Frequently asked questions about St. Lucia.
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What type of Government does St. Lucia have?
Independent since 1979 with a stable democratic government.
Which airport do we land at?
There are two airports on the island. There is a smaller airport by Castries that takes traffic from many different smaller airplanes from other islands including Puerto Rico. Generally this airport, called George Charles Airport, is used by smaller planes. The 2nd airport on the island accepts larger planes and is located on the south end of the island. This airport is called Hewanorra.
What is required to go through customs on St. Lucia?
Visitors must carry valid passports. (As of January 1, 2006 , all U.S. Citizens departing and re-entering the U.S. will need a U.S. passport. A driver’s license and certified birth certificate are no longer valid for re-entry to the country after your Caribbean travel experience.) Visas are not required where the visitor is a citizen of the USA or a Commonwealth country, or where there is agreement for exemption between the home country and St. Lucia.
Will someone be there to meet us?
Someone will meet you at the airport only if you have requested a transfer to your villa before you leave on your trip. Transfers can be arranged at additional cost and will take you from either Hewanorra Airport or George Charles airport to your villa. Please inquire about transfers when you reserve your villa. If you prefer to not get a transfer, you will have to drive yourself or take a cab from the airport. Heart of the Caribbean Ltd. can provide you with driving directions from either airport.
How do we travel to the villa?
Transfers can be arranged for a fee that will take you from the airport to the villa on arrival. You can also make arrangements to pick up a rental car at the airport if you like. It is your responsibility to arrive at the villa. Transfers are highly recommended for the 1st trip to the villa so you don't have to search for it. Some villas are very difficult to find.
How do we get into the villa?
If you take the transfer service through the local management company, the transfer agent will give you the key to the villa. If you are driving from the airport, the local management company will give the key to the villa to the car rental agency you have rented from.
How many people are allowed in the villa?
The capacity of the villa is defined by the number of bedrooms the villa has. Only two people are allowed per bedroom. I.E. for a 5 bedroom villa, 10 people are allowed. Generally, one extra person can usually be accommodated with a rollaway bed or crib that is available for rental but each villa is different and the question should be asked prior to committing to the rental.
Is there any maintenance support while we are in the villa?
The local villa management company has a staff of maintenance people on hand to handle any difficulties or breakdowns you might have while in the villa. It is important that you contact them while you are on the island when the problem occurs. They will make every effort to fix the problem within a reasonable amount of time. We will provide with the proper phone numbers to contact the right people should a problem arise.
What type of electricity is available on the island?
St. Lucia has 220 volt electricity with British type plugs but all the villas are supplied with a transformer to convert the 220 volts to 110 volts and American plugs. .
What kind of staff support do we get with the villa?
The villas on St. Lucia all come with daily maid service and cook service, 6 days per week. The condos such as Admiral Quay, Rodney Quay and Anchorage come with 1/2 day maid service and no cook service. The maid will sweep the floors, clean the bathrooms, and make the beds. Each villa also has the service of a cook as well. Her responsibility is the kitchen. She will cook three meals per day for the guests. The guests still have to buy the food but they will prepare the meal, serve it and clean up the mess afterwards except dinner and you eat it after the cook has left. The cooks generally work from 8:30 am to about 3:00 pm. They will make three meals per day including dinner. you can either eat dinner very early or reheat it and have it later. It is a wonderful service. Family style cooking is provided. Each villa also has it's own caretaker that maintains the gardens and outside area. Sometimes, this caretaker also takes care of the pool. If he doesn't, a pool man will come in about twice per week.
Are we required to tip the staff for their efforts?
The staff do receive a small wage from the owners of the villas but the bulk of their yearly wage is generated by tips. Generally a tip of between 3 & 5% of the villa rental rate is recommended to be split amongst them. Your tips are greatly appreciated.
What is the staff's working hours?
Generally, the cook/maid works from about 8:30 am to about 3:00 pm. The caretakers usually work early in the morning or late afternoon to escape the heat and sun of mid-day.
Do all the villas have live in caretakers?
Some do and some don't. Those that do generally have a separate cottage of apartment below the villa, that they live in. They don't live in the villa, per say.
Do the villas have kitchens?
All the villas that we represent have at least family style kitchens. Some are very elaborate and fit for gourmet chefs.
Are there retail food stores available on the island?
St. Lucia has wonderful retail grocery stores stocked with items from the USA, Europe and local traditional food. We enjoy the island for the wonderful selection of foods that are available. Good food is plentiful.
Is there other types of shopping available on St. Lucia?
St. Lucia has a great selection of retail stores available throughout the island.
Where do the cruise ships harbor in St. Lucia?
The large cruise ships that visit the island dock in Castries.
Are there mosquitoes on the island?
Please remember you are in the tropics. There are mosquitoes in the bushes. During high season between January and April, there is less rain so mosquitoes are few unless you are playing in the bushes. During the rainy season, the little pests are more plentiful. At night it is good to wear long pants and use the bug repellent on your ankles. If they are bad, use more.
Are there activities on the island?
Although St. Lucia is a quieter island than many others, it does have night time activities including restaurants, shopping, and a disco in Rodney Bay. In the day time, one can go shopping, go to the beach, have lunch at a fine restaurant, take a charter boat for sailing or fishing, or visit the historic spots on the island.
Where are the best beaches on the island?
All the beaches in St. Lucia are public beaches. Although some beaches are located by large hotels, they still provide a place to park and way to walk into the beach. We enjoyed the beaches by Club St. Lucia and Club le Sport very much. There is also a very nice sandy beach on the Pidgeon Causeway. A very long sandy beach is also located by the airport in Castries called Vigie Beach.
Is it necessary to rent a car while on the island?
If you are staying in a villa, you will probably want to rent a car to get around. There are many rental car agencies available on the island or Heart of the Caribbean can also make a reservation for you through the local land management companies.
Is driving on the right hand or left hand side of the road?
Driving is on the left hand side of the road on St. Lucia. If you have never done it before it is really quite simple. When you 1st start out, just follow someone. After that, just have your partner nudge you when you start drifting over.
Is it necessary to take the car insurance while on the island?
This is always a big question. Local CDW (collision damage waiver) is available when you rent your car from the local agency. Some folks don't need it depending on the type of credit card that you use. It is always a good idea to call your credit card company to see what your coverage is. It is important to be covered because if something does go wrong, you will be expected to settle before you leave the island.
Are telephones available in the villas?
Almost all the villas have telephones for local calls. They are blocked for long distance. The phone line can be opened but a security deposit will be required. There is a good local phone system that you can call to charge to your phone card or credit card. Please be aware that the phone calls back to the states are very expensive and the bills add up very, very fast. One of the best ways to use the phones is to have someone call you during specific times of the day when you are at the villa and you want to converse on home front.
Are towels and linens provided for us at the villas?
Yes, all bath and beach towels and bed linens are provided with each villa. Bed linens are usually changed once during a 7 night rental.
How can I contact the tourist board for St. Lucia?
On the island
Saint Lucia Tourist Board, PO Box 221, Top floor Sure Line Building
Vide Bouteille, Castries, Saint Lucia
Tel (758) 452-4094/5968 Fax (758) 453-1121
Email slutour@candw.lc
Director: Mr Hilary Modeste; Deputy Director: Mrs Maria Fowell |
Canada
St. Lucia Tourist Board
8 King St. East, Suite 700
Toronto, Ontario M5C 1B5, Canada
Toll-Free: 800-869-0377
Tel (416) 362-4242
Fax (416) 362-7832
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USA
Saint Lucia Tourist Board
820 2nd Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10017
USA
Tel (212) 867 2950 Fax (212) 867 2795
Toll free 1-800-4ST LUCIA 1-800-456-3984 |
United Kingdom
Saint Lucia Tourist Board
421a Finchley Road
London, NW3 6HJ
England
Tel 207 431 3675
Fax 207 431 7920
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Germany
P.O. Box 1525
61366 Friedrichsdorf
Tel: 011-49-6172-778013
Fax: 011-49-6172-778033 |
