Most Romantic Resorts in Saint Lucia
Last Christmas, Dan and I decided to skip the presents under the tree since we would be out of town celebrating with his family, and instead booked a luxurious vacation in Saint Lucia for early December. This is probably the most fun we have ever had on a trip. Saint Lucia has so much to offer and I can't wait to share all of the pictures from this gorgeous island.
It is no wonder that Saint Lucia is one of the top honeymoon destination spots. With luxury resorts like Ladera Resort, Sugar Beach a Viceroy Resort, Anse Chastanet, and Jade Mountain, you are sure to live like royalty. These resorts are located in the south near Soufriere, which is, in my opinion, the most picturesque part of the island. There are also many all-inclusive resorts on the northern side of the island near Castries, including a Sandals which many of our friends have visited on their honeymoon.
I had seen enough pictures of Ladera Resort though that I had to check it out for myself.
At first, I was concerned that we would not be on the beach. If this is important to you, you should definitely check out Sugar Beach or Anse Chastenet.
We found that Ladera's open air retreats, each with its own truly private plunge pools and breathtaking views, are so romantic that we hardly wanted to leave our room. Ladera also offers regular shuttles to Sugar Beach which only take about ten minutes, so we found that there was literally no inconvenience to us.
Ladera Resort is positioned linearly along a cliff, giving each room a private, sweeping view of the water and of the two iconic peaks Gros Piton and Petit Piton. When we arrived to our room, I felt like I was walking into a dream.
The sun was setting over the water, with the light catching like fireflies in our large plunge pool. Chilled champagne and flowers were waiting in the lounging area, which we promptly enjoyed from our wooden swing dangling playfully over the pool. We had dinner reservations to prepare for, but first we wanted to enjoy the first of many gorgeous sunsets.
Up the stairs from the pool and lounge area, is a large bedroom complete with a veiled canopy king size bed, wardrobe, closet and more lounge chairs for enjoying the view. I felt completely giddy each morning waking up to the sweet chirping of birds and the sun rising over the water. Sometimes there would be a quick rain shower in the morning and we would be treated to a double rainbow, making me sure that I was in a fairy tale.
Each day, we found ourselves swinging over the pool while enjoying the complimentary mini bar drinks, basking in the sun from our lounge chairs, or taking one last dip in the pool before bed. The resort also offers a beautiful infinity pool and lounge deck for all guests to use, however, we never found the need to venture from our room. Between check out and our transfer to the airport, we did finish a bottle of wine on the lounge deck making sure to take in every detail of the view before we had to leave paradise.
The service at Ladera is no exception to the perfect experience we had. Every day we worked with the concierge to arrange our plans for the day, making sure we had proper transportation and guides. The team at Ladera was very accommodating to all of our requests, even the last minute ones. I cannot thank them enough for making our trip so special.
For dining, you will not want to miss Ladera's gourmet restaurant Dasheene. People come from all over to dine here for lunch and dinner, and to enjoy the same incredible views that guests already get to enjoy, so be sure to make a reservation. The menu is primarily seafood, though, so if you have any allergies or need an alternative menu, The Bar at Ladera has plenty of delicious options like burgers, sandwiches, pasta and salads.
Also, here is a pro tip for when you get picked up at the airport. If you ask your driver to take you the local grocery store, you can pick up alcohol and snacks for easy day drinking and pool snacking in your room.
If you are staying for several days at Ladera and looking for another restaurant to try, I cannot recommend Boucan by Hotel Chocolat enough. This resort is within walking distance across the street from Ladera. The restaurant also provides a dining experience with an incredible view, however, typically we got there after the sun had already set. Boucan by Hotel Chocolat is special, because the resort sits on a cocoa plantation and the restaurant incorporates cocoa into every single dish.
You can actually take a really interesting Tree to Bar tour, where you visit the cocoa plantation, help harvest the cocoa, and follow the process all the way until you have made a chocolate bar. We did not have time for this tour, but we did manage to visit the restaurant at least twice. Needless to say, every single meal was divine. The restaurant also provided a fun ambience with good music, sometimes live, and excellent service. I wish I could go back right now.
I know I have already mentioned the incredible views, but how could I forget to mention the stars!!! The stars are incredible in Saint Lucia. Each night I would stay up really late trying to capture the night sky on my camera (to little success due to lack of skill and proper equipment). I saw plenty of shooting stars, and our room actually came with binoculars and a star map to track the constellations. I still can't get over it, we never see the stars like this in the city.
I definitely recommend visiting Saint Lucia and staying at Ladera Resort for your honeymoon, anniversary, romantic getaway, or solo retreat. Personally, I can't wait to go back! Check back soon for my next post covering all of the amazing things to do in Saint Lucia.