As we drive through the gate at Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, the blue ocean and grassy lawns with palm trees greet us. In the lobby, the hostess offers us a "welcome" glass of champagne and fruit juice for the children. Like many moderately priced resorts, the roofed, open-air lobby has something of a cavernous, camp-like feel even though rattan and upholstered couches create comfortable seating areas. While checking in, we admire the views of the pool from the lobby. Since our drive from Hewanorra International Airport, St. Lucia's main airport, took only five minutes, we make it from touchdown on the runway to splashdown in the ocean in record time. That's a bonus for weary travelers, especially on St. Lucia, an island known for its twisty, slow-driving roads.

We must confess that before experiencing Coconut Bay Resort, we harbored some misgivings. After all, we wondered, how good could a "budget" all-inclusive resort be? The answer: very good, if it's Coconut Bay Resort.

So why the concern? Like many people, we had experienced poorly run budget properties and listened to friends' woeful tales about their miserable stays at some low-end lodging. Davis Barnard, Coconut Bay Resort's sales manager, says that the most common misconceptions about budget all-inclusives are "that properties have unruly people and kids running around and that the food is bad."

Neither applies to Coconut Bay. Overall, the food here is good. Then, as the resort's marketing materials emphasize, the property offers "two worlds in one," each in different areas: Harmony for adults and Splash for families. Along with lodging, Harmony features a quiet pool, a bar and a beach. Splash, has a family pool, water slides, lazy river, children's club and beach. In between, guests mingle on common ground -- the lobby, main restaurant, an activity pool, beach grill and Buzz, an entertainment section with ping-pong tables and a stage.

Although we didn't witness any adults dancing on tables or careening through the property fueled by island rum and the local Piton beer, it can happen here as well as at any other five-star hotel. The difference at Coconut Bay is that an overly "happy" adult likely holds forth on the adult side so he won't be a problem for families. Unless of course, he's your uncle Harry and that's another issue altogether.

Kids, as we all know, can throw major meltdowns anywhere. At Coconut Bay, adults may avoid children during the day by hanging out in the quiet pool and snoozing in a lounge chair on the adult side. And, with 254 rooms on 85 acres, Coconut Bay offers plenty of space for all. In addition, the resort's daylong, supervised children's activities keep ages two through teens happily engaged. Infants through tots are cared for at the nursery.

Coconut Bay Resort sits on land that formerly housed a Club Med. After extensive renovations and additions that included the water park, lazy river and the spa, Coconut Bay reopened in March 2004. Located on the southern tip of St. Lucia near Vieux Fort, the island's second largest town, the resort lies on the Atlantic coast side of St. Lucia. And to slay another myth -- yes, you can swim in the water off Coconut Bay's Beach.

So, while at Coconut Bay Resort, you won't have a marble bathroom, room service or evening turn down, but you will have a comfortable (if not stylish) room, lots of good food, a friendly staff, plus activities to do with your kids as well as without them.

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