Discovering Saint Lucia: From Luxury Resorts to Rum, Rainforests & the Pitons

Last June, I was lucky enough to spend an incredible few days exploring Saint Lucia, flying with British Airways from London Gatwick and getting to know the island not just as a holidaymaker, but as a Travel Counsellor.

And when I say exploring, I really do mean exploring! I stayed in different resorts, visited many more, ate some fabulous food, sampled rather a lot of rum and chocolate, travelled by boat along that spectacular coastline, danced at a Caribbean street party, covered myself in volcanic mud and even zip-lined through the rainforest. It was a busy few days, but it gave me a fantastic insight into just how different one Saint Lucia holiday can be from another.

First Impressions of Saint Lucia

One of the things that struck me very quickly was that Saint Lucia isn't a one-size-fits-all Caribbean island. There are large all-inclusive beachfront resorts, intimate boutique hotels, wellness retreats, adults-only hideaways and some seriously special luxury properties. You can have a wonderfully relaxed fly-and-flop holiday here, but there is also so much to see beyond your sun lounger. During my visit I stayed at Royalton Saint Lucia, Coco Palm and Bel Jou, which immediately showed me three different sides to a Saint Lucia holiday. Royalton offers that larger resort experience with plenty happening on site, while Coco Palm puts you in the heart of Rodney Bay, a great choice if you like being able to wander out and experience restaurants, bars and local life. Bel Jou gave us another perspective again, with its relaxed adults-only atmosphere. And that was just the beginning.

From Cap Maison to BodyHoliday

As Travel Counsellors, we also had the opportunity to visit properties that I had previously only known from brochures, photographs and supplier information. Cap Maison was one of those places that immediately felt special. Beautifully positioned in the north of the island, it has a much more intimate, elegant feel. We were also introduced to some delicious homemade rum, which I felt duty-bound to sample in the interests of thorough travel research! Dinner that evening was at Cap Maison's famous The Naked Fisherman, tucked away beside the beach. Barefoot Caribbean dining, fabulous seafood and a gorgeous setting. Exactly the sort of place that reminds you you're somewhere rather special. We also visited BodyHoliday, one of Saint Lucia's best-known wellness resorts. This is somewhere I would particularly consider for anyone who wants their holiday to be about switching off, looking after themselves and returning home genuinely recharged.

Rodney Bay, Sandals and a Friday Night Jump Up

Our exploring continued with visits to Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Harbor Club St. Lucia, SoCo House and Bay Gardens Beach Resort. Again, completely different properties for completely different clients. Sandals Grande occupies a beautiful position on its own peninsula and gives you that classic luxury Caribbean couples experience. Harbor Club has a stylish marina setting, while SoCo House offers an adults-only boutique alternative. Bay Gardens Beach Resort is another great option for being close to the life of Rodney Bay while still having that lovely Caribbean beach setting. But one of my favourite experiences wasn't inside a resort at all. On Friday night we headed to the famous Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party, or "Jump Up". This is proper Saint Lucia. Music fills the streets, barbecues are cooking, drinks are flowing and locals and visitors mingle together. It is lively, colourful, noisy and enormous fun. If you want to experience a little more of the real island rather than spending your entire holiday inside a resort, put this one on your list.

Marigot Bay and Another Side of Saint Lucia

Next came beautiful Zoëtry Marigot Bay St. Lucia, in one of the most photogenic settings on the island. Marigot Bay feels lush, peaceful and wonderfully Caribbean. We enjoyed a gorgeous seafood lunch at Hurricane Hole, overlooking the marina, before continuing our resort visits with Sandals Halcyon Beach. Halcyon has quite a different personality from Sandals Grande, which was another useful reminder of why I don't believe in recommending a hotel purely because somebody says, "We stayed there and loved it."  The right resort is the one that suits you.

Sailing to Soufrière and the Iconic Pitons

 Then came one of those days that I think will always spring to mind when somebody mentions Saint Lucia. We left Rodney Bay Marina by boat and travelled down the coast towards Soufrière. Seeing Saint Lucia from the water is something else entirely. The lush green landscape rises dramatically from the Caribbean Sea and eventually those unmistakable Pitons come into view. Our visits included two of the island's most iconic properties, Anse Chastanet and the extraordinary Jade Mountain. Jade Mountain is one of those hotels that really has to be seen to be appreciated. It is dramatic, romantic and completely unlike a conventional Caribbean resort. For a honeymoon, anniversary or proper bucket-list escape, it is somewhere I would absolutely want to discuss with the right client. We then visited Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, nestled between the Pitons. Fresh coconut in hand, followed by an amazing lunch in that setting... tough day at the office!

Chocolate Cocktails and a Very Muddy Spa

 Saint Lucia and chocolate have a long history, so naturally we couldn't visit without investigating that too. At Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat, we browsed all things cocoa and, even better, sampled the chocolate cocktails. I can confirm that chocolate and cocktails work remarkably well together. We also enjoyed a proper chocolate-making experience at Howelton Estate, which was a brilliant way of learning more about the island's cocoa heritage while actually getting involved. Then came a rather different spa experience. Before leaving Soufrière, we headed to the famous Sulphur Springs. This isn't your white-robe-and-fluffy-slippers variety of spa. We covered ourselves in mineral-rich volcanic mud, embraced looking completely ridiculous, washed it all off and then relaxed in the wonderfully warm water.

Would I do it again?

Absolutely.

Hummingbirds, Markets and More Beautiful Resorts

 There were still more sides of Saint Lucia to discover. We visited Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa before heading to the wonderfully intimate East Winds. Lunch at East Winds was particularly memorable because we were surrounded by the most beautiful tropical gardens with tiny hummingbirds flitting around us. It felt peaceful, natural and a million miles away from a large resort. We also made time for Castries Market, another chance to step outside the hotel environment and experience some everyday Saint Lucian colour, produce, spices and local life. Our final resort visits included StolenTime by Rendezvous and Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort, where we also enjoyed a fantastic celebration dinner. By this stage, I had seen everything from wellness and romance to family-friendly resorts, boutique hotels, luxury hideaways and larger all-inclusive properties. And that's precisely why Saint Lucia is so interesting.

One Last Adventure in the Rainforest

There was, however, time for one final adventure before flying home.Zip-lining through the Saint Lucia rainforest. Flying between the trees with the tropical forest beneath me was quite a way to finish the trip, before heading back to the airport for our  flight home. After several days of beautiful hotels and fabulous food, Saint Lucia clearly felt the need to make sure I left with my heart rate suitably elevated!

So, Who Is Saint Lucia For?

 Having travelled around the island myself, I think Saint Lucia works beautifully for so many different types of holiday. It can be wonderfully romantic for honeymoons and anniversaries, easy and indulgent for an all-inclusive Caribbean holiday, restorative for a wellness escape, luxurious enough for a really special celebration and adventurous enough for those of us who get itchy feet after two days on a sun lounger. You can spend your days beside the Caribbean Sea, sail beneath the Pitons, explore the rainforest, discover cocoa and rum, visit local markets, dance in the streets of Gros Islet or simply do absolutely nothing. And perhaps most importantly, the resorts really are different. Having personally stayed in, visited and experienced so many of them means I can look beyond the star rating and glossy photographs and help match you with the part of Saint Lucia and the style of hotel that suits you.

Thinking About a Holiday to Saint Lucia? 

If Saint Lucia is on your wish list, I'd love to help you plan it.

Whether you're dreaming of a honeymoon beneath the Pitons, a luxury adults-only escape, a family Caribbean holiday, an all-inclusive resort or a combination of relaxation and adventure, I can help you find the right fit.Because sometimes the difference between a lovely holiday and an unforgettable one is simply knowing where to go, where to stay and what not to miss.

ISA | Investing in Self & Adventure