Young Island

I visited Young Island today for their Sunday buffet lunch. Upon arrival we were given no clear instruction about how lunch worked. We noticed other groups being seated but no one came to attend to ourselves, with very slow waits for drinks service. Food variety was good with access to breads, sides and meats. However I was appalled to find a stone in a slice of bread I was eating that I chewed down on. I immediately took it to a member of staff who apologised but no further action was taken. Upon receiving the bill, I complained again about the stone and was told there was nothing they could do about it. I was finally offered a 10% discount however the staff were not helpful and were very unprofessional in dealing with my complaint. Overall a negative experience on what could have been a lovely day for myself and my friends visiting the island. Young Island Resort fell far short of our expectations. Read less

My husband and I were fortunate enough to revisit this special island resort again this year when we spent a glorious 16 nights. This resort, expertly managed by the very hard working and personable manager, Bianca Porter is truly a special place to spend some time where you just slip into its calm and charming aura. We stayed this time in cottage no 11 which suited us perfectly; slightly elevated but conveniently located to the beach, bar and restaurant we spent many peaceful mornings and evenings enjoying the ambience from our patio. The cottage was very spacious with double bathroom sinks and a very refreshing outside shower! The staff have to us become like dear friends or family who greet us so warmly and truly add to our stay and comfort. We enjoyed the lively discussions with the men operating the ferry who were always so helpful and efficient in all they do. I must give a special shout out to Hermus, Charles and Lennox. The restaurant is always a pleasure with highly efficient and super friendly staff, delicious food and a spectacular setting to enjoy all meals. For my husband and I Young Island is simply the best place to stay in St Vincent offering traditional Caribbean charm. I note at weekends the music booming across the water from the mainland but that is no reflection of Young Island who cannot be held responsible for that both with regard to the government’s seemingly relaxed laws in that regard as well as the fact that music will always travel across the water but for us it in no way discounts the comfort and experience had during our stay. So long as we can we will always aim to return to Young Island and are already planning our next visit! Read less

We had a lovely stay at Young Island Resort, however there are improvements needed which would have made our trip better. Upon arrival at the resort you take a short boat ride (under 5 minutes). The boat transfer is very easy and quick and the service is efficient. The only negative was the staff who operated the boat were not particularly friendly, which is a shame as this is the first impression you get of the resort. On the upside, all other staff on the resort are lovely, and friendly always greeted us with a smile and said hello whenever they saw us. This includes gardeners and other staff working around the hotel. We also found staff on reception very useful for assisting with booking taxis, excursions. We had a cottage which was right on the beach, with great views looking over the water. The cottage was a little dated as other reviews have noted. I personally quite liked the quaint traditional island style, however the cottage did need a little TLC, such as a new bathroom, new towels and paint to freshen it up. Despite this, the cottage was very clean. As noted in other reviews, the noise from bars over the water can be heard until 4am on Friday's and Saturday's. We found that sleeping with earplugs and the aircon made a difference, and didn't find the noise too disturbing. The gardens of the resort are well kept, and the beach was also looked after very well. We did not have any issues over sunbeds, which you can get at other resorts. There were always plenty of sunbeds at the beach and the pool. The beach can get busy when cruise ships come in, however the beach is segregated on these days to ensure hotel residents get use of the loungers. The hotel pool was probably one of the nicest hotel pools I have used. The pool is like a lagoon surrounded by trees, and it's was lovely to relax in the pool area. The hotel has a tennis court, however we were a little disappointed when we went to use it as the court has not been maintained properly and was not in great condition considering how well the the hotel grounds were kept. Furthermore, the tennis rackets in reception needed replacing with the ones we saw hanging up not having any grip. Therefore, we didn't play tennis as planned. The food at the hotel was mostly good. Breakfasts and lunches were always good, however we found the evening meals could be hit and miss. There was lobster on the menu one evening and this was the best meal we had during our stay. We found the red meat choices were not always the best, with some of the meat being quite chewy/ fatty. The dinner menu changed every night to offer variety, however this could be improved by offering more choice of sides. Per evening you would only be offered rice and veg, and on another evening potato and veg. After 11 nights we found this a little repetitive. For example we found that and not all of the choices went with rice, but you were not able to change to potato. There is a lot of attention to detail, and the service when bringing out food is very professional. Furthermore, a lot of locals dine at the Island which is a good sign. The only other thing that could be improved is the drinks service during meals. The bar staff were great, and were very busy, but sometimes your drink order wouldn't be taken until you were on your first or second course. (It could just be how they do things) This could be improved by having bottles of house wines open in buckets (for all inclusive guests) to help speed up/ take pressure off of bar service. The hotel itself is in a lovely setting and we had a relaxing stay. There is a good selection of drinks, and the staff were great. Overall, we had a lovely stay, but there are some small changes that could really improve the hotel. I would give it a 3.5 out of 5 if this was an option Read less

On the plus side, the staff were all, without exception, exemplary - and the food was generally good But sadly we won’t be tempted to return And for a resort which charges USD $444 per night for the smallest room (with no sea view) - and USD $18.34 for a cheese sandwich, we were surprised to find ourselves having to use our own shampoo as shower gel ! This resort no doubt had its hey day back in the 70s - and it hasn’t changed since. The fittings were not only dated but in some instances potentially dangerous. For example the electrics have clearly been added on as and when required with no real planning - the ceiling lights (2 short fluorescent strips) were powered by a cable leading from a plug under the desk - and we had no phone. Fortunately the AC worked efficiently (and with no glass in the windows to exclude humidity, it was much needed) The beach faces north with unexciting views of the mainland - and limited sunshine. It was extremely windy (the red flag was up permanently) and the entry to the sea was stony The channel was choppy, so the swimming wasn’t great - and other guests warned us there were jellyfish and sea eels in the sea! (There were also snakes in the undergrowth in the upper part of the resort) One end of the beach was crowded with cruise ship passengers resulting in the bar being rammed 2-3 times a week during the day The noise from the main road opposite seemed to be amplified as it crossed the water. Sirens, horns, revving motorbikes and cars playing pounding music all sounded as though they were just a few yards away which didn’t allow for the tranquil paradise we’d been expecting The pool area (while not large) offered more shelter from the wind - although the sunbeds always seemed to be damp! We’d booked a superior beachfront cottage - but our accommodation was far from superior with a zero view of the sea. Our room was very compact to say the least (the bed & bedside cabinets formed the width of the room) with very dated fittings - and the fact there was no glass in the windows (only gauze) added to the noise problem. We also had to keep the shutters closed as we were otherwise overlooked The bed and pillow were hard - and the headboard consisted of a stone wall! A fridge and small table stood in opposite corners adjacent to the door - but there was no accessible plug for a laptop. There was a basic filter coffee machine (no kettle) - but the tea bags supplied weren’t replaced once we’d used them There was reasonable (although very rudimentary) wardrobe space - shelves & hanging space with an iron and board but with gaps at the back of the shelves which items fell through The bathroom was very small with only a loo and basin (with units under) and the only shower was outside, accessed from a door in the bathroom which could be chilly when the wind blew. Washing long hair proved very challenging The very small (and old) safe was also in the bathroom - but was only just large enough for passports and cash (but not papers or anything more bulky) meaning guests were advised to deposit valuables with reception Bathrobes were provided but there were minimal toiletries (1 bar of hard soap inside and 1 small bottle of shampoo on arrival) which were never replaced! And no cotton wool products anywhere The towels were a decent size and quality - but some were now rather old and tatty around the edges Small beach towels were provided which only covered half the lounger There was a small outside courtyard with 2 upright chairs and a table (no loungers). Unfortunately we noticed the smell of woodsmoke pervaded the outside areas from late afternoon onwards - and it also came into the room due to the lack of glass Breakfast was formal (no buffet) served at our table. Disappointingly the home made yoghurt (which was delicious) wasn’t always available Dinner was a set 4 course meal costing USD $77 pp - but with service charge tax and a glass of wine each it totalled USD $165 for two of us. The food was tasty and service was very professional - but we thought that was pretty pricey compared with other offerings elsewhere. We later learned we could have opted for a USD $100 package for 2 per night - but no one had told us ! And when checking out we asked if it could be added on, but we were advised it was too late The restaurant was completely open to the elements (with only a small thatch above) meaning that on wet occasions there was no protection from the driving rain! Apparently we should have had an umbrella in our room but none was provided Overall - the photos on the website made it appear far bigger and more beautiful than the reality. The food was good and the staff were delightful - but we won’t be returning and feel very let down by our experience Read less