Stonefield Villa Resort

What is Stonefield Villa Resort?

Stonefield Villa Resort, also known as Stonefield Estate Villa Resort, is a hillside collection of private villas and cottages above Soufrière in Saint Lucia, on the grounds of a former plantation. Most villas look towards Petit Piton, and many have their own pool and outdoor shower.

It is a quieter and more self contained kind of stay than a conventional resort. There is no grand lobby or long corridor of rooms. Instead you have a villa, a veranda, a view and a restaurant by the main pool, and you decide how much of the day to spend in each. If you like the idea of a home among the trees with hotel service on call, this is the sort of place that delivers it. For the wider field, our guide to private villas and VIP stays explains how this style of holiday works in Saint Lucia.

You will find the property listed under two names, Stonefield Villa Resort and Stonefield Estate Villa Resort. They refer to the same place, and we use the shorter name here.

Stonefield Villa Resort at a glance

Stonefield Villa Resort stands in the hills above Soufrière, in the Soufrière district on Saint Lucia's southwest coast, at the foot of Petit Piton. The nearest town is Soufrière, about a ten minute drive away. The nearest international airport is Hewanorra at Vieux Fort, and listings give the drive as somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour. The style of stay is private villas and cottages on a former plantation, with views of Petit Piton. It suits couples, small groups and travellers who prefer a villa to a hotel room. A typical stay includes a private pool, an outdoor shower, a veranda, a kitchen or kitchenette and meals at The Mango Tree restaurant.

Where is Stonefield, and what is the land's history?

The resort sits in the hills above Soufrière, on the southwest coast, with rainforest behind, the Caribbean below and Petit Piton rising at the foot of the property. The town itself is about a ten minute drive away. It is close enough to reach easily and high enough to feel apart from it.

The land was once a working plantation. Listings describe a succession of crops, with sugar and lime in the past and cocoa later, which is a pattern that fits the story of this coast. For the background to how sugar estates shaped the island, and the people whose labour built them, read our guides to the history of Saint Lucia and to slavery and emancipation. It is worth thinking about that history as you walk the grounds, rather than treating the estate as only a pretty backdrop.

There is a nature trail on the property that leads to carvings made by the Arawak people, the earliest known inhabitants of the island, who lived here long before any plantation was planted. Birdwatching is good along the same paths, particularly early in the morning. The trail is a small thing, but it adds a sense of place that a hotel on cleared land would lack.

What are the villas like?

The accommodation is a mix of cottages and villas, many in a gingerbread style, with fretwork, shutters and wide verandas. Listings put the number of villas at 17, ranging from one bedroom to several, which is small enough that the resort stays quiet. Confirm the current count and the villa types with the resort before booking.

Most villas have a view of Petit Piton, and some also look over the sea. The garden view villas are the exception, so if the mountain is the reason you are coming, say so when you book. Many villas have a private pool and an outdoor shower, and the larger ones are suited to families or groups of friends. Kitchens vary, with some villas offering a full kitchen and others a kitchenette, so check which you are getting if you plan to cook.

The style is deliberately simple. Listings mention four poster beds, hand crafted furniture and no television or landline in the villas, with guests given a mobile phone to reach reception. That suits anyone who wants to switch off, and it is the kind of detail to know before you arrive rather than after. The resort has also been described both with and without air conditioning, so ask what your villa has. Cooling matters in a humid hillside climate.

Where do you eat and drink?

The social centre of the resort is the pool terrace, and the restaurant beside it is called The Mango Tree. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a Caribbean slant, sometimes with live music, and the view across the water to Petit Piton is a large part of the appeal. There is a bar by the pool for sunset cocktails, which is where many guests drift at the end of the day.

Because many villas have a kitchen, you also have the option of cooking. Listings mention a shopping service for self catering guests, which means you can have supplies ready on arrival, and that is worth asking about when you book. The nearest independent restaurants are about a ten minute taxi ride away, so plan how you will get there and back, and book a driver for the return trip.

Away from the resort, Soufrière and the coast have plenty of places to eat lunch, from simple local spots to hotel restaurants. Look out for fresh fish, green fig and saltfish and breadfruit, and ask the resort for lunch recommendations in town.

What is there to do?

Most guests spend their time between the villa, the pool and short excursions. On the property you will find a spa, a gym and a yoga pavilion, and the resort can arrange guided walks, horse riding, cycling, waterfall visits and boat trips. The island's most famous hikes begin close by, and you can read about the toughest of them in our Gros Piton hike guide and about the pair together on our Pitons page.

Soufrière's attractions are all within a short drive. The Sulphur Springs, the botanical gardens and the waterfalls make an easy day, and the coast has some of the best diving and snorkelling on the island, so a dive operator can be arranged through the resort or the neighbouring hotels. Listings mention a Saturday market in town too, which is worth a morning if the dates fit.

For a swim in the sea, you will use the shuttle. Listings describe a free shuttle to a nearby beach and into Soufrière town, naming beaches in the Val des Pitons area. Schedules can change, so confirm the times and whether a charge applies when you book. If you plan to explore widely, hire a car or book a driver, because the hillside is not a place to rely on walking.

What is near Stonefield Villa Resort?

Stonefield is well placed for the southwest. Soufrière is about ten minutes away by road, with its waterfront, market and small shops. Petit Piton rises beside the property, and Gros Piton stands beyond it. The Sulphur Springs and the mineral baths are a short drive from the town, and listings mention a spa treatment that finishes with a soak in a hot mineral pool. The botanical gardens and waterfalls near Soufrière are covered in our waterfalls and gardens guide, and they make an easy half day.

On the coast below, the beaches of the Val des Pitons are a short drive away, and the resort's shuttle is described as serving them. Further north, Sugar Beach and Anse Chastanet both sit on the water close to the Pitons, and each has a page here if you want to compare them or plan a day visit. The reefs along this coast are among the best on the island, which we cover in our diving and snorkelling guide.

For meals, The Mango Tree restaurant and the pool bar are on site, which is useful because the nearest independent restaurants are about a ten minute taxi ride away. In Soufrière you will find local places for lunch and hotel restaurants with sea views. Menus and opening days change, so ask the resort for current suggestions and arrange a driver for the return journey. Our west coast guide gives a wider sense of the area.

Things to do from here include guided walks, horse riding, cycling, waterfall visits and boat trips, which the resort can arrange, along with yoga and spa treatments on the property. The trail on the estate leads to Arawak carvings, and the forest is good for birdwatching. As a base, Stonefield works because everything on the Soufrière coast is within a short drive while the villa itself stays quiet. You can have a slow morning by your own pool, take a trip in the afternoon, and still be back for sunset. It helps to have a driver or hire car.

How does it compare with other stays near Soufrière?

The southwest has several distinct styles of hotel, and it helps to know where Stonefield fits. Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat sits on a working cacao farm and offers lodges and a restaurant built around cacao, with the experience of the farm at its centre. Stonefield is the better choice if you want a villa with a private pool and your own kitchen.

Ladera is another hillside resort in the same landscape, known for its open sided rooms between the Pitons. Beachfront resorts such as Sugar Beach put you on the sand, while Stonefield puts you above it. If you are comparing several options, our full list of hotels in Saint Lucia sets them side by side.

Think about what you want from the days. If you want a beach on the doorstep, choose a coastal resort. If you want a villa feel, privacy and a view, with trips to the coast when you fancy them, Stonefield makes sense. It is a good choice for a longer stay, or for two couples sharing a larger villa.

How to plan a stay at Stonefield Villa Resort

Getting there. Most UK visitors fly into Hewanorra International Airport at Vieux Fort, and listings give the drive as somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour. George F. L. Charles Airport at Castries is a longer drive, well over an hour on a winding road. The resort can arrange a private transfer. Our getting here guide explains the airports, flights from London and what the road is like.

When to go. The drier months from roughly December to May are the most popular, but a hillside estate looks lush after rain and the showers tend to pass quickly. Our best time to visit guide sets out the seasons month by month.

Who it suits. Couples who want privacy and a view, small groups, and anyone who prefers a villa to a hotel room. Many people choose it for a honeymoon in Saint Lucia because of the private pools and the quiet. It is less suited to travellers who want a big resort, a beachfront setting or nightly entertainment.

What to book. Ask for a villa with the view and the pool you want, check the kitchen type, confirm the air conditioning and the shuttle schedule, and arrange transport for the evenings you want to eat out. Listings describe the age policy differently, from adults only to a minimum age for children, so confirm it directly if anyone under eighteen is travelling. Rates and facilities change, so check current details before you pay a deposit.

Planning St Lucia holidays around Stonefield Villa Resort

Stonefield Villa Resort is one of the places to stay in St Lucia we cover in detail, and the right choice depends on the kind of stay you want. Our guides to luxury hotels in St Lucia, all inclusive resorts in St Lucia and family resorts in St Lucia help you compare it fairly.

To build the rest of your a holiday in St Lucia, check the best time to visit St Lucia, flights to St Lucia and our St Lucia itineraries. Couples can read about a honeymoon in St Lucia or weddings in St Lucia as well.

Questions travellers ask