Sooooo I've arrived on the island and am staying at the Tropical until my cottage rental becomes available. Quick review: it's basically what we North Americans call a motel. A Caribbean style motel to be exact. What they did here is a "refresh" - paint job, some new furniture and a snazzed up bar rather than a renovation. The rooms are tiny tiny and the fixtures seem original and old - the reason they don't dare show pictures of the bathrooms on their website. The "Sea view" is really "parking lot" view. Most of the rooms overlook the interior garden, which is lovely. Pool area is tiny and adjacent to the road so tons of noise. Plus construction noise up the hill can be heard. Staff is pleasant and friendly in that SBH/island way. Breakfast is on par with what a budget SBH hotel would offer, the coffee is horrific. The deal breaker (besides the noise) are the jacked up rates. IMHO the room rates are crazy, insanely inflated (even by SBH crazy standards) for a motel that wasn't thoroughly renovated - the rooms are nowhere near worth 444 per night in their current state. The rate shouldn't be more than 250 per night and only cause it is SBH. An equivalent hotel anywhere else tropical would be 100-150.
Final words: stick with the Normandie or Salines Garden when you need a wallet friendly place for a few nights while waiting for your villa. Tropical Hotel is a nice try but a pass for me.