With its photogenic jungle-draped Pitons and palm-fringed beaches lapped by clear waters, Saint Lucia is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. And although it would be tempting to sit back and soak up these natural charms from a sun lounger (with a strong rum punch in hand), travelers would be remiss not to take part in the Eastern Caribbean island’s options for well-being, too.
Saint Lucia has all the ingredients — and spa resorts — for the ultimate wellness break, from nature-inspired spa treatments to healthful, locally sourced food.
“With more than 1,300 species of wild flowering plants, Saint Lucia is a botanical paradise,” said Lorine Charles-St. Jules, CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA). “You’ll see locally prepared treatments used widely in hotel spas around the island.”
Ti Kaye Resort & Spa features cottages perched above a bay ideal for snorkeling.
Credit: 2022 Ti Kaye Resort & Spa
The SLTA recently launched a collection of healthful recipes created by hotels and independent restaurants on the island; it includes vegan and vegetarian options, as well as cleansing juices.
To celebrate all things wellness, we’ve rounded up four can’t-miss spa resorts on Saint Lucia for clients seeking a holistic mind-body-soul getaway.
There’s a new dining concept at all-inclusive wellness resort BodyHoliday, located on secluded Cariblue Beach at the northern end of the island. The spa’s new I-Tal farm-to-table rainforest restaurant aims to improve health and energy by focusing on the plant-based conscious eating of Rastafarians. Guests can select the ingredients for their meal from the organic garden, then watch it be prepared. (Note: I-Tal is not part of the all-inclusive offering.)
The property includes daily spa treatments and numberous outdoor activities.
Credit: 2022 BodyHolidayBodyHoliday’s tagline boasts “Give us your body for a week, and we'll give you back your mind,” and when every day at the resort includes a spa treatment such as the invigorating Deluxe Coconut & Spice Combo — which uses local organic coconut oil and spices — it’s easy to believe the claim. The sprawling, award-winning spa offers 33 treatment rooms, a thalassotherapy pool, an Ayurvedic temple, yoga decks and a “body science” clinic.
New for this winter, the Joy of Wellness program offers experiences and treatments under themes including Wellness, Movement, Mindfulness, Nature, Balance, Connection and Relaxation. Guests can enjoy everything from a Hawaiian lomi lomi massage, five senses meditation and yoga to kayaking, diving and hiking the Pitons.
Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort cocoons guests among 100 acres of a UNESCO World Heritage Site rainforest, perfectly setting them up for a peaceful wellness retreat. Situated between Gros Piton and Petit Piton on the south side of the island, the hotel features rooms with views of lushly planted gardens and the shimmering Caribbean Sea. Client can pick from cottages with beamed ceilings and four-poster beds, and beachfront bungalows decked out in billowing white fabrics.
Immerse in nature with a treatment at The Rainforest Spa, where gazebos perched on stilts above a forest floor at the foot of Petit Piton make for unique treatment rooms. Natural ingredients from the nearby volcanic springs and fertile cacao plantations enrich treatments such as the Sulphur Indulgence, where an application of mineral-rich volcanic sulphur is followed by lashings of creamy coconut milk. The Caribbean Glow, meanwhile, uses a locally made body scrub that has cinnamon and coconut to gently exfoliate the skin. The finale to a relaxing treatment is a bask in the volcanic spring waters of the on-site Amerindian steam dome.
Formerly Marigot Bay Resort, Zoetry Marigot Bay reopened on Dec. 1 after a slick rebrand as an all-inclusive under the AMR Collection’s wellness-focused Zoetry brand. Lush and luxurious, the resort has forested hills on all but one side, which is taken up by a megayacht-filled marina. Guestrooms fuse traditional dark wood furniture with tropical blues and greens, and many feature plunge pools.
Zoetry Marigot Bay recently reopened as a wellness-focused all-inclusive.
Credit: 2022 Zoetry Marigot Bay
The intimate spa offers just three cabins for treatments, along with a sauna cabana, a steam inhalation room and a plunge pool fed by a refreshing water feature. (Pro tip: Reserve the treetop-style area for a true back-to-nature experience.) If you’re not sure where to begin, start with the Welcome to Zoetry spa package, which includes a foot ritual, sea mud wrap, Swedish massage and facial. Or, try the Citrus Scrub, which exfoliates sun-kissed skin with micronized bitter orange lava and bamboo. If clients enjoy the potions of their pampering, they can try their hand mixing their own scrub or lotion in a special on-site class.
Located on one of the best snorkeling bays on the southwest coast of the island is Ti Kaye Resort & Spa, which offers remote, nature-filled Caribbean-style relaxation for its adults-only crowd. Romantic and rustic cottages come with four-poster beds, open-air showers, double hammocks and plunge pools. The cliff-hanging Kai Koko Spa keeps things fresh with open-air treatment rooms set into the cliffside, views of Anse Cochon and wellness retreats focused on yoga, meditation and exercise in Saint Lucia’s varied terrains.
The island has produced cacao for centuries, as the trees grow well in the rich volcanic soil of the mountain slopes. Locally inspired full-body treats that take advantage of this at Ti Kaye include the Sweet Surrender Chocolate Wrap, which stars local cacao and is paired with a therapeutic head massage. If guests have overdone the sun, there’s also the soothing potassium-rich and hydrating Banana & Aloe Leaf Body Wrap.
