On the Caribbean island paradise of St. Lucia, Sandals' prime real estate dominates a slender peninsula with the sea virtually all around. Sailboat-dotted bays, volcanic mountains, and tropical greenery will take your breath away... and that's before you've even stepped into the grandiose colonial throwback that is the Sandals Grand St. Lucian.

Beneath its rather nondescript red-roofed buildings, this branch of the famous all-inclusive Sandals chain recreates the grand British

On the Caribbean island paradise of St. Lucia, Sandals' prime real estate dominates a slender peninsula with the sea virtually all around. Sailboat-dotted bays, volcanic mountains, and tropical greenery will take your breath away... and that's before you've even stepped into the grandiose colonial throwback that is the Sandals Grand St. Lucian.

Beneath its rather nondescript red-roofed buildings, this branch of the famous all-inclusive Sandals chain recreates the grand British colonial style of decades past. Sweep up the graceful driveway and walk into the three-story, arched open-air lobby, and you'll realize you're not in a typical hotel. Chandeliers hang low amid plush seating and ceiling fans, exuding a sense of posh tropical aristocracy.

There are nine categories of guestrooms, and every one offers sea views and rich plantation-style décor like dark-wood furnishings, soft linens, and four-poster beds. You can essentially pick and choose the amenities and luxuries you want, which include butler service, 24-hour room service, and private outdoor areas. Two favorites are the lagoon swim-up rooms and the inimitable Rondoval suites. The former are ample rooms located by the resort's lagoon pool, and come with patios that lead directly to the pool, so you can literally swim to your room. The latter are cute circular mini-cottages, with conical tiled roofs, flat-screen TVs, and gorgeous beds with sweeping white drapes. Bathrooms are decorated in funky glass mosaic tiling and have dual sinks. Outside your suite is a private pool deck with a hammock and outdoor Jacuzzi or plunge pool fed by its own waterfall. For an intimate escape, this package is hard to beat.

Of course, this being the Caribbean, water is a dominant theme at Sandals. Let's start with their four pools: an amorphous lagoon pool; the main sunset pool with the distinctive Sandals logo, water tower, and swim-up bar; split-level cascade pools; and a scuba pool. Then take the picture-perfect, long neck of sand dotted with thatch-roof umbrellas and comfortable chaise lounges. There are plenty of places to enjoy the sun, sea, and sand. In addition, Sandals makes just about every water sport available to you, from boating and boarding to skiing and underwater exploration.

On land, you have your choice of games and sports and entertainment options like tennis, beach volleyball, golf, lawn chess, fitness center, croquet, and parlor games. All are complimentary. Then there's the full-service, award-winning European spa to keep you occupied and pampered.

At night, Sandals really heats up with bars, slot machines, a nightclub, and themed evenings like Pirates Night, fashion shows, nocturnal beach parties, and, of course, Lover's Night.

When you're ready to eat, a range of dining options include casual beachside eateries, English pubs, French crêperies, and a more refined restaurant that's complimentary for butler suite guests. Put it all together, and it's clear that Sandals is not just a resort; it's a lifestyle experience.

has been writing about the best places to stay in North America since the day after graduating college in 1984. Since then she has written over 35 guidebooks and for countless websites and print publications. She is also the editorial director of a forthcoming website on the best places to stay and the travel acquisitions editor for Countryman Press.