Getting to know an exquisite Saint Lucian escape
Getting to know The Landings Resort and Spa is a hard job, but someone’s got to do it – this long-standing Saint Lucian destination has had over a decade to perfect the guest experience, as Madeleine Barber discovers
Anna Delvey, eat your heart out. Arriving at The Landings Resort and Spa by private helicopter to a three-bedroom Villa Suite for one felt like Saint Lucia’s most glitzy, exclusive experience – something the star of the popular Netflix series about that fake heiress would have felt very at home with.
The chopper is also a practical option, cutting the Hewanorra International airport transfer time from 90 to 35 minutes, plus it helps guests get their bearings with a bird’s-eye view of the island’s luscious terrain. And given the trend for larger group sizes these days, those three- bedroom villa suites are perfect, as they are the resort’s largest accommodation option (the smallest being a one-bedroom villa suite).
My gigantic ground-floor option came with a fully equipped kitchen and plush lounge area, extensive outdoor terrace and a private plunge pool that I immediately dunked myself into with a welcome platter of tropical fruits in hand and yachts pootling in and out of the marina in view. The marina is at the heart of The Landings, with the majority of villa suites overlooking the turquoise lagoon, but guests seeking the sights and sounds of the sea can also opt for the beachfront villa suites offering far-reaching views of Rodney Bay.
This beachfront is where aquaphiles can make the most of unlimited time with kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkelling gear, as non-motorised watersports are included in the price of a stay, or they can enjoy one of four swimming pools, getting active with aqua-aerobics and just chilling out with a captivating read.
Good to know
- All Ocean View and Beachfront Villa Suites come with dedicated butler service.
- Breakfast is included in all room rates, but most guests choose the all-inclusive option.
- The kids’ club is open from 9am-5pm offering arts, crafts and educational activities for children aged 4-12 years old. Babysitting is also available.
- The Coffee Shop, in The Landings’ lobby, is perfect for a grab ’n’ go breakfast, mid-morning caffeine fix or afternoon snack.
- The Landings is developing a stargazing activity with an astronomy expert.
- Selected rooms and the spa at The Landings are wheelchair-friendly.
- Spinnakers Beach Bar in Rodney Bay is a top lunch spot for fresh seafood and classic British dishes with a Caribbean twist served in a rustic setting.
- Combine the Project Chocolat Bean to Bar experience with a visit to nearby Sulphur Springs, where visitors can treat their skin to a volcanic mud mask.
Come Saturday evenings, the beach becomes a place to party with an assorted barbecue spread and evening entertainment such as flame throwing and local bands put on by waterfront restaurant, The Beach Club. During my night on the beach, a mixologist kept my attention away from the moreish food long enough to learn how to blend a tangy sangria and classic Caribbean rum punch during a group cocktail-making class.
A little way along The Landings’ private sugar-white sandy beach is Callaloo Beach Bar and Grill, which is where, given the choice, I would spend all my future lunchtimes sipping tipples from its generous cocktail menu and snacking on Saint Lucia’s local delicacies of breadfruit and saltfish (much tastier than it sounds!). The fact diners sit at picnic tables with their toes in the sand while they eat and listen to local tunes on the sound system means Callaloo is the spot to soak up laid-back Caribbean vibes.
These beachfront eateries are two of The Landings’ trio of restaurants, with the third, The Palms, tucked beside the marina providing a more upscale alfresco dinner setting illuminated from dusk only by candlelight and lanterns, with food worthy of a Michelin star.
If your clients are as much of a foodie as I am, it’s worth mentioning culinary experiences at The Landings don’t stop at the resort gates. One possible excursion is to Project Chocolat at Rabot Estate, where visitors can enter the Unesco-listed rainforest and follow the journey of a cocoa bean, from tree to bar, and even make their own bar to take home. The highlight of this experience for me was lunch on the estate – cacao-infused mac and cheese, white chocolate mash or cacao ice cream, anyone?
No luxury resort is complete without a spa, and the spa is one of The Landings’ most proud creations. At 70,000 square feet it holds a Health Club, beauty salon and a handful of treatment rooms, some of which have outdoor hydrotherapy terraces. My treatment had me scrubbed from head to toe and feeling as silky smooth as a baby for days afterwards.
Clients seeking an extra special experience are sure to enjoy the resort’s sunset catamaran cruise. Heading out into Rodney Bay and beyond, cruisers will be waited on hand and foot with drinks of their choice (mine’s a rum punch, always) and expertly prepared canapes while they soak up the last of the day’s Caribbean rays.
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Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
