Palm Island Resort & Spa

I decided to write this review for fellow solo travellers out there as I could not find much information for myself prior to my trip and was a bit worried by how often I came across ‘romantic’ ‘good for couples’ as the main descriptives for Palm Island (which it is) but it’s also great for solo travellers. You can keep as much to yourself or mingle in as much as you feel you’d like too. I found this to be one of the friendliest resorts I have ever visited. Both because of the staff and also the fellow guests are extremely relaxed and friendly. No pressure to join in, no awkwardness about being alone, dining alone, going to the bar alone.. you will feel very safe on this island to explore, grab a bike, walk around. While I was there I did spot at least two other solo travellers, clearly with the same intention as me, to completely relax and recharge. There was a noticeable level of respect from staff and fellow guests. Staff are expert at ‘reading your vibe’ and treating you accordingly, that’s what good hospitality is to is me. This is a Paradise, that provides a five star experience without any of the pretentiousness. You won’t be sorry. Also notable, the beach, the views, the ocean was lovely for swimming, the food was very good, the spa, and having a beachfront room was well worth it. And don’t worry, getting there is part of the adventure. Read less

I cannot say enough good things about this vacation at Palm Island Resort. Every step of the way from getting there, during, and going home was taken care of personally by very welcoming and professional staff. We stayed in the Seagrapes Suite with a beach access balcony, which felt like our own little apartment on the beach. Only four rooms have television and wifi access and this room was one of them (not that we had much need for it with all the relaxing outdoor activities). Room was very spacious. No bugs, clean, modern. The cleaning staff were very accommodating to different times to clean and helped us when we locked ourselves out one day. One of my favorite parts was that the door outside had shutters that you could close or leave open (screened door for bugs) and hear the waves crashing at night time. Most peaceful sleep ever! The water is beautiful and white sandy beaches with huts. There is a rocky beach side and a smooth white sand beach side. Since there are only about 40 rooms on the property, you are never struggling to get a chair or with crowds. The food was great. Menu always changed. You get to know the staff well and they are so kind and entertaining too. Off the boat, the manager and get staff greeted us with welcome cocktails (much appreciated after a day of traveling) and took us each individually to our room. They told us to not worry about check in until the next morning and to enjoy our night after a long day of travel. From rum tasting to a dance night, they come up with some great events in the evening. Always music at dinner. There is a beach movie night. Great delicious drink options and that bar and the bartenders are great. That staff really take the time to try to know their customers. The manager walks around to each table at almost every dinner to check in on guests. We ventured out to the rest of the island quite a bit. It is two miles around the island. Unlike many other resorts we have attended, we were told to not leave the resort unless on an escorted trip. However, we felt completely safe at Palm Island. Palm Island Resort appears to own the island and what is outside the resort is nature trails, hiking, beaches, hammocks, turtles, crabs, iguanas, etc. There are a couple of privately owned houses, as well during one section. They offer bicycles to ride around the island free of charge or you can easily walk/run it. I was training for an ultramarathon and felt completely safe to go out and run several loops of that two miles to get in my long training run that week. When I got started, a cook pointed me in the right direction, but it is easy to navigate on your own and they provide a map. I did get plastered with bugs on that run, but not bitten. It is hot. Bring sunscreen and bug spray. The bugs actually didn't get bad until our last day. The mosquitoes and nats came out. They tend to fluctuate from day to day it seems, but bug spray helps tremendously, obviously. There is a pool, tennis court, recreation center, and a great fitness center too. It has far more fitness equipment than I usually see at hotels or resorts. There are excursions available for purchase. We wanted to mainly relax on this trip and enjoy the island, which was EXACTLY what we did. It was one of the most refreshing trips I've ever had. We can't wait to come back to what we referred to as our "apartment on the beach!" It doesn't look like there is a bad room at the resort though. All spread out and look like their own little mini houses. I would highly recommend this resort!! Read less

Let me start by saying once you stay here you will be ruined for any other all inclusive resort. We just got back 2 days ago and yesterday we called Elite Island Vacations and booked for next year! I cannot say enough, so I will break it into categories. Resort- Well maintained and well set up. Pool is away from main beach swimming so music for special events is not heard when you are relaxing by the water. Katie runs a fantastic well organized team here. There is internet in the lobby and library areas. It’s good but not super fast. But you are after all on an Island vacation. The bikes provided were one of the highlights for us. We used them all day every day. Our teens were motoring from place to place and loving it! So many scenic spots to park that bike and just look out at the beauty of where you are. The staff and other guests become a family with activities that are actually fun and engaging from crab racing to biathlon’s. We lost airpods not once but twice and someone sought our kids out both times. It’s a place you feel safe leaving your phone and wallet on the table while you go back to the room for something. Not many places like that anymore. Accommodations- a wide variety of set ups. Not one bad spot in the resort. Everything is neat and clean. The beds are very comfortable and air conditioning works well with no noise. The bathrooms are large and clean with cabinet storage and drawers. The room we had was large and airy with a loft style ceiling. With being small everything is close by no matter where you are. It’s very quiet with only nature’s sounds of waves all night and soft song birds in the morning. Housekeeping is amazing and very accommodating. We had teens who like to sleep in and that was never a problem. Restaurants- Super friendly environment. Food is very nice and there is a wide array of choices with simple dishes for those picky eaters. There are two restaurants both equally delicious. The Sunset Grill offers a more relaxed beach vibe with views of the docks. The Palm offers good food with views of the beach and gardens. Staff are super friendly, and communications are passed on to all staff for allergies. (Very important to us since one of our kids is anaphylactic to peanuts.) The resort is well set up with beautiful views and open air dining. An extra area for early breakfast and a magnificent hot drinks machine was a highlight for us. Even though there’s a coffee machine in the room. Thanks to Nia, Martinus, Calvert, and Dervon. And those are not the only stars. So many to name. Bar- small and quaint and they make whatever you want as long as they have what it requires. They are even willing to make up some new concoctions! Thanks to Minroy aka NoName. This guy is super friendly and always smiling. He went above and beyond our expectations for sure. His memory for our likes and dislikes made a huge difference. Water Sports- Waldo washes down the kayaks and life jackets daily. He cleans the snorkelling gear and keeps fresh cold water available. He will help you in the kayak and do whatever it takes to make your water activity a success. The water is not so salty your skin burns and the temperature is amazing! The beautifully soft coral beaches have easy access to the magnificent blue water. We saw octopus, sea turtles, manta rays, starfish, coral and so many bright beautiful fish in the clear bottom kayaks. Just off to the side away from the swimming area is a small coral reef near shore. You can lay in you chair and read as small sailboats pass by. Scenic views- this has been the most beautiful to look at place we have stayed so far! Lots of hammocks and benches placed at perfect locations around the island. Hiking trails, running trails and just walking gets you a panoramic view that steals your breath away. Overall, this checked off more boxes for a perfect family vacation than anywhere we have stayed yet. Sorry for the long review. But this was as short as I could get it! Read less

It took 30 years of traveling the world to find the perfect vacation destination and this is it. From the exquisite beach to the beautiful rooms to the wonderful staff, Palm Island is just perfection. And the food is fantastic too. I honestly can’t think of anything to criticize. It was very hard for us to leave here after seven blissful nights. I can’t recommend Palm island any higher. Read less