These St. Lucia Hotels Have ‘Open Walls,' Private Plunge Pools, Pitons Views — and a Champagne Zip Line

The "Peak to Beach" package takes honeymooners, foodies, and adventurers to the volcanic island’s exclusive and unique Ladera and Cap Maison resorts.

Watching dawn break from a four-poster bed at Ladera, St. Lucia is surreal. In the middle distance is the Caribbean Sea glittering between Gros Piton and Petit Piton, two enormous cone-shaped, forest-covered peaks that even dominate St. Lucia’s flag. They feature on every postcard from this lush Caribbean island — and dominate every view from the enormous suites on Ladera’s Paradise Ridge.

Up here I can see everything, but no one can see me. My room — which I share with my wife Gill — has only three walls, the fourth replaced by cable car views of the Pitons and Sugar Beach far below. If that’s not sweet enough, there’s a heated plunge pool and, above it, a swing seat whose grenadine syrup-filled bird feeder attracts streams of yellow-bellied bananaquits and hovering hummingbirds.

Best described as a boutique concept resort, Ladera is the first stop on the "Peak to Beach" package aimed at honeymooners, foodies, and anyone who loves contrasting experiences. It also includes nights at Cap Maison on the island’s northwest coast where the vibe is rum cocktails and cool ocean breezes.

However, Ladera suggests adventure. Living partly outdoors isn’t for everyone, but its 37 rooms — all of which are left open to the elements on the south side — are vast, spacious, and beautifully appointed. A clever design keeps both sunshine and tropical showers away from all but the plunge pool and deck, while a plush bed is sheilded from insects by huge nets. As twilight faded we switched off the lights to stargaze, finding fireflies as well as the firmament.

While at Ladera you’d be forgiven for staying in your own spectacular space, but this linear resort on a volcanic ridge has plenty to explore. A path from Paradise Ridge leads up to a viewpoint that overlooks the Pitons. There’s a platform for sunrise yoga and meditation, which is scheduled for 6 a.m. most mornings. Spa treatments are available in-room — using coconut oil, of course — while the all-new Kilibwi Spa readies for opening later this year. Behind it is a jaw-dropping six-level tree house and outdoor gym, both built by staff during the property’s six-month closure in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. On the path back to the resort’s entrance are a pilates/yoga studio, an astronomy deck complete with telescopes, a games room, a wellness garden, and more vividly colored plunge pools.

Aside from its dramatic location, Ladera has its own look. It’s primarily made from wood, with intricate carvings and carved signage — all the work of local artist Boniface Modeste — creating a unique atmosphere. The ridge is awash with red caterpillar-like cattails, elephant ears, yellow cornflowers, and white teardrop-shaped bleeding hearts. Tropical birds flit between them and the carefully positioned (and daily replenished) bird feeders. I gradually realize that Ladera is less a resort and more a community of talented people working together to create a somewhere that’s so much more than its spectacular location.