Saint Lucia for Lovers

Perhaps it is the dramatic Pitons which serve as backdrop in so many honeymooners’ photo albums, the palm-fringed bays, the picturesque beach scenes, the color swaths of every sunset. Perhaps it just is that when you share such beauty with someone you love, everything is amplified.

Jade Mountain, though only open for a few short years, has reached mythic proportions as a romantic resort destination. Difficult to access, it celebrates privacy, and that is just as well, because one of the bestselling features of the resort is the absence of a fourth wall. Infinity pools seemingly spill out into the ocean, and the Pitons appear close enough to touch. Love heightens all the senses and you will feel almost compelled to caress the polished beams of greenheart and purpleheart and trace the grain of the volcanic stone walls, which come in impossibly varied tones of blush.

When you are in the mood for love, the room where the magic happens is important, so ethereal decor in the way of billowing curtains and four-posters are characteristic features. Will you even notice the clever details such as huge sea shells as wash basins in the bathrooms at Ladera? Stonefield Estate Resort’s calling card is the private outdoor showers. Go ahead and play exhibitionist—no one can actually see.

Love also teases the appetite and The Edge restaurant might just be the place for the perfect proposal or renewal of amour. Waterfront dining with the glow of flickering flambeaux and food that is a type of foreplay in itself take the prize. The sharing of food has long been seen as a sensual affair, but it doesn’t have to be restricted to nightfall. Stop at one of the fishing villages (Anse La Raye, Gros Islet, or Dennery) on the east coast, and pick up some seafood grilled to order. Pack some cold Piton beers and some fresh fruit and vegetables and head to one of Saint Lucia’s many picturesque beaches for al fresco dining. Frolic in the surf, collapse onto the beach, smear suntan oil over each other and feed each other grapes or mangos, or whatever you have written into your fantasy.

Pigeon Island, by day a great place for family excursions, becomes one of the most romantic locales at sunset. Climb the fort together and canoodle on the parapet while you watch the sun go down. Catch the green flash together and make a wish on the first star of the night. When you can’t stare into each other’s eyes anymore, head down the fort for a romantic sundowner at Jambe de Bois Restaurant and Bar, a rustic, waterfront spot.

There is a loveseat bench carved for two. The deck is the best spot from which to watch the nightlife of bustling Rodney Bay ignite and twinkle across the bay. If you can orchestrate this whole excursion to fall on a Sunday, you will be rewarded by the serenade of a jazz ensemble that plays from 6 p.m.

But perhaps the pinnacle of romantic Saint Lucia is a sunset cruise down the west coast. If you are lucky, you might get some leaping dolphins—the friendliest of sea creatures who always seem to be smiling knowingly. Sip some champers or rum punch, and smile right back.