Property
Drenched in tropical hues, the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa features 254-rooms, four dining options, five bars, three swimming pools, a full-service spa, and the island’s largest water park. An ideal playground for families, this all-inclusive resort is also a great way for parents to stay on budget (think “pizza on demand”).

Parents who have had enough togetherness for one day can take advantage of CocoLand, the supervised kids’ club, where kids can create arts and crafts, splash in the water playground, and climb aboard a pirate ship.

Location
Situated on the south coast of St. Lucia on the Atlantic Ocean just ten minutes from the Hewanorra International Airport, the resort is very near Anse de Sables Beach in Vieux Fort, a prime windsurfing spot. A 30-minute drive will take you to one of the highlights of our trip: the Rainforest Canopy tour. If you’re more inclined to take it slow and easy, visit the Diamond Botanical Gardens in Soufriere.

Sleeps
The rooms in the Splash wing are quite spacious, and feature 2 queen sized beds (or a single king) and a sitting area. Maximum occupancy for the rooms is 6.

Highlights
The resort boasts plenty to do – while my son spent his days zooming down the water slides or partaking in paint ball wars (in between pizza breaks), I preferred to spend my time on a covered lounge on the beach accompanied by a blended umbrella drink and a book.

Nightly entertainment in the huge open-air lobby includes the likes of a pirate themed dinner or karaoke. Teens will love access to the on-site paintball facility, but note that this is one of the few activities not included in your room rate.

Good to know
I had hoped that a visit to a tropical island would come with some local tropical fruit, but there was not a papaya in sight.  While the beach is beautiful for strolling or basking, the ocean here is rough and not ideal for swimming.

Contact
http://www.cbayresort.com

January 29th, 2010 | by Kris Bordessa