Bay Gardens Inn Rating: 3.0 Pearls

St. Lucia

Lobby at the Bay Gardens Inn

The smallest of Rodney Bay’s trio of Bay Gardens-branded properties, the 33-room Bay Gardens Inn is a good option for couples looking for a quiet sanctuary and a wallet-friendly rate. It’s not located on the beach and features are few (just a small pool, restaurant, and tiny bar round out the short list), but free access to almost all of the amenities at Bay Gardens Hotel and Bay Gardens Beach Resort provides perhaps the island’s best opportunity to save money on accommodations while still enjoying resort-style facilities. The lack of amenities here means there aren't many loud children or big groups staying here, so couples might appreciated it as a quiet haven.

Based on Bay Gardens Inn’s merits alone, the low prices are only fair. The rooms are outdated, with white wicker furnishings, tube TVs, and old-school alarm clocks. Somewhat of a concession is that each room has its own private balcony, and vistas of the pool or surrounding landscape are pleasant.

View on a Larger Map

The northern side of St. Lucia is inherently the lesser side of the island, simply because there are no views of the iconic Pitons, and the majority of the tourist attractions are clustered around southern-located Soufriere. However, the Rodney Bay area is one of the island’s liveliest, with plenty of shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and bars sprinkled throughout Reduit Beach and Gros Islet. Also close by are hotspots like a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and the historical Pigeon Island.

The Inn’s free hourly shuttle to Bay Gardens Beach Resort also provides free transport to the beach, which is within walking distance of plenty of shops and cafes.

Guests who hope to visit some of the south side’s stunning natural attractions (the volcano, the cocoa plantations, the Pitons) should consider hiring a car for a day -- the drive is roughly 90 minutes and night-time driving is not recommended for those unfamiliar with the roads, which are marked by hairpin turns, deep potholes, and virtually no lighting.

• 20-minute drive to George F. L. Charles Airport
• 90-minute drive to St. Lucia Hewanorra Airport
• 1-minute walk to restaurants at Bay Gardens Hotel
• 5-minute walk to shopping center with grocery store, cafes, fast food restaurants, and shops
• 15-minute walk to Reduit Beach and Bay Gardens Beach Resort
• 15-minute walk to Rodney Bay Marina
• 10-minute drive to Pigeon Island
• 15-minute drive to St. Lucia Country Club golf course

View from the Deluxe Suite

The rooms at Bay Gardens Inn are older and smaller than the more expensive Bay Gardens Beach Resort, but newer and slightly better than the older units at the slightly cheaper Bay Gardens Hotel. Sure, the wicker furnishings and white tile floors are generic (as are the smallish bathrooms with cheap toiletries), but the decor is still a step up from the kitschy Bay Gardens Hotel’s standard rooms. Pluses at the inn include private balconies, most of which face the quiet pool, and DVD players in all units.

• Beachy decor, with bright walls and white wicker furniture
• Furnished balconies in every room
• Old tube TVs and alarm clocks
• Wall-mounted A/C
• Standard baths
• Coffeemakers and/or tea kettles with free coffee/tea
• DVD players
• Mini-fridges
• Free Wi-Fi

Pool at Bay Gardens Inn

• Small, quiet pool with no more than a dozen lounge chairs
• Small poolside bar
• Casual restaurant serves authentic St. Lucian cuisine for three meals daily.
• Small business center with one computer station and free Internet
• Free Wi-Fi throughout property
• Free hourly shuttle to Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Reduit Beach
• Free use of sister properties’ amenities, including beach access, a fitness center, watersports pavilion, and additional restaurants and bars
• On-site car rental
• Free parking
• Small casual eatery just off the lobby
• View full list of amenities