For many of us a long-haul holiday is a such special treat. We want good value, in an awesome destination, satisfying our personal preferences, with great service, delivered by well trained, professional staff. We want to have a memorable and enjoyable holiday. For my money, Sandals Saint Lucia ticks those boxes.

I rate Sandals Resorts highly for a few personal reasons: The Sandals Resorts are ‘Adults Only’. They are ‘All-Inclusive’, so no nasty bills at the end. They are set in stunning locations, amongst some of the Caribbean’s most sought-after islands.

The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of Halcyon is: ‘Peaceful and Happy’. Welcome to Sandals Halcyon Beach on the idyllic Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. This is an ideal haven for that romantic beach holiday.

Saint Lucia

The island of St Lucia is an Eastern Caribbean island home to gorgeous beaches, thick rainforest, reef-diving sites, lush landscapes, amazing wildlife and idyllic fishing villages. St Lucia is home to the symbolic, volcanic Piton cones. A pair of dramatically tapered mountains in the south west corner of the island.

Apart from the natural beauty and lovely beaches; the friendly and hospitable locals make this island so appealing, you can expect a warm welcome wherever you travel on the island. St Lucia is home to many luxury hotels and resorts and the Sandals Halcyon Beach is one of three Sandals resorts on the island.

About Sandals

Founded by Jamaican-born, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, the Sandals brand is credited with creating the ‘All-Inclusive’ concept back in 1981. Butch has successfully established a chain of resorts across the Caribbean. Currently, Sandals Resorts International has 16 properties throughout the Caribbean islands of Jamaica, The Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Turks & Caicos and Barbados.

The Sandals Halcyon Beach is the most laid-back of St. Lucia’s three Sandals resorts, offering you a personalized and peaceful stay in paradise. The Halcyon Beach Resort has been positioned amongst the St. Lucia’s verdant landscape, with no building higher than the tallest palm. It’s a stunning resort.

As a guest at Halcyon Beach you can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service to the other Sandals resorts of: Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort and Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa. The Sandals’ exclusive ‘exchange program’ allows you enjoy the dining and recreation options across all three resorts.

However, with two pools, a glorious beach, six restaurants and the on-site Red Lane Spa, there’s really no need to leave the Halcyon Beach Resort apart from exploring the island.

 

Restaurants

Mario’s Restaurant – The taste of Italy, particularly the Lombardi Region, influences the delicious cuisine that you will tuck into at this impressive restaurant.

Bayside Restaurant – Discover awesome international cuisine at this ‘double act’. By day this restaurant offers a buffet-style breakfast and lunch. By night, enjoy a candlelit dinner, as the Bayside transforms into an exquisite a la carte French Brasserie.

Soy Sushi Bar – I absolutely love sushi, so I could genuinely eat here the entire holiday. It’s a great little restaurant, skilfully decorated with fine attention to detail. But it’s the delicious dishes, that leave the skilful hands of these great chefs, that is what makes Soy Sushi Bar so impressive. Simply delicious.

The Beach Bistro – This is an exquisite seafront restaurant and bar offering stunning views and delightful cuisine.

Kimonos – If you love the exotic cuisines of the Far East, Kimonos offers you a Teppanyaki cooking style, that is delightful.

The Pier 81 Seaside Bar and Grill – is the place to head for a taste of Creole cookery and a view to die for.

Kelly’s Dockside Bar and Grill – Head to Kelly’s for a classic Caribbean dinner. Ideally located with awesome views out to sea, Kelly’s serves up scrumptious fresh seafood dishes.

 

Accommodation

Sandals have a large room selection with many room categories to choose from. The ‘Lead in Room’ is the luxurious ‘Halcyon Hideaway Deluxe Room’. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, this delightful room is comfortable, well-appointed and has a comfortable king-sized bed.

If you are not restrained by your budget, consider the height of luxury, indulgence and pampering with a romantic ‘Beachfront Crystal Lagoon Swim-up Butler Room’ with a Patio Tranquillity Soaking Tub. Set amongst a tropical garden paradise, just a few steps from the beach, with swim-up access from your patio

The master bedroom is huge with a king-sized bed and the most lavish spa-style bathroom with a luxurious soaking tub and huge walk-in shower, it’s amazing.

Apart from the services of your own personal butler, you can kick-back and enjoy the contents of your fully-stocked mini-bar and off-course there is also 24-hour room service if you are feeling peckish.

Activities

The Sandals Halcyon Beach include a variety of sports and facilities to keep your active side entertained. With tennis courts, beach volleyball, Championship Golf and state of the art fitness centres with the latest equipment and qualified instructors.

The resort offers unlimited motorised water sports and complimentary instruction. Try your hand at Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Windsurfing, Canoeing, Kayaking or sail away on a Hobie Cat.

Saint Lucia Weather

St Lucia is located close to the equator and therefore there is very little variation in terms of temperature between the seasons, its hot and sunny all-year round. The rains can occur throughout the year especially in the form of downpours or thunderstorms, but generally the showers do not last long, so most days you will still have lots of sunshine.

The island’s weather is best described as the ‘dry season’ and the ’wet season’. The dry season falls between December and June and the wet season between July and November. The peak season on Saint Lucia runs from mid-December through to April. In these months you can expect accommodation rates to be significantly higher, but the weather is usually at its best.

You can often secure great deals during the wet season, but it’s stickier and wetter. Also bear in mind that the hurricane season runs from June to November, with September and October statistically the likeliest months to experience major storms.

Where to go

The big decision when planning a holiday to St Lucia is whether to base yourself in the north or the south of the island. The north, which includes; the capital Castries and Rodney Bay area are busier and more developed. In the north, you will find the best golden beaches and a far greater choice of restaurants and bars. Sandals Halcyon Beach is located on the north west of the island.

The south, and specifically the south west where the Pitons are located, is much more scenic and tranquil with fantastic accommodation options and stunning scenery. However, the beaches are mostly of dark volcanic sand in the south.

It’s easy to commute around the island so I would recommend doing some day-trips either by boat or road. Also, you may well consider a twin-centre holiday if you have the time.

Flights to St Lucia

With direct flights from London Gatwick to Saint Lucia taking just under 9 hours this Caribbean paradise is an awesome holiday destination. Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic offer direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport. I prefer flying with Virgin, I personally find the service is sleeker, the crew more professional and overall, I think Virgin offers much better customer service.

In Conclusion

Described as: “A true Garden of Eden by the Sea”. The Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort on Saint Lucia certainly ticks the boxes for me. The staff are well trained and the service at the resort is fantastic. The accommodation is heavenly, the restaurants superb and the quality and variety of food outstanding.

You can get some great deals, May is a good month to travel and often has good offers. If you prepared to risk the weather (possibility of storms and even a hurricane) September and October are often discounted.

Whether you are planning a romantic holiday break, a honeymoon holiday or planning a wedding; St Lucia is an awesome holiday destination.

 

Awesome@Travel