Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort & Spa

The 136-acre Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort is an oceanfront property that -- prior to becoming part of the Colombia-based Decameron family -- was a Club Med. Once inside, the lobby feels beachy, with brightly painted walls, double-high vaulted ceilings with exposed wood beams, and a thatched roof. Arriving guests receive a welcome cocktail, helping to set the relaxed mood. With so many rooms, the hotel’s never quiet, but doesn’t seem overloaded with visitors. Between the mile-long beach and the two huge pools, there’s more than enough space for everyone to kick back. Its amazing oceanfront location is incorporated into most of the hotel’s amenities, from the restaurants to the spa, gym, and pools. There are a ton of activities to keep families with children busy too. The kids' club has full-day programs, there are pools with shallow areas for kids' swimming, plus lots of games and sports for all ages. Evenings at the resort are filled with activities (that are still kid-friendly). There’s a theater located next to the lobby where carnival, circus, drum ensembles, and Haitian dancers perform. If that’s not enough, there’s also a beachfront nightclub that opens late. Guests are mostly French, Canadian, and locals, but we noticed quite a few diplomatic license plates parked in the resort’s free, secure parking lot. 

This resort is located in western Haiti, set between Les Cotes des Arcadin’s sandy beaches and lush mountains. It's far from the road, so traffic noise isn’t an issue, unlike some of the area's other resorts. However, there's really nothing else to do within an easy walk. Nearby attractions include the Musee Ogrier-Fombrun, an 18th-century restored sugar and wheat mill that’s been converted into a museum with a working water wheel and colonial artifacts. It's seven minutes away by car. Saint-Marc is a 30-minute drive away and is the nearest big city, with a bustling port and colonial architecture. Port-au-Prince International Airport is 80 minutes away depending on traffic. Getting to the downtown Port-au-Prince, where the National Palace and the National Pantheon Museum of Art are located, is an hour-and-25-minute drive.

Royal Decameron’s rooms are mostly big and simple, with great natural light that's amplified by the bright white-and-gray motif, clean contemporary lines, and sparingly used tropical artwork on the walls. A big plus is that all rooms -- except for 30 Garden Rooms -- have ocean views (although the Ocean View Rooms have the best sea vistas). All rooms have either a king or two double beds. Standard Rooms are the smallest, but like all Decameron guest rooms, they include flat-screen TVs with cable channels, colorful Haitian paintings on the whitewashed walls, and burnt-orange blackout curtains. The pricier suites have a mix of plush couches, wicker furniture, mini-fridges, and huge furnished balconies. Watch out though -- balcony doors automatically lock when closed. Connecting rooms are also available.

Bathrooms are dark, but modern, with granite counters and stone-tiled stand-up showers with rain shower heads. All come with hairdryers, soap, shampoo, and conditioner (although we noticed most rooms were missing either shampoo or conditioner). We did spot a bit of grime in the tiles along the floor. Other room amenities include luggage stands and safes (although there’s a fee to use the safe) and Wi-Fi is available (for a fee). It's also worth noting that ground-floor rooms are subject to noise from the nightclub and other on-site activities.

Without a doubt, Royal Decameron has more amenities and activities than any other resort on Les Cotes des Arcadin. Even better, most are free. The resort’s beautiful beach takes at least 15-minutes to walk from one end to the other and has on-duty lifeguards. There’s a floating trampoline, lots of lounge chairs, thatched cabanas, beach beds, and a beach volleyball court. At the resort’s marina, kayaks, Hobie-Cat and Sunfish sailboats can be rented for free. Jet skis, fishing rods, and quads are also available (for a fee). The on-site dive shop offers diving trips and rents snorkeling equipment (fee). Decameron’s two huge freshwater pools are surrounded by lounge chairs with colorful cushions and umbrellas. Both have shallow children’s pools and there are free aerobics classes at the south pool.

The resort’s three restaurants get solid reviews. Grand Marchee, the delicious buffet eatery, serves Haitian and international cuisine and has live-cooking stations. La Boucanier is the seafood restaurant with a sophisticated Caribbean ambience. La Casserole Hatienne has a haute Haitian menu and also serves snacks throughout the day. Reservations are required for the sit-down restaurants, though. The resort’s nightclub is located next to La Casserole Hatienne and open late. There are two additional bars -- Bon Bagay Pool Bar (located next to the lobby) and the thatch-roofed Chiringuito Beach Bar. All-inclusive rates cover all food and drink.

Other amenities include the oceanfront Hibiscus Spa that offers standard spa services, a private deck, and hot-water whirlpool. The nearby gym has treadmills, stationary bicycles, dumbbells, a weight bench, and elliptical and weight machines. A big plus are the free personal training sessions. The resort also has a nine-hole mini-golf course, driving and archery ranges, basketball, soccer, free bicycle rentals, and two Har-Tru tennis courts. Tennis balls and rackets are free to borrow and if you can’t find a partner, there’s always a staff member ready to rally. 

For families, the kids' club, is a big plus and has lots of all-day activities and a big playground. Decameron Explorers, the resort’s tour desk, can arrange tours, airport transportation, car rentals, drivers, hikes, and interestingly, watching a voodoo ceremony. There’s also a gift shop selling sundries, plus meeting rooms, an ATM, and a 24-hour infirmary. Laundry service is available for a fee and there’s free Wi-Fi in the lobby.