Boutique hotels in St Lucia

Jade Mountain

Style
Supervillain’s island lair

Setting
Balmy bayside heights

View hotel details

St Lucia Overview

Caribbean

Coastline: Rugged mountains, tropical rainforests
Coast life: Punch and plantations

Shades of emerald, ebony and teal form the colour palette on this breezy and relaxed island – making St Lucia, the second largest of the Windward Islands, the ultimate Caribbean destination.

The lifestyle here is laid-back – live music and Creole cuisine flow freely in its pastel-tinted towns – while the landscape switches between powder-soft beaches and lush pitons that soar 2,000ft up towards the deep-blue sky. Culture-proud St Lucians are keen to show you a good time, and with a myriad of spectacular viewing points (helpfully highlighted by hand-painted road signs), verdant botanical gardens and bustling markets to draw on, they’re bound to point you in the right direction.

Suitably St Lucia

Whales, dolphins and leatherback turtles inhabit the waters on the St Lucian coast and can be seen all year round. Captain Mike’s Sportfishing Cruises and Pleasure Tours (+1 758 452 7044) takes you out to sea to spot Pilot whales, humpbacks and false Orcas. The rule is that if you haven’t seen one, you’re guaranteed an extra hour. Turtle-watching is also very popular in Grande Anse Bay, and all-night patrols are held in leatherback season (mid-March to late August).

Local knowledge

Taxis: Taxis are easily available but expensive. You can flag cabs down in the streets – licensed cars have red number plates. But, beware, the winding roads on the west of the island can make for a queasy journey.
Tipping culture: A 10 per cent service charge is included on all bills in St Lucia. Hotel staff and helpful taxi drivers are among those who expect to be tipped.
Siesta and Fiesta: Shops usually shut between 12.30pm and 1.30pm on weekdays, and close at 4.30pm for the afternoon siesta in the sun. Sunday is mainly off-limits, though shops down by the marinas tend to stay open. If you want a night out, then Rodney Bay is the place to go – you’ll find drinking and dancing into the early hours.
Packing tips: Sun hat, umbrella, mosquito repellent and deck shoes – ubiquitous with both the locals and the super-yachters.
Recommended reads: Whispers from the Cotton Tree Root by Nalo Hopkinson is an anthology of stories from Caribbean authors, providing an entertaining insight into Caribbean culture.
Cuisine: St Lucian Creole food is heavily influenced by French and West Indian traditions, and usually takes its principal ingredients straight from the sea. Mahi-mahi, red snapper and tuna can be found on most menus, barbecued with Creole spices or hot pepper sauce, though the top-end restaurants are more likely to cater for a US palate. ‘Fish Friday’ will offer you tastes of home cooking, served from rickety handmade stalls along the pedestrianised streets of Anse La Raye. Supplement the dishes with a dash of banana ketchup – a must-try delicacy. The real Caribbean joy, though, is rum, mixed into a punch or served as a cocktail.
Currency: The currency in St Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, though any of the banks will exchange international currencies.
Time zone: GMT -4.
Dialling codes: North America country code: +1; St Lucia: 758.
Do go/don't go: Though it’s hot all year round, the best months weather-wise are between mid-December and mid-April, which predictably coincides with the biggest influx of tourists. June to November is the wettest time of year, and the island is occasionally threatened by hurricanes at this time.

St Lucia Hotels

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Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in St Lucia

Jade Mountain

St Lucia, Caribbean

Style: Supervillain’s island lair
Setting: Balmy bayside heights

Architecturally astonishing and blessed with breath-snatching views of the Caribbean Sea, Jade Mountain is a curvy spider web of stone walkways, private infinite pools, and unforgettable luxury.

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Boutique hotels in St Lucia

Jade Mountain

Style
Supervillain’s island lair

Setting
Balmy bayside heights

View hotel details

St Lucia Activities

Highlights the best St Lucia has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.

Worth getting out of bed for

St Lucia itinerary: More…
Viewpoint: The pitons at Soufrière, Mount Gimie and Morne Fortune form an exquisite backdrop to the island when you’re down at sea level. But they’re well worth a steep climb for the jaw-dropping panoramic views of the island that you’ll get from their summits.
Arts and culture: The island is home to more than its fair share of small boutique galleries, showcasing local art. Caribbean Art Gallery (+1 758 452 8071) in the Rodney Bay Marina, Artsibit (+1 758 452 7865) on the corner of Brazil and Mongiraud Streets in Castries and Eudovic’s Art Studio (+1 758 452 2747) on Morne Fortune all exhibit regional paintings, limited-edition prints and carvings. Keep an eye out for work by St Lucian artist Llewellyn Xavier.
Something for nothing: Gros Islet, a small fishing village on the north coast of the island, hosts a street party every Friday that becomes a colourful carnival scene from about 9pm. Reggae and soca provides the soundtrack to an energetic ‘jump up,’ as dancers take to the streets.
Shopping: Market stalls and tiny local shops sell regional delights such as hot pepper sauce, plantain chips and St Lucian spices. Marina Village in Marigot Bay caters to the upmarket tastes of the yachting crowd, and offers plenty of high-end jewellery and clothing, and local art and crafts. Pay with US dollars for a better deal.
Daytripper: Connected by a causeway to St Lucia’s west coast, Pigeon Island is known for its peaceful setting and exotic wildlife. You can get here by a taxi boat and while away time spotting tropical birds, mongooses and lizards, or simply spend a day on one of its secluded, white-sand beaches. The rustic Jambe de Bois restaurant, named after a one-legged pirate leader who once occupied the island, is a perfect spot for laid-back dining and sunset cocktails.
Best beach: Jalousie Beach, with its sparkling waters and almost luminous sand, is the most beautiful sunbathing spot in St Lucia. Situated between Petit Piton and Gros Piton, it isn’t easily accessible. But it is well worth the slightly perilous descent from the mountains.
Activities: As with most places in the Caribbean, fishing on St Lucia is excellent. Marine life is abundant, and the chance to dive or snorkel among colourful reefs provides a wonderfully active alternative to beach bum life. Reputable fishing-charter companies include Hackshaw’s Boats (+1 758 453 0553) and Trivial Pursuit Charters (+1 758 452 5593). The diversity of the island also means that explorer types can go hiking, biking and horseriding as they discover the island’s leatherback turtles, sulphur springs and flower-lined roadsides. The banana plantations tours at Fond d’Or Nature Reserve & Historic Park (Mabouya Valley) and the Rhythm of Rum tour at Bounty Rum Distillery (Roseai Sugar Factory, West Coast Road, Roseau) are also well worth an afternoon of your time.

Diary

May The St Lucia Jazz Festival is a four-day extravaganza held early in the month. Tickets can be purchased in the hotels or at www.sluciajazz.org. June The Fisherman’s Feast is a thanksgiving celebration by the island’s fishermen, and the traditional blessing of the boats is marked with parties, lunches and more. July The St Lucia Carnival is celebrated with a parade, during which revellers take to the streets in an explosion of colour and music. August The Feast of St Rose De Lima is one of two rival floral cultural feasts that gives rural communities another opportunity to dance in the streets. Visitors are welcome to watch and participate. October The second of these floral festivals, the Feast of La Marguerite, is another chance to dress up and dance. November The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) is the largest transatlantic sailing event in the world, beginning in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria and ending late in this month in Rodney Bay. December The Festival of Lights Celebration means plenty of twinkling parades, processions and displays throughout the island.

Boutique hotels in St Lucia

Jade Mountain

Style
Supervillain’s island lair

Setting
Balmy bayside heights

View hotel details

St Lucia
Eating, drinking and dancing

We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in St Lucia.

Cafés

(+1 (0)758 451 4275)

Rowley’s Caribbean Café

Watch the super yachts go by while enjoying delicious home-made bread, lemon tarts, pain au chocolate and chocolate swirls.

The Marina Village, Marigot Bay, St Lucia

Restaurants

(+1 (0)758 456 8000)

Bayside Bar & Grill

A great spot for lunch, this restaurant overlooking one of the island’s most stunning, piton-backdropped beaches, makes you feel as though you’re part of a movie set. Seafood wraps served with sour cream, succulent cheeseburgers and miniature stone-baked pizzas are accompanied by ice-cold wine and beers, and the selection of home-made puddings is second to none.

Jalousie Plantation, Val des Pitons, Soufrière, St Lucia

(+1 (0)758 458 3947)

Chateau Mygo House of Seafood

This rustic restaurant is the ideal spot to watch the sun go down with a cold beer. The traditional shack-style wood panelling and corrugated-iron roof are suitably Caribbean, and a contrast to the extravagant setting of Marigot Bay. The sushi, hand-made by the St Lucian chef, is easily the best on the island.

Marigot Bay, St Lucia

(+1 (0)758 459 7000)

Trou Au Diable

During the day, this restaurant serves a lunchtime menu of club sandwiches, grilled fish and salads. By night, you can expect some of the best Indian fusion food the island has to offer. Meat and fish are cooked in a tandoor, and served with creamy dal, sour lassi and sweet, buttery parathas.

Anse Chastanet, St Lucia

Bars and clubs

(+1 (0)758 458 5300)

Hurricane Hole Bar

Overlooking the yacht-stuffed harbour, this is the place to spot an oligarch or two while enjoying a Piton beer on the sun-dappled terrace. Highlights include Creole-spiced chicken breast burger (essential to eat with hot pepper sauce), grilled fish, salads, huge pizzas and Rotis.

Marigot Bay, St Lucia

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