To summarize my one week vacation to St Lucia is to say that the entire experience was one of relaxation, beautiful scenery and unbelievable luxury. 

I began my journey on the inaugural Air Transat flight to St Lucia's International airport.  There was a lovely St Lucian band and breakfast treats to celebrate the occasion.  The flight itself was nice, albeit a bit tight for space in the back of the plane.  Luckily, as the airport in St Lucia did not have gates, we could exit from the back of the plane, making the disembarkation process much faster.

My accommodation for the week was at the Bay Garden Beach Resort, a brand new beachfront resort in Rodney Bay.  I coordinated a private transfer in advance with the hotel, which cost approximately $80.00 USD.  We were taken to our hotel room which had a nice layout with two large beds, a terrace and modern bathroom.  The hotel was right on the beach with nightly entertainment and occasional cocktail parties.  We visited a number of the local restaurants, the favourite being "The Edge", a beautiful restaurant overlooking the bay. 

I was able to visit a few different resorts while being in St Lucia, which were the BodyHoliday at Le Sport, and the Sandals Grande and Regency properties.  The "Body Holiday" as it is called by Le Sport, is a completely unique experience in the Caribbean.  From the gardens to the rooms, the food and activities, this resort has it all.  Situated on a secluded bay, about 15 minutes from Rodney Bay, this resort is the ideal vacation for couples, singles, friends and families with teenagers.  The resort is very popular and books up well in advance, with many of the clients being repeat guests.

For those looking to be revitalized and refreshed, then the inclusive spa treatments are perfect for you.  The free treatments include body wraps and scrubs, customized massages, facials, and hydrotherapy.  The spa itself is called "The Oasis" and the pictures on begin to tell the story - the spa is aesthically pleasing to the mind, body, and soul.  Luckily, I was able to visit the newly renovated guest rooms that have beautiful furnishings and spa bathrooms.  The views from the balconies are simply breathtaking! 

A large part of the resort's philosophy is to have you experience a complete "body holiday".  This is done primarily with the spa treatments, but there are a great many activities and resources made available to you to experience.  Upon arrival into the main resort area, there was an activities list for the day that had classes starting every 10-15 minutes, ranging from volleyball to personal training and nutritionist sessions.  Keep in mind that this is something made available to each client, and participation is not at all mandatory.  The cuisine offered at the resort also echoes this philosophy.  With a number of a la carte and buffet meal options, the food is both plentiful and very tasty.  I had the pleasure of enjoying their traditional "English tea" which featured white gloved service by staff, crepes Suzette, party sandwiches and scones.  The food was simply delectable!

Another resort I was able to visit was the Sandals Grande St Lucian.  This is a really beautiful resort about 10 minutes from Rodney Bay.  The main foyer and grounds were immaculate.  The beach was quite nice and had a number of activities during the day, from beach volleyball to snorkeling and scuba diving.  I was quote impressed with the range of accommodation.  The highlight of this was the Rondavel Suites, featured in the photos.  These suites were just steps from the beach, with some being beachfront, and were completely free standing.  Upon entrance into the main room, there is a huge bed with pillars, a large flat screen TV, living room area, and a bottle of champagne chilling.  The suites have private patios that feature an open air shower, plunge pool and hot tub. 

Luckily, I was able to sample the food at the resort which quickly became one of the best meals of the trip.  In addition to trying the buffet food, I was also privy to an a la carte dinner which, although it took place at their least formal restaurant on the beach, was simply amazing.  The entire meal was a la carte, with the main being steak with a lovely béarnaise sauce.  The staff was very attentive with wine pairing suggestions and great service.

Another important element of any vacation is to experience the local wildlife and nature.  I was able to take a day trip to Soufriere by catamaran, whereupon we travelled to the Caribbean's only "drive in volcano".  From here we went to the Diamond Botanical Gardens and Waterfall, where a scene from "Romancing the Stone" was filmed.  I really enjoyed the day trip to this region as it allowed me to experience the Grand Pitons of St Lucia.  These two formidable icons of St Lucia are both beautiful and imposing.  They are definitely a unique natural wonder.

Overall, I have to say that I truly enjoyed visiting St Lucia.  If you need any more information on any of the above mentioned resorts or the island itself, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Thanks and happy travels!
Steph