AAA Four-Diamond Boutique Hotel Overlooking Caribbean Bay

Tales of the South Pacific author James Michener reportedly once described St. Lucia’s Marigot Bay as "the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean." The area's lush jungle and turquoise Caribbean waters also captivated sea captain Walter Boudreau, who sailed into St. Lucia's western bay in the 1950s and built the lagoon's first hotel. The tranquil cove soon began filling up with luxury yachts as it became a popular destination for celebrities, movie crews (for the original Doctor Dolittle film), and even Apollo 17 astronauts, who once escaped to the inlet for R & R. Overlooking this popular waterfront is the Discovery at Marigot Bay Hotel, which pays respect to its pristine surroundings with eco-friendly practices.

The boutique hotel has been an AAA Four Diamond–rated establishment since 2007. Each bay-view room has a balcony or patio from which you can watch yachts and sailboats sail by. The resort commits to responsible tourism by using locally made paper products and participating in community cleanup days. Such eco-friendly practices helped the hotel earn a nod from National Geographic.

Three pools dot the property: an infinity-edge pool, a lagoon pool with a swim-up bar, and a children's pool shaded by an awning. There are also three onsite restaurants and bars, including the Boudreau Restaurant, an elegant French establishment named after the bay's first hotelier. The resort credit that comes with three of this deal’s options can be used at the restaurants or the onsite spa. Guests can also visit various spots around the bay, including restaurants, bars, and Labas Beach, where you can spend the day snorkeling, windsurfing, and kayaking.

Saint Lucia: French-Inspired Cuisine and Spectacular Volcanoes

Located in between Martinique and Saint Vincent in the eastern Caribbean, Saint Lucia was coveted by the British and French, who quarreled over the island for more than a century. Although English is now Saint Lucia's official language, the French seem to have left a more noticeable influence on its arts and cuisine. Along the coast, a string of marinas exhibits a cultural blend through restaurants ranging from fried-fish shacks to upscale French eateries. Grab a table to sample meaty pepperpot stew, spinach-like callaloo soup, or the country’s national dish of green fig—a Caribbean term for small, unripe bananas—and salt fish.

With several beaches, Saint Lucia attracts those looking for snorkeling excursions, dolphin-watching tours, or deep-sea fishing trips in search of blue marlin, barracuda, and mako shark. Crowds descend on the popular Reduit Beach at Rodney Bay, not too far from the 18th-century British forts at Pigeon Island National Park. For a less hectic scene, head south down the coast to Anse Chastanet, a more secluded beach with giant palm trees and undulating green hills.

A vacation in Saint Lucia is not complete without a visit to one of its volcanoes. Considered the country’s unofficial symbol, the Pitons are two vegetation-covered volcanic plugs rising more than 2,000 feet above the western coast. Nearby Saint Lucia Volcano is considered "the world's only drive-in volcano," as you can drive your car close to the volcanic crater to see its steaming sulfur springs.

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