How to Choose the Best Sandals Resort in St Lucia

St Lucia is a lush and beautiful island located in the Eastern Caribbean. It is well known for the majestic Piton Mountains, the drive-in volcano, the cascading waterfalls, the tropical rainforests and the beautiful white sand beaches. St Lucia is often referred to the Hawaii of the Caribbean and rightly so. The island is a very popular vacation destination and Sandals offers 3 resorts to choose from. Our mission is to help you choose which of the 3 is the best sandals resort in St Lucia for you!

Disclaimer: We were guests of Sandals as part of a FAM trip for Travel Agencies. We toured all the St Lucia resorts to ensure we could offer quality advice to our customers.

Choosing the best Sandals Resort in St Lucia

Here are some important comparisons of the 3 Sandals resorts in St Lucia, including our personal preferences and observations. Picking a resort that suits your needs is something we feel really makes or breaks a vacation; so we focus on that when we help you book a resort through our agency.

Highlights of each resort

If you want the biggest Sandals Resort on St Lucia

Then pick the Grande St Lucian. The Grande is, just as the name implies, grand. Offering the most restaurants, the most activities and the most night life. There is always something going on at the Grande, from the pool bars to the games on the beach. Perfect for the energetic travelers that want constant activities and entertainment.

If I was traveling to St Lucia with other couples or a group, I would definitely choose the Grande. It is also a very romantic resort, however the atmosphere, in my opinion, would be more suited for groups wanting to have fun.

If you want the smallest and most intimate Sandals Resort on St Lucia

Then pick Halcyon. This resort is a true garden of eden located on a tranquil sea. In my opinion, this resort is made for lovers. The intimate setting provides the perfect opportunity to reconnect and fall in love all over again. The relaxed vibe and personal attention make Halcyon one of my favorites in the Sandals collection.

The main pool with swim up bar on the beach side still provides music, entertainment and fun. As well as the Mirage Theater in the evenings. However, the atmosphere is centered around those peaceful moments of relaxation and rejuvenation. The flat grounds are also perfect for those physically challenged.

If you want a bit of both at your St Lucia Sandals

Then pick Regency La Toc. This resort is located on a hillside offering some of the best views of the water and a golf course on site. The spacious layout feels as if there are 3 resorts in one. The Emerald Village is located on the beach and adjacent to the golf course on site. The Honeymoon Hideaway Village and Piton Oceanview Village are a little further up the hill offering a variety of rooms and an elevated view. However, even further up the hill is the Sunset Oceanview Bluff Village offering expansive and breathtaking views.

Each of the villages offers a pool with swim up bar, a variety of restaurants and a unique vibe. Guests have full access to all areas providing a variety of options within the same resort.

Exclusive Resort Exchange

Sandals exclusive ‘Stay at One, Play at All’ exchange program means you can stay at one Sandals resort in St Lucia and enjoy the amenities and services at all 3 (including all 27 restaurants). Roundtrip transportation between the resorts is included as well. This gives guests the perfect opportunity to experience all of the resorts.

Currently (at the time of publication) this service is not available due to COVID restrictions on the island. Feel free to contact our agency at any time for updates and information. In the meantime split stays are still available between resorts and we are happy to assist you with this type of booking. With a split stay booking you may split your number of nights between the resorts in order to experience two or more. For example, 2-3 nights at each resort within one visit to the island. Transportation for this type of stay is provided.

Information for Foodies: Dining at Sandals Resorts on St Lucia

There are a total of 27 restaurant options at the Sandals resorts in St Lucia with 12 of them located at the Grande St Lucian. Beach bistros, where you may dine with your toes in the sand, and pizzerias, pubs and hot dog stands for snacks and late night dining. There are also cuisines offered from all over the world including Japanese, French, Mediterranean, Italian and Indian. In the evenings, many of the restaurants offer upscale dining options and white glove service.

With Sandals all of the dining is unlimited and all included.

Sandals Grande St Lucian

• Barefoot by the Sea (seafood)
• Bayside (International cuisine and French Brasserie for dinner)
• Bombay Club (Indian cuisine)
• Dino’s (pizzeria)
• Gordon’s on the Pier (grilled specialities)
• The Jerk Shack (authentic Jamaican jerk specialities)
• Josephine’s Creperie (smoothies and crepes)
• Kimonos (Japanese Teppanyaki)
• Mariner Seaside Bar and Grill (beach grill)
• Olde London Pub (British gastro pub cuisine)
• Soy (sushi)
• Toscanini’s Restaurant (Italian)
• Doggies (hot dog stand)

Sandals Halcyon Beach

• Beach Bistro (beach grill)
• Bayside (International cuisine and French Brasserie)
• Kelly’s Dockside (A la Carte dining experience)
• Kimonos (Japanese Teppanyaki)
• Soy (sushi)
• Mario’s (Italian)

Sandals Regency La Toc

• Armando’s (Italian)
• Cricketer’s Pub (British pub cuisine)
• Kimonos (Japanese Teppanyaki)
• La Toc (French cuisine)
• Neptune’s (Mediterranean cuisine)
• Pitons (St Lucian influenced cuisine)
• Bella Napoli (pizzeria)
• Soy (sushi)
• The Pavilion (International cuisine)

Pros & cons of each resort

Sandals resorts are all inclusive and adult only. They all include 5-star gourmet dining, unlimited premium liquors, stocked bars in every room, a vast selection of water sports including PADI-Certified scuba diving and a wide variety of land sports. Tips, taxes, gratuities and airport transfers are also included with your stay.

Sandals even offers free weddings with a stay of 3 nights or longer. Even though all of the resorts provide a standard level or service, each resort is uniquely different. By visiting each of the resorts in person we are able to assist you in choosing the perfect one for your vacation. Our Sandals planner will help us match you with the perfect resort.

Sandals Grande St Lucian

Pros

• A lively and energetic atmosphere located on its own peninsula.
• 19 room categories to choose from including over-the-water bungalows.

Cons

• Very lively and energetic. Night life sometimes extends late into the evening. Depending on your preference this can be a nuisance.

Sandals Halcyon Beach

Pros

• A true Garden of Eden hidden in the naturally beautiful landscape of St Lucia.
• A small and intimate resort where guests can experience true personal service.

Cons

• Limited number of restaurants and room categories to choose from.

Sandals Regency La Toc

Pros

• Tremendous variety of room types to choose from (23 categories) including the Sunset Oceanview Bluff Millionaire Butler Villa with Private pool sanctuary – the epitome of luxury.
• Sophisticated yet fun atmosphere.

Cons

• Located on a dramatic hillside the elevation can be challenging from one area of the resort to another.

Pricing

All rooms and suites are divided into three room categories – luxury, club and butler. Within these 3 categories there are multiple room types to choose from. Luxury rooms are entry level rooms, club level rooms come with room service and an upgraded in room bar and butler level suites come with personalized butler service.

Throughout the year Sandals offers promotions, discounts and incentives. We constantly stay up to date in order to provide you with the best pricing and options. Firefighters, Military and Police receive 10% off year round and couples receive their 7th night free if traveling within 30 days of their anniversary.

Excursions on St Lucia

There are lots of excursion options on St Lucia. We can add them to your reservation when you book if you have something specific in mind. Two of our top picks are the helicopter ride over the Pitons, and a the Speed boat excursion which stops at the volcanic mud baths and includes snorkelling too!

Speed Boat Tour

The speed boat tour is one of my favorite excursions with Island Routes on St Lucia. We started the day with a speed boat ride down the west coast. The views of the famous Pitons from the water was amazing (and the Piton Beer made it even better). We arrived in Soufriere Harbor where we docked and took a bus to the famous drive-in volcano. We covered ourselves in volcanic clay and then soaked in the hot mineral springs.

From there we visited the Toraille Waterfalls, where we rinsed off and refreshed in the very cold and beautiful waterfall. We then boarded the speedboat and took off to Anse Cochon for snorkeling. After that we enjoyed a traditional lunch in Marigot Bay. The ride back was full of rum punch, music and lots of laughter and dancing!

Helicopter Ride around the Pitons

The transfer from the international airport (UVF) to any of the Sandals resorts is 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on traffic. One option to avoid this is to choose the helicopter transfer. After arriving at the international airport and clearing customs and immigration, you are taken to the helipad. There you are flown to the smaller airport (SLU) which is just minutes away from the resorts. Transportation by car is then provided to the resort.

The experience was one of the most breathtaking of my life and one I highly recommend. The expansive views of the Pitons, the banana plantations, the small towns and the sea are unparalleled. You can choose this option for arrival, departure or roundtrip. The price is $205 per person one way.

You may also charter helicopter sightseeing tours of the island during your stay.

How to Choose the Best Sandals Resort in St Lucia

One thing to remember is that there is no wrong choice when choosing a Sandals resort in St Lucia. All three of them include the Sandals level of service and commitment that has made them the number one all inclusive resort in the world for the past 25 years. However, each of them offers something different. We have visited all three of the resorts, therefore we are uniquely positioned to help you choose which location is best for you. Whether it’s your wedding, honeymoon, anniversary or vacation we will match you to the one to make your dreams a reality.

Let us help you plan your couples trip to St Lucia,
with our full service Travel Agency!

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