Where To Stay In St. Lucia!- Bel Jou Hotel

*Photo credit Christopher Scott - https://www.instagram.com/your_nomadic_friend/

Where you stay on vacation in St. Lucia can really make or break your experience. As I mentioned before, I've been to St. Lucia four times, each time staying at Bel Jou, as part of my job. I love St. Lucia and definitely plan to visit in my leisure time, aside from Bel Jou, I would love to stay in hotels like Ladera, Windjammer Landing, Jade Mountain or The Landings.

*All Drone Photos Compliments of The First Piper -https://www.thefirstpiper.com/

To make the most of any vacation it’s really important to pick your resort to match your budget and needs. If you’re going to be staying for more than 10 days, you’ll probably want a bigger space, with at least a fridge if not a full kitchenette or kitchen. The location also matters.

St. Lucia can be a bit of challenge for a driver used to somewhere flat and expansive like Florida. There are lots of steep hills with sharp corners and narrow roads. Guidance systems like google maps don’t tend to work as well on the smaller Caribbean islands and Uber and Lyft are just not a thing here.

That’s why it’s important to do a little bit of planning before your trip and figure out if the activities you’re interested in are close to your accommodation. There are taxis of course but these can be pricy. If you’re planning a long trip It would also be a good idea to contact the tour operator about pick ups and drop offs from your location (One of the companies I work for offer this service. Book Island Tours does pick ups and drop offs at most hotels)

All of that is to say that there are a lot of things to consider when picking your accommodation so I just thought I’d share my experiences at Bel Jou. Please keep in mind that Bel Jou Hotel is one of the companies I do marketing for. They didn’t ask me to write about them on my personal blog, I just thought I’d share my experience. I love this hotel and always have a great time there, but that doesn’t mean it’s the perfect fit for everyone! Hopefully my observations can help you decide if it’s right for you!

Location

Photo from Bel Jou Hotel https://www.beljouhotel.com/

Right off the back the Hotel is on a hillside, which means from pretty much anywhere on the property you’re in for stunning views right down the coast. From some places, you can enjoy a 180-degree view. Bel Jou makes the most of this with balconies, dining and a rooftop bar all set up to take in the breathtaking views. Of course, if you’re looking for that beachfront experience this isn’t that. The hotel does have beach facilities close by and a shuttle to and from the but you won’t be able to easily walk from your room to the beach.

Another important thing about Bel Jou Hotel’s location is that it’s about 5-10 mins away from the island’s small airport. This is the regional airport, so if you’re flying in on Liat or Caribbean Airlines this is the airport you’ll end up at. If you’re coming in from Europe or North America you’ll end up at the big airport which is on the other side of the island and I’ve heard the trip to the hotel takes about 45 mins.

If you have the budget for it, this could be the opportunity to take one of their helicopter transfers from airport to airport. I’ve never tried it but I think this would be an amazing way to start off any trip!

Rooms

Photo from Bel Jou Hotel https://www.beljouhotel.com/

Bel Jou recently closed for a few months of renovations so the rooms are all nice and modern as well as pretty spacious. The hotel doesn’t offer any suites or even anything with a kitchenette so that’s definitely something to consider if you’re looking for a longer stay. That being said, the hotel is all-inclusive and the food is AMAZING!! You can check out my room tours in my last St. Lucia Vlog here.

The Food

Probably my favourite thing about this hotel would be the food. I really can’t say enough about how tasty every single meal I’ve tried there has been. There really isn’t a need to do any cooking as you can usually find something yummy in one of the restaurants or the coffee shop.

The Service

The whole team is amazing. I’m obviously biased in this regard but the #1 thing people mention in their reviews of the hotel is how friendly, helpful and welcoming the staff all are and it’s something I’ve witnessed first hand!

Overall, I really love this hotel but I could definitely see it not being for everyone. A few things to keep in mind.

1. There are soooo many stairs. It’s probably a good thing to work off all the amazing food, but I could imagine that if I was pregnant or older or just having joint issues I would not enjoy the stairs, and since there are no elevators there’s really no getting around that.

2. No suites available.- again it really matters what you’re looking for. Travelling as a single person for a short time, this isn’t an issue for me but if it was a long trip with one or two other people I would like to have the option of a little privacy.

3. Lots of great facilities! In addition to the stairs, there’s also a great gym to keep off those holiday pounds, a spa, two pools and a really fun rooftop bar. The grounds are also truly stunning and you can always enjoy the kitchen gardens and little hidden away seating area.

Have you been to St. Lucia? Let me know where you stayed and what you thought about it in the comments below!

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You can also check out my YouTube video from my last trip to St. Lucia where you’ll see a bit of my room, the grounds and the food here!