Helpful Information for your visit to Mago Estate Hotel

The following 'Frequently Answered Questions' will help you plan your visit to St. Lucia. If you need any additional information, please contact booking@magohotel.com.

Can we request a specific room: With the exception of our Shangri-La Suite - we confirm reservations based on the rate category you select. If you are a repeat guest, or have a preference from reviews you have read - please let us know. We will always try to accommodate your request. However, due to overlapping dates - we may not be able to put you in the requested room. If your 'favorite room' becomes available while you are at the resort, you may be able to change rooms - check with the hotel manager after you arrive in St. Lucia.

Is Mago Estate Hotel appropriate for children: Children are always welcome! However, please remember that we emphasize relaxation and quiet enjoyment of nature - so there are no specific programs or facilities for children. Many of the Shangri-La rooms are not suitable for a roll-away. Several of our air conditioned Eden Suites have sofa-beds which are great for children. Remember, the Eden Suites have approximately 80 steps to reach the dining room and main pool so children should be able to climb steps. Finally, most guests come to Mago Estate Hotel for peace and quiet - so children (and adults) should behave accordingly.

Disabled/Handicap Access: Mago Estate Hotel is built into the mountainside above Soufriere and the Caribbean. While this provides breathtaking views from every room, it also means that there are steps to all facilities in the hotel. From the reception desk/gift shop/spa you must go down a staircase to reach the observation lobby, restaurant and bar. There are several more steps down to the pool.

All of our Shangri-La rooms and Suite have steps carved out of the native stone so that they are somewhat uneven.

Air conditioned Eden Suites are located down the hillside from the main resort and have approximately 80 steps from the bar/restaurant/pool to the Eden Suites. You can access the Eden Suites by car - but the dirt road may be challenging for drivers not used to 'off-road' conditions.

Telephones:

We also have a payphone that is available 24 hours. This phone works with a phone card system and cards are available for purchase during office hours.

Guests can always receive telephone messages, faxes or email which are received at the hotel office. See our contact page for more information.

In emergency situations, contact the front desk or the overnight security personnel.

Electricity:

The electricity at Mago Estate Hotel is 220 volts, 50 cycles (a square plug with three-prongs). Mago Estate Hotel has a limited supply of adaptors and transformers available in the office.

Office Hours:

Onsite management is available from 7:00am - 11:00pm from Sunday to Sunday. Security personal available from 11:00pm - 8:00am in the event of an emergency

Car Rental:

Mago Estate Hotel can arrange a car rental which can be picked-up at the hotel during your stay. Since we offer complementary airport transfers with a 7-night booking, many guests prefer to 'leave the driving to Mago' when they arrive and pick-up their hotel on the second or third day of their stay.

Remember, that we drive on the left side of the road in St. Lucia and the roads tend to be quite steep and winding with limited lighting and markings.

If you decide to rent a car, you should plan on approximately US$80-$100 per day for the car, gas and insurance. You must have an international driving permit or purchase a temporary permit to drive in St. Lucia (proof of valid driver's license is required).

If you prefer to use taxis and tours to explore St. Lucia, the tour desk at Mago Estate Hotel can help you make arrangements once you arrive in St. Lucia.

For more information, see our 'getting around' information.

Taxis:

Taxis are available at both airports - see the Taxi Desk. Fares to Mago Estate Hotel from each airport are fixed. From Hewanorra International Airport, the fare is US$65.00 and from George Charles Airport the fare is US$85.00. Gratuity is not included in this rate.

Once you arrive at Mago Estate Hotel - you can always stop by the tour desk to arrange taxis. Like taxis everywhere - its best to ask our tour desk the approximate price for any trip and agree on a price with the driver before your trip.

Water Taxis:

Water taxis are available from Soufriere Bay Beach to the beach at Anse Chastanet and other locations near the Pitons depending on ocean conditions. Like taxis everywhere - its best to ask the approximate price for any trip and agree on a price with the driver before your trip.

Money and Exchange:

The official currency of St. Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar which is also used in Antigua, Barbados, Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago. The exchange rate is fixed against the US$ at $2.67 EC per dollar. The value against the Euro, the British Pound and other currencies varies with the value of the US$.

However, US Dollars are accepted almost everywhere. If you pay in dollars, you may receive your change in EC$ which you can use on your next purchase.

Credit Cards:

Most tourist-oriented businesses accept major credit cards such as Visa and Master Card. However, it is always a good idea to ask before you order!

Entry Requirements and Visas: Visitors require a valid passport or proof of citizenship such as government issues photo ID or certified birth certificate. You must also have proof of onward travel (such as your return airline ticket). Visitors from the Americas, Caribbean and Europe generally do not require a Visa. However, to check a detailed list of countries that require visas, please refer to the St. Lucia Tourist Board Website.

Departure Tax:

Departure tax as of September 2005 is EC$ 54 or US$ 21 per person which you will pay when you check-in at the airport for your return flight.

Language: The official language of St. Lucia is English. You will also here a local Creole Patois which is based on French mixed with many other languages and spoken with a distinctive Caribbean lilt. At Mago Estate Hotel we have staff that is familiar with Spanish, German and French as well as English.

Dress Code:

You're on vacation - so dress as you like! Most guests are in bathing suits/shorts/jeans in the day and

Safety:

Mago Estate Hotel has security personnel from 11pm - 8am in the event of any emergency.

Is Mago Estate Hotel located on the beach?:

No - we're up on the hillside 'above the beach' which is a short 5 minute drive. You can also walk down to the beach in about 15 minutes.

Are there other beaches nearby?:

Yes - you can reach other beaches by car or Water Taxi. Water taxis are available at Soufriere Bay Beach if you'd like to explore other nearby beaches. The beaches in Soufriere range from beige sand to black sand, due to the volcanic nature of the area.

A short water taxi ride to the right (away from the Pitons) brings you to the dark sand beach at Anse Chastanet Hotel. This is a favorite choice for snorkeling and SCUBA diving. Water sports equipment, lounge chairs, massage and the restaurants at Anse Chastanet are available at an additional charge - but the beach is open to the public at no charge (all beaches in St. Lucia are open to the public).

If you prefer white sand, the beach at Jalousie Plantation has imported their sand for a more typical 'Caribbean' beach. Jalousie Plantation is located to the left past the town of Soufriere between the Pitons.

If you rent a car and plan to explore St. Lucia, there are several great beaches to discover during your stay. All beaches in St. Lucia are accessible to the public - even at other resorts.

As you go further north on the Caribbean side of St. Lucia - the sand becomes lighter as you move away from the volcanic activity of Soufriere. Drive toward Marigot, Castries and Gros Islet/Rodney Bay and you'll find beaches all along the west coast. Beaches are public and are accessible through the beach resorts.

One beach that is not at a resort is the well known beach at Anse Cochon (near Anse La Raye) which is accessible only by boat. This silver-sand beach is a favorite for its calm water, great snorkeling on shallow reefs and it even has a sunken ship. Before you go, ask for directions for the best parking and access points.

As you go further south from Soufriere, the beaches become increasingly black and volcanic until you leave the Caribbean side of St. Lucia and arrive to the east coast and the Atlantic ocean.

The east coast has white sand beaches - starting with Anse de Sables in Vieux Fort near the International Airport. Although these beaches are beautiful, the Atlantic currents and rough surf can make them more challenging for swimmers and water sports. This is a great place to watch wind surfers.

Additional information is available from the St. Lucia Tourist Board Website

Note:

Like Ladera Resort, Anse Chastanet, these rooms do not have TV, Radio, Telephone or Air Conditioning. Resorts in Soufriere pride ourselves on being eco-hotels which attract guests who want to escape technology and relax amid our incredible natural surroundings.

All of our eco-rooms are 'open-air' rooms with mahogany 'jalousie-style' shutters or 'open 4th walls'. Eco-rooms DO NOT have screens. Normally, there are very few insects in this section of St. Lucia due to the constant 'trade winds'. Beds have netting, but some guests bring repellant or Avon 'Skin so Soft' along just in case.

You may even see one of our singing Coki tree-frogs in your room. You will hear the tree-frog symphony - one of the most magical sounds in the Caribbean each evening.

The tree frogs usually quiet down after midnight. However, for people not used to an 'eco-experience' - we provide ear-plugs on request for the first few nights until you learn to love our chirping tree frogs, the occasional rooster, barking dog or local beach party which can be heard if the winds are blowing up the mountain.

You will also see our small, harmless. 'whip-tail' lizards. These indigenous St. Lucia lizards are an endangered species and so loved in St. Lucia that they feature the lizard on a postage stamp.

If you are concerned about 'too much nature' in the eco-rooms, please consider our Air Conditioned Eco-Luxury 'Eden Suites' where you can control nature with the flip of a switch and catch up on the problems of the world with Satellite TV - or turn everything off and just enjoy nature!