I recently discovered East Winds Inn ….on the northwest coast of the beautiful island of St Lucia. Described as ‘timeless seaside elegance’ it’s easy to see why. By Sue Alexander of Eagle Travel

A small All Inclusive boutique Hotel, East Winds has semi-detached chic cottages scattered about incredible tropical gardens leading to a Palm shaded beach.
The most spectacular sunsets can be seen from the beachfront bar where a chilled glass of champagne is almost obligatory! The pretty pool hosts a swim up bar where you can help yourself to whatever you fancy and there is even a helpful cocktail menu if you want to try your hand at mixing your own. Complimentary water sports include hobie-cats, pedaloes & Kayaks.

The open air beach front Restaurant offers gourmet dining with fine wine pairings. Beach barbecues, theme nights, steel bands and even piano music accompaniment makes each meal a different experience whilst being relaxed and informal too. Well run for over 20 years by Gareth Leach the General Manager you will meet some of the happiest & friendliest staff who are genuinely pleased to be there.

The Resort oozes peace & quiet and low key luxury. Although dwarfed by its neighbour it holds the tranquillity of the gardens and the resulting exotic wildlife within its 12 acres of grounds, a guide book in our room introduced us to the flora and fauna to be found there. Thomas the Cat and Eric the Parrott are long term residents and Humming Birds were regular visitors around our veranda. We were intrigued by the bright orange crabs which bask on the grass and scatter into their burrows as you approach. We watched the local fishermen haul their brightly coloured catch onto the beach as the giant prehistoric looking Frigate Birds circle for titbits, magical. The brown sand beach is reasonably secluded, although all beaches in St Lucia are public, it is also possible to arrange for deep sea fishing or diving trips to the plentiful reefs at an extra cost.

There is plenty to do outside of the Hotel, just a few minutes taxi ride will take you to Rodney Bay with its Marina and ample restaurants. Equally a taxi to the beautiful Margot Bay, one of the locations for the original Dr Doolittle Film, will reward you with the waterfront setting of ‘Doolittle’s Restaurant’ .There are renowned ‘Friday night Fish Fries’ to equal those in Barbados & ‘Jump Up’ Friday night Street Parties – if you are in need of excitement. Try Zip-lining across the rainforest canopy for the real adrenalin junky.

The iconic ‘must see’ for any visitor are the twin volcanic Pitons in the South of the Island and for stunning views from the Sea take a Catamaran trip from Rodney Bay. The full day cruise includes commentary about the dramatic coastline as you Sail South to Soufriere for your first glimpse of the Pitons. It is possible to hike them, but we took a trip into the world’s only ‘drive in’ volcano with its bubbling sulphur pools. A visit to a working Chocolate Plantation for lunch includes a demonstration on how the beans are ground by foot! A stop in a small bay for snorkelling a welcome chance to cool down and see some brightly coloured tropical fish.

This Hotel is perfect for those looking for unpretentious luxury & relaxation, perfect for couples & honeymooners. There are limited resources for young children although I understand they are welcome.

We were lucky enough to stay there in August for a few nights, which is out of season, the weather was hot, quite humid and a bit rainy but it didn’t dampen our spirits for this beautiful piece of paradise. We will return and stay for longer next time!

For details of when best to go and to find out costs please call me on 01234 348882.

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