For those of you wondering about the resort experience vs this - you made the right choice. Serrana villa has been more than we could have ever imagined and we have truly loved every moment.

We came to St. Lucia for a friend’s wedding at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian. During the wedding festivities we were staying at Sandals Halcyon Beach. For those of you wondering about the resort experience vs this- you made the right choice. Serrana villa has been more than we could have ever imagined and we have truly loved every moment. The resort wasn’t terrible but the food was bad. We rented a car and drove down to Soufriere. Crazy experience but I am now a driving pro.

Monday- we went to get a couples massage and spa treatment at kai belle spa at Jade Mountain. The spa is right on the beach and the prices were very reasonable for what you receive afterwards.

We walked right out to Anse Chastanet but decided to walk to Anse Mamin – maybe 5-10 minute walk.

There was a very small section for non-resort guests and the beach in that area was less than ideal so we walked back and paid $36usd for 2 nice chairs under a hut at Anse Chastanet.

You can eat in the restaurant and get drinks from the bar there aswell. The snorkeling was right there near the beach and $11 pp. The current can be somewhat strong but we were impressed by the number of fish we saw.

Dinner this night was at Hummingbird resort about 5 minutes away. The food was good and the view even better. Anse Mamin was really nice but I don’t know if it was just the specific lady I talked to or what, but she said we could only sit off the side near the volleyball court. The area there wasn’t great so we walked back. Hummingbird food was good (pork chop had nice heat but very buggy. Wear bug spray.

Tuesday - We started the day doing Tet Paul Nature Trail which was well worth the small entrance fee! The views were amazing and the hike was easy, maybe 40 minutes total. Do be sure to wear sneakers though! Afterwards we went to the Volcano. They make you get a tour guide but the short tour was very interesting. We stopped at the mud baths and Sulphur springs on the same property but only stayed  few minutes because it was insanely hot. Sitting in a pool, of hot water isn’t what we had in mind at the moment!

For lunch, we stopped at Fedos in Soufriere and the meal was both quick and utterly delicious. Dinner was at Boucan with friends. Make a reservation and they’ll sit you overlooking  the Pitons. It was expensive but one of the best meals we’ve had with chocolate incorporated creatively into every dish. They also had a good wine list. Great atmosphere.

Tet Paul - was just a really nice property. The views just kept getting better. We opted for no tour guide and we had the place to ourselves.

The Volcano was fine. Glad we did it. Not much else to say. Would’ve been better to do the springs in a colder climate.

Fedos was fantastic- I ordered creole chicken and Paige ordered chicken curry. I preferred hers she preferred mine. The sides were fantastic and local with tip, lunch was $19usd. Such a good value. Just walk its close.

Boucan was a resort spot. Loved how they incorporated chocolate. Very pricey. You are paying for the view, but it was good Very buggy, wear bug stray.

Wednesday - we started the day at the botanical gardens/diamond falls and it was beautiful! We did get a local tour guide which we were torn about but he was incredibly knowledgeable and in the end it was a good move. The falls were gorgeous .

Afterwards we drove to Sugar Beach. I’m sure its not for everyone but we loved it. We paid $#50.00 pp for the shuttle but it was in a form of a voucher you could use for food and drinks at the beach. It could be a very long walk otherwise, once you reach at the beach you can choose from the small free area of pay $50 per chair under a hut to sit with resort guests. We chose to pay and really enjoyed ourselves. It was incredibly quiet and relaxing and they brought food and drinks right to us, if you eat at the beach the shuttle back is free.

We were tired and got a private chef through Janus this night. Ramsey came and made Grilled seafood with garlic lime butter sauce. It was fantastic and totally hit the spot. He even plated it beautifully, served it to us outside and did the dishes while we ate. We talked to Ramsey a good bit while he was here and the whole experience was fantastic. Highly recommend.

I've read mixed reviews about Sugar beach. If you don’t want the food or chairs just take a water taxi. I wanted to eat there so it made sense to take the voucher. The food was not great but I enjoyed eating on the beach. We also looked at the free sitting and it also look depressing so pay the money and get the nice chairs. I thoroughly enjoyed the beach. Got some reading done, swam a bit and laid out comfortably. The Pitons over looking this beach made me realize this is why we all came to St. Lucia. Paradise.

Thank you Janus for the lovely place. Wish we could stay longer. Maybe next time will check out Sargas or Saba. Thanks also for hooking us up with a private chef with last minute notice. Your island is Beautiful. This was my first trip to the Caribbean and I get it now
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Evan & Paige

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