The best hotels in St Lucia: ten places to stay, from the Pitons to Cap Estate

Rooms without a fourth wall

Jade Mountain sits high above the sea near Soufrière, and its rooms, called sanctuaries, have no fourth wall. Most have their own infinity pool facing straight at the Pitons, and guests can use the beach and restaurants at sister resort Anse Chastanet below.

This is our pick for romance, and one of the best-known hotels in the Caribbean. It is expensive and there are a lot of steps. Have breakfast in your room at least one morning, with the mountains in front of you.

The beach between the mountains

Sugar Beach lies in the valley between Gros Piton and Petit Piton, with a white sand beach and villas spread over the hillside. The spa is in treehouses in the rainforest, and from the beach you can snorkel along the reef below Petit Piton.

This is our beach pick, for anyone who wants mountains and sand together. It is expensive, including food and drinks. Ask for a villa looking towards Petit Piton.

High above the valley, adults only

Ladera sits on a ridge around 300 metres above the sea, right between the two peaks. The rooms are open on one side towards the view and many have their own pool, and the Dasheene restaurant is known for Creole cooking.

It suits couples who want the Jade Mountain view for a lower price. The beach is a long way down, but the hotel will drive you there. Come to Dasheene for sunset even if you are not staying here.

A coral reef from the beach

Anse Chastanet is in a bay north of Soufrière, with rooms spread over the hillside above a sandy beach. Just offshore is one of the best reefs on the island for snorkelling and diving, and the hotel has its own dive centre.

This is our snorkelling pick, and for anyone who wants to be close to nature. The rooms have no TV, and several are open on one side. Follow the path to Anse Mamin, a quieter beach in the next bay.

A night on a cocoa estate

Rabot Hotel is on an old cocoa estate in the hills near Soufrière, owned by the chocolate maker Hotel Chocolat. The rooms are wooden lodges in the rainforest, and the Boucan restaurant uses cocoa in almost every dish.

It suits you if you want something other than a beach hotel, and if you love food. There is no beach at the hotel, so you will need to drive to the coast. Join the tour where you make your own chocolate from cocoa beans.

A holiday with a treatment every day

BodyHoliday is on a beach at Cap Estate, an all-inclusive hotel built around wellness. A daily spa treatment is included in the price, and you can choose between yoga, tennis, watersports and fitness classes from morning to night.

This is our wellness pick, for anyone who wants to go home fitter. It is not the place if you only want to lie still. Book your treatments for the whole week on the first day, before the best times go.

Villas on the cliffs

Cap Maison is on the cliffs at Cap Estate, with white Spanish-style villas and rooftop terraces with plunge pools. Below is a small cove with a beach bar, and the clifftop restaurant looks out to Martinique on a clear day.

It suits couples who want a small, quiet hotel with good food but a short drive to Rodney Bay. The beach is small. Have a drink at the clifftop bar at sunset.

Villas for the whole family

Windjammer Landing climbs a hillside above Labrelotte Bay, north of Castries, with villas and apartments in white Mediterranean style. Many villas have their own pool, and the resort has a kids' club, watersports and several restaurants.

This is our family pick, because you get space, a kitchen and a pool. The site is steep, with shuttles between the villas and the beach. Ask for a villa near the beach if you have small children.

Cottages above Anse Cochon

Ti Kaye sits on the cliffs above Anse Cochon, a small bay with some of the best snorkelling on the west coast. The rooms are wooden cottages with verandas and outdoor showers, and a long flight of steps leads down to the beach.

It suits couples who want a quiet adults-only hotel for less than the Pitons hotels. Other restaurants are far away. Snorkel from the beach early, before the day-trip boats arrive.

All inclusive for couples, close to the airport

Serenity is the couples-only part of Coconut Bay, in the south near Vieux Fort. Every suite has its own plunge pool and butler, and guests can use the beaches and restaurants of the rest of the resort.

It suits couples who want everything included and a short ride to the airport, just a few minutes away. This coast faces the Atlantic, with more wind and waves. Spend a day on a trip to Soufrière and the Pitons.