I recently had the pleasure of going to Sandals Grande St. Lucian resort. As you know, travel in 2021 looks a little different, especially internationally, but I’m here to assure you it was worth the extra steps! It truly was rewarding to soak up the Caribbean sun and sea for 5 days!!

Country Requirements - Getting to St. Lucia

First I went to the St. Lucia tourism website to see what I would need to enter and exit their country. (Note: all countries will be different so be sure to follow their guidelines!) Next I purchased airfare and booked my stay. I needed this information to fill out my authorization forms for entry. Once that was completed I submitted it to the email provided on the website at least 7 days prior to my trip. I printed the automatic response, as directed, and once I received my approval email I printed that as well.

Sandals is providing trip interruption insurance at no charge in case you were required to quarantine in St. Lucia (or at any of their resorts). I decided to purchase a supplemental policy to make sure it covered the full cost of my trip and because it is ALWAYS a good idea to have extra medical coverage when traveling to another country.

St. Lucia is currently requiring you to have proof of a negative Covid result 5 days or less before entry into their country. I went to my testing site, a Med Express, 5 days before my trip. I was lucky there was no wait and the test was simple! You can get this done at CVS or Walgreens among other pharmacies so check locally for the best place. I received my results (negative, of course, yay!) within 36 hours and printed it straight from my LabCorp account.

Before heading to the airport I made sure I had printed and with me: my negative Covid test results, the auto response for the emailed authorization form, the approval for my authorization form, my proof of travel / medical insurance (just in case!), and of course my passport. The airline reviewed my paperwork when checking my bag and before I went through security. It was requested again at customs in St. Lucia but I was confident I had what I needed. I was through customs and into the Sandals Lounge at the airport in less than 10 minutes!

Getting to Sandals

It is a requirement of St. Lucia that you be in an approved taxi or shuttle and head to your approved resort. Luckily Sandals already includes complimentary airport transfers in an approved shuttle so you are good to go! Without any stops, it is 1.5 hours to get to Sandals Grande St. Lucian from the main airport, Hewanorra International. It is a beautiful ride and my driver was gracious enough to answer all my questions and point out scenic locations.

Arrival at Sandals

Upon arrival to Sandals Grande St. Lucian I had a quick temperature screen and was offered a cool washcloth. I was then taken to the Sandals Club Lounge as I was staying in a Club Level room. I was given a brief introduction of the resort and told that the agents at the Club Lounge were my concierge for any requests I had during my stay. I was also offered a rum punch which was much appreciated after my travels and then escorted to my room. The door had a seal to show I was the first person to enter since cleaning, and I was given a tour of my room.

Club Level Swim Up Room

My room was a Club Level Swim Up which is the highest in that tier. It had a gorgeous walk-in shower, a king size poster bed, an inside sitting area, and then an outside seating area that led into the swim up pool. My room set up had a coffee / tea station and a bar setup with premium liquors. The mini-fridge was stocked with water, soda, the local beer Piton, and a bottle of champagne! I was told anything I drank would be refilled the next day, and it surely was!

Another perk of a Club Level or above room is room service. I had a breakfast menu from 7am to 11am and an “all day menu” that was being served from 11am to 10pm. I ordered the chorizo breakfast bowl the majority of my mornings there.

Sandals Grande St. Lucian Grounds

The grounds here are truly stunning! The mile long beach has pure white sands and some of the calmest blue waters on the island. Peaking out on either side are the neighboring mountain tops, making it one of the most picturesque beaches I’ve ever seen. There are plenty of chairs and everything is socially distanced. Staff walk around often throughout your day at the beach to take drink orders, but the bar is a short distance away.

Pools, Entertainment, and Amenities

All non-motorized water sports are included at Sandals so the list of things to do is a long one! This includes kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, snorkeling, hobie cats, and scuba for those that are certified. Every resort is different but there is plenty to do! There is a big main pool that has a swim up bar and a smaller pool with a hot tub with plenty of chairs for sunbathing.

Entertainment has changed with the current pandemic, but that doesn’t stop Sandals from providing nightly entertainment. I stopped in for a little bit each night to see what was happening in the open air lobby. Acts ranged from a country singer, to a DJ, a burlesque show, and a saxophonist. All of them were highly entertaining!

Restaurants

With 11 restaurants on site it’s hard to go hungry! Cuisine ranges from English fare, to Italian cuisine, Caribbean jerk, Pizza, a Creperie, Seafood, and Asian dishes... so a bit of everything! My favorite was the sushi at Soy (ate there twice!) and my hibachi meal at Kimonos. My favorite late night place was the Olde London Pub because who doesn’t want fries at midnight!? Or a good steak!

Testing to Get Back into the USA

Sandals is currently providing free onsite testing for guests. It was an easy process. They left a note in my room letting me know my test would be Friday at 7:20am before my Sunday departure. I went down to the designated room, had the Covid test, and my results were in my room (negative again, yay!) by 2pm on Saturday. Before I knew it was back on the shuttle that Sunday heading to the airport. Once again my paperwork was checked and I was on my way home!

My Overall Thoughts

Sandals Grande St. Lucian provides a romantic atmosphere for young honeymooners, anniversary couples, and even groups of couples alike! With rooms ranging from Luxury, to Club Level, Rondovals, and even Over The Water Bungalows, there is a room type for every budget but rest assured you will feel pampered at this amazing location.

When you’re in paradise it’s always hard to leave! I know I already miss my nights watching the beautiful sunsets, swinging over the sea, and resting in the hammock. One final pro tip: if you go to the swim up bar and see Remy be sure to ask for his signature drink!

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