Sugar Beach A Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia
Frequently rated as one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world, Saint Lucia was high up on our list of places to visit. This Spring we finally had the chance to come visit and decided to stay at one of the most picturesque and romantic spots on the whole island. Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort is nestled right in between the two famous rock formations (‘Pitons’), and is probably the best location to have a quintessential St. Lucia experience. Even during COVID-19, we were able to enjoy a pretty seamless transition from the mainland busy mindset to the slowed down relaxing schedule, otherwise known as ‘island-time.’
Sugar Beach is located on 100 acres of beach front property and is both adult centered and family friendly. They have two main beaches, one is general and even open to the public for day passes while the other is more private and adults only. The property itself is managed by Viceroy who has a portfolio of luxury locations around the world, providing a peace of mind knowing your every need is going to be taken care of and you will be given the whole Viceroy experience.
We highlight details of our visit on the vlog, but we also want to share additional information below!
BEST TIME TO VISIT Saint LUCIA
Islands in the Caribbean are generally warm and tropical throughout the year, so you can expect to get a lot of sunshine and warmth no matter when you go. That said, things to consider are:
· High Season coincides with their dry season and with revolves around European/US holidays in Mid December-Mid April. This is when you will find the highest rates and most limited availability. Weather is slightly cooler during this time.
· Low Season falls from June-November. Also known as hurricane season in the region. But that does not mean hurricanes all the time, just something to keep in mind. It does mean lower rates and much less crowds, though.
· Shoulder Season is probably the most desirable time to visit Saint Lucia. This runs from Mid April – May and also from November - Mid December. You will find desirable weather and not too many crowds!
TRAVELING DURING COVID
With COVID travel being what it is, we were surprised at how simple the process was to enter St. Lucia. At time of writing (May 2021) the testing time frame is to be completed within 5 days of arrival on island. This was nice because it allowed us to have the time to get tested for free. (Free tests are available in many different states in the USA but results can take anywhere from 2-3 days. Check your local state websites and facilites for more details).
Once you get the negative test results, you just have to apply for travel authorization on the St. Lucia tourism website. It is very simple and is at no additional cost. Authorization is quick (less than 24 hours) and then we just made sure to print out the required documents for our airline. We just had to have or negative test documents and travel authorization paper documents in hand.
Upon departure, with the new testing requirements for re-entering the US and Canada, St. Lucia now also offering tests onsite at their resorts, so you don’t even have to leave the resort to have everything ready for your flight back.
NOTE: Currently the island is separated into 2 regions:
Those open to all tourists / arrivals (areas such as the popular resort and touristic areas with proper safety standards) where you can enter directly with no quarantine necessary
Local regions for more native residents where you do have to quarantine to upon entering and cannot freely travel upon arrival.
This proved to be no issue for us as we were shuttled right over to Sugar beach, but if you had planned to stop at a local town and do some shopping or rent your own AirBnB, this may be something to research further.
AIRPORT TRANSFER / ARRIVAL
Sugar Beach is about 1 hour’s drive from the UVF Airport. Due to current COVID guidelines, we were required to take a certified taxi to the resort. As they are trying to keep the locals separate from tourists due to the virus, we were unable to stop at any of the fruit stands along the way. No need to worry about renting a car, Sugar Beach has an onsite concierge that can easily help arrange any activities you may want to schedule off site, but to be honest, there is quite a bit to do on resort and you may not find the need to leave the resort. However, should you want to discover other parts of the island, the resort can arrange that for you.
SERVICE
Located on the hillside of this incredible island, the resort offers 79 guest rooms rooms, though with all the space of their 100 acre property it still feels like an intimate boutique hotel. All of rooms include private butler service and drivers upon request around the resort (though there also seemed to be a constant flow of vans zipping guests around the resort). Walking is possible, but due to the hilly nature of the location, we ended up taking the shuttle service mostly everywhere.
We were provided a small cell phone with direct line to our butler should, in the event we needed anything, we always had direct contact. We used this to coordinate a ride to any part of the resort whenever we needed it and set up any activities such as spa or water sports. Our butlers were fantastic and were able to provide everything we asked for. Everywhere we went, staff were wearing masks (and guests too 😉) so we also felt very safe. The breakfast servers were our favorites, they remembered our meal every time and by the last day were even anticipating our needs so had our whole order ready for us before we even sat down!
ACCOMMODATION
There are several different types of accommodation ranging from private villas with plunge pools to full on vacation homes with multiple levels and incredible views. Some of these sites on property are actually privately owned and rented out. To give you an idea of the type of luxury we are talking, some of these homes recently sold for over $10M USD. The views are incredible, and the villas are all located along the mountainside with gorgeous views looking out into the sunset and of course butler services. Here are a few of the different types:
Luxury Guest-rooms
Including a walled garden and private plunge pool, these guest-rooms come with stunning views of the Gros Pitons and Lily Pond.
Luxury Villas
Tucked away into the lush jungles of St. Lucia, the Luxury Villas are spacious and have beautiful ocean views. For us, we stayed in the Luxury Cottage and loved it. We were one of the highest on the property so had a beautiful view of the “grand” piton, but also enjoyed the privacy of our own jungle hideaway. Our plunge pool was facing the pitons with a nice little patio perfect for taking a breakfast in the room or peacefully relaxing to the sounds of tropical birds chirping . It also included an outdoor shower lounge area outside, and sunbathing chairs.
Luxury Beachfront Bungalows
These are exactly what they sound like – luxury beachfront rooms with spacious high ceilings and perfect views of the ocean. You can step right out onto the sand and wake up to the sounds of ocean waves. These come with a private outdoor jacuzzi, courtyard and hammock as well as the closest proximity to all of the resorts dining experiences.
The Residences
With enough space to accommodate families, the Residences come with fully fitted kitchens and beautiful pool accommodations. Depending on the location, you can chose between beach or ocean views. The residences are decorated with a deep sophisticated look with tones of dark wood, deep sapphire blue pools, and chic elegance.
Beachfront Collection
The top of the top, these homes are as luxury as it gets. Located directly on the beach with unobstructed sunset views, it is tough to beat. They are large enough for a family or group of friends to stay, these range anywhere from 2-4 bedrooms and can include 2 levels with full kitchen and outdoor grill. They have multiple living spaces and basically provide you a home away from home in paradise. Butler service is included with these as well, and even though you have a full kitchen, there is also access to the on-site restaurants or option to have your own personal chef. The beach front cottages have a very airy and light feel to them, similar to that of the Mediterranean with a lot of tones of whites and creams and soft blues.
AMENITIES
There is no shortage of things to do around the property. You could easily spend a week here and not run out of new activities to try and places to explore!
Pools
Aside from private plunge pools provided at most of the residences, the Sugar Beach Resort also includes a massive pool at the foot of one of the iconic pitons. It is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon lounging and soaking in the rays next to one of the worlds most famous mountains. It’s large enough to have space to spread out with plush beach loungers and cabanas, so even with multiple guests around, it still feel very remote and peaceful.
Beach
With some of the finest and brightest white sand on the island, Sugar Beach lives up to its name. The views are unmatched due to both Pitons flanking the secluded bay. We have never seen anything like it with the views unparalleled. It really felt like a secret cove. Dotted with loungers under thatched cabanas, and even some hanging day beds, the main beach also includes a water-sports area with anything from sailing to kayaking to even scuba diving. We personally enjoyed the paddle boards on a sunny morning 😊
The other beach on site is the south pier location, which is adults only. This sections was clearly more peaceful and romantic. Our favorite part about this section of the resort was the hanging nets off the side of the dock. Easily the best views on property, these nooks were a guest favorite during sunsets! So be sure to come at least one hour before sunset to claim your spot!
Water Sports
In addition to enjoying the calm lapping waves on the sand, you can jump into some water activities they have on offer. Including stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, wind surfing, Hobie Cat, scuba diving, snorkeling, motor boating activities, and even whale watching, there is quite a bit to experience! We enjoyed the paddle boarding on the sapphire blue water for an afternoon with one of their new clear lucid stand up paddle boards.
Fitness
Outfitted with state of the art fitness machines, the workout center is easy to access and will fulfill any workout regiment you may be seeking. They also have full size tennis courts, yoga classes, or personal trainer on offer.
St. Lucia Rainforest Spa
A truly unforgettable experience! Walking through the entrance to the spa is a transformation in itself. You walk down this long thatched tunnel that seemingly transports you to another place completely amongst the rainforests and jungles of St. Lucia. After signing in, you are led to the changing room and then the massage room. What was unique about this whole experience was the wooden ‘nest’ looking buildings they had built into the tree tops, connected by seemingly floating wooden pathways over the jungle floor. It felt like we were in a completely different place, and we loved the overall experience. We can also say with confidence that our masseuses were some of the best we have experienced.
Romance
As we mentioned St. Lucia is known to be one of the most romantic places in the whole world. It’s ideal for a proposal, honeymoon, wedding. or couples getaway. They have a team who can help orchestrate any special event ranging from private romantic dinner on the beach, to couples spa day, to a private sunset boat tour, and even a full scale wedding ceremony. Depending on the size and scale, there is a team who can help to plan every detail to make your special day as memorable and romantic as possible.
MEALS
The secluded Sugar Beach Viceroy property provides more than enough dining options to keep you satisfied when it comes to meal time. Their main eatery Bayside Restaurant offers a variety of items from Caribbean specialties to international fare including pizzas, sandwiches and grilled seafood. We ate most of our dinners at this location. For more of an upscale experience, you can check out Great Room Restaurant with fixed menus and luxury dining experience. The Terrace Restaurant is where we enjoyed our breakfasts and included incredible views of the bay and lily pond. They also have a grab-and-go café called Boopa’s that serves fresh salads and baked goods along with typical café drinks such as coffee, tea and smoothies. And if you are looking for the ideal spot for a sundowner, Sugar Beach is home to two bars the Jalousie Bar and Cane Bar, each with its own style and flare. Of course, if you are just feeling like taking it easy and eating in, room service is always an option!
While you are here, don’t forget to try the fresh island plantains! You can special request them to be grilled as we did (versus more traditional fried) and eat them as a side dish to any meal. We tried them the first night and then got them every night afterwards because they were so good. Also, don’t miss out on some of the fresh tropical fruits and juices. If you like fresh coconut, you can make a special request for this and even have it straight from the coconut. The servers were very attentive to our dietary restrictions, and if you give them a little heads up, they can make almost any request possible!
Spending time in the secluded paradise of Sugar Beach Viceroy, we felt rejuvenated and fortunate to experience one of the most romantic locations in the world. If you are looking for a remote honeymoon getaway or even just a peaceful vacation spot in St Lucia, look no further than Sugar Beach.
Have you been to Sugar Beach? How did you like it? Let us know in the comments!