Royalton Saint Lucia

Opened in February 2017, the picture-perfect Royalton is laid out in a series of towering white buildings overlooking the coast. It’s a long drive away from the sights that St. Lucia is known for, including the Pitons and cocoa plantations, and distinguishes itself from neighboring resorts with minimalist, contemporary design, that appears to purposefully lack nods to St. Lucian culture.
The resort is blissfully free of many Caribbean all-inclusive stereotypes. Reservations aren't required for dining at any of the restaurants, and guests get smart bracelet key cards rather than the typical plastic wristbands, though many report that service tends to be a bit slow.
While the resort’s public spaces certainly feel upscale, the vibe is relatively low-key and friendly. Most guests are Western couples, but you’ll see families with children as well, as the Royalton has kids’ and teens’ clubs, interconnecting suites with sofa beds, and an outstanding kids’ pool.

The Royalton is set in a fairly remote coastal location, a 10-minute drive from the bars, restaurants, and shops of Rodney Bay. There are a handful of dining options within walking distance, including Cap Maison Resort & Spa’s equally ritzy restaurant, but guests will find more entertainment on-site than in the area immediately around the resort.
It’s about a 10-minute drive to Gros Islet, a fishing village that hosts a well-known street party on Friday nights. The Jack Nicklaus-designed St. Lucia Country Club Golf Course can be reached in about five minutes by car. Most of St. Lucia’s top attractions, including the Pitons and cocoa plantations, are about a 90-minute drive away on the south end of the island. Hewanorra International Airport is also roughly 90 minutes by car.

Guest rooms at the Royalton are softly stylish, decorated with neutral beige, white, and gray fabrics, along with warm wood furniture. Luxury Junior Suites, the standard room category, feature seating areas with sofa beds and work desks. Wall-mounted smart TVs hang across from comfy, Royalton Signature DreamBeds. All units have USB sockets, Bluetooth audio stations, and free Wi-Fi. Simple coffeemakers are also standard, as well as minibars stocked with soda, water, and beer. Balconies or terraces are furnished with a pair of dark rattan chairs and tables. Standard rooms overlook the grounds, and guests may hear some noise from the nightly shows hosted at the outdoor amphitheater. Upgraded rooms have ocean views, although many only offer distant side views of the ocean.
Open-concept bathrooms have deep, stand-alone whirlpool tubs and vanities with round basin sinks. Royalton-brand bath products are provided, in addition to magnifying makeup mirrors and hairdryers. Frosted glass doors with graceful branch patterns open to reveal huge, walk-in showers with twin rainfall showerheads, and sliding wooden doors conceal bathrooms. It’s a sexy design, but the lack of privacy may not suit all travelers.
Luxury Junior Swim Out Suites add outdoor plunge pools, which are shared with the other ground-floor rooms (with partitions separating each units' section of the pool). Luxury Family Suites feature sliding doors that divide the seating areas with sofa beds from bedrooms; or one- and two-bedroom suites are also available. Diamond Club rooms come with extra perks like butler service, expanded minibar selections, and access to a private lounge. Diamond Club rooms also tend to have fuller, straight-on views of the ocean.

The Royalton’s upscale amenities cater to its well-heeled, mixed clientele. The resort’s three pools are set in a sprawling, manicured courtyard ringed by guest-room buildings. The long beachfront pool has an infinity edge overlooking the sands, along with submerged loungers, a swim-up bar, and a separate hot tub. In addition to loungers and daybeds, this pool features cabanas with private plunge pools that can be rented for a surcharge.
A second, larger pool has two rectangular tributaries, which drop down and merge in a central pool, which has an island with squat palm trees and daybeds. The kids’ pool is far from a tiny wading pool, with water slides, climbing areas, and fun water features. Diamond Club guests have access to a fourth, private pool located near the Diamond Club reception area.
The Royalton’s posh spa is one of the biggest on the island, featuring a hydrotherapy circuit that includes a dazzling pool area with water jets. Decked out in white stone and soothing earth tones, the spa has a beauty salon and a relaxation area with canopied daybeds. The spa carries product lines like Babor and Amika, with services including massages, as well as facial and body treatments.
There’s also a large, modern fitness center located inside the spa, which offers a great range of Life Fitness equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, and weight machines. Guests have access to outdoor tennis courts as well as fitness classes like Zumba.
Clubhouse Kids Club, available for kids age 4 to 12, is a neat, cheerful space divided into several different activity rooms. There are areas for playing video games, as well as places to make crafts or lounge in beanbag chairs. There’s a separate club for kids age 13 to 17, called Hangout Teens Club, which has a movie screening room, ping pong tables, and a manicure station.
The resort offers access to a broad stretch of white-sand beach overlooking a picturesque cove. Cushy loungers and beach umbrellas are interspersed between towering palm trees, and a few swanky cabanas with outdoor sofas are available for rental.
The all-inclusive package covers beach activities like kayaking and beach volleyball. The resort also features nightly shows, which are hosted in a sleek, open-air amphitheater. Wedding planning services are available, and the resort has a lovely rooftop terrace that can be used for ceremonies. Free Wi-Fi is offered throughout, and there’s free parking on-site.
Food
Multiple restaurants with remarkably cool designs and quality eats
The Royalton’s diverse all-inclusive dining options, which range from Italian fare at Grazie Trattoria to West Indian cuisine at Calypso, are not especially noteworthy for a big Caribbean resort. What does, however, make the dining options at the Royalton stand out is thoughtful design and high-quality food.
Head to Zen and you’ll get funky shimasen music and chairs decorated with Japanese-inspired prints, while Hunter Steakhouse features nifty light fixtures with dangling knifes. In keeping with the resort’s family-friendly priorities, Gourmet Marche has a special kiddie buffet. Culinary Experience offers an intimate, chef’s table-type dinner for an extra fee. Better still, none of the restaurants require reservations. The downside, however, is that most of the restaurants are only open for dinner, leaving the buffet as the only real option for breakfast and lunch. It’s a decent buffet, but some guests get tired of eating there every day.
There’s a bar at every pool and restaurant, plus two more on the upper and lower levels of the lobby, as well as Aquarius Bar overlooking the beach. Room service is also covered in the all-inclusive package.