Our Favorite Hotels in St. Lucia

This former sugar plantation-turned-rainforest respite is a favorite for young families thanks to its all-inclusive option, popular on-site kids club, and JetBlue’s seasonal “Mint” flights that fly between JFK and St. Lucia’s Hewanorra airport. However, there’s plenty of tranquility to be had: 67 luxury villas are built in small clusters, each with its own oversize plunge pool and located minutes away from the secluded white sands of Sugar Beach. Don’t miss the stilted tree house spa or the off-site treatment at Sulphur Springs, which incorporates volcanic mud and a waterfall cleanse. We’re pretty sure that’s how past guests Gwyneth Paltrow and Minnie Driver preferred to relax.

Prince Harry recently landed his private helicopter at Jade Mountain. Why? We suspect it's because this mountainside sanctuary has one of the island's most spectacular vistas of St. Lucia’s towering Pitons. There’s a reason kids under 15 aren’t allowed here: suites have an open floor plan (meaning there’s no wall on one side) so that you can fully embrace the incredible view. Then there’s the major domo (butler) assigned to each suite, who's on call at all hours to cater to your every whim—be it unpacking your suitcase, bringing down the suntan lotion you've forgotten, or delivering meals straight to your door. What's more, food comes courtesy of James Beard Award-winning chef Allen Susser, who likens meals at Jade Mountain to “a tropical vacation on a plate.” Bon appétit!

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Honeymooners and couples flock to this romantic 32-suite resort, perched on a cliffside fronting the famous Piton Mountains with the Caribbean Sea lapping a thousand feet below. Once part of a famous cocoa plantation, Ladera takes full advantage of its natural surroundings: open walls bring you one step closer to your fresh-water plunge pool and the colorful jungle setting, not to mention those unobstructed views of exotic sunsets. Tempting as it is to linger in your room, made from tropical timber, the Bar at Dasheene is sure to lure you out with live music, dangerously delicious rum cocktails, and chef Nigel Mitchel's sophisticated spins on regional dishes.

Naomi Campbell and John Legend have both checked into The Landings Resort and Spa, just a stone’s throw away from the hip strip of Rodney Bay Village on the island's northwest coast. The all-suite hotel recently underwent an extensive refresh of its two restaurants, three pools, and 7,000-square-foot spa known for its coconut oil-infused massages. Each of the 85 villas—scattered around the resort’s private marina or fronting Rodney Bay—has two oversize terraces or balconies and full gourmet kitchens, best for stocking up champagne in advance and raising a glass upon arrival.

The 49-room Anse Chastanet sits on a prime slice of southwest real estate. On 600 flowered acres, flanked by two pristine beaches, it remains the only resort in St. Lucia with dead-on views of both the Piti and Gros Piton mountains. Eco-conscious travelers seeking a bit of peace or romance should book the hilltop rooms for their floral murals, top-flight views, and sense of privacy—and spring for a candlelit dinner at the Treehouse restaurant, which sources fresh ingredients from the estate’s organic garden. Whatever you get up to, don't miss snorkeling in the resort’s two crystal-clear bays, home to miles of live coral reefs teeming with tropical fish.

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Ti Kaye was many years in the making for owner Nick Pinnock, who modeled it after a place he'd want to spend a vacation at himself. The result? A clutch of charming cottages built into a hillside, with four-poster beds, open-air garden showers, and spectacular sunset ocean views best taken in from your terrace's own hammock or rocking chairs. Nestled above the secluded Anse Cochon cove and marine reserve, and just minutes from the dark-sand Anse Cochon Beach, Ti Kaye offers total privacy in which to treasure paradise in peace.

Set along 60 acres of northwest coast in Labrelotte Bay, the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort offers fun for the whole family with a raft of recreational amenities, including six outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a spa and health club, and a handful of restaurant and bars. Kids especially love the resort’s large crescent-shaped beach and the nearby Choc Beach and Splash Island Water Park, while parents can revel in its all-inclusive rates, the onsite kids club, and Mediterranean-style one- to five-bedroom hillside villas, all with full kitchens and stunning views of the Caribbean Sea.

This is the place to park your super-yacht. Capella Marigot Bay is a far cry from the historic battleground it once was when the French and English fought for ownership of Saint Lucia back in the 1700s. Now, it attracts artists and filmmakers who've shot movies on property like the 1967 film Doctor Dolittle, for which the Pink Snail Bar is named. Centrally located on the island’s west coast, the laid-back resort is a sought-after marina with unforgettable views of Margot Bay that can be enjoyed from the hotel’s balconies, outdoor Jacuzzis, and canopy beds. If you can peel yourself away from the swim-up bar, the beach is only a two-minute complimentary boat ride across the bay.

“Give us your mind for a week and we’ll give you back your body” touts the pledge of BodyHoliday. It's a tall order, but this all-inclusive, which faces the crescent-shaped stretch of Cariblue Beach, has all the resources to deliver, with a whopping 33 treatment rooms and an army of therapists on hand trained in time-honored body treatments to restore wellness. Stays include a daily 50-minute spa treatment at the Moorish-inspired wellness center along with a myriad of activities to choose from that get you moving, including scuba, sailing, archery, tennis, yoga, pilates, and tai chi. At the very least, indulge in an afternoon nap on one of those swaying hammocks strung between coconut trees. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.

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All that's missing from Boucan, which has all the sweet-toothed splendor of the hit film “Chocolat,” is your own Johnny Depp. From luxury British cocoa grower and chocolatier, Hotel Chocolat, comes this 14-lodge resort and foodie paradise set among the sun-dappled groves of a still-working cocoa plantation. Learn the art of chocolate making with a “Tree to Bar” experience in the shadow of the majestic Pitons, before digging in to sweet and savory meals at the restaurant, where chocolate is the star ingredient of every dish and drink. Cocoa is even the cornerstone of the spa—we suggest getting the reflexology treatment with roast cacao-infused oil, then following it up with a chilled Cacao Bellini.