a wine pairing menu and there is an extra cost. Reservations are needed and there are not very many tables in the restaurant. Wellness Café Smoothies, healthy foods, and a casual ambience. The early continental breakfast is served here. Activities There are many activities available. Pool and beach volleyball, tubing, water skiing, snorkeling, fitness activities, you name it. You can participate in as many or as few as you wish. Beach The beach is not terribly large, but it is very pretty. There are plenty of chairs and NO NEED to reserve them (at least in the April/May window. Simply go to the towel stand and a “Lifeguard” will accompany you to your chairs and put towels on them for you. If you are hungry or thirsty, there are flags near the seats. Simply raise it and someone will take your order. Same procedure and situation at the pools. There are beach volleyball games daily. Pools There are 2 main pools. The “quiet pool” for readers and sun tanners also has a hot tub. The Infinity Pool is much livelier and hosts pool volleyball and AquaFit classes. There is an additional pool up at the Spa that can be used by anyone as well. Darren, Dino, and Paulyn were awesome group leaders and fun to be with. Spa The Spa is awesome. It is also located at the top of a steep hill. There are 2 sets of steps up, but if this proves too much the concierge can arrange for a complimentary cab to take you there. Simon (one of the drivers) is a very nice, polite man and fun to be with and all the drivers were courteous. You get one free treatment from a menu each day. The massages were excellent. Frederica, Shalia, Tessa, Kiane, and crew help make your day even better than you thought it would be. Staff This resort has an outstanding staff in every area of the resort from maintenance to upper management! They are so very welcoming and helpful, even working hard to remember your name. Special thanks to: Katrina, Septima, Paulyn, Shai, Jai, Jude, Jelani, Elizabeth, Felicia and Dexter all went out of their way to make us comfortable and feel like family. Excursions We took 2 excursions (extra charge), the Snorkeling Trip to the Pitons and the Whale and Dolphin tour. The Snorkeling tour, led by the excellent Melissa was excellent as we got to investigate 2 separate reefs. Unfortunately, the whales and dolphins were “out of town” and we didn’t see any, but we had a great boat ride with the friendly staff. We did see many flying fish that day (one of my favorites). Kudos also so Captain Smalls and first mate Runny on both trips. Tipping Tipping individually is not encouraged. Instead, there is a tip box at the concierge office where you can put in what you think would be an acceptable tip, or alternatively you can have a tip added to your bill. The resort then takes those tips and distributes to all employees except upper management ensuring that even areas that are not typically tipped (maintenance for example) are encouraged to good service and have an equal share in the results. To sum it up, Body Holiday is amazing. We heard stories from staff of folks who have returned 15, 30, even more than 60 times and it is easy to see why. We highly recommend this resort.

This is a place like no other! It’s a choose-your-adventure wellness resort! Want to pack your day with hikes, fitness classes, beach volleyball and sailing? You can do it! Want to spend the day on the beach, swimming in the turquoise water and having cocktails delivered to your lounger? You can do that too! The food is amazing and they are diligent with asking about preferences or allergies. Finally, the wellness center….beyond relaxing. The daily spa treatments included in my stay were the perfect end to a busy day. I will be back!

Our expectations were exceeded. The staff and employees really make you feel at home and we had many interesting conversations. Fun music and dancing….. don’t miss the sunset cruise! Nice tourists come here: not the “ boozing” crowd. Great food in a variety of restaurants for all tastes: vegan, vegetarian, fish, meat etc. Amazing breakfast buffet. Great swimming beach for snorkeling and seeing beautiful colored fish ( no turtles). Our first all inclusive resort experience and it was positive. Massage, yoga, tennis, water aerobics, music on the beach, dance lessons, etc. Truly something for everyone. No need to leave the resort during your stay. One caveat: the transportation by shuttle vans can take 1.5/2 hours from the airport.

BodyHoliday itself was a nice resort, but you have to be mindful of the people who visit. Ladies, beware of Simon Bitton. That man tried to target me on my trip there and failed miserably. He's one of those people who will play on your emotions by telling a sob story about his childhood and ex-wife to win your sympathy. He'll then "randomly" pop up where you hang out and try to make conversation with you or sit near you (after monitoring you from a distance). He looks for single women around their 40s who tend to be more trusting and sympathetic. He realized I wasn't the one and fled, but ladies, be careful when you are on vacation. If you are travelling alone, watch the company you keep. If you are in a group, check in with one another often, and beware of someone who seems a little to interested in your company, especially if they know you want nothing to do with them. Let's stay safe on holiday.

I stayed at BodyHoliday for the first time in April 2008; 17 years later I have returned 12 times, staying 5 weeks in 2008. I began traveling at the age of 14 and I have had the opportunity to experience many beautiful properties all over the world but I never had any interest in returning to a property like a do with BodyHoliday. It's addictive and you will find a huge percentage of return clientele who will agree. The property is flawless, the vibe and the incredible staff are what make the property so amazing. You can find something to do every hour or content yourself with doing nothing. The food is excellent, the beach is lovely, the rooms are comfortable but this is a place where you certainly will have no interest in spending all your time in your room. The SPA and your daily, full body massage is definitely a big part of the all-inclusive experience and the massage therapists are very well trained. When BodyHoliday invites you to "Give us your body for a week and we'll give you back your mind", they aim to make good on their promise. There are so many "wanna-be" wellness resorts but BodyHoliday is the MOTHERSHIP of all.