How do you imagine the perfect romantic destination? Is it watching a stunning Caribbean sunset while gently swaying in a hammock big enough for two? Or is it taking a midnight swim under the stars in a private pool next to a luxurious villa? Maybe it’s listening to live music while enjoying fine food and wine in front of a million-dollar view. It may sound like a dream destination, but this is exactly what you can expect at Stonefield Villa Resort, a boutique adults-only resort on St. Lucia that may leave you wanting more….more time here, that is.
Location, Location, Location
Even though this was our first visit to St. Lucia, it didn’t take Henk and I long to recognize that Stonefield Villa Resort may have one of THE best locations on the island, being situated practically in the shadow of Petit Piton, the smaller of two volcanic spires that have become synonymous with the island. These lush green sentinels rise out of the ocean on the western coast and are one of the island’s most defining landmarks. Just catching a glimpse of them from any hotel room would make for an amazing view. But at Stonefield Villa Resort, Petit Piton is practically on your doorstep, acting as a dramatic backdrop for the greenery surrounding the property’s private villas, or taking centre stage in front of the resort’s main pool and dining pavilion.
It’s simply stunning and regardless of how you might define your million-dollar view, there’s no arguing that the one offered at Stonefield Villa Resort would rank high on anyone’s list. But it’s what the property itself offers that makes this destination so special, and why, once you’ve arrived here, you won’t want to leave.
Romance is in the Air at this Adults-Only Resort in St Lucia
Henk and I definitely appreciate the attention to detail that typically comes with smaller, boutique properties like Stonefield, and it is one of the reasons why we seek out this type of accommodation whenever we travel. On St. Lucia, these boutique properties form part of the island’s Collection de Pépites, a group of villas, resorts and inns all that all have less than 34 rooms.
Stonefield Resort offers 17 colonial-style private villas to their guests, and since this is an adults-only resort in St. Lucia, we knew that it would be one with a vibe that caters to more grown-up tastes and activities. We expected that we would also enjoy the kind of personal service that comes with smaller properties, but when it comes to romance, Stonefield took our expectations to another level entirely. Starting with the luxurious accommodations.
Private Vill-aaahhhhs!
The villas at Stonefield are everything you would imagine in upscale romantic accommodation: each is oriented on the hillside to take advantage of the unparalleled views, whether they are ocean-facing, piton-facing or a combination of both, ensuring that guests always have romantic inspiration right outside their doors.
Our Manchineel villa had the best of both worlds, with views of Petit Piton to our left and the Caribbean ocean directly in front of us. We were surrounded by lush landscaping that acted as its own privacy screen, and yet our verandah offered unobstructed views from both hammock and seating area for the best show in town: the sunset!
There’s no better way to wind down after a day of sightseeing on St. Lucia than to come back to these views, except maybe to enjoy a glass of chilled wine while snacking our way through an overly-abundant charcuterie board.
Plunge In!
Amazing views aside, I think the definition of decadence for me has to be my own private plunge pool, and every villa at Stonefield offers this luxury (the larger villas on the property have even larger pools). Given the resort’s location high up on the hillside, it’s a welcome treat to be able to bask in the sun and cool off in your own pool, without having to go down to the beach. And if you want to try a midnight dip (skinny if you dare!), you have that opportunity right on your doorstep.
Sleep in!
Inside the villa, the romance continues with a huge four-poster bed almost as big as the plunge pool, comfy robes, a spa-like bathroom and one of the largest and most luxurious outdoor showers I’ve seen in my travels. If this isn’t enough to tempt you to sleep until you’re finished and then order in room service for breakfast – or lunch, depending on when you do get up – I don’t know what is.
Phone it in!
Speaking of ordering in, the management at Stonefield has thought of every convenience, including one I wouldn’t have expected: our own cell phone to use while on the property.
Whether we wanted to request room service or more drinks to re-stock our mini-bar, book a spa treatment, or better yet, call for a shuttle to take us to and from nearby Malgretoute beach, all we had to do was dial.
TIP: The villas may be secluded and kept private from other guests’ eyes, but sound carries, so guests are reminded to be aware of that. We respected this desire for peace and quiet ourselves and never heard so much as a peep from our neighbours.
Easy Access to Malgretoute Beach
Although I could have happily spent my time pool-plunging every day, this is the Caribbean after all, and nothing beats a swim in St. Lucia’s warm tropical waters. So Henk and I made use of our Stonefield cell phone and booked a shuttle down to nearby Malgretoute Beach. Here, Stonefield has an arrangement with another beachside property, Paradise Beach Hotel, that allowed us to rent their beach chairs and umbrellas, or eat at the restaurant and re-direct any of these charges back to our room at Stonefield.
Malgretoute beach lies at the very foot of Petit Piton and like all of St. Lucia’s beaches is open to the public and free for all to enjoy. We chose to rent loungers in front of the Paradise Hotel and we had this section of beach pretty much all to ourselves.
In fact, the entire stretch of Malgretoute beach was very quiet and Henk and I had the chance to do some sunning, snorkelling and swimming without seeing many other people. But when we did want a drink, there was always a friendly staff member from the Paradise to accommodate us. Best of all, when it was time to head back up, we just used our Stonefield phone to call for a shuttle!
TIP: The snorkelling at Paradise Cove isn’t nearly as good as the shoals at Anse Cochon, so if you are really into fish-finding, you’ll want to head to that beach instead.
Wining and Dining with a View
No romantic escape is complete without indulging in some fine food and a little R&R, in my case (Red & Rosé) and Stonefield is happy to provide all of the above at their Mango Tree restaurant. Guests with all-inclusive plans can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner here and the only thing better than the flavours on the plate are the incomparable views from the terraces. Whether you are admiring Petit Piton while enjoying an aperitif and amuse-bouche at a poolside cocktail table, or taking in mountain and ocean views from their upper dining deck at breakfast, you won’t find a more scenic location to sample farm-to-table St. Lucian dishes (some of which are taken from owner Anista Brown’s own recipe book). And the property maintains their own organic garden on-site as part of their farm-to-table focus, meaning it just doesn’t get any fresher.
TIP: You can pay for meals ‘a la carte’ at the Mango Tree, but Stonefield Villa Resort also offers full board meal plans at $138pp daily or one with unlimited beverages for $175pp. Just note that any charges you might incur at Paradise Beach Hotel are not included in either plan.
Canadian Connection #1
I certainly wasn’t expecting a St. Lucian boutique resort to have any kind of Canadian connection, other than perhaps the direct Westjet flight that took Henk and I to the island. But it turns out that it was a Canadian builder named Wayne Brown who, together with his St. Lucian wife Anista, bought Stonefield back in 1973 when it was still a coffee, lime and cocoa plantation.
Shortly after purchasing the plantation, Wayne and Anista discovered petroglyphs on the property, and they realized they had found a particularly special place on the island and an ideal location for a boutique resort. They developed the property into the private family-run resort it still is today, with Wayne heading up the construction of the uniquely designed villas. Later came the restaurant, spa, wellness centre, organic gardens and more. And as a nod to the historical significance of the location, the Browns made those ancient petroglyphs part of the resort logo.
As it turns out, those petroglyphs revealed a second Canadian connection for us at Stonefield…
Canadian Connection #2
Stonefield offers several complimentary activities for their guests, one of which was the petroglyphs tour that Henk and I decided to take one morning. Our guide was a man roughly our age who went by the nickname of Poncho and whose main role is to oversee the on-site organic gardens on the property.
Poncho was quick to point out that he is neither archaeologist nor anthropologist, but since he knows the property and the petroglyphs on it so well, he recounted what other researchers have theorized about the carvings: believed to be around 1000 years old, they were made by the Amerindian people who likely visited this location because of its spiritual significance and being so close to the impressive Petit Piton. Some experts suggest that one large stone with carvings of a ‘family’ of figures on it might have actually been used as a birthing stone, or perhaps as a sacred stone that might foster fertility.
Of course there are others who suggest these figures represent or were made by extra terrestrials (because whenever there’s any kind of unexplained carving anywhere, there’s always an alien theory!)
It was when I asked Poncho about his other duties as overseer of the gardens at Stonefield that I discovered a completely unexpected connection: Poncho and I had both attended the University of Guelph in Canada at the same time! Originally from Trinidad, Poncho had been accepted into the university’s well-known agriculture program and after graduating, he moved to St. Lucia to put that education into practice, a career that eventually brought him to Stonefield many years later.
Even more coincidental, when I mentioned that I was originally from Sudbury, Poncho told me he had actually visited the city when he was considering attending Laurentian University instead of Guelph! Never in a million years would I have expected to connect with a fellow Guelph grad on my first visit to St. Lucia, nevermind one who had also visited my hometown. It was just another example of how small the world can be, even when people live 3700 km or so apart.
Re-Connecting at Stonefield Villa Resort
Most people who come to Stonefield probably don’t stumble onto such a serendipitous connection as the one Henk and I found with Poncho. Most come here on their honeymoon, to celebrate a romantic occasion, or to re-connect with that special someone in their life. This is St. Lucia, after all, which has once again been named as the ‘World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’ – for the fourteenth time! And Stonefield Villa Resort is undoubtedly one of the reasons why.
But even if you just come here to relax and indulge in the peaceful natural surroundings and stunning vistas that make Stonefield a little piece of tropical paradise, you’re sure to be seduced by this luxurious boutique resort.
It doesn’t get more romantic than that.
TIP: If you do want to see some of St. Lucia and not just each other, Stonefield Villa Resort can arrange excursions to some of St. Lucia’s nearby and most popular attractions, including Sulphur Springs Park with its drive-in volcano and mud baths, the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and the town of Soufrière. Read about these adventures and more here.
Henk and I want to extend a special thank you to St. Lucia Tourism and Total Public Relations who arranged for our hosted stay at Stonefield Villa Resort. However, they did not review or ‘approve’ this article, and all our opinions are our own.
Jane Canapini is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada and the North American Travel Journalists Association. She established GrownupTravels.com in 2014 to share information and tips based on personal experience so her readers could get the most out of their travels.
Subscribe and you'll never miss an update!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from Grownup Travels. (We keep your email STRICTLY private)
Thank you for subscribing to Grownup Travels!