The 20 best spots for snorkeling in St. Lucia (2024)

Fantastic, amazing, or dreamlike take your pick. My wife and I went here on our honeymoon and had the best time. The location and setting of the hotel is unreal with the food being a major highlight. The staff were extremely professional and courteous and I wanted to call out our butlers Traci and Ned and driver Fred for making sure we were taken care of and comfortable throughout our stay. Due to them and their colleagues we were able to enjoy our dream honeymoon and look forward to returning. Thanks Sugar Beach!

Great stay. Would just say to stay here for a max of 5 days. Stayed here for a week and even though the food is very good, gets repetitive/ expensive. Also isn’t a ton to do outside of the handful of off resort trips so generally you chill on the extremely nice beach/pool area. Overall very nice stay though with stellar customer service and would recommend it.

That property is a wao factor, the drive is long to get there but once you reach it and walk around between these two massive Pitons, you feel so tiny and appreciative. We felt in an old English colony with the modern facilities. The beach bungalows are really nice, beautiful view on the sea and the mountain. The last bungalows are a bit more private and modern. We had room 24, I recommend it, plus has a private plunge pool facing the sea, such a nice experience. The gym is without hesitation, the best gym I have seen in a hotel, fully equipped, just like a city gym, so spacious and clean. The spa is a really nice experience, the corridor to go there is quite magical. The steam room is not strong but the experience is worth it. The cabins in the trees are amazing, such a good idea. The whole staff is nice and friendly. A shame they made us wear the life jacket even for 10 minutes paddle in the bay, we felt treated like kids. We miss the breakfasts, so delicious, many things to choose from. Thank you everyone for your service.

I can not speak on the rooms or service since we just visited the beach on our island tour, but I can say the water and beach are beautiful! Clear blue water everywhere. We were brought in to the beach via speed boat. Overall, We had a blast snorkeling and swimming. I would highly recommend seeing this beach.

Review of the Beach and not the resort.Not really worth it to go there just for the beach. The beach is small, super crowded with the people from the resort and tourists from tours, and not that amazing. The view of the two pitons is nice, but there are better beaches to go in Soufriere. The snorkeling is nice, but again, not worth it to go on purpose there, since you either have to go by car and pay a lot for parking 50$ or go by boat and also costs around 30$ per person

Overall we had a lovely time at Sugar Beach resort. The location is absolutely beautiful, you could just relax on the beach taking in the stunning surroundings all day. The beach is on the smaller side but with beautiful clear water. The beach is open to public and therefore catamarans with vacationers from outside of the resort were arriving every day and that overwhelmed the beach quite quickly. The food was just okay. The quality did not warrant the price. I would suggest taking a few trips outside the resort and having dinner elsewhere if you decide to vacation here. The breakfast buffet was lacking in our opinion, and the staff at breakfast was quite rude on more than one occasion which was extremely disappointing. There were a few “themed” nights at the restaurant by the beach but again a big group of guests from outside the resort were invited and that took away from the “private oasis” theme the resort likes to promote. The checkout process was awful as there was no AC and it was rushed. The overall feel, including butter’s send-off, was “you paid your bill, don’t let the door hit you on your way out” which definitely left a bad aftertaste. All in all, we had a good time but we will not be back!

This is an amazing place - the overall amenities are wonderful, however what sets it apart from other places is the people. The staff at Sugar Bay is so friendly and warm; they make you feel like family and genuinely want to help you with anything you could possibly need. We could not recommend this resort more and look forward to our next visit.

We only left so we can make money to come back again.You will see reviews talking about the beauty of the island & the property, which are absolutely breathtaking.However, what made our experience the most special week of our lives were the staff. You will not find this level of hospitality, warmth and genuine love from another resort. From the breakfast staff, the bar staff and guest transportation, we made everlasting friendships. Specifically, I can’t say enough about Jade and Melanie. You can say we were “creatures of habit” as we spent hours with them laughing at the Bayside Beach Restaurant, each day.We stayed in the 800 villas - again the butler staff was incredible. You truly cannot walk past anyone in the resort without them stopping to ask how you are doing and how your stay is going.I could go on and on about our experience, the quality of service and delicious food but what truly made it exceptional was the staff ❤️We will be back!

One of the most stunning views on the island! Hence the 3 stars. This resort is absolutely stunning, although very luxurious and too perfect to my taste. We didn't stay there, we just visited and parked in the visitors parking lot way above (long walk downhill, then uphill!). Worth a day trip for the view! I can't comment on the accommodation nor the food. Probably perfect for wealthy honeymooners, but not our style.

Great resort, nice location. Rooms were maintained well in general, though in our villa the A/C wasn’t working well, and the ceiling fan wasn’t working well either, so the room was hard to sleep in. After calling for maintenance multiple times over two days, they finally showed up and agreed that the A/C wasn’t working. Their fix was to wash the air filter in the pool, which unsurprisingly, did nothing. They left without saying anything, and our attempts to get it resolved were ultimately unsuccessful. Other than that, a pretty nice place for a vacation without the kids.

Amazing property, Excellent service, and the best views of the Pitons. The staff goes above and beyond for guests. Ched the restaurant manager was so attentive and took good care of our family. My 3-year-old had so many questions and Ched was kind to her. Unfortunately, many of the reviews regarding visiting for the day to use the beach are inaccurate and unfair. The hotel provides a service for a fair charge to those who make the trek to get here. They provided us with an amazing experience and I felt as though I got excellent value. I didn’t feel like a third-class citizen, I did not see unhappy members of staff, nor did I see visitors being treated poorly. When you arrive at the entrance, explain why you are there and they will assist you. I will return to the resort at my earliest opportunity.

My husband and I went to Saint Lucia for our honeymoon and someone that we met recommended that we go here. He said it is the most beautiful beach in the world. So, we went to the resort for an early dinner and drinks and to enjoy the beautiful beach between the Pitons. This was absolutely worth it. We loved all of the food and drinks that we had while we were there. We enjoyed it so much that we went back for another meal the day that we flew out of Saint Lucia, just to have more time there. All of the staff were super helpful and really friendly. The whole experience was really wonderful. Next time we visit Saint LucIa we will absolutely be booking at the resort as well.

We just returned from a birthday trip. This was our first stay at Sugar Beach and we were treated like royalty. From our butler Khandi, to the shuttle drivers (shout out to Special K) to the restaurant staff everyone made us feel welcome. We were in Villa 702, which had an amazing outdoor patio with plunge pool and outdoor shower and it was truly magnificent. The beach is a public beach so occasionally a boat would show up to bring people snorkeling in front of the beach close to the water sports building. But there was plenty of room and the beach was much quieter over by the South Pier. Speaking of the south pier, Jetty Burger was amazing. They had the best burgers and local rum punches. The prices on the resort were a tad bit high but it’s truly a small price to pay for the luxurious location and services that you receive. We woke up every morning looking at both of the Pitons. Not many resorts in St Lucia can offer that! Definitely recommend.

Third trip here.What we loved:- staff were incredibly welcoming and friendly (special mention to Mosiah, Clyde and Tennis coach)- one of the best locations on the island - close to Pitons and snorkelling/diving from the shore is sensational and widely regarded as some of the best St Lucia has to offer. Pure white sand beach on site.- food is fantastic and lots of choices…. Great co*cktails.- room was amazing, great view and truly a paradise.

I just spent a week with 4 girlfriends at this incredible resort. This is nothing short of paradise and one of the most spectacular places to stay in the world...seriously, like being in a Bond film! The staff go above and beyond in every respect, constantly enquiring as to how you are and if they can assist with anything which they always follow through on, not just pay lip service. Super efficient and friendly.Regarding the restaurants, my friends all said that throughout the week we were there, they didn't eat a single thing that was not delicious and beautifully presented. There is also plenty of choice of restaurants and themed nights with live music which we really enjoyed. The rooms are stunning! Beautifully appointed and spacious. Oh, and they come with your own butler who caters to your every whim! If you are searching for the ultimate place to stay, go here! It is utterly amazing!!

We honeymooned at Sugar Beach and could not possibly have enjoyed it more! The villas were amazing, the views were incredible, the beach and pool were fantastic, the food was delicious and the STAFF was tremendous! The staff truly made the experience unforgettable. They are incredibly helpful and hospitable and friendly. We will return!

By far one of the best and most incredible resorts I’ve ever stayed at! Worth every penny and already want to return and bring my whole family.When arriving you are greeted immediately & explained all the information about the resort by the butler. Every room has a designated butler, in which they provide a direct line and you can reach them at any time (or whoever’s on call). I used the line a many times and was always answered kindly. The rooms are warm and welcoming plus large, with wide open windows with a lot of light. I will add hw that my room was at the entrance of the pool so I felt very little privacy and couldn’t open the windows… (a bit discouraging). Each room is essentially its own bungalow with cleaning twice a day (but on the last day they came very late weirdly). Cleaning was great and very efficient. The rooms have there own dipping pool and while the sentiment was nice, I did feel it could have been cleaned and maintained better as it felt a bit lackluster and not welcoming.The beach is actually incredible with large cooling umbrellas to sit under in the shade and enjoy the views. Between the two large Pitons was such a relaxing experience. The service is also welcoming (mainly) and fast. The food at the beach was also delicious and co*cktails were on point. The beach and isolation of it is already worth the price. There is also an additional more quiet beach on the south side with fantastic views of the sunset.The resorts has a bunch of varying restaurants plus two boutiques (very expensive) and a tiny store with ice cream. On the beach itself, there is a local store that sells many of the same products for a cheaper cost. The staff at the resort was always courteous and extremely kind, it was great getting to know them all. The spa had so many different options and was excellent!This hotel was very wonderful and the stay was excellent. I definitely recommend it if staying in St. Lucia. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else!!

During our 2 week stay in St.Lucia (Gros Islet) we decided to spend an afternoon at Sugar Beach to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. After reading mixed reviews about day passes I decided to make a reservation at Bonte. It was lucky I did as after a two hour drive we wouldn't have been allowed entrance.We arrived at the resort. Security didn't look very welcoming. Given quite a frosty reception.I showed them the restaurant booking confirmation upon which our driver was given the green light to enter.Shuttle & staff at Bonte were lovely. Made my family feel welcomed. Lunch was lovely. Once we got the beach you are then pretty much a second class citizen. Bearing in mind we had visited the restaurant - you have to rent a sun bed for $75. You are directed to abysmal washrooms full of urine and water to use as a changing room.Putting up with the above we chose to set our belongings down near the snorkelling area, to the right hand side of the beach. We saw lots of tropical fish and one of the locals spotted an octopus which was amazing.Overall I would rate it top marks for location and setting only.As stated earlier shuttle service & restaurant staff were lovely. Beach staff were ok looked very stressed.As a non guest who has dined at the resort you don't feel very valued.We spent 3 hours at the beach.Tip: Make a reservation at one of the restaurants to get in.Require a hotel shuttle bus to take you from car park to the beach.

Best luxury hotel I ever stayed at. The location is stunning at the most picturesque place in the island. The service is beyond good as you get a butler assigned to your villa. My only complaint is the lack of pathway to go down the beach. If you are staying in one of the upper villas you will need to ride in a resort van to get from and to breakfast/ pool area. These vans run very frequently though and free of charge (obviously)

How to visit Sugar Beach…Sugar Beach is nothing short of amazing, but very difficult to get to. However if you book lunch at the restaurant you are allowed access to the property and shuttled down to the beach. The restaurant sits right on the sand and serves amazing food. The price is high, but I’d consider it worth it. After lunch, spend a few hours on the beach. We heard of a floating bar that delivers drinks - the hotel can’t prevent it. Lounger huts are $75 per person to rent.

We visited Sugar Beach using Spencer Ambrose Tours and had an amazing time! This was easily my favorite beach that I've been to. The beach was beautiful and the snorkeling was amazing (we saw cuddle fish, angel fish, eels and more!) Can't wait to come back!

I’ll start off by saying my husband and I did not stay as guests at the resort. After lots of research, we decided to have our vacation spa experience at The Rainforest Spa at Sugar Beach Resort and then spend the day on the beach and dining at their restaurants. Our spa experience was 5 stars!! This rating is for our overall experience. Reception team was very welcoming and spa staff was outstanding. Outside of that, our visit was ruined by the rudeness of their beach staff and our dining experience. I had emailed their concierge weeks prior to our trip to see if we are able to rent beach chairs as a non-guest and they confirmed we could. As soon as we asked the beach staff about securing a chair, they said they do not rent to non-guests and practically laughed in our face when we told them concierge said we could. We tried to sit at the bar for some drinks and told those seats were only for guests and we could only sit in a certain area of the restaurant. Extremely unwelcoming atmosphere and completely ruined a day for us. Will definitely not be referring this resort to anyone after our experience and after receiving confirmation from past employees and locals that their staff are trained to be this way to anyone not staying. Coming from the customer service industry, poor poor decision!!! You never know who your next guest could be or who non guest visitors know. Do better!

We loved sugar beach, especially the staff! The food was delicious after the Pitons hike!!!! I want to shout out Torrin for giving us wonderful information and being so friendly to us on the walk down to the beach. He deserves 5 stars for his friendliness and kindness. We loved the beach and will definitely be spreading the word on how wonderful the staff was even to non-hotel guests. Get the plant based burger!!!

Absolute paradise! The location is stunning. The staff are so friendly and keep reminding you that you’re on vacation and so nothing is too much trouble for them. The weather is Goldilocks perfect - not too hot and not too cold. Just right!!

Couldn't have better things to say about Sugar Beach. The staff from top to bottom is excellent. Extremely friendly and helpful in every way. The food was also very good and better than any all inclusive you'll find on the island. Every "room" is a private villa/home that feels secluded and intimate with a private pool. We will definitely be back!

We didn't stay at the resort, but rented their beach chairs and took advantage of their fabulous drinks and food menu. It was $150 just to rent the chairs for the day. While they were very comfortable and the sun shade kept us covered all day, that is a steep price. The co*cktails started at $15 and the food ran about $25-35 per menu item. The snorkeling right at the base of the Petite Piton was incredible! It has amazing visibility and the waters were extremely calm. Saw a ton of different parrot fish, angel fish, needle fish, etc. The beaches and their amenities were very clean. It is a stunning property...just be ready to spend $$$.

What an amazing place to stay! I woke up each morning and walked out my door onto a beautiful beach between the St. Lucia Pitons and then straight into the water for snorkeling. The reef and aquatic life was surprisingly abundant for being so accessible. The rooms were first rate as was the A/C. Dinner at the on site restaurants was excellent with first class wait staff and food. Breakfast was also very well staffed with a good selection and appropriate quality. However, the general staff during the day and for room service was less responsive and far slower than I would have expected for the price. The beach was not crowded at all while we were there. However, the beach is not particularly expansive, so I could see it getting crowded quick if a cruise ship unloads a bunch of passengers on a particular day.

We had the loveliest honeymoon week here in August 2022! The photos can't even capture the magic of this place. Everything was amazing from the room, views, location, food, drinks, beach chair service, ocean hammocks, and easy to book excursions. Our butlers were so nice and helpful. They'd come stop by our breakfast table or beach chair to see if we needed anything at all, and they give you a little phone if you need to reach them while you're out. Highly recommend the all inclusive meals and drinks. We tried every restaurant twice and ordered different meals and drinks. We made reservations before our trip. And if you're a breakfast person, you'll love it here. So many options (healthy or sweet) and you can gaze right out at the ocean.Also highly recommend the spa! The tropical treehouse setting is so unique! We started our first day there after breakfast with a couples massage and you could see and hear a little waterfall outside the room.We did an excursion every morning and lounged on the beach every afternoon. Loved all of them: snorkel trip to Anse Chastanet, sulfur springs & botanical gardens tour, superman falls hike, ATV tour, and a sunset sail. All of our drivers and guides were wonderful and told us about the country.We would love to come back on an anniversary trip or babymoon one day!! After hearing about our stay and seeing our pictures, my parents and siblings have also booked trips.

Almost everything was fantastic. Villa was beautiful, clean and luxurious. Staff was always extremely friendly and frequently went above and beyond. The only negative thing I'd have to say is Sugar Beach itself is frequented by other tour groups by boat and could sometimes get crowded from folks visiting for the day, especially around the snorkeling area. That said, you can go to the South Beach as a resort guest (and get a burger!). We can't wait to come back.

Let me start by saying that I don’t know how ANYONE could give the resort a bad review. Exceptional service doesn’t even cover it. This was a trip of a lifetime. It was definitely a splurge but I would do it over again a million times. It is worth every penny spent. It was my first experience at a true luxury resort, from turn down service every evening to personal butlers for each block of villas. Everyone working there was fantastic, if you needed anything they were on it. Truly exceptional staff.From reception to bartenders to the shuttle drivers everyone was absolutely fantastic and SO KIND. The food was DELICIOUS you can’t go wrong on the resort! We didn’t have one bad meal. The co*cktails were amazingly beautiful and tasted delicious. A special shout-out to our 2 amazing butlers, Michael & Nyamka. They made our stay unforgettable. We will definitely be returning in the future and we will be recommending everyone to visit! If you are on the fence about booking this resort, take this as you sign to BOOK IT!

What a horrible costumer service from a place I was expecting superb service. My family and I were staying at a property right above this resort and came down to the beach and although we were consuming from their bar and restaurants the entire day we were told by security we couldn’t seat under a tree even though beaches in st Lucia are public and we were in the middle of eating lunch that we had just purchased at their restaurant. Their security guard was inappropriately taking photos of our teen daughter without authorization. When we asked to speak with supervisor he only available on the phone and he hang up on us. We are a family of 9 staying at a private home right next to viceroy (3x more expensive than the resort) and the resort just left a very bad taste in our mouth. I will never stay at a place that doesn’t value costumer service

Beach is nice. But avoid the restaurant!We visited this beach and the hotel today (we were not residents at this hotel, just visitors). The location and the view on the mountains is spectacular. In the late afternoon we decided to grab a bite in one of the restaurants. That was a bad idea. My burger arrived almost cold at the table. My wife ordered half a lobster and there was hardly enough meat in there to feed a baby. But the best thing was when the check came: they tried to charge us for a whole lobster (fortunately we noticed this tiny little mishap) and then it also turned out that we forgot to read the tiny little notice at the bottom right of the menu. Somewhere hidden in several lines of small printed stuff there was a note that all prices are not in East Caribbean Dollars (like in all the other restaurants and grocery stores on St. Lucia to which we habe been), but actually in US Dollars. So we had to pay just south of $300 US-Dollars for a burger, a salad, a bit of lobster and a few glasses of wine and beer. Yeah, thank you. We will not come again and we do not recommend to go to their restaurants.

Great location , stunning views and beautiful sunsets. Food is OK. The low impact nature of the hotel / rooms is great but it means you have to get a shuttle everywhere which can be annoying sometimes. Difficult to walk - especially back to the room due to the hills. Lots of Americans ! Fine if you like Americans.