My fiance and I are researching right now for our Honeymoon in Nov. We narrowed it down to Aruba or St.Lucia (are open to other suggestions though). Does anyone have any important information to share. We are contemplating Sandals Grande or Aruba Hyatt or Radisson. Is weather OK in St.Lucia in Nov? I know Aruba is expensive but is Sandals Grande a better value? All answers are appreciated, Thanks!!

We spent a week at Sandals St. Lucia last year and that was our most expensive Sandals vacation. This year we visited Aruba on a cruise and will be going back for a week to Aruba next Winter to stay at the Hyatt (we checked out the resort while we were there for the day). It's hard to compare the two islands because it really depends on what you want to do. I found Aruba to have a nicer "downtown area" with great resturants and shops. Also, Palm beach was fabulous because you can walk up for miles. However, you can't beat Sandals in St. Lucia - especially their golf resort and spa - which is absolutely beautiful. But, don't plan on it having a beach like Aruba. My husband and I like all inclusive because we don't have to keep taking our wallet out!!!! It was nice to get to hop between the other Sandals resorts for something different and it was still included. We did a couple of trips on St. Lucia that we enjoyed... one was a catamaran trip that visited the Pitons which was very interesting. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer.

The two islands couldn't be more different, which may affect your choice. st. Lucia is a gorgeous island with lush interior and a very dramatic landscape, especially with the Piton mountains in the south. It has a bit of tourist development on the northwest coast, but the southwest coast just has a handful of worldclass and/or unique resorts. (sandals isn't one of 'em.) It's also has a very romantic feel along the coast near the Pitons.

Aruba has amazing beaches and beautiful water, but the interior is mostly scrub and flat. That's not to say that st. lucia doesn't have lovely beaches, or that aruba doesn't have a stark beauty, though. Aruba is far more developed than St. Lucia and as a result has a greater range of restaurants and nightlife, and an infrastructure that makes them all easy to get to.

Do you definitely want a Sandals? IN my opinion, the best and romantic resorts in st. Lucia aren't any of the 3 Sandals. If it's strictly AI you're looking for, there may be a better choice at a better value for you than Sandals.

ejcrowe is so right. you've picked 2 completely different islands. ejcrowe's description is on the money.
i'd say st. lucia is more beautiful as an island (very lush), and aruba has much much nicer water and is a lot more touristy.
if i remember correctly, july till november is when rain falls the most in st. lucia. we were there in october and it rained a few times, although it came in short bursts with sun in between. we had one really rotten day out of 7.
i don't know the hotels you're looking at, but i know people who've stayed at the hyatt aruba and had only good things to say about it.

thanks for your help. No we are NOT sold on Sandals but have priced Aruba locations through several different travel agencies and with nothing included (except breakfast at Radisson) the total runs high. This is why Sandals entered the picture and the Grande in St.Lucia is supposed to be the best from what we hear. We are open to any nice places, hotels,good beaches you guys may know from experience. Doesn't have to be cheap but dont kill us. Thanks again

Depending on your price range and your vacation interests, there are three different veins to explore on the Soufriere end of St. Lucia.

The first is Ti Kaye Village, which is a mid-range cottage hotel. You have a good amount of privacy and you have the option of getting a cottage with a private plunge pool. The beach and water sports center are down a long flight of stairs. One restaurant on site, very good food. Great reviews done by ScubaMom and her daughter can be found at www.scubamom.com that show lots of photos. They offer a good rate for MAP plan--breakfast and dinner every day--and they offer various excursions like sunset cruises or water taxis to town. This place is midrange also in its ameneties.

On the more traditional, albeit more expensive, end of the scale is the Jalousie Plantation, currently run by Hilton. It's a large estate with mostly individual villa accommodations, with private plunge pools for each villa. More upscale and traditional with ameneties--AC, fluffy bathrobes, nice toiletries, outdoor wet bar by pool, separate soaking tub from shower, room service--that sort of thing. Its location right between the Pitons is stunning, and the cottages rise up the hillside from the beach. Beach is only white sand beach on the island, as most of the sand was imported from Guyana. It starkly and beautifully contrasts with the deep indigo blue of the water. The pool area is nice, there are three restaurants on site, it has a spa, workout room, tennis, and even a pitch and putt golf course. They offer a room-only package and an all-inclusive package. Because it's a larger hotel (110 or so rooms and villas), they tend to run all kinds of specials to get good rates.

The other option is really for the more adventurous traveler, and that's either Anse Chastenet or Ladera resort. They each offer fabulous views halfway up the side of a mountain. The deluxe rooms at either resort only have 3 walls, so the vista is shown off to the best effect. Anse Chastenet also has its own beach, whereas Ladera offers daily shuttles to either Anse Chastenet or Jalousie beach. However, Ladera's rooms also offer plunge pools. Both settings are deeply romantic and exotic, truly a once in a lifetime experience, but they're not for everyone's taste.

If I were to plan a honeymoon on St. Lucia, I would want a few nights at Jalousie to get my fill of being on the beach all day and to enjoy a few surface luxuries (like spa and A/C). Then I would want a few nights at Ladera or Anse Chastenet for a few of the deeper luxuries--total romance, exotic setting, beautiful seclusion.

If price is an object, luxurylink regularly offers packages to Ladera, Anse Chastenet and Ti Kaye Village--there's a good chance you could find a deal on their website.

Hi Matjen,

I can't agree more with ejcrowe's suggestions. We stayed at Ladera, Jalousie Hilton and one night at the Sandals Halcyon.

Ladera and the Jalousie are a once in a life time experience. One that I can't wait to get back to experience again. Once is not enough!

Ladera, Jalousie Hilton, Anse Chastanet, Ti Kaye are the romantics dream. Very secluded, exotic, lush, lush, and peaceful. Adventures dream, with excellent swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling right from shore. Catamarans, sail boards, etc. Hiking, biking, horseback riding and thermal mineral baths, in the rain forest at your door step.

It is all in what one is looking for though. The Sandals Grande is not bad for a Sandals resort. It was built as a Hyatt not to long ago.
The Grande is located on Pigeon Pointe, with offers some pretty views of Rodney Bay. It is a much dryer part of the island as you won't find the extreme lushness or exotic feel of the Piton area.
It is a more traditional large Hotel type resort with large 3 story buildings on a large flat peninsula. Large pool with swimup bar and a couple other pools I'm sure you would find more of the social people activities/games offered that Sandals is popular for, if this interests you.

I'd be interested in what you meant, by the Grande being the best from what you've heard? Do you mean of the Sandals resorts or of any resorts on the island? This always interests me on how oppinions are formed? I think the Grande is getting so many great reviews with the extensive advertising and promotions that Sandals offers, brings so many people to their resorts. Often with this type of advertising from one company, people miss out on the real gems of the island.

Donna

Thanks for the great replies. I had heard through talking to some people that the Grande is the best of the Sandals not of all resorts in St.Lucia. One other question. While the Jalousie and Ladera sound great they sound like they are very secluded and quiet. We are not party animals but we do enjoy some nightlife. Is there any to come by or is it even quiter at nite??

No, there wasn't a lot of nightlife at Jalousie when we were there (offseason). One night there was live music in the bar area--usual 3-piece band--and one night we went nrxt door to the Bang for its live entertainment, which consisted of music, dancing, fire eating, prestidigitation, and a little comedy. Oh, and all the rum punch you could drink when you ordered dinner there.

One night we went to Ladera for dinner and ended up lingering there until we were ready to go back to the hotel to bed. Most nights we just slipped into the plunge pool and stared up at the stars and entertained ourselves. (It WILL be your honeymoon, right?)
If you want something different happening every night, you may not enjoy the Jalousie or Ladera or anse Chastenet. If, however, seclusion and romance in one of the most beautiful settings on earth work for you, these places would be tough to beat.

ejcrowe,? Think you may have been doing a little to much self entertaining, and missed the party! LOL,LOL

Seriously though, as Ladera and the Jalousie are more laid back, there was some type of entertainment most all nights but WED, when most go to the Bang next door for the jump up party. No entertainment on Sun.

We were also there in low season June 2001. This is from our list from the Jalousie.

Monday-Italian Buffet at Pier Restaurant/ entertainment Italian Tenors.
Pianist evening at Palm Court Bar/Balcony during Happy Hour.

Tuesday-a la carte menu Pier Restaurant. Entertainment by Future Lights band.

Wednesday-Everyones off to the Bang for a great night.

Thursday-"Fish Market" at the Pier. Entertainment by Harmony Trio.

Friday-Calypso Night at Bayside with live entertainment-live steel band and fire limbo show.

Saturday-a la carte menu at Pier. Entertainment by Mervyn Wilkinson duo. These guys were sooo good, sang about every romantic song you could think of.
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Also a romantic candlelight dinner, every saturday on Palm Court Balcony, complemented by a live pianist.

Palm court balcony also had a happy hour most nights two for one drinks at 9 p.m. great romantic candle lit, open balcony with bar, pool table and piano, cozy compy couch chairs to sit in, and a lite snack menu for the evening.

The same at Ladera there was something most nights.

Here is a list of recent listings for island night life.

http://www.stlucia.org/activity/nightlife.asp

Donna