Resembling a backdrop from the Hollywood fantasy blockbuster Jurassic World, St. Lucia’s Val des Pitons is like no other place I have ever seen. Cradled between two towering peaks—Gros and Petite Pitons—lies Sugar Beach, a luxury Viceroy resort formerly owned by British entrepreneur Roger Myers, who was once financier to the Rolling Stones and the late David Bowie. Myers recently sold the resort to Misland Capital, held by the Greene family from Bermuda.
Cool, fun, and relaxing are typical words used to describe the resort, but it is so much more. When I stepped out onto my villa’s private terrace, the dramatic scenery of Pitons and sparkling-blue-crystal Caribbean waters took my breath away—the experience was transcendent.
Encountering this remarkable vista, either by boat or land, causes much the same reaction—even celebrities. Oprah Winfrey calls this a bucket-list destination, Bill Gates likes to walk on the sugary white sand and pop in for a bit of tennis, and Richard Branson moored his yacht between the peaks and was inspired to climb one of the awe-inspiring Pitons.
When Myers first set eyes on the property—formerly the Jalousie Plantation Hotel—his word to describe the landscape was “mystic.” The UNESCO World Heritage–listed setting, with its lush tropical rainforest, warm Caribbean waters, and breathtaking sunsets, gave him the idea to create a Caribbean utopia of sorts.
The result is a collection of 78 gleaming-white Colonial Caribbean hotel rooms and 47 villas set within the steep hillside. (Three-wheeled tuk-tuks take you from your room to the beach, pool, and restaurants.) All amenities are impeccable, including a treehouse spa made by a Rastafarian craftsman using 900-year-old Carib Indian techniques, five-star dining options, beautiful pools, and personal butlers assigned to guests during their stay.
Sugar Beach makes for the perfect getaway in one of the most breathtaking settings in the Caribbean.