Our second stay at RWI was great. The setting, grounds, beach access, studio suite accommodations, etc met or exceeded our expectations based on our previous stay in 2023. The RWI is a lovely resort, beautiful to look at, laid back and friendly. Part of the magic of the place is the buildings' more modest scale, no towering highrises, and the colorful plantings that you find everywhere give the RWI a special feeling. Add to that the helpful and friendly staff. Outstanding in that regard is Jessica who is behind the front desk most afternoons and evenings. Highly recommended if you are looking for a relaxed, humanscale resort experience.

The resort was lovely. I had no problems with anything except the ocean itself, and the ocean was of course beyond human control. I did not get a room in the building or on the floor I had asked for back in November--indeed the staff was unaware that I had made such a request--but I was happy with the room I got, a Botanical Studio on the second floor of Building 8. It looked out on the Quiet Pool and I even had a glimpse of the ocean in the distance. I heard no noise at all. I've never been so relaxed! Unfortunately, at the beach the water was choppy and I was unable to get in. I had had three criteria for picking a holiday destination and lodging: 1. flat calm water; 2. safety; 3. kitchen or kitchenette. Grace Bay is famous for its calm water, but as I found out as I waited day after day for the water to calm down, you can only count on that in May, June, July, and August. Also, Royal West Indies is directly across from a cut in the reef (Stubbs's Cut) that makes the water on that particular beach somewhat choppier than elsewhere, for instance on the other side of Grace Point or even in front of Club Med next door. On the last day of my stay I finally went to Sapodilla Bay on the south side of the island, where the water is guaranteed to be truly calm and is also agreeably shallow. The taxi fare back and forth is $100, so anyone who is thinking of making that trip on a regular basis would do well to rent a car. Aside from the Outer-Banks-of-North-Carolina-like pounding surf on Grace Bay beach, this resort was idyllic. The larger swimming pool in front of the restaurant is not designed as a lap pool, but it is about 25 yards long and some people were swimming from one end to the other, going under the little bridge, for exercise. It is a salt water pool, so not over-chlorinated. The entire resort seemed extremely safe. You can cook (sort of) in the microwave in a Botanical Studio. Guests were largely middle-aged or elderly, which may account for the tranquil atmosphere.