Last week I headed to the Southern Caribbean to the beautiful mountainous island of St Lucia where we stayed at Sandals Grande St Lucian. Sandals resorts are all-inclusive, adult only destinations throughout the Caribbean. The lush mountains and distinct blues in the ocean are a stunning backdrop for this gorgeous resort.
One thing to keep in mind, getting to this exotic destination takes some coordination! From most airports, you will need connecting flights. On the east coast, your direct flights will be from Miami, JFK, and Atlanta. Although if you don’t fly from these hubs, you can luck into some good connecting flights elsewhere. Also, once you’ve arrived at the airport in St Lucia, your journey is not complete. You’ll be hanging out in the Sandals lounge until your transportation is ready to take you on the hour+ drive to the resort(although this does take a bit longer during high traffic times). But once you have arrived, you are welcomed with open arms and a glass of champagne to this stunning all-inclusive paradise! It will be worth the effort made to get there!
Here you’ll find most of Sandals’ signature restaurants like Soy, Kimonos, and Toscanini’s, but also some twists like Gordons and Bombay shaking it up with coastal and Indian cuisine. If you’re looking for more casual dining here, my recommendations gravitate toward the Pool Sides menu! Yup! You heard me right! Everything from jerk chicken to conch fritters, it could be very easy to skip heading to a restaurant, especially when our services kept the yummy things coming!! Literally, the perfect way to relax all day! Side note, my absolute favorite dish here was the Champagne Lobster Roll at Soy! I literally ordered 3 throughout the stay! So do yourself a favor and give it a try!!
This is a wonderfully laid back resort with many romantic spots to enjoy your stay. It is the perfect destination for a honeymoon or anniversary trip. However, if you are in the market for a shorter trip, this may not be the right destination. You’ll likely need a full day to get there and back. So, if St, Lucia is on your list make sure you add ample time to travel to and from.
The staff was both friendly and helpful with a few exceptionally amazing individuals. They definitely made us feel the island’s hospitality. We loved being able to be familiar with them throughout the visit. They got to know our preferences as far as drinks and other quirks. This resort definitely does not have a party vibe, it is a very appropriate destination for a relaxing stay. You also have the availability to visit two other Sandals properties on the island of St. Lucia. These are Halcyon and La Toc. Both these are closer to the airport than the Grande and also have the laidback vibe I mentioned before.
Overall we had a fun stay and enjoyed our time in this exotic location. It is one of the most beautiful islands in the southern Caribbean and if romantic and tropical is your vacation goal, the Grande St. Lucian checks all the boxes.
