If you are thinking about a Caribbean vacation, St. Lucia is no doubt on your radar. It is a tropical island with mountains, rain forests, rivers, volcanoes, fascinating sailing, diving, water activities and, of course, lots to do and see on land. St. Lucia holidays can be full of adventure – from hiking, mountain climbing, river running, forest trekking, soaking in waterfalls, sightseeing and driving to the world’s only drive-in sulphur springs and volcano.
It has many great beaches and many beach resorts and hotels, offering their world-renowned all-inclusive packages. They cater to the majority of tourists who like to be seen and who enjoy the glamour of travel. They like the buffets, set meals and organized action-packed St. Lucia holidays. But, as Poinsettia guests know, that is not for everyone.
If you are a traveller who does not care for the tour packages or for the buffet food and set dinners, there is another St. Lucia. That St. Lucia is what this page is all about.
There are those who are more content to be a little more independent and who prefer the quiet elegance of space and time. These are travellers who don’t holiday to be seen and are not attracted by the glamour of travel. They prefer to step out of the crowd. They prefer to sit quietly and watch the day and evenings unfold from the comfort of their own place. Above all, these discerning travellers enjoy space, nature and understated.
For the sophisticated and affluent traveller, St. Lucia has many top-class hotels that are perfect for indulging the senses and living in luxury.
There is, for example, Jade Mountain going at 1500 $ US a night. Here too is Sugar Beach and Ladera at the foot of the magnificent Pitons, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here too are the Luxury Villa Resorts which we include in our page on St. Lucia Villas. Many of the guests of these most exclusive resorts live on the estate and seldom venture farther afield. The area sort of an enclave that is beautifully remote and exclusive. The resort complexes are mostly gated and secure communities.
At these villas, privacy, along with providing the most luxurious settings, is important. The Poinsettia Experience is similar: Privacy and security along with the resort setting that is lighter on the budget. At Poinsettia, the motto is: Stay in Comfort and Holiday in Style.
You can visit the Pitons and the surrounding area by hopping aboard the Catamaran Cruise to the Pitons at the foot of the hill below your villa at Poinsettia. It is a short sailboat ride away from the Pitons, where some of the world’s most luxurious hotels are. Here in Poinsettia, and in the Castries area, there are many comfortable and far less expensive hotels, guesthouses and private villas from which you can enjoy the island. In the Vigie Beach area, there are several small inns and villa apartments that offer self-catering accommodation at rates that are very affordable.
On your sailboat trip to the Pitons, you will enjoy the island landscape from the vantage point of the Caribbean Sea while sailing on the wind. The tour will take you right up to the Pitons where you will step ashore for lunch and, afterwards, visit several island landmarks like the Diamond Waterfalls and the Botanical Gardens. The tours vary so check out the agenda before you go. On the way back to Ghanters bay, you may stop off for snorkelling at Anse Cochon beach, home of the Ti Kaye Village resort, a rustic set of cottages on a cliff overlooking crystal clear waters built in the traditional chattel house style – with modern conveniences, of course – on the edge of a rainforest.
You might stop at Marigot Bay, a historic natural port used by the British and French navies as well as pirates in the old days of colonization when St. Lucia was a stepping stone to the riches of South America. Here too is Marigot Beach Club and Dive Resort, popular with honeymooners and families.
At the end of the day, the catamaran returns to the foot of the hill at Poinsettia and you can then retire to your own private self-catering villas/apartments on Poinsettia’s hilltop gardens. You have to be willing to spend a bit to stay at the top hotels and private villas in the Pitons area. But you can always visit them to have lunch and spend time on their beaches while staying in comfort at your private, and centrally located Poinsettia Villa where nothing is very far away.
Poinsettia is just a few minutes away from Vigie Beach, a long sand beach beside the local airport. It is famous for its string of colourful beach huts scattered along the shore and manned by local Lucians, just as famous for their banter as the fun food they serve. You can get fresh local juices such as golden apples, passion fruit and cherries, when in season, along with local foods such as, curry, salt fish bakes and roti. There is also a coconut vendor who offers freshly cut coconuts. If you prefer you can take home bottled coconut water and jelly. Immediately opposite the local airport, the beach shops and cafes greet many business commuters and visitors who arrive from other Caribbean islands daily.
Private villas are a splendid way to really getaway, but don’t choose this option if you like to be connected and have the security of being in a resort where there is an office and staff to help with island activities. Private villas might not have any of the holiday help and facilities so choose them carefully. Having said that, St. Lucia has some of the most exotic locations for villas in the world. Located on bays and mountain tops, they are the essence of escape. They are not part of a resort complex. You do not have the on-site staff and management to help you with holiday planning or to contact for advice and help during the day and after hours. Instead, they offer ultimate privacy and elegance. Often they are private homes rented out by the owners when they are not on the island.
We are a little biased here, in that we prefer the concept of the villa resorts presented in our St. Lucia villa pages – St. Lucia Villa for rent. It does not stop us from giving good advice and recommendations so that you can truly have an exceptional island vacation.
Our bias is natural as our own Poinsettia Villa Resort is a private, safe gated community of affordable villas on a hilltop by the sea. It is comfortable and elegantly simple in a minimalist style.
>> Check out the Poinsettia Accommodations.
At the other end of the scale is the Luxury Villas “Susanna”. Their villa rentals start at $1500 a night and you can hire a cook and butler for your vacation. This and other delightful villas are available in the Marigot Bay area just 30 minutes’ drive from Poinsettia and a recommended visit for guests at our resort.
The beauty of St. Lucia is that it does provide great variety and options for every budget. Poinsettia is a mid-range option, not top-end luxury but our guests say it is a great value. We say you don’t need to spend a fortune to stay in comfort and holiday in style.
– More about Poinsettia Holiday Villa Apartment for rent >>>
Travellers often think villas are expensive except if you are travelling with a large group. But if you look, you will find one-bedroom villas in St. Lucia, especially in the Vigie Beach area and Poinsettia, which are very affordable and give you that extra sense of privacy and independence that can make all the difference to your vacation.
Apartments typically conjure up images of tall buildings, elevators and closed-in corridors, but that need not be so – especially with the new villa-apartments or the townhouses in many areas of St. Lucia. Self-catering accommodation is a style that is spreading in popularity as travellers seek more personal and individual comforts for their holidays. Our St.Lucia self-catering pages will also help you with special tips on planning your island holidays vacation.
Many of the new self-catering villa-apartment resorts are close to the beach or even on it. Poinsettia offers an experience of a different sort – spectacular views and the prospect of being closer to nature in this tropical island. Vigie beach is close by and so are many of the island’s best, but Poinsettia is not the place to stay if you want endless days of total sun sitting on the sand. It is not good for you; you will enjoy yourself so much more if you let this charming island entertain you with all it has to offer.
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As you can see there are many Saint Lucia accommodation options!. The video covers many of the traditional offers including more of the high-end St. Lucia’s Stunning Resorts, All-Inclusive and Boutique Accommodations. Poinsettia is unique in offering one of the best value and affordable private villa resort just north of Castries Between Margot Bay and Rodney bay.
There are many tour companies that will take you around the island by sea and land. There is one helicopter tour that takes off several times a day in Vigie. You can arrange a custom trip based on your preferences. From Vigie, the Pitons are just a few minutes flying time away and the aerial views are spectacular, as is the rest of the island. See Adventure Tours and Activities >>.
It’s a fun and novel experience to catch a bus and enjoy the hustle and bustle of bussing around the island like a local. Buses will take you up the road, around the town and across the island. It’s the cheapest form of transport and it is an experience that is rather unique to the islands. Buses are how the average worker and local get around. They go everywhere – to the markets, to the beaches and to most of the towns and attractions. See bus route and fares here https://stluciabus.wixsite.com/lucia/untitled-c1dru
The buses run continuously. You can stand anywhere along the road and just flag them down. There is no scheduled timetable. Minibuses at start/endpoints leave when filled with passengers. However, you have to know where to get off and remember to yell “stop here” to the driver when you get to your destination, otherwise, he’ll keep on driving past, as there aren’t really any designated “bus stops”.
In Castries, there is “Grand Central” for all the bus routes. Here you can change buses and catch a bus that will connect to wherever you want to go, so long as it’s on a route.
One of the favourite tours to take is one with a taxi. Poinsettia can recommend a taxi man/tour guide who knows the island well. He can take you to different beaches and sites to explore their beauty. There are many historical spots to discover. To name a few, Morne Fortune and La Toc Battery, built by the French between 1763 and 1765 and Fort Rodney, located at Pigeon Island, built-in 1778.
On the whole, taxi drivers are a great source of knowledge about the island. They are reasonably priced – from as little as $100/day (US). Before venturing off, remember to negotiate your fare. Remember to tip generously. Taxis will take you as short a distance just up the road to the beach, to a restaurant or shopping, or even around the entire island on tour. Choose your driver carefully. Older drivers are often more responsible and knowledgeable than young hot-shots who might make your trip more of an adventure that you would care for. There are few traffic laws in St. Lucia and not much enforcement of those that do exist. This is shown in the driving style of islanders of all ages.
If you’re inclined to be car-sick, take precautions before an island tour. The roads wind and switch along the mountains. If you’re used to this, you will be fine, as it does not take long to acclimatize. The drivers are experienced and know the trails and twists well. Taxi accidents are relatively few. If you’re planning a short trip for shopping or dining, just tell your taxi driver what time you want to be picked up, and he’ll be there, usually on the dot.
The greatest advantage of having your own car is that you can simply drop in and out of any place you pass by. You don’t have to worry about other people; you can just stop the car and sit on a hill and look out at the breathtaking scenery for as long as you like.
You need to drive on the left-hand side of the road. Not everyone knows this, it seems, so be aware of the fact that other drivers may not always be on the correct side of the road. The side roads are very narrow, windy and steep. In St. Lucia, you are mostly driving along the edge of a mountain. Be aware of pedestrians, dogs and other animals suddenly appearing on the roads.
If you are going to rent a car, be sure to go to the major attractions that we highlight on our adventures pages.
Saint Lucia’s Dine Around program, opened to locals and Tourists alike, offers a dining experience at award-winning restaurants. Customers will have the option of experiencing appetizing meals from Mediterranean style dining to Indian fusion, French cuisine among other restaurant offerings.
Here are other options that you may want to look into. Poinsettia’s recommendations are :-
As always, we are here to help make your St. Lucia holiday or Business Trip, the perfect choice, with spacious, private safe villas for your St. Lucia Accommodation, and an the ideal place to stay near to the Capital with close access to the North and South of the Island.
