First look: Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

A dream I’ve had for over 15 years was to go to the island of St. Lucia.

The rolling, lush, inexperienced mountains; the clear, blue water; the litany of stress-free resorts. It captured an obsession of types from me again within the impressionable days once I was up all night time with a new child. A beautiful brochure about visiting St. Lucia I one way or the other ended up with grew to become my psychological distraction and gas once I was up all night time caring for a new child again in these lengthy days.

However, at the moment, St. Lucia felt out of attain. Too costly. Too far.

As a factors and miles traveler, St. Lucia was not on the high of my lively journey planning board for a few years, as whereas it was dwelling to some excellent resorts, they weren’t actually the type I might e-book with lodge factors … no less than, not till just lately.

Quick-forward to the current day, and there are actually a number of methods to make use of your factors and luxuriate in that tropical island trip of your desires, which is strictly what we simply did because of having the ability to use World of Hyatt factors on the new Secrets and techniques St. Lucia Resort & Spa that simply opened in June 2025.

With each of my youngsters fortunately long gone the times of conserving me up at night time as infants, and each sufficiently big to be away doing summer season actions for just a few days, my husband and I headed to this all-inclusive, adults-only resort to test it out. Right here, I am going to share what we discovered, in case St. Lucia has been in your journey want checklist, too.

Associated: Finest all-inclusive resorts on the planet

First impressions of Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

We had a legit James Bond second as we arrived by non-public boat switch proper as much as the lodge’s seaside, rolled up our pants and walked via the water onto the sand.

(And no, it wasn’t James Bond costs. It was about $135 to $150 per individual from the airport to the lodge by way of Clearwater Tour Firm.)

We have been met on the seaside by our first of many exceedingly pleasant Secrets and techniques staff, a number of of whom in a short time discovered and remembered our names.

Since we have been coming into from the ocean, we walked from the seaside, previous the swimming pools and swim-up bars, towards the foyer that sits within the coronary heart of the 355-room resort. Aided by some stress-free massive band music enjoying within the background, the foyer evoked a bygone period, when issues moved slowly and taking within the second was the norm.

Evidently, we have been completely satisfied to embrace that vibe and had smiles on our faces even earlier than our first (on land) rum punch of the journey.

And if I had any fears that this resort could be an excessive amount of of a base-music-thumping, 24-hour booze fest, given the all-inclusive nature of all of it, one stroll via the property just about put these fears comfortable. Secrets and techniques St. Lucia had a largely relaxed vibe with individuals of quite a lot of ages and backgrounds who got here to calm down, have enjoyable and absorb some solar.

Secrets and techniques St. Lucia is a brand new resort nestled into the sloping hills alongside the coast, which suggests you’ll get your steps in as you head as much as your room or again right down to the swimming pools and eating places.

Whereas this resort simply opened in June 2025, know that it’s not an all-new construct. This was once the St. James’s Membership Morgan Bay earlier than it closed for a multiyear renovation and rebranded to a Secrets and techniques resort, which, after all, brings with it pluses like mature foliage and minuses corresponding to some older amenities.

The rooms at Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

We stayed in constructing No. 1, which was one of many closest buildings to the foyer, simply up a hill (like I stated, you’ll get some steps in right here).

The room’s model was that of a timeless seaside resort, that includes a wood ground paired with crisp white and blue decor.

Whereas we had initially been assigned a king deluxe room, once I requested at check-in about what advantages we might get as Hyatt Globalists, the employees ultimately modified our room task to 1 with a swim-out plunge pool at no further cost.

As this can be a newer integration with Hyatt, I discovered just a few occasions that we needed to ask round a bit to study what advantages Hyatt elite standing introduced with it at this resort. I am not 100% positive I ever bought a complete checklist of perks, however we did ultimately study we might entry the Most well-liked pool and lounge, too, which is the place you can discover some elevated beer and cocktail choices.

I additionally should add that my favourite pool on the Secrets and techniques St. Lucia was the Most well-liked pool positioned up on the hill. It had nice views, was all the time calm whereas we have been there and had extra snug loungers to learn in.

That is additionally the place you will discover the Most well-liked pool bar with some upgraded drink choices.

New lodges usually include some quirks at first, which is to be anticipated, particularly at a seaside resort on an island. With that stated, we did meet quite a lot of visitors who had some very actual points with their rooms, starting from water leaks to no working water for lengthy intervals of time. Even one visitor we spoke with on the pool claimed to be coping with a variety of crabs attempting to take up residence of their room.

Fortunately, our room did not have these precise points, but it surely did have an odor to it that wasn’t fairly robust sufficient to make us ask to be moved however was noticeable each time we walked in.

I do not know if it was associated to some prior water points or one thing else fully. Do pack your persistence if coming within the close to future, and do not be shy to flag any room points that necessitate reassignment, as this did not appear unusual there proper now. That stated, the employees gave the impression to be doing all it might to help, from what we noticed and heard.

Eating at Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

Let’s get to the good things — all of the included meals and drinks you care to get pleasure from on the resort’s eating places, which embody:

• Himitsu (hibachi and pan-Asian)
• L’Creperie (crepes and tapas)
• Portofino (Italian)
• Market Cafe (the buffet, open for breakfast and lunch)
• Morgan’s Pier (French)
• Seaside Grill (steakhouse and seafood)
• Oceana (seafood and ultimately a la carte breakfast for Most well-liked Membership visitors)
• Coco Cafe (espresso and lightweight snacks)

I liked that eating at Secrets and techniques St. Lucia wasn’t a aggressive sport, that means you did not have to combat for reservations.

Actually, aside from the hibachi tables, reservations weren’t accepted. In fact, this might change because the resort will get busier, however for now, it was a pleasant change from another all-inclusives we now have visited.

A must-try is the Italian-themed restaurant, Portofino.

It has indoor seating, very attentive service and a few tasty dishes, which began with the fluffy bread with vinegar and olive oil and continued via the appetizers and onto the shrimp scampi.

I would additionally like to provide a particular shoutout to the pan-fried garlic shrimp and fried calamari at La Petite, which was a scrumptious and simple lunch possibility for if you’re not feeling the buffet.

The meals we had wasn’t all dwelling runs, however none of what I attempted was unhealthy. Most of it ranged from adequate to fairly good. It was not but constantly on the stage of the meals we loved on the Secrets and techniques Moxche Playa del Carmen in Mexico, however once more, we’re grading on a curve of types, as this Secrets and techniques resort remains to be very new.

What I loved rather a lot was the truth that we weren’t getting a invoice for every chunk of sushi, plate of barbecue on the seaside, glass of wine or dessert.

That feeling of getting all of it included actually is relaxation-inducing. Additionally completely noteworthy was the employees, who by no means let a water glass go dry, checked in on us ceaselessly all through the meals and was the form of pleasant that basically makes you smile and really feel welcome.

With regards to included drinks on the bars, anticipate finding beer such because the native brew, Piton, together with Heineken and Pink Stripe.

Within the Most well-liked Membership lounge and pool bar, additionally, you will discover Guinness. Within the Most well-liked areas, a number of the alcohol decisions embody Gray Goose, Ketel One, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet 12, Johnny Walker and Makers.

Location and logistics of Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

Secrets and techniques St. Lucia sits on the northwest aspect of the island close to town of Castries. That locations it near an hour by boat from the primary airport or, I am instructed, about 90 minutes by automobile.

The island is not particularly massive, at 14 miles throughout and 27 miles lengthy. Nevertheless, the roads are winding and hilly. As somebody vulnerable to movement illness, I skipped doing any actual distance on the island by automobile and as a substitute booked our transfers to and from the airport and for excursions by boat.

As talked about, we used Clearwater Tour Firm for our journey from the airport to the resort and our switch to the second resort we tried on St. Lucia, the opposite Hyatt all-inclusive, Zoetry Margot Bay St. Lucia.

To return to the airport, we used the FunToSee Island ferry, which operates on a set schedule and picks up and drops off in Castries, a brief (included) automobile experience from the Secrets and techniques resort.

I extremely advocate utilizing a ship to get to and from the airport and the Secrets and techniques resort, if doable. It was enjoyable, pretty and, for my part, far preferable to tackling winding roads in a automobile.

What it price to remain at Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

One more reason I am not being too harsh on this resort regardless of some bumps within the highway is that it’s priced decrease than another all-inclusives we now have loved.

For me, it’s cheap to have considerably decrease expectations for this resort, which is a Class C resort within the World of Hyatt all-inclusive chart and begins at 21,000 factors per night time, than Secrets and techniques Moxche (and even the Zoetry on St. Lucia), that are each Class E resorts and begin at 35,000 factors per night time.

We paid 25,000 World of Hyatt factors per night time for every of our three nights, which, once more, is a stable deal in my e-book, contemplating that it included all our meals and drinks in the course of the keep for each of us.

Associated: TPG’s information to the very best all-inclusive resorts you may e-book with factors

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• Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and charges): Factors switch to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, and it’s at the moment providing a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
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In case you are paying with money, these charges appear to begin at round $450 per night time for double occupancy throughout lower-demand dates.

Accessibility

I might not think about this resort particularly accessibility-friendly.

First, the hillside terrain means there’s usually not a flat pathway to get from level A to level B. I additionally didn’t discover any pool lifts, and when trying to find accessible rooms on the web site, I didn’t see any choices displayed.

Issues to know earlier than staying at Secrets and techniques St. Lucia

I will sound like a damaged document saying that, as a visitor staying inside the first couple of months of operations, it is not uncommon and anticipated for lodges to have some service hiccups and points they’re nonetheless understanding, so a few of that is possible to enhance with time. Nevertheless, in case you are contemplating a near-term keep at this resort, listed here are some issues to notice so you may resolve if it’s a good match for you.

• Whereas there have been some included water, juice and comfortable drinks, there have been no snacks or alcohol in our room’s minibar. It is doable this was simply an oversight or might evolve over time. Moreover, the inventory within the minibar was not refreshed throughout our three-night keep.
• Room service, and typically dinner service within the eating places, can take some time to reach at occasions.
• Exterior of the crepes and tapas, which have been nice, the noon snacks on the property are just a little underwhelming.
• Whereas there are some actions, there’s not but a ton to do on the resort past the bars, seaside and swimming pools.
• The TV reception within the rooms was a bit glitchy.
• Some rooms have issues corresponding to a scarcity of water, leaks, critters and odors.
• The resort is 60 to 90 minutes from the airport.

I am going to additionally add that in case you are inclined to bug bites, you could wish to use bug repellent diligently.

Backside line

I went into this journey wanting St. Lucia to reside as much as the vacation spot I’ve had in my desires for years … and in some ways, it did.

Whereas I believe the island is certainly pretty, your particular near-term experiences at Secrets and techniques St. Lucia itself will possible be influenced a bit by whether or not you might be searching for issues to get pleasure from or issues to get pissed off about, as there’ll possible be a few of each.

The luck of the room task may play a task in your expertise. An extended-than-desired wait at dinner is one factor, however a number of the points visitors have been experiencing within the rooms in current weeks, together with probably the one we have been in, are one other.

All that stated, we had a calming, reasonably priced and pleasurable keep total at a resort that I believe has the potential to be a stable possibility on an extremely lovely island. Proper now, it may be a very good vacation spot in case you can roll with some not-always-perfect issues and wish to view issues with a glass-half-full perspective, as we did.

In any other case, let some extra months go by and see how issues evolve at this St. Lucia all-inclusive resort by the ocean with extremely pleasant employees and what is going to hopefully be a protracted and pleasurable future.