With its steaming volcano, soaring conical peaks, black and white sand beaches, and unique creole culture, there’s nowhere quite like St Lucia. Even among other Caribbean destinations, this island stands out for its varied and often rugged beauty alone. And while its secluded bays, Piton peaks and dense tropical forest may beckon the (soft) adventure lovers, this is a destination equally likely to satisfy foodies and music lovers. It’s been shaped as much by its African, French and British heritage as it has been by the forces of nature. From the famous Friday night fish fry of Anse La Raye to the jazz festival and feather-clad revelry of July’s annual carnival, you could almost say there’s too much to do.
Lazing on a lounger is also a valid option. Particularly known for its high-end hotels, St Lucia isn’t a cheap place to holiday. But with properties from exclusive couples-focused retreats atop forested calderas in the south to more affordable family-friendly beachside resorts in the north all offering all-inclusive plans, there’s something for every budget, and every appetite. And while there’s plenty of dedicated all-inclusive resorts, many others offer all-inclusive plans.
Main photo: Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat, Soufrière (Expedia)
This article contains affiliate links.
Our travel journalism is written and edited by independent experts to inform, inspire and advise our readers about the best choices for your holidays. We also feature properties and itineraries from a specially selected list of trusted operators. These buttons and adverts are clearly signposted, and provide direct links through to external sites. If you click and buy a product, we may earn revenue.

1. East Winds, Corinth
Best for truly all-inclusive
Forget your wallet; forget your name if you want to. You won’t need it. One of the oldest resorts in St Lucia, East Winds has mastered what it means to help guests unwind. It’s located in quiet Corinth, between the north’s tourism hub of Rodney Bay and the capital Castries, and everything is included. And we mean everything; from bottomless champagne to wine tastings, water sports, sailing lessons and even weddings. Seriously. Rooms are located in 30 traditional-style cottages, set in lush botanical gardens, fronting the quiet beach. So breathe, and relax.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Restaurants 1
Premium drinks included
2. Sandals Grande St Lucian, Pigeon Island beach
Best for overwater living and extensive dining choices
The Caribbean isn’t especially known for its overwater bungalows and you’ll find St Lucia’s only ones here on the pretty Pigeon Island peninsula. From soaking tubs for two to glass floors and a sun deck over the sea, they have all the luxe touches you’d expect. The Grande St Lucian — the liveliest of the three couples-only Sandals resorts on St Lucia — has 12 restaurants of its own. However the “Stay At One, Play At All” policy allows access to all three properties, extending your choice to a mammoth 27 restaurants, from silver service to shoes-off beachside snacking. Can’t clamber out of your overwater hammock? Fret not. This room category comes with a personal butler and round-the-clock room service, too.
Spa Y (additional cost)
Pool Y
Price ££
Restaurants 12
Premium drinks included

3. Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat, Soufrière
Best for foodies
Chocolate lovers rejoice: with 25 shuttered eco-lodges set on Hotel Chocolat’s 140-acre working cacao farm, guests can expect to sample some of the spoils. A free tree-to-bean tour takes you through the process of growing, fermenting, drying and roasting cacao beans, ultimately resulting in creating your own bar. The all-inclusive plan includes a daily three-course lunch and three-course à la carte dinner. And with cacao used as a savoury ingredient for 3,000 years, expect it to pop up in numerous dishes, used as a light and subtle spice. Fancy a little flexibility? Select the hotel’s all-inclusive package for your whole stay, or choose just specific days.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Restaurants 1
Premium drinks some

4. The Landings Resort & Spa, Rodney Bay
Best for a home from home
Forget just having a room, think more along the lines of an apartment. This all-suite property suits those who want spacious waterfront living, with all the comforts of home. Family-friendly one to three-bedroom suites include full kitchens, washers and dryers; ideal for longer stays. Though there are three restaurants, including beach shack restaurant Callaloo as well as more formal fine dining, and two bars, you can order room service for a small surcharge. The Landings is in a quiet spot in Rodney Bay and rooms overlook the beach or the property’s private marina. Both the verdant peaks of the Pigeon Island National Park and the bustle of Rodney Bay Marina are just a short walk away.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
Restaurants 3
Premium drinks extra

5. Ladera Resort, Soufrière
Best for complete relaxation
You’re up in the forest, amid the birdsong, at Ladera. So who needs four walls? Perched 300m (1,000ft) above the Caribbean, with uninterrupted views across to the Piton mountains, this adult-only resort sits on the ridge of a volcano. Each suite has an open wall and private heated plunge pool to make the most of that view. Butler service is included in select suites, so you don’t need to move. But if you do, there’s free yoga and sunrise meditation, while the Sulphur Springs are just five minutes away. Soak in a mud bath, then take a wander through the grounds for the best view of Petit Piton — or take the free shuttle to Malgretoute beach.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Restaurants 1
Premium drinks extra

6. Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa, Rodney Bay
Best for budget breaks
Be in the thick of it without blowing the budget. In the heart of Rodney Bay, and fronting a white sand beach, Bay Gardens is geared towards family breaks. You’ll get access to Splash Island Water Park, which claims to be one of the largest in St Lucia, with unlimited non-motorised water sports. Guests unlock more benefits the longer they stay: the Dine Around plan allows all-inclusive guests staying seven nights or more to access an additional seven Rodney Bay restaurants, from Indian to sushi, with round-trip transport included. There are also complimentary spa treatments, again based on the length of your stay.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £
Restaurants 5
Premium drinks extra

7. Jade Mountain, Soufrière
Best for romantic seclusion
A super-luxe resort on the steep slopes of the south of the island, with an all-inclusive option, Jade Mountain rises from the tropical canopy like a Bond villain’s lair. This distinctive one-off was designed by its architect owner, Nick Troubetzkoy, to give guests total privacy. Though each suite, described as a “sanctuary”, is open to panoramic views of the Pitons, their design, in hillside terraces accessed via individual drawbridges, means you can leave the outside world behind. The feeling of seclusion is enhanced by the fact that there’s no television, radio or telephone in your suite. Most rooms have an infinity pool; and butler service means you’ll want for nothing.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Restaurants 1
Premium drinks extra

8. Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa (including Serenity at Coconut Bay), Vieux Fort
Best for proximity to the airport
Located just a mile from Hewanorra International Airport, you can begin your holiday right away at Coconut Bay. The property itself needs a little getting your head round. First up, there’s Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa, which is itself divided into the adult-only Harmony wing, and Splash, which is for families. While the adults get a spa, daybeds and hammocks beside two dedicated pools, families get paintball, kitesurfing, and 4,600 sq m of indoor and outdoor play areas. Then there’s Serenity (pictured), which operates as a separate, super-luxury, couples-only resort. There are 36 suites, personal butlers, 24-hour gourmet in-suite dining, oversized soaking tubs, private plunge pools, and personalised top-brand in-room bars.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££/£££
Restaurants 8
Premium drinks depends on your plan

9. Stonefield Villa Resort, Soufrière
Best for private pools
Head to Stonefield, close to the small fishing port of Soufrière, for a slower pace — wake up to birdsong as the sounds from the thick jungle canopy drift through open, breezy shutters, and step into your own secluded oasis. All villas at this wholly St Lucian-owned and family-run adult-only resort (there’s one family villa) have their own private pools, some offering views of the Piton peaks as they poke above the canopy. The all-inclusive option here covers a one-bedroom villa, with à la carte breakfast, three-course lunch and three-course dinner at the creole-inspired Mango Tree restaurant, where fresh fruit and vegetables are picked daily in the grounds.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
Restaurants 1
Premium drinks extra

10. Royalton Saint Lucia, Smugglers Cove
Best for an active family break
Got kids, young or old, with far too much energy? There should be plenty to occupy them at this family-friendly mega-resort. There’s a splash park, tennis, beach volleyball, kids’ and teens’ clubs, water sports including kayaking and snorkelling, and a fitness centre with instructor-led classes. There’s also the largest spa on the island. Guests can upgrade to the Diamond Club for access to private beaches with dedicated waiter service, private pools, exclusive à la carte restaurants and bar areas, butler service, and early check-in and late check-out, among other benefits. Book early for a coveted swim-up room.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £
Restaurants 8
Premium drinks select

11. Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort, Labrelotte Bay
Best for a laid-back family break
With a protected bay and secluded sandy beach, it’s easy to see why Windjammer attracts families. There’s a kids’ club for four to 12-year-olds, as you’d expect. What you might not expect is dedicated “mini” spa treatments, movie nights on the beach, and a dedicated kids’ turndown service with warm milk and cookies. Accommodation stretches up the steep hillside, so book a one or two-bedroom oceanfront suite if you want to be closer to the beach and pools. While all guests have access to water sports, from windsurfing to kayaking, all-inclusive guests can try their hand at water-skiing and wakeboarding too. There are also additional à la carte options and unlimited snacks.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
Restaurants 5
Premium drinks by the glass

12. Zoetry Marigot Bay, Marigot Bay
Best for “elevated” all-inclusive
Watch the luxury yachts come and go without even having to stir from your sun lounger. Zoetry is in a steep-sided, sheltered cove that’s home to Marigot Bay marina and although there’s no beach as such, there are two pools (one with a swim-up bar) and free water ferry transfers. The focus at Zoetry Marigot Bay is on an enhanced all-inclusive. Expect a welcome bottle of St Lucian rum on arrival, a bottle of sparkling wine and fresh fruit daily in your room, and a 20-minute spa treatment as standard. To find out how the long connection between mariners and rum continues, stop by the Rum Cave bar.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Restaurants 7
Premium drinks included

13. Calabash Cove, Corinth
Best for adults
Drift to the swim-up bar and sip a Pina Colada looking out over the edge of the infinity pool. Hear that? Exactly. This adult-only resort is cosy, with just 26 rooms, meaning you’ll never feel overrun. There are four swim-up suites for those who can’t get enough of the water, or you can choose a cottage by the ocean’s edge. On-site Windsong restaurant has a focus on local ingredients; look out for the lobster. The all-inclusive package stretches to room service and premium, in-room drinks, if you want a lazy night in. And while the area might feel secluded, capital Castries is just a 15-minute drive away.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
Restaurants 1
Premium drinks included

14. Anse Chastanet, Soufrière
Best for sustainability
As this is the sister property to Jade Mountain, you’d expect a little luxury. But Anse Chastanet is also an important spot for nature. It’s built into a 600-acre mountainside on the southwest coast, and bordered by two beaches and pristine coral reefs. Rooms are naturally ventilated by the trade winds, organic food is grown on the estate’s farm, there’s a weekly beach dinner and menus include lionfish (dining on this invasive species helps to reduce their numbers). All meals are covered as part of the all-inclusive plan. You can sign up, at an additional cost, to dive courses with a Reef Life and Renewal Ambassador to learn about the ecosystem of the reef.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Restaurants 7
Premium drinks by the glass
Related Posts
- The 8 Stories Every Hotel Must Tell Effectively in 2022
- St. Augustine hotel plan review for tallest building delayed again
- MOH holds Joint Annual Review
- Taxis to quarantine hotels launched
- Victim of Glasgow asylum hotel stabbings fails in judicial review claim against Home Office in English court