Located along St. Kitts’ southeastern coast, just a ten-minute drive from the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport is the St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino, the largest hotel on the island. And this Caribean luxury hotel was my home away from home earlier this year while attending the St Kitts Music Festival. Below I share my experience of this stay at the St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino.
St Kitts Marriott Resort – First Impressions
My first view of the St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino, which opened in February 2003, was from the top of Frigate Bay Road. The main five-story building looked the length of a New York city block which wasn’t too surprising since the hotel has 389 guest rooms and sits on 26 acres of land. As we drove up to the entrance, the doorman was quick to extend a warm Kittitian welcome and usher us into the vast reception area. Check-in happened in a matter of minutes, and I was pleased to hear that by joining the Marriott Rewards program, I would have access to complimentary wifi.
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St Kitts Marriott Resort – My Room: King, Balcony, Pool + Ocean View
After checking in, a very helpful porter showed me to my room, located in the middle of the third floor of the main building, which has five levels in total. I immediately headed to my private balcony to check out the fantastic view of the main pool and the Atlantic Ocean.
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The air-conditioned room itself was around 475 square feet, with a very comfortable king-size bed with plush pillows along with a couch and lounge chair. A large flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall in front of the bed. There were also lots of electrical outlets, which made it easy to charge my laptop, phone, and camera batteries at the same time.
The bathroom was spacious with a shower/tub combination, toilet, bidet, washbasin, and a large mirror with a hairdryer to the side. There was also a large closet with iron and ironing board plus a safe which was big enough to store a laptop and other valuables.
Complimentary toiletries, as well as tea and coffee, were provided in the room. And there was a mini-fridge, but it was empty as the hotel does not offer mini-bar services. A real bummer, as there were moments when I needed a bottle of water to quench my thirst and had to run down to the shop on the main floor to purchase it.
St Kitts Marriott Resort – Food & Dining Options
The majority of my lunch and dinner meals were eaten away from the St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino, but I did eat most mornings at the Calypso Restaurant, which features a buffet and a la carte menu. And one morning, I was able to have a hearty Kittian breakfast with saltfish, plantains, johnnycake, and breadfruit, which I had to admit were a little dry. Everything else, though was super delicious!
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The only evening meal I ate at the hotel was on the first night at the Blu Seafood Restaurant. While there, I sampled from the Taste of St Kitts menu, which included the Nevis Farm Greens for an appetizer, the Frigate Bay Reef Lobster for the main, and the banana bread pudding for dessert, all of which I would recommend.
Beyond the Calypso Restaurant and Blu Seafood Restaurant, there are also six other eating establishments, including the Royal Grille Steakhouse, La Cucina Italian Restaurant, Café Calypso, Bohemia Beach Pool Bar & Grill, Pizza Shack, and the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club Restaurant. Also, there are three bars, including the Lobby Bar, Sky Ultra Lounge Bar, and the Bohemia Bar. So plenty of dining and drinking options to choose from. However, as a stay at St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino is not automatically all-inclusive, I’d recommend eating some of your meals at the hotel and others around the island to get the full Kittitian dining experience. A few restaurants to try include El Fredo’s Restaurant & Bar, Boozies On The Beach, and Marshalls Restaurant.
St Kitts Marriott Resort – Beach
As my schedule was quite jam-packed, exploring many of St Kitt’s top attractions during the day and then attending the St Kitts Music Festival events at night, I didn’t have much time for lounging around the hotel. However, I got up most mornings and walked the length of the beach, which is extremely wide and seems to go on forever. Being on the Atlantic Ocean side, Sargassum seaweed washes ashore on the beach, and this is removed each morning by the grounds crew. For lounging, there are about 90 beach huts and about a few hundred beach chairs.
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St Kitts Marriott Resort – Onsite Activities/Amenities
For those who don’t want to hang out at the beach, there are three pools at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino. The main pool with a swim-up bar is in the middle of the resort complex, and then there is one to the north and another to the south. Beyond the pools, there is also a fitness center with cardiovascular equipment and free weights. And for those who love spa treatments, there is the 15,000 square feet Emerald Mist Spa with areas for massage, facial, and body treatments. For golfers, there is an 18-hole championship Golf course at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club. Finally, there is also a sizeable casino for those who would like to try their luck!
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The Verdict
Overall, I’d recommend a stay at the St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino. While its large size makes it devoid of the intimate character and charm I prefer in a Caribbean luxury hotel, the staff are amiable, the amenities are plentiful, and it is close to the airport and many popular attractions.
Note that there are 11 room category levels, and they range in size from 475 to 1000 square feet. Also, the rooms have the same design except for some of the suites, which include a full kitchen. Rates at the St Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino start at US$249 + 24.5% tax and service charge during the high season months. During the low season months, room rates start at US$199 + 24.5% tax and service charge. Check-in is generally at 4 pm, and check-out is at noon.
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