Recent Travels Blog

Sandals Resorts in St. Lucia

My husband & I returned from a 10 night trip to St. Lucia.  We stayed at the Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort because it is the smallest, most intimate of the Sandals resorts in St. Lucia.  That’s our style.  But what was great was – even though we stayed at the Halcyon – we were able to “play” (mostly eat!) at the other two Sandals resorts!  The other 2 Sandals resorts are the Sandals Grande St. Lucian and the Sandals Ta Toc.  Each of these resorts has a different personality. 

The Grande is – well- Grand!  The resort is located on a peninsula (the Caribbean is on one side & the Atlantic is on the other - see the picture on the upper left).  The lobby is huge – or should I say Grand!  The beach is gorgeous!  We ate at several of their restaurants, including Gordon’s on the Pier.  That was amazing – open air dining on the pier with white-glove service.  Bayside by the Sea is fine dining while you have your feet in the sand listening to the waves.  Even the pizza at the Pizzeria was awesome!

La Toc has a very glamorous, energetic feel about it.   There’s live jazz playing in the lobby/bar area.  It’s home of Kimonos restaurant (Tappanyaki-style dining) and La Toc.  La Toc had amazing food – with white-glove service!

Halcyon…..  sigh.  It felt like coming home.  With its 2-story buildings surrounded by flowering bushes, palm trees, fruit trees, it is so lovely.  And the sound of crickets (we think they are crickets anyway) to lull you to sleep at night. We met so many other people to eat dinner with or do activities with.  But the staff is the best!  They really get to know you.  When they say “Welcome Home”, you really feel at home.

We went scuba diving 6 days.  Imagine surfacing from a dive and seeing the famous Pitons towering almost 3000 feet above you!   Breathtaking!  We hiked the Gros Piton using the Island Routes (Sandals tour company).  We hiked up 2 miles, gaining 2000 feet of altitude – in humidity.  Boy did we sweat!  But after the hike, we were treated to a lunch featuring local cuisine (with a view of the Pitons) and a swim!

We took a “Sea & Land” tour as well.  We took a boat ride along the coast, and then we went to a waterfall, a “drive-in” volcano, mud baths and ended the tour with lunch at the guide’s mother’s house.

St. Lucia is certainly one of the most beautiful and diverse of the Caribbean islands.  You can do a lot (like we did), or nothing at all.  Check out some of my pictures.  Then get in touch with me if you would like to experience St. Lucia!

Travel Dates 9/23/2011-10/3/2011