TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums Southern Caribbean St Lucia First Time Advice

We have been to St. Martin 7 times but have heard that we should visit St. Lucia. We have always had a great time on the French side but over time, especially since Irma, we tend to stay half at Simpson Bay and half at Orient Village. We don't like all inclusives so would like to find a neat boutique hotel on St. Lucia. We like a combination of night life and calm. Love beach but also would like a pool. We are open to renting a villa as that is what we have done a lot in Orient. Typically we are half the time on exploring and half time relaxing.

Any overview by St. Lucia experts on where to stay, where to go, what to do, etc. would be great. We would be open to staying half in one location and half in another. Soufriere and Rodney Bay for example???

Your help is appreciated.

I am not a St Lucia expert, but most people who go to St Lucia do a/i. Not many great beaches there either. Best wishes in your search.

St Lucia is very different from St Martin but there are places where you can get night life but then retreat to a calm and peaceful environment afterwards. The liveliest places for tourists are around the Rodney Bay area as you have the beachfront strip and Gros Islet which is very lively on a Friday night. There are a couple of complexes with apartment and villas for rent like The Landings right there but if you really want peace and quiet, rent somewhere in the hills a mile or two inland. Marigot Bay is my favourite on St Lucia but not much night life there. There are some seriously upmarket hotels in the Soufriere region and places to rent but the night life is down in the town and not somewhere I'd be like to be.

Have you considered Grenada? Probably my favourite of the larger, English speaking, islands. A very friendly and welcoming Island. Great beach at Grand Anse and a wide variety of accommodation. I spent several months in Grenada while fixing up a boat and had a great time.

This is helpful! Thank You!

We are first time visitors to St. Lucia and are staying in Choc Bay Area at a nice local place called Villa Beach Cottages, it has a pool and right on the water. There is a Sandals down the beach from here but not much nightlife in the close area but not real far from Rodney bay. We are only here a few days as we came from St Maarten.
Yesterday Colin the owner got us a cab for a day trip to soufriere area and Pitons, we stopped at some local cafes for coffee and rolls, picture taking stops at Marigot, Anse La Ray fishing village, a tour thru there volcano with the boiling water, a waterfall area,a small chocolate shop and then to the Pitons to Ladera resort for a late lunch, the view from there open air restaurant is unbelievable you are hundreds of feet above the rainforest and a view between the Pitons it is amazing. The trip was all day from 8:30 till 4:30 and just the two of us and our driver for $200.00 US excluding the tip plus our lunch and coffees. Haven’t been anywhere else yet. Hope this helps some.

Unless you plan to do a lot of nature stuff, I would suggest the Rodney Bay area. We spend the winter here now, there are loads of bars and restaurants within walking distance. St. Lucia is one island where all inclusive is not what you want to do. Some hotels I would recommend are any of the Bay Gardens property's except Marina Haven, Coco Palm, best breakfast of all the hotels, Harmony Suites is also good although I haven't stayed there personally. These are all a short walk to the beach and near the bus stop. The bus system on the island especially up north, is fantastic; very easy to get around. If you decide on an airbnb make sure it's not up in the hillside.
Harbor Club gets good reviews but is a longer walk to the beaches although there is a bus stop right out in front.
When our friends come to visit we rent a car for a couple days and drive to Soufriere area for the mud baths, waterfalls and tet de Paul trail hike. If you want to climb the Pitons you have to leave very early in the morning to be at the trailhead by 730 at the latest.
Friday night street party is not to be missed, great time.
We had friends come for their first time last month, they usually go to Florida but after just 5 days they booked a month for next year.
To put it in perspective, they stayed last week on Amelia Island near Sarasota and what they are paying for a week there is just about the same as they will pay for a 2 bedroom townhouse in a gated complex with a pool for the month, they will be about 10 minute walk to the beach. We have a huge 2 bedroom 2 1/2 bath apartment huge kitchen, dining area and living room for less than $100 US a day. We are in a residential area and 10 minute walk to the stores, 20 to the beach, all on flat ground.
If you are looking for a high end, don't often leave the resort location some very posh properties around the Soufriere area, Jade Mountain, Sugar Beach, Hotel Chocolate are a few.