Checking In: Villa Living at Windjammer Landing, St. Lucia

My son Noah and I are on the edge of a cliff in a white mini van climbing higher and higher into the clouds. I am relieved not to be driving, as I doubt I can maneuver the quick turns and steep hills the way our skilled driver does. Lush green trees line the streets and the palm trees blow in the summer wind as if to wave and welcome us to paradise. We hear cheerful birds singing and one lands on the roof of our car. A few more twists and turns and we arrive at our private secluded cliff side villa at Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia. Noah excitedly runs to unlock our magnificent home complete with a funky terracotta-tiled roof. The view of the Caribbean island is spectacular.

Something tells me we are going to love it here.

Location:

Windjammer Landing has been called one of the ten best resorts in the Caribbean for families and I completely understand why.

Located in the Lesser Antilles of Castries, St.Lucia, it’s part of the Windward Islands. The clear turquoise waters of Labrelotte Bay stretch into the Caribbean Sea and the waves invite guests to take a dip in paradise. The white beachfront stretches 1,000 square feet and offers seclusion and privacy among the hammocks swaying in the wind and enough activities to keep even the most active kids occupied from early morning until late at night.

Dining:

Ah, the island food. There are so many delicious restaurants at Windjammer Landing and if you stay long enough, you will have time to try them all and go back for seconds. We loved the all-inclusive food package but there is also an a la carte option and even a private chef, should your heart (and stomach!) desire this luxury.

You can choose from five authentic restaurants to dine at. We loved eating right on the beach at Embers, a casual eatery. We devoured our crispy French fries and our original vegan sandwich that the chef prepared using fresh veggies, including christophene, a delicious addition to our sandwich that resembled crispy green pepper.

Our favorite dining experience was at Papa Don’s and we went back for multiple tasty dinners. This mountainside terrace has Italian pasta, pizza, salads, fresh baked bread, and even Greek and Mediterranean dishes to choose from. We were joined by some adorable friendly felines who also call Windjammer home. Noah and I were happy to see them and like other guests, fed the island cats when no one was looking!

Other restaurants at Windjammer include the DragonFly that serves Indian and Chinese food family-style; Upper Deck, a romantic restaurant overlooking the beach, and Jammers Beachside Bar and Grill, located right on the beach is the perfect place for lunch or dinner where you can enjoy a Caribbean cocktail with St. Lucia’s Bounty Crystal white rum. Noah loved the unique non-alcoholic specialty drinks and the grilled vegetable pita with hummus.

Also not to be missed is the local banana jam served at the breakfast buffet at the DragonFly every morning!

Insiders Tip:  Make dinner reservations upon arrival if you want the time and restaurant of your choice, especially on the weekend, although the kind staff tries their best to be accommodating.

You can also book day trips from the hotel and should do this early to assure you receive your top choices. We loved the eco tours that allowed us to explore the secrets of St. Lucia. You can go zip lining through the rain forest; visit tropical gardens; take a boat tour; go bird watching; hike on Pigeon Island; and our personal favourite – take a tour of Soufriere including the Sulphur Springs Park to see the dormant volcano and the original Mud Baths!

The Villa:

Guests can select from luxurious ocean view rooms; suites; one, two, three, and four bedroom island villas with a private plunge pool and three or four bedroom Estate villas with private pools. There are fully equipped kitchens, spacious living rooms, Jacuzzi suites, a private sun terrace and deck, ceiling fans, walk in closets, laundry facilities, and deluxe en-suite bathrooms. We loved our cozy bathrobes and quite possibly the best authentic homemade natural Aloe Vera soap we ever used.

Amenities:

Where to begin? There are five swimming pools, a watersports program, a fitness center, and tennis courts. Complimentary activities include sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and snorkeling, visit the website for more details.

There is a huge wooden bin full of sand toys on the beach that children can borrow and return at their leisure. Noah built sandcastles while I relaxed in a hammock. He also played life-sized chess with kids he met from England and together they swam out to a huge trampoline right on the water and jumped around for hours.

For an additional fee you can go scuba diving, have an underwater photography lesson, or go waterskiing, wakeboarding, or kneeboarding, but you will need to stay an extra week to find the time!

This is an Ideal Hotel for:

Families of all sizes, couples, group events, weddings, receptions and any type of celebration! There is even a honeymoon package.

What We Loved:

Snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea and meeting a sea horse and puffer fish was one of the highlights of our trip. We also loved kayaking and couldn’t stop laughing at our inability to properly paddle the boat! There is a ping-pong table on the beach, outside Toppers Ice-Cream Shack (We loved the non-dairy raspberry sorbet!), that we played daily. A few feet away locals sell their unique crafts such as handmade replica turtles that make the perfect gift for friends back home.

The Details:

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort http://www.windjammer-landing.com/

Labrelotte Bay, Castries, St. Lucia

Tel: 1-877-522-0722   Email: reservations@windjammer-landing.com

Need help planning your trip to St.Lucia? Visit http://stlucianow.ca/

The writer was a guest of Windjammer Landing. The hotel did not review or approve this article.

All photos by Miriam Porter.