Pelican House, Relaxing Villa with Panoramic Views

This was our first time in St. Lucia. We rented a car for the week and did a fair bit of touring. There are many wonderful spots, but in the end I was really glad we chose to stay in Marigot Bay. The views from Pelican House are spectacular, there is a good selection of nearby bars and restaurants, and there are plenty of things to do. The house itself is spacious, comfortable and has a unique "funky cottage" feel accented with local artwork and bright colors. The owners are very responsive and helpful.

A few things to keep in mind:

- If you're planning to do a lot of cooking, note that the closest well-stocked grocery store is about 15 minutes away by car, and food is pricey. Most items are at least double the price in Canada. If you have room in your luggage, consider bringing a good selection of staples. One thing that surprised me was that fresh fruit and vegetables (even locally grown) are not abundant.
- If you're looking for fresh fish, ask around in the bay ... local fishermen will be happy to sell you the morning's catch, at reasonable prices.
- Although a car certainly isn't necessary, we were glad we rented one to explore the island. Bear in mind that renting is pricey and the roads are like rollercoaters, up and downhill with one hairpin turn after another. Taxis and water-taxis (which can be hired to explore the coast) are a good alternative.
- One of the unique features of Pelican House is that it's halfway up a steep hill on the north side of Marigot Bay, which means that you get to it via a short water-taxi trip, then a three-minute walk to the base of a small funicular tram/lift (or you continue on the path up about 100 steps). This means it is nicely tucked away and quiet. But remember that it takes time to get around, so don't be in too much of a hurry (you are on vacation, after all). If you like, you can pay someone to carry your luggage, shopping bags, etc - but the cost adds up pretty quickly.
- An open wireless internet signal is accessible from the house, but the signal isn't particularly strong.

We had a great time at Pelican House and I would recommend it highly.

My family of four stayed at Pelican House for 2 weeks in March/April, 2011, and we LOVED it! From here, we were able to dive with Dive Fair Helen (about a 3 minute walk to the dive shop), hang out on the beach, walk to excellent restaurants (Yacht Club highly recommended!), make our own meals when we wanted, rest, relax, check e-mails, watch birds, and do lots of other island activities. We had a grand time at this most beautiful place. Juliette, the housekeeper, is a wonderful person and couldn't do enough for us. Smally, our taxi driver, was always dependable and took us to many beautiful places on St. Lucia. Thank you for a wonderful trip!

We loved our stay at the Pelican House. It is a great location, with beautiful views. We enjoyed the beautiful long deck starting with coffee in the morning and a Piton in the evening. We traveled with our young childrern and the house accomadated us just perfectly. We hope to come back some day!