Saint Lucia Sandals PR Trip
This is the first proper holiday we've had since our honeymoon 4 years ago. Actually leaving the country on an aeroplane with excessively large suitcases for sun, sea and anything else beginning with 's' (we'd didn't take the kids!).
I've been to the Carribean a few times over the years, but often under sad cirumstances. I was excited to take Cookie for his first Caribbean experience, and to an island that neither of us had been before, Saint Lucia!
Saint Lucia highlights video:
Sandals PR Trip
We were the guests of Sandals UK and the Saint Lucia tourist board, which was allowed us to tour of the island and experienced all three Sandals resorts during our 7 days stay on the island. Sandals Resorts are luxury all inclusive resorts, taking any pressure other than what to pack to bring with you on your luxurious trip! All meals, including a la carte dining, drinks, mini bar (although theres nothing mini about it) of premium spirits,unlimited land and watersports including two scuba dives a day for the PADI certified divers amongst us, wifi, resorts tranfers and your gratuities! All you need to book your chosen Sandals Resort, pack and go!
Regency La Toc
Our first destination on the island was the resort Regency La Toc. It's the only Sandals resort on the island that has its own picturesque golf course, if that's your thing. Personally, I thought it was too hot to play golf, so settled for dipping in to one of the many pools and swimming in the Caribbean sea to keep cool. Our lodgings for 3 nights was a 'butler suite' that came with a butler who you could call up to get you food and drink, ferry you around the resort in a golf buggy and just about anything else you needed a hand with. Equipped with two baths and a shower, our favourite was the balcony tub which had amazing sea views and was the perfect spot to watch the sunset. The room had a fully stocked bar for making cocktails, we thoroughly enjoyed the rum and apple juice that was replemished daily.
Halcyon Beach
We didn't stay at Halcyon Beach, just visited one afternoon to take a tour and have our dinner on their pier top restaurant. Even though it was a brief visit, we left with the feeling that if we returned to Saint Lucia this was the resort we'd stay at. It felt more like a village, less like a hotel. Personally it felt more relaxed (if that's even possible) than the other two resorts. This still offers the same services and experience as its neighbouring Sandals resorts, however for me just projected the chilled vibe I know we would want to return to.
The Grande St. Lucian
Our last 4 nights on Saint Lucia were at the Grande St. Lucian. The architecture of this resort felt a bit, well grander. Plus the atomsphere was more of a party vibe. The thing Cookie apprieciated the most was the location of the resort, which is on a flat penisula which meant the sea breeze wasn't blocked by any inland hills making this feel like the coolest of all the resorts. We were staying in a Swim Up Lover's Lagoon room, with a pool you could dive straight in from the patio doors!
The couple massage featured in the video was kindly gifted by Red Lane Spa at the Grande St. Lucian which I would high recommend, 90 minutes of rest and relaxion. We chose the Raindrop Dreams massage and our therapists Wanda and Shemah helped sooth any of the stress and remove any of the knots that we arrived with to prepare us for our journery back home.
Excursions
As well as exploring the 3 resorts, we got to explore some of Saint Lucia's other highlights further south on the island.
The Pitons
When I searched for pictures of Saint Lucia, the view I saw most often was the majestic Piton mountains towering above the Caribbean Sea.
Our boat trip to the Pitons was guided by Island Routes and it’s the best way to view these iconic peaks up close. On the way we had a couple of stops-offs to do some snorkelling in the coral reefs. I’m not confident in the open water, so I stayed firmly on the beautiful beach. We all enjoyed some lovely local food on Hummingbird Beach, and of course drank too much rum punch as we speeded back to the resort.
Sulphur Springs & Tropical Waterfalls
The now considered dormant Soufrier Volcano (Sulphur) last erupted over 200 years ago. It naturally heats ground water that bubbles up into mud springs. It’s basically a very hot mud bath, across three interconnected pools varying in temperature that are about 4ft deep. You allow the caked-on mud to dry in the sun and then decorate yourself with more darker volcanic mud. Then a final rinse in the hot springs to reveal skin that’s 10 years younger (or so they say).
Now with the volcanic mud working it’s magic on our skin, it’s time to wash and refresh under 50ft high waterfall deep within the tropical jungle. It’s located a short distance away from the sulphur springs. I tried my hardest to stay sultry and sexy under cascading water, but you can see from the photos that I did the exact opposite… But it was a beautiful, refreshing and rejuvenating experience. Plus our skin really does feel amazing after!!
Romance
The whole point of Sandals resorts is romance, spending some time together as a couple without any distractions. Cookie and I both work from home and are hardly ever apart, but rarely together. Together as a family, but not together as a couple. The Sandals experience reminded us that we do enjoy each other's company and that we had a brilliant time. Here’s to many more!
