TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

This place will shock you, most 5 star places are lovely but this place should be a 10 star. The rooms are lovely and clean, bed is awesome. The food is delicious and well presented with a huge variety to choose from. But what gives it the extra 5 stars are the people. Never encountered one staff member that didn’t speak or smile, they really make you feel wanted and they seem so happy to have us there. We had my 1 year old grandson with us and they went out of their way to help my daughter and her husband, whether is was helping get the buggy moved or filling his bottle with juice. If you have kids the beach is quite safe and although there are no lifeguards the pools seem just as safe (you do need to take caution around any pool)

This hotel is in a stunningly beautiful location. It clearly also has some very loyal return guests and we heard a number of them around us. Rooms were nice, a bit dated perhaps (sheets need renewing - they were “bobbly” and pillows a bit lumpy) but generally clean and very spacious, beautiful views from our balcony. Plentiful and good towels in the huge bathroom, nice toiletries. Everything worked in the room including the air con. We were bitten quite badly at night so if I was going again I would take an insect repellent plug with me. The grounds were lovely and the maintenance staff were always tidying up or painting or generally maintaining the grounds. Good tennis and Pickleball courts. Beach areas were clean, expansive with good facilities. Plentiful loungers and beach towels and an abundance of pools and bars. Restaurants were the disappointment. Food quickly ran out a couple of evenings at the buffet option and we were told one evening that it would be half a hour before the meat option would be replenished. Little things like replenishing plates and cutlery for soup etc were slow to be dealt with. Service was very slow at the a la carte options. Quality of food was very mixed. Hostesses seating you at all the locations were rude (I think they were just trying to be efficient but it just felt you were being a nuisance and there was no nice welcome, some eye contact would have been nice) and tables were not cleared quickly (which clearly added to the hostesses difficulty in seating guests quickly). Inclusive wine was like water and whilst I am happy to only have one glass we weren’t offered any more anyway! Food across all restaurants and at breakfast was ok at best but often not hot and ran out several times. The egg chefs in the mornings are doing a rough job but again no pleasant manner. This is a big hotel and breakfast felt overwhelmingly loud and messy, a bit like a canteen. Not the hotel’s fault I know but the birds flying through the restaurant and settling on the food was quite upsetting. The only exception to the poor quality of the restaurants was the non inclusive restaurant, Piccolo Monde where we did have a very good meal and a lovely server who realised my daughter was unwell and wasn’t eating. She said that we wouldn’t be charged for her meal but that didn’t translate to our bill and when I raised it on checkout the receptionist clearly didn’t believe me and had to verify with the restaurant. I don’t mind that as a procedure but again there’s a nice way to do that. On the whole the food and the restaurants make this a 4* whereas other facilities are closer to a 5*. Staff were mixed, some were really friendly and seemed happy to be doing their jobs but others just miserable. They need to invest in getting more staff into the restaurants to make eating a better experience particularly as this is all inclusive and there is nowhere close by to go out and eat. New Year’s Eve was a highlight. Fireworks were fabulous. Entertainment was hilarious although I’m not sure that is what was intended. Alex worked very hard and deserved a medal for his efforts! Most guests sadly drank too much and some of the guest toilets weren’t looked after. Shame! Good sunset cruise and English Harbour/Falmouth are very close and well worth a visit. Taxi drivers were very good on both the occasions we used them. Roads aren’t great but that’s not their fault! Finally reception staff are just overworked and in trying to multitask they again give you the feeling that you are a nuisance. Whilst I was checking out a couple of them were pretty rude to other guests which I really don’t expect to see. It was embarrassing to witness. Final point the Welcome Party is on a Monday which is pretty hopeless if you are arriving with Virgin Holidays on a Monday and only staying a week! Heigh ho! I’m in two minds as to whether I would return because the position of this hotel is awfully pretty….

Beautiful and lush setting. Beaches on both sides of the resort are wonderful. Several small pools are relaxing. Many places to relax, read, nap, talk. Great tennis and pickleball courts, albeit underutilized. Excursions are on site and that team led by Kelly, Odell and Shaq are great. Unfortunately thats where the positives end. The service is absolutely terrible. As the week we spent went on, it became laughable. We came to expect nothing, and most staff seemingly resented performing their specific duties. Most staff don’t dare to make eye contact as it may lead to a request. We were often ignored. I am not exaggerating my words. We travel frequently and have never had service this poor. The food is average. You can find a few good dishes, but overall you’ll be underwhelmed. Stay away from the buffets. Bring a personal water bottle. They provide two bottles at reception, you keep them all week to refill. Bring your Yeti. They provide zero soft drinks/beer in the rooms. If you like beer, known they only have one beer to offer, its on draft, served in old plastic glasses.

Currently here at St James Club with my husband. I want to give a quick shout out to the girl checking me in on Jan 8. My husband has Alzheimer’s Disease and after the long flight he was agitated and confused when we arrived at the hotel. The girl at reception was so kind, empathetic and understanding. I can’t thank her enough for checking me in so quickly so I could get him to our room to have a rest. Thank you so much for that! I had written an email before we came requesting a room close to my sister and you didn’t disappoint; our rooms are beside each other. So, as we continue to Enjoy our vacation I am so pleased with the staff. So sweet!!! Beautiful room and location on the beach.

Disappointing Stay at St. James’s Club & Villas (Dec 24 - Jan 2) Our family of 14 had high expectations for this vacation, but unfortunately, St. James’s Club & Villas failed to deliver on almost every front. Arrival and Accommodations: Upon arrival, the porter simply pointed us to our rooms without any proper guidance. The beachfront rooms were dated, musty, and had a terrible odor. When we requested a room change, the staff was dismissive and unhelpful. The bathrooms lacked storage, and the lighting resembled a cheap motel. Service and Dining and Food Quality: Mediocre at best. Christmas dinner was inedible—overcooked meat that resembled shoe leather. New Year’s dinner at Piccolo Mondo was a disaster, with a one-hour wait for appetizers, no bread, and no lobster despite pre-booking well in advance. Staff Attitude: We were met with disdain and indifference, particularly from food service staff. The bartender at the Jacaranda Bar seemed to genuinely dislike her job and the guests. Breakfast: A nightmare. The egg station cooks were rude, coffee was disgusting due to dirty thermoses, and we had to queue everyday at the café for a decent cup. Activities and Tours: Air Canada Vacations Rep: A scam. Was told we were having an orientation only to be sold tours. Over priced and poorly disorganized. We were directed to chaotic tours involving rude taxi drivers and poorly maintained roads. However, the catamaran boat ride booked through the hotel was far superior. Food quality on this catamaran was stellar. The boat was called the calypso cat. Crew were so professional! Stingray Experience: Overcrowded and poorly managed. The staff’s attitude was disheartening, and the experience felt more like a cattle call than an enjoyable activity. We had a combo tour to see turtles at Laviscount Island. Tour guide was exceptional and very knowledgeable. We were rushed at the end by the captain of the Stingray experience. Boat was RAY 7. He was a miserable person. Amenities and Housekeeping: Beach towels were a nuisance—hoarded by guests in the morning and unavailable by the afternoon. Housekeeping was inconsistent, often leaving us without towels or basic supplies like water bottles. The Wi-Fi was unreliable, and the TV in the room was old and unattractive. General Management Issues Restaurant reservations were disorganized, and seating guests took an unreasonably long time. It was difficult to know which restaurants were open on any given day. New Year’s entertainment ended abruptly at 12:30 AM, forcing us to return to the dreary Jacaranda Bar (sad bar). Check-out was chaotic, with our prearranged taxi driver being completely disorganized. The Few Pros The resort is beautiful and spacious, with plenty of room on the beach. The tennis courts, pickleball facilities, and gym were decent, albeit dated. Live music was enjoyable on occasion, and a few staff members, like Dianna and Naomi, were empathetic and accommodating. Met with manager Ralph and another woman and they rehearse their statement to thank you for your feedback nonsense but don’t do anything about anything unless you take time from your vacation to get charges reversed due to poor experience. This only happened once because of New Years (thank you Dianna). Final Verdict This resort has serious issues with management, staffing, and overall service quality. The lack of organization, subpar food, and poor attitudes from staff made this a deeply disappointing holiday. We’ve stayed at other resorts during New Year’s, where the celebrations were spectacular and the service impeccable. St. James’s Club & Villas, by contrast, was a rip-off, especially during high season. Rooms are dated and old. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere for a stress-free vacation. We will never return.