Sunday 6^th September 2009

On Sunday morning we had a site inspection of Bay Gardens. A gorgeous family resort set on a beautiful beach. A really nice communal pool, yummy breakfast and a really good dive centre on site.

Horseriding at Cotton Bay Beach

Next we were taken horse riding at Cotton Bay Beach! Last time I went on a horse it bolted so I was pretty scared. Having put on our riding hats and limbered up for mounting our horses, they were carefully chosen for us depending on our riding experience. We were told that the riding centre specialises in teaching children and the horses are gentle and docile. Mine was just greedy. Stopping every two minutes to grab a passing branch or munch on a tuft of grass I was holding everyone up, and with no riding experience I was unable to encourage my gee-gee to stop scoffing and start trotting!

Bareback horseriding at Cotton Bay

The highlight of the excursion was when we stopped at the beach, the saddles were taken off and we rode bareback into the sea. It was wonderful! Although still terrified, and with my horse attempting to kneel down and role over, the romance of it all was still quite moving. It was also nice to cool off in the sea and the horses seemed to be enjoying themselves.

The afternoon consisted of a few site visits. First to the Sandals Grande for site inspection and lunch. It really changed my perception of all inclusive resorts. The food was delicious, really healthy and lots of choice. The resort was very big but really high standard of accommodation and facilities. The beach was also really nice and the whole place just had a really relaxing atmosphere. There are so many room types to choose from, which is great for clients to find something to suit their budget, but a nightmare for me to remember the differences between them all! Although the resort is quite international and not typically Caribbean style which I prefer, I was really impressed and have realized that all inclusive can be great for controlling your budget and makes catering for children really easy.

We then returned to the Rex The Royal and St Lucian where we had eaten the night before to take a look around in the day light. Although the standard is not 4 or 5 star like the other hotels we had seen so far ( I was getting a bit spoilt!), they are excellent value and the best location. You can stay right in Rodney Bay with all the restaurants and night life and use the same beach as Bay Gardens. The Chic restaurant is top–notch too.

Late afternoon we had some free time, so straight to the beach for sunbathing and swimming, and then in the evening we went to The Landings for dinner. This was a luxury hotel with a marina. You can practically sail up to your room. The lobby is very grand and the food, again, was divine.

Kat Hayter
Reservations Executive

Horseriding at Cotton Bay