Checking in to Saint Lucia’s Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort

The hotel scene in Saint Lucia is as diverse as its wildlife. The island is known for its juxtapositions – volcanic landscape on one side with The Pitons rising from the sea and sandy white beaches the other. It is complete with upscale resorts, boutique bombshells and even the odd unconventional treehouse (if you know where to look). “It’s often said that Saint Lucia packs a lot into its small size,” Patricia Charlery-Leon, SLTA Director for UK and Europe, told me. “Yet, it still retains a sense that there is something to discover.”

My ‘discovery’ as a first-timer in Saint Lucia started immediately upon check in to Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort as it emerges, fresh-faced, from a multi-million-dollar renovation. The design studio G&G Interiors have created an arrival experience welcomes guests ‘home’ for the duration of your stay. Speaking to Gemma Johnson, Director of the studio, the idea was to capture “a space that had been repurposed, reinvented and revived.”

I would go one step further, though, to add that the design of the new has been effortlessly blended into the existing hotel’s interiors – it feels more like discovering a new layer to a novel than it does a change of chapter.

Recognised in the International category at The Brit List Awards 2023, and as Saint Lucia’s Leading Family Resort at the 2023 World Travel Awards, Windjammer’s new design era captures an elevated yet organic feel throughout each of the newly renovated spaces around the resort. From the stunning architectural details to the thoughtfully curated interiors, the hotel’s design accentuates the natural beauty in the backdrop of blue water, where the sea meets the sky. “There is nothing jarring or out of place and each renovated space is a different play on the features of island life,” added Johnson.

Crisp, fresh communal areas are spacious and flourished with woven rattan accents, while tropical sea-blue fabrics and prints create an ambiance of relaxed sophistication. Throughout the project, the designers consciously sourced locally, layering the design scheme with texture and local design narratives – from beach cushions to furniture, drapery to art. “Throughout each space [there is] a homage to sea life, corals and shells,” explained Johnson. In keeping with these subtle and considerate touches, G&G Interiors worked with a regional artist to create bespoke collection that helped to amplify the furniture, fixtures and fittings. For example, a custom piece in the new Dragonfly restaurant reflects the celebration of island living at its finest.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, Windjammer’s interior design also echoes a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. As well as sourcing materials locally, the resort employs eco-friendly practices, such as energy-efficient lighting and water conservation measures to minimise its carbon footprint and preserve the natural beauty of Saint Lucia for future generations. By incorporating such sustainable design principles, Windjammer demonstrates that luxury and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

Windjammers renovation to the resort’s accommodation features the Ocean Point Residences, a mixture of beachfront villas with outdoor terraces and private infinity pools. Arriving at one of the villa’s, there’s a deep sense of tranquility and privacy. These beachfront villas, available in two and three-bedroom configurations, play on indoor and outdoor space. They feature private infinity pools, fully equipped kitchens and modern furnishings with a touch of European design influence.

The renovation encompasses more than just the décor and accommodation, extending to an enhanced culinary programme: with refreshed menus; elevated design elements that continue the theme throughout the renovation; and fitting touches such as fire pits that build on the home feel that the renovation set out to preserve and enhance.

Windjammer, or ‘second home’ as I now like to call it, certainly is luxury, but perhaps not in the conventional sense of the word. Stepping into the freshly renovated villas or gazing through to the ocean from the refurbished lobby, the sense of place and Saint Lucia’s identity as an island is never lost – but the design also has a confidence to it, to present itself beyond the ‘colonial’ cliché aesthetic that many feel is tired and worn in the Caribbean. Nick Prattas, Managing Director of Windjammer, explained it best. “It’s got a Mediterranean meets Caribbean ambiance,” he said, which feels like an entirely fitting way to describe the new design direction.

Speaking of confidence, the hotel encourages guests to explore the adventure of Saint Lucia beyond the postcard-perfect views – bamboo river rafting on the Roseau River, through mangroves, was not on my bucket list before checking in. It’s this understanding of design and service working hand-in-hand that allows the hotel to flex in areas that others couldn’t to not only meet new demands from modern travellers, but also to exceed expectations and challenge conventional ideas of what a ‘Caribbean’ travel experiences should look and feel like.

Upon checking out, I am reminded that good design usually goes unnoticed. I am impressed how G&G Interiors has retained the hotel’s allure but design new elements that ensure it is still regarded as one of the island’s top-tier hotels against its ever-expanding neighbours. Naturally, hotel renovations come at a cost, but in this case, it was $12 million dollars well-spent to unveil long-lasting, sleek design scheme that so brilliantly fuses together Caribbean charm with modern luxury – making it, in my opinion, the ultimate Saint Lucia escape.

Main image credit: Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort