jbolay

Having a difficult time deciding. Considering all of the above. Anyone been to more than one of these places that can compare?

We did a day pass at the Mariott last week and it was AMAZING. My husband and I caught a taxi at the port; it was $12 (total) from the port to the Mariott and about a 10-15 minute cab ride. The Mariott keeps taxis cued up out front at all times, so hopping a cab back was simple.

Day passes are issued based on availability and capacity of guests staying at the resort, so it may be helpful to call ahead. The cost was $35 (U.S. dollars) per person and the pass gets you access to all areas of the resort, and includes the beach cabanas. It also included a discount on food (which was delicious!) and free Wifi (we were able to FaceTime our kids at home, which was awesome). We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and snagged one of the last cabanas on the beach, so if you want a cabana, get there early!

The facilities and grounds were wonderful. The staff was attentive and helpful. It was not at all crowded. It was peaceful, quiet, and relaxing- exactly everything we had hoped for. There are gorgeous views of Nevis from the beach and the poolside cafe. The beach is very wide, but the surf (at least on the day we were there) can get a bit rough since the resort is on the Atlantic side (so maybe not the best if you want to swim at the beach, but perfect for lounging!).

We ended up taking a Taxi at the end of the day to tour the Southern Peninsula (HIGHLY recommend this!), so we also saw Cockleshell Beach and Carambola Beach. Both beaches have beautiful views, but were exceptionally crowded. We were extremely happy that we'd chosen the Mariott for the day!