New Hotels, Active Travel Options in St. Lucia

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort has added four new North Pointe Villas. Shown is the living room of one of the villas.
Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort has added four new North Pointe Villas. Shown is the living room of one of the villas.

From new hiking trails for your active clients to new villas for those who want to chill out to voluntourism opportunities, a lot is happening on the St. Lucia tourism scene. Here’s a look at these additions and more.

New Luxury Villas at Windjammer Landing

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort on the north coast of St. Lucia has completed the first phase of its expansion project, including the addition of four new luxury North Pointe Villas. The villas — available for vacation accommodations as well as shared ownership — are part of a $33 million expansion project at the resort that included a major beach enlargement and the creation of The Spa at Windjammer Landing.

In addition, the resort has embarked on a $9 million renovation project upgrading the existing room categories that will include new fixtures and furniture. Many units are also receiving updated kitchens and bathrooms. The first three pairs of Ocean View Rooms have been converted to spacious one-bedroom Ocean Villas.

The North Pointe Villas are the first of 26 luxury villas to be built and are available as upper or ground level units. The latter have outdoor showers, outdoor living spaces and infinity edge pools, while the upper level villas offer outdoor kitchens and dining areas in a rooftop terrace with a sun deck and individual rooftop pools that appear to flow into the ocean.

The interior aesthetic of each villa is contemporary. Furnishings sport a Caribbean-style, easy living flair. The texture of natural wood contrasts with limestone floors, white walls and natural shell stone bordering the exterior spaces. These are accented by tropical shades reflected in the artwork by local artists.

As a part of its expansion project, the resort added 16,000 square feet of beachfront, which included 4,000 tons of sand, three in-water hammocks, 30 coconut palm trees, 30 frontal palm trees and more than 1,400 new plants and other flora. New tiki huts replaced older versions, 20 sunshade umbrellas were added, and sea-turtle-safe, amber-colored lights were installed on the beach to prevent baby turtles from being confused by bright lights after hatching.

Less than a year old, The Spa at Windjammer Landing offers 5,200 square feet of space. Adjacent to The Spa, a fully equipped, 1,500-square-foot modern fitness center features Cybex and Life Fitness equipment, including elliptical machines, treadmills, stationary bikes and more, as well as free weights. A separate exercise studio and outdoor yoga deck provide the setting for a variety of classes, including core conditioning and plyometric-inspired circuit training.

Windjammer Landing has also made enhancements to its popular dining areas, including expanding Embers Beach Bar, covering additional areas of Jammer’s Restaurant and Bar and increasing the patio seating area in Dragonfly.

The resort is 32 miles from Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) and five miles from George F L Charles Airport (SLU). Sample flight times from major cities include three-and-a-half hours from Miami, four hours from New York and about five hours from Toronto.

Anse Chastanet has expanded its hiking trails with the newest addition — The Piton View Trail.
Anse Chastanet has expanded its hiking trails with the newest addition — The Piton View Trail.

New Hiking Trail and More At Anse Chastanet

For clients looking for some soft adventure, luxury hotel Anse Chastanet has expanded its hiking trails with the newest addition — The Piton View Trail. Clients can enjoy a scenic hike to the top of Morne Chastanet overlooking the iconic Pitons and the Caribbean Sea. This 15- to 20-minute excursion offers clients the chance to explore the steep side of the trail and see layers of million-year-old rocks that have risen from the seabed due to volcanic activity.

There are also benches along the trail for guests to stop and take in the views, as well as watch the variety of birds in the area such as hawks, pigeons, hummingbirds and more.

With 2,000 cocoa trees on the resort estates, including the organic farm Emerald in the Soufriere Hills, travelers can elevate their senses with sweet experiences at Anse Chastanet and its sister hotel, Jade Mountain. Emerald Farm, which features guided tours to learn about the history of cocoa and chocolate making, now offers a “Plant a Cocoa Tree” program for the guests as part of the resorts’ chocolate-inspired offerings.

Jade Mountain is also giving guests the opportunity to stay fit and get centered in the comfort of their own room. The luxury resort will provide active clients with complimentary yoga mats and weights in their rooms so they can work out and/or do yoga at their leisure.

Anse Chastanet’s Premium Hillside rooms offer views of St. Lucia’s Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the surrounding Caribbean Sea.
Anse Chastanet’s Premium Hillside rooms offer views of St. Lucia’s Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the surrounding Caribbean Sea.

Underwater “Selfies,” Anyone?

Scuba St. Lucia at Anse Chastanet has partnered with Sealife Cameras, a manufacturer of underwater cameras and accessories for underwater photography, and will open a retail center on property. The cameras will also be available for rental and testing, providing clients looking to take that perfect Instagram pic with the opportunity to capture shots of the beautiful underworld and snap underwater “selfies” during their diving experience.

For guests interested in voluntourism opportunities, Scuba St. Lucia has implemented an underwater coral nursery, allowing clients to get involved with the upkeep, preservation and replenishment of corals.

Updates From Sunswept

Sunswept Resorts in St. Lucia reports that the BodyHoliday is set to launch its first-ever sailing program this spring with the purchase of two new G-Force X-Treme 26 high-performance yachts. The resort, which completed a $20 refurbishment over the winter, is also reprising its monthly fitness themes, including Jive-June, WellFit Families (July-August), September Solos, October Yoga and Pre-Christmas Restorative Break. Sister property Rendezvous, a couples-only resort, recently underwent a $12.5 million facelift that included significant interior design updates and a new à la carte beachside restaurant, Malabar.