Hotel Stays: Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort
I was meant to visit St. Lucia for the first time in March 2020. That didn’t happen, of course, but I’m glad I finally made it. As several people here have already told me, better late than never.
From the moment I arrived, St. Lucia became one of my favorite places in the Caribbean. The scenery is breathtaking—rolling hills, dramatic peaks, and dense greenery at every turn. It evokes the beauty of St. Barths, St. Croix, and the British Virgin Islands but with a character all its own.
On the drive from the airport, I couldn’t quite picture where Sugar Beach would be. After a winding 45-minute journey, we arrived in a secluded inlet between the Pitons, an enclave so well hidden it feels like its own private world. If the goal is to disappear for a while, this is the place to do it.
I’ve been blessed to have visited many (MANY) gorgeous and exceptional hotels around the world. So I do not say this lightly that Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Hotel is now one of my favorites ever.
I joked that I’d love to spend the next pandemic here (which I’ve said about a few places, including Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand and the Preserve in Rhode Island). The suites offer an impressive amount of personal space, each with a private outdoor terrace. Mine also featured a plunge pool with a direct view of the Caribbean Sea. Hard to improve on that.
Inside, the suite was expansive, with a closet about the size of my old West Village studio. And that was before I even reached the clawfoot bathtub and two-person shower. I was placed in a Superior Cottage, which actually felt more like a private villa—or at the very least a bungalow. I wouldn’t have minded a few more USB ports (there was one docking station by the four-poster bed, so no complaints), but the room was equipped with outlets for both North American and European plugs, eliminating any concerns about charging devices.
And if anything was needed, there was an app for that—literally. Viceroy, which has kept its footprint relatively small with just nine properties worldwide, offers an app where guests can chat with their “butler” (a term I never quite get used to, but hospitality insists on it).
Requests for extra towels, water bottles, and—of course—Nespresso pods were handled seamlessly. The app also features sections for pillow preferences (I opted for an extra Tempur-Pedic), pest control (it is the tropics), and room service. Restaurant reservations and spa treatments could also be booked there. It’s essentially the digital version of an in-room concierge, streamlined for convenience. The Wi-Fi was flawless throughout the property, with zero connectivity issues.
The only hiccup was that my landline didn’t work. Normally, I wouldn’t have noticed—I rarely use the phone unless I’m requesting more Nespresso pods—but Sugar Beach is the kind of place where calling for a shuttle is almost essential. Walking to the gym in the morning was fine while the air was still cool, but by 9 a.m., the sun was punishing, and the steep inclines turned a casual walk into an uphill battle. Getting to the spa from my villa would have been at least a 20-minute trek, so a ride was nonnegotiable.
The hotel does provide backup devices—think old-school Nokia-style dumbphones—but they’re phasing them out in favor of the app. I tried requesting a shuttle through the chat, but that process was slower. Fortunately, IT resolved the issue quickly, and once the phone was up and running, I could get a ride in under a minute.
The gym exceeded expectations. Well-equipped, plenty of treadmills—no notes. It also happens to be near the beach, the pool, and, most importantly, the breakfast buffet in the main reception building, making it easy to grab breakfast straight after a workout. I do love a breakfast buffet, and this one did not disappoint. The standout? A massive vat of açaí. Usually, you find yogurt in a self-serve setup, but here, açaí was available in abundance. It was fantastic—needed little more than a sprinkle of chia seeds, granola, and coconut flakes.
The spa is something special. Unlike anything I’ve seen at a resort. Each treatment room is its own private treehouse, which elevates the experience into something almost otherworldly. The facial I had was outstanding, using Tata Harper products. One of the best I’ve ever had—right up there with the treatments at Le Barthelemy in St. Barths, where they use La Mer.
Many suites come with private pools, but the main pool deck by the beach is equally impressive—ideal for those who want to be near the ocean without dealing with sand. But if the beach is a priority, this one is spectacular. All beaches in St. Lucia are public, so it’s not uncommon to see people from yachts and catamarans in the harbor making their way to shore.
You can also try your hand at chocolate making at the new Cocoa Hut with a classically trained chef, designing your own custom chocolate bars and sampling some of the resort’s award-winning bonbons. I don’t even like chocolate that much, and I loved these.
The property is also an art lover’s dream, with dozens of original modern pieces by the likes of Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst installed both inside and out, seamlessly integrated into the lush surroundings. There are QR codes on blink-and-you-miss-it markers so you can go on a self-guided art tour. No app needed for this one—the descriptions all auto-load on your default browser.
Beyond that, there are a few shops, an array of water sports, and some excellent hiking. The Pitons are right there, calling to anyone up for the challenge. But this is also the kind of place where you can simply settle in with a book and a bottle of wine (or two) and let everything else fade away.
