The Landings

What is The Landings Resort and Spa?

The Landings Resort and Spa is an all-suite resort on the Pigeon Island Causeway at Rodney Bay, in the north of Saint Lucia. Instead of standard hotel rooms it offers villa suites with one, two or three bedrooms, each with a kitchen and a separate living area, beside a private marina and a calm beach.

The Landings at a glance

The Landings stands on the Pigeon Island Causeway at Rodney Bay, in the Gros Islet district on the north-west coast of Saint Lucia. The nearest town is Gros Islet, with the resort strip of Rodney Bay on the doorstep. The nearest airport is George F. L. Charles Airport near Castries, roughly 20 to 40 minutes away by road, while Hewanorra International Airport in the south is a transfer of around an hour and a half or more. The style of stay is a villa suite of one to three bedrooms with a kitchen, living room and terrace, beside a private marina and a sheltered beach. It suits families, groups of friends, longer stays and couples who want space. It is usually sold as a villa resort, so check whether breakfast and meals are in your rate, and note that non-motorised water sports are free for guests.

Is the resort still open, and what is it called now?

Yes, it is a working resort, on sale through UK tour operators and booking sites as The Landings Resort and Spa. The name has had additions over the years. When the development was first announced to the trade it was described as The Landings St. Lucia, A RockResort. In June 2017 it signed a marketing and sales services agreement with Elegant Hotels Group, and some listings still add by Elegant Hotels to the name.

Behind the branding sits an unusual ownership story. The suites were sold to individual owners, and a large group of those owners later pooled their money to take over the assets of the development company, so that the place could run as a hotel and residence community. Part of the stock goes into a rental pool, which is why you can stay in a suite that someone else owns. For a guest it is simple: you book The Landings, you stay in a villa suite, and the resort team looks after you. Check the name and the Pigeon Island Causeway address on your booking confirmation.

What are the villa suites like?

Every suite is a villa-style apartment rather than a bedroom with a bathroom, and the accommodation is organised by view. Marina view suites look over the yacht basin, ocean view suites look across the bay and beachfront suites sit nearest the sand. Some of the larger suites have their own plunge pool, and many come with a butler. Size and position vary, so the first decision is whether you want to wake up to yachts, the sea or both.

Inside, expect a proper kitchen, a living room and a dining area, a washer and dryer in most, and a terrace or patio. In the master bedrooms the beds are king size and the bathrooms are in marble. The scale is generous compared with a standard resort room, and that is the real saving for a family: children can sleep in a separate room while adults sit up on the terrace, and you can keep breakfast things in your own fridge.

A kitchen does not mean you must cook. Many guests use it for breakfast and a late drink and eat out for dinner. The resort can arrange a stocked kitchen on arrival, a private chef or a nanny as extras on request. We have not listed prices because they change by season and suite, so ask for a written quote for your dates.

• Marina view suites suit people who like boats and a sunset over the harbour.
• Ocean and beachfront suites put you closer to the water, so ask how the rate compares with a marina view.
• Plunge pools and butler service are tied to particular suite types, so check before you pay a deposit.

What are the beach, marina and facilities like?

The beach faces west across a sheltered bay, so the water is usually calm and clear, with a gentle entry that suits children learning to swim. It is white sand with sun loungers and palms, and it is short rather than endless, which keeps it intimate. Kayaks, paddleboards and sailing dinghies are free for guests, and jet skis cost extra. Our water adventures guide sets out what else you can do on the bay.

The marina is the other half of the setting. Boats of all sizes come and go, and the resort offers moorings and private charters, which makes it a natural place to try sailing. Our guides to sailing and boat trips and catamaran sunset cruises explain the choices, from a lazy sundowner to a full day down the coast.

Away from the water there are several pools, including one for adults beside the spa, two hot tubs, floodlit tennis and pickleball courts, a gym with classes and a spa with a range of treatments. Dining includes a sushi bar and a beach bar and grill, and a kids' club and a teen programme run for younger guests, though ages and opening times change, so confirm them. For a wider spa choice, read our spa rituals and mud baths guide.

What is near The Landings?

The resort stands on the causeway that leads from the mainland to Pigeon Island, so the first neighbour is the island itself, a short walk or ride to the north-west. The causeway was built from the earth dug out to form Rodney Bay Marina, and it joined the island to the mainland in the early 1970s. Pigeon Island is now a national landmark with the ruins of Fort Rodney, a small museum, quiet beaches at the foot of the hill and a climb to Signal Peak for views over the whole north. Our guide to Pigeon Island covers the walks, and our guide to historic forts and ruins puts it in the wider story of the island.

Next door on the same causeway is Sandals Grande, the adults-only all-inclusive, and a little further up the coast is Cap Maison, a quieter clifftop stay. To the south-east, across the bay, the resort district of Rodney Bay has the long beach at Reduit, the marina waterfront, supermarkets, pharmacies and a good range of restaurants from beach grills to fine dining, all a short drive or taxi ride away. The old fishing village of Gros Islet, a few minutes inland from the causeway, holds its street party on Friday nights, with music, grilled fish and local food, a tradition that has run for decades. Agree your taxi home in advance.

For things to do, boat trips of every kind leave from the marina, and our whale and dolphin watching guide explains trips along the west coast. Diving and snorkelling sites lie down that coast too, covered in our diving and snorkelling guide, and there is an 18-hole golf course in the area, described in our golf and tennis guide. The capital, Castries, is a short drive south, with its market and the cruise port, and Marigot Bay lies a little further on, a sheltered harbour that is popular for a lunch stop.

That mix is why the location works so well as a base. You can walk the fort in the morning, swim and sail in the afternoon, eat in the marina or in the resort in the evening and be at the Friday party in minutes, all without hiring a car. When you do want to see the rest of the island, the north-west coast is the shortest drive to Castries and the west coast road, though the Pitons are a long day trip from here.

Who it suits, how to get there and what to book

The Landings suits families with young children, multigenerational groups, friends travelling together and couples who want space and a kitchen. It is less suited to travellers who want one all-inclusive price, because the stay is normally priced room only or with breakfast. If you prefer to pay once, compare the other stays on our where to stay page, and read our family friendly resorts guide for the options. For celebrations, the resort has space for weddings and events, and our weddings and honeymoons guide explains how a ceremony works.

Fly to Hewanorra International Airport in Vieux Fort and transfer by road, a long drive across the island that is worth arranging in advance, or fly to the smaller George F. L. Charles Airport near Castries for a short ride. Our getting here guide sets out the airports and the entry rules. The drier months from roughly December to May are the busiest, as our best time to visit guide explains.

Book a suite type rather than a room grade, and ask whether breakfast is included, which taxes and service charges are added, what the cancellation terms are and whether a butler comes with your category.

Planning St Lucia holidays around The Landings

The Landings 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