Rendezvous

Even before Rendezvous was Couples, a resort where twentysomethings went to get married, it was a private home that sometimes welcomed random beachgoers in for an informal lunch. Today the vibe remains “private home”. When you arrive you will be greeted by one of the team, often by name, your luggage will be spirited away and you will be guided through the gardens, not to a reception desk, but to the beachfront boardwalk, where a cool towel, a refreshing drink and a welcoming smile awaits you. Once you have your key, stay on the seafront as long as you like, someone will take you to your room when you (not they) are ready. If you arrive at the weekend (or if like us, you are up and about at 6am) you will see many St Lucians on the beach – it is a big beach by Caribbean standards and of course public, though when you consider how close we are to Castries, it is ridiculously underutilised by local people – and you will see the gardening team clearing any flotsam and jetsam along with raking out yesterday’s footprints. You won’t be bothered by touts or people selling souvenirs as you might be in Europe or Asia, but you might have the chance to meet some very interesting folk if you are willing to engage – we had one of our best meals ever at the home of a guy we met while he was teaching his boy to swim. With just 100 rooms, even when Rendezvous is full, the extent of the grounds ensures that there is always plenty of space if you want to be alone, but at the same time, the size means you will see the same guests and staff more often than in a very large resort; this gives you ample opportunity to make new friends, and we have found all the staff to be very willing to tell you about their life and their island as time permits. Catering is very good with three completely different atmospheres in the evening restaurants. The Terrace sees themed nights every night, often with al a carte service, while Malabar is “toes in the sand” and Trysting more formal – all of them naturally require gentlemen to wear collared shirts in the evening (long pants in Trysting) which seems reasonable to us, you wouldn’t go to a friend’s house for dinner in a tank top! I have heard grumbles that lunchtime courses at Malabar are small, but three “small” courses are plenty for me as a 6ft/15stone ex-rugby player and anyway, the hot/cold buffet starts at 4pm! Mrs T has some food allergies and intolerances but an intelligent conversation with the chef on duty always led to a work-around. The grounds house two pools; the one by the spa is more quiet (except during mid-day aqua aerobics) and is adjacent to the lazy river where a bit more privacy can be achieved – the team still manage to keep you refreshed and hydrated throughout the day. The beachside pool is a little livelier – it has a swim up bar – but there is no blaring music so even this is pretty calm. The entertainment folk will keep you occupied from 7am yoga until the band finishes at night with a range of strenuous or sedentary activities – think wine tasting – or will leave you to enjoy the view of the sea as you please. It would be better for me if the morning yoga was undersubscribed, but I owe it to Pauline to give the class a boost as she manages to make me an inch taller and to move without pain. Talking of the band, the acts are usually of a decent standard, St Lucians love to sing, but post-dinner it would seem that a lot of guests just want to retire to their rooms so sometimes the atmosphere can be a bit flat – we would always encourage people to grab a digestif and enjoy the show. Every evening a champagne or other sparkler is showcased in the Piano Bar. Pre-dinner, it is a bit “checked shirt and beige slacks” for our taste, but later the vibe changes and there is a chance to talk cricket, politics and life with whoever is either side of the bar or playing piano. The furnishing is quite soft and crowded, like the main lounge area – we’d like to see both a bit less cluttered and austere, but that’s just us. The water sports are very well run with patient instructions that guarantee that (almost) anyone can get up and ski or sail a hobi-cat. Experienced divers tell me that the kit is some of the best (and best maintained) at any resort around the world while the dive team make sure you have a fun and safe time. Judi held my hand underwater after I had a little “moment” at the surface, which was so sweet. The location is at the end of a runway, but 6/8 ATR42s a day is hardly intrusive and yes there is a cemetery nearby, while the other end of the beach has a closed down bar/hotel. The latter two mean that you are not sharing the beach with hundreds of other tourists and certainly a walk past the gravestones to the end of the beach is well worth taking; Mrs T and her friend saw the hottest pilot ever taking lunch in a restaurant there. We live in southern Spain where it is hot and humid, we know how hard it is to keep the garden under control and the building spick and span. The maintenance team do a very fine job and on the very few occasions we have had an issue it has been dealt with PDQ. This is not a super luxury resort as you might find in Dubai or Maldives, but it never claims to be, nor does it charge as if it were, so for us there are no disappointing surprises. Tune into island time when you get off your flight, embrace the beauty of St Lucia and St Lucians and you will be bound to have a good time. I wasn’t going to name check anyone, otherwise the list would be a mile long, but the two “road to Damascus” moments could not go unmentioned. There is a third lady who I won’t name check, or she will be inundated, but suffice to say her input into our stays is immense and she does make exceedingly good cakes.

This hotel is very different to any others that we have stayed in. If you are looking for a party atmosphere, this is not the place for you. However, if you are looking for a chilled out, relaxing and laid back holiday then Rendezvous is the place. The thing that make this place is the staff, they have got to be the most accommodating and attentive we have come across. Nothing is too much trouble, and when they say 'it's a pleasure' they truly mean it. Special mention to Nisa on the beach and bar for all the scarlet ladies, and Carmen (as in the opera) and Matilda in the Trysting for looking after us so well. The food was great and there was a varied choice every day. We loved the Trysting, the food was beautiful! We had a beach front room, which had an amazing view of the beautiful sunsets each night. The rooms are a little tired, and could do with some TLC. We joined in some of the activities, which was fun, but there was no pressure to do so. The beach is gorgeous, and there was no worries about getting a lounger, although during our stay, occupancy was only about 40%!! The beach at the weekends and holidays, and can get very busy with the locals and it does get a bit noisy! There is a problem with horses being ridden on the beach, through the resort, at some speed, which they need to address before someone gets hurt. We did not use the main pool, as we like the beach. We did use the spa pool, which really does need some maintainence, as the tiles are falling off, and it felt a bit slippery underfoot. All in all we had a lovely relaxing holiday, and would highly recommend Rendezvous Resort if you want to chill and re-charge your batteries!

My 2nd visit in 5 years and this place just gets better, When you want to relax this is the place. I enjoyed it first time but this time from walking into the hotel I was falling straight into the groove St Lucia style. Thought it was the jet lag but it was the ambience and genteel atmosphere that you get from staying at the Rendezvous. With great food being served from its three restaurants and staff that remember each detail we took the lazy river in our routine as was the great diving offered by the hotel. My only wish is to return again soon and enjoy everything this tranquil place offers. Missed the botanical tour again but see the gardener for fresh coconut to really get the local taste. What a great staff member that is seen but keeps the gardens immaculate.

We booked this to renew our vows. What we found was, what must be one of the most fantastic resorts in the world that are available to normal people. There is nothing about this place to criticise. The food is simply fantastic and the restaurants offer a wide range of choices for everyone. The drinks are branded and plentiful if you want them to be. The cocktails are not to be missed. It is advertised as stolen time, where couples can reconnect with each other. That is the most wonderful description of this resort. No televisions at all, just the chance to relax with your partner in a wonderful setting. The staff add to the experience. There are too many to thank, but Natasha and Denzil at the pool bar and Gilford in the Champagne bar deserve special mentions. The housekeeping department also deserve a mention for the way the rooms are kept. I could go on and on about Rendezvous, but if you can afford it you must go.

All staff in hotel were wonderful and could not do enough for me and my husband. Florence was a lovely waitress and remembered everyone name. Lady's on beach work so hard in the heat .Rooms lovely and choose your pillow how good is that.