FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico [Master Thread]

Dec 6, 2019, 8:43 am

#472

Johnny Rocket

Join Date: Sep 2004

Location: New York, NY

Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Tit, Hilton Diamond, BA Gold, Carlson Gold, UA*S,

Posts: 1,363

Among the finest of properties on the island situated in the tropical waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic is the St Regis Bahia Beach resort which has undergone a $60 million renovation since Maria wrought destruction on the property.

All of the hotels 139 rooms along with the surrounding swimming pools and beach area have essentially been rebuilt from the ground up.

Situated about 30 minutes drive from the island’s capital San Juan we drove through several small villages which have all but been abandoned after the hurricane passed through. It means that upon arriving at the beautifully landscaped resort you are essentially in a bubble: one of luxury and tranquility.

The St. Regis is proud of its history having been started in 1904 by John Jacob Astor - the first property being in New York City. Such heritage is remembered nightly in Puerto Rico as one of the hotel’s Butlers uncorks a bottle of champagne using a sword!

Guests gather on the back lawn of the property just after sunset as the ocean waves crash against the shore.

After a sip of champagne it was time to feed koi swimming in pools at the front of the hotel. A nearby heron watched closely as youngster fed the fish.

The entire resort is situated in lush jungle foliage with 12 buildings full of guest rooms and each linked by wooden walkways that run through the rainforest. At night the sounds of frogs called coqui’s which are endemic to the island can be heard chirping away as they try and find a mate.

Aside from the frogs which are rarely seen, other jungle wildlife are often seen about the property. We saw several bright iguanas darting in and out of the foliage and climbing up the trees.

By the time daylight arrives the chirping has calmed down and the full beauty of this resort is bathed in sunlight for all to see.

The rooms have been designed by Puerto Rican designer Nono Maldonado who decided to accentuate the resorts proximity to the sea in its design. Each of the suites and rooms are decorated in soothing colours of blue, white, turquoise and grey. It makes for a relaxing feel the moment you walk through the door to escape the heat and humidity, even in mid-November!

Some of the rooms overlook the ocean, while we were able to enjoy the garden view. Opening the patio allowed us to walk directly into the beautifully manicured tropical grounds.

Breakfast is served poolside at the Sea Grapes restaurant, with a whole range of cold cuts of meat, fish, fruit, bread, pastries and egg dishes. Food from the restaurant can also be enjoyed throughout the rest of the day poolside.

On the weekend that we were there, the hotel was said to be a capacity due to a wedding, but it never felt full at any point, with plenty of space to be had wherever we were with more than enough sunbeds to choose from.

It’s just a short walk from the pool area, across a lawn, to reach the soft sands of the two mile Bahía beach. Puerto Rico is so far south that even in the middle of autumn, the ocean water feels like a warm bath.

If sitting by the pool or wading in the warm waters are not your thing there’s plenty of other activities guests can enjoy including kayaking through the jungle streams or waterboarding on a nearby lake.

Younger guests can enjoy themselves at a specially dedicated kids club set aside from the main adult areas of the resort.

Come dinnertime, there is no need to leave the resorts grounds. We had several meals at Greek restaurant, Paros where we enjoyed everything from salmon, lobster, branzino and even the children’s spaghetti tasted fantastic.

Local Puerto Rican food can be had at the nearby Beach Club restaurant. I tried mofongo - a dish made from fried plantains, fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, broth, and olive oil.

The staff at the St. Regis are known as Butlers. Each day they would iron several items free of charge for us. Service is one of the things the hotel prides itself on, and the staff were exceptionally attentive whether we were eating in one of the dining rooms or sitting on a lounger by the swimming pool.

Also on property is a spa that comes with sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and cold water plunge pool. The spa is also sat in the most luxurious, jungle type setting.

After the hurricane struck two years ago, many residents decided to leave the island for good, and headed to the relative safety of the United States.

Some joined other family members living in Florida or New York where the Puerto Rican diaspora thrive. But tourism officials are keen that they still draw visitors whether it be to sample the islands beautiful colonial capital San Juan or simply to enjoy some downtime with guaranteed sunshine, year round.

In terms of what was not so good at the resort...

Maintenance - For a resort that had a $60m refurbishment, there were a couple of issues with maintenance. The shower by the steps to the main pool was clogged every day that we were there. After people had used the shower, the water didn't drain away. I don't know if it was clogged with sand or what, but it just left a cold puddle!

Bathroom hygiene - The ladies bathroom was out of paper towel on several occasions throughout the days when visited. The floor was also often wet - and the overall impression was that they didn't look particularly new.

Concrete block - In the Sea Grapes restaurant, the pillars that hold the roof up are sat on concrete blocks which several guests, including myself, slammed their knees into! The server even admitted that guests often did it on a daily basis as they fail to see how the brickwork just out. It was very painful! Surely this needs some kind of padding or maybe painting a different colour so that they stand out more?

Misc charges - We were charged $1.50 for a Tylenol pill. It just seems ridiculous to charge anyone for that especially when paying an $85 resort fee. Also it was impossible to get a Tylenol from anywhere but the spa. After it closes at 7pm, it was not possible to obtain simple medication.

Food pricing - Overall, I felt the pricing for food around the resort, particularly at Sea Grapes was VERY expensive. A ceasar salad was $17 and this was without any add-ons such as chicken of shrimp which was a further $6. For $17 this should be among the best salad i've ever had... but it was just pretty average and the lettuce was limp. The dressing tasted bought and not freshly made.

The mahi-mahi tacos cost $18 for two tiny tacos with tiny tiny pieces of grilled fish! Outrageous actually for that kind of money. Why is the resort charging prices that are more expensive than New York? It's $18 before tax and service. Particularly on simple items like the salad, it really feels like a rip-off. Are prices in Puerto Rico very expensive? Surely not on simple stuff like salads?

At breakfast, I enjoyed the spread but it was never replaced fast enough or just left to get cold. The roast potatoes were bland and cold despite being under a heat-lamp. The smoked salmon was almost always empty and when replaced just 9 pieces would arrive! Each guest normally takes 2-3 pieces (without being greedy) so after three guests, the place needs replacing again! Really frustrating.

Also at Sea Grapes, the Quesadilla was not well made either. It was loaded with cheese instead of a gentle amount.

I was also disappointed that the juices at breakfast were not fresh. I would have expected the orange juice at the very least to have been freshly squeezed.
Sunbeds - I would have liked to have seen comfier sunbeds and a maybe a permanent member of staff down by the beach. Something nice with cushions would be more pleasant. It seemed rather windswept and abandoned.