St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino

• Only full-service hotel on St. Kitts
• Excellent array of international restaurants
• Wide, sunny and sandy beach
• Large Vegas-style casino on site
• Walk to nearby beach bars for local flavor

• Architecture dubbed "cruise ship on land." It's not really a complement
• Typical Marriott, so could be anywhere. Look elsewhere for more authentic "Kittsian" experience
• Hard to avoid outrageous phone charges on international calls
• No outdoor bar scene at night

• Address: 858 Frigate Bay Road, Frigate Bay, St. Kitts
• Phone:800-223-6388 or 869-466-1200
• Rates:: $121-$793
• Dining: 9 restaurants and cafes, including upscale Italian, steakhouse and seafood
• Spa: 15,000-square-foot full-service Emerald Mist Spa
• Other amenities: 3 pools, casino, conference center, Kids Club, 18-hole championship golf, tennis
• Rooms: 573 rooms and suites

The St. Kitts Marriott is the ideal hotel for a neophyte traveler on their first visit to St. Kitts and Nevis or anyone who craves the amenities expected at a U.S.-style large resort. The cavernous hotel artium may seem rather gloomy at times, but you can't argue with the Marriott's fine array of gift and duty-free shops, restaurants and bars. In both the main building and its guest wings, rather pedestrian entries lead to well-appointed guest rooms and public spaces, such as the excellent Royal Grille Steakhouse hidden in a lower-level corridor.

The Blu seafood restaurant has the advantage of its own building and an inspired "Art Deco nautical" decor; it faces the hotel's attractive main pool area, which is a social hub during daylight hours with activities ranging from Bingo and Backgammon to water polo and water-balloon fights. Families on a budget will enjoy the takeout pizza available poolside until 10 p.m.

Adults can walk a few blocks or take a short cab ride to Frigate Bay's famous beach bars, including the Shiggedy Shack (known for its lobster sandwiches and BBQ) and the Monkey Bar. The hotel sits directly on Frigate Bay, and the beach is wide and lovely, the water calm and inviting; the hotel pools are open 24 hours for night-swimmers, and there's a swim-up bar during the day.

The Royal Beach Casino has both table games and slots, and the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is the island's best. My spacious suite was simply furnished but had a jacuzzi tub, toilet and bidet, though I spent little time there as there always seemed to be something to do either at the hotel or on the many island tours offered.

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