East Winds

Jon Roper

I recently stayed at East Winds with my wife and her parents to celebrate her 30th birthday. The hotel was exceptional and I would highly recommend it. First, the garden and grounds in the hotel are wonderful and create an authentic Caribbean experience. The beach is spacious and feels very natural and there was plenty of room to choose and relax on a comfortable sunbed. The restaurant has a lovely view of the sea and to enjoy beautiful food with the sound of the waves was very tranquil. The food options were varied and always felt healthy and fresh. The four course meal each night did not feel stuffy or too much and the excellent waiters went above and beyond to cater for us. From sampling the home made ice cream of the day to fresh mango and beach BBQs, it was all fantastic. I looked forward to breakfast every morning, especially when the chef Germaine would cook up fresh pancakes for me. The drinks menu was extremely varied as well. I haven’t listed the wait staff in this review, because they were all absolutely amazing and friendly. In relation to activities, the programme was interesting and made the most of the grounds but were truly brought to life by the passionate and enthusiastic staff. The head gardener, Sylvanus, was extremely knowledgable and my in-laws really enjoyed the garden tour. The Pilates classes were fantastic; Nikita provided tailored sessions to help out each member of the group and that ensured it was challenging for the variety of levels in the class but very enjoyable. The paid day trip boat tour was also a highlight. It was great value and allowed us to see and explore one side of the island and the glorious Pitons. The watersports guys were also great. Joe and Devon were always ready to take us out on a hobbycat or kit us out with a kayak and it felt very safe and efficiently run. Our rooms, deluxe cottages, were spacious and extremely well kitted out. An extremely comfortable super king bed and interesting interiors made it a great place to chill out. The patio area was a great place to relax and watch hummingbirds thrum around as well. Our suggestions for improvement are minor (and would only elevate an already fantastic hotel to an even more wonderful property) and are as follows. First, a more substantial gym would really elevate the hotel. Even if it’s just a treadmill and bike and some more weights in the yoga area. Also, a mosquito net above the beds in the room would provide an option to help keep bugs out. The hotel does provide sprays and candles but some extra protection would be welcome. Additionally, it would be nice to have a more elevated brand for tea bags than Twinnings, as the rest of the hotel is so sophisticated. Finally, a price list in the boutique for clarity would also be helpful. Overall, East Winds is an elegant and peaceful hotel that creates extremely relaxing ‘good vibes’. This isn’t a ‘party’ resort but has a lovely atmosphere with fantastic live music (including a steel pan band). The friendly staff made us feel welcome from the start and they went above and beyond to make our stay special. The hotel grounds and beach are stunning and it was a fantastic place for a celebration. I would highly recommend!

David Darley

Small 30 room hotel right on the beach, with lovely gardens. Had a bit of a flooding problem to start with when high seas got into bar, restaurant and beach areas. Not new to them, and the whole team coped seamlessly, from restaurant and bar staff to maintenance, gardeners, management, the lot. Only slight gripe is the intrusion of rock out crops into the beach area, limiting swimming space. Also, sand shelf just offshore makes getting out a frequent barrel roll up and then back down again if sea is a bit rough! Lots of repeaters, some over 30 times.

Abigail Jones

My partner and I have recently returned from a week's stay at East Winds - we initially chose to stay here because of the excellent reviews it has already received, which we can only echo having experienced it ourselves. East Winds is a special place, because of how beautiful and serene it is, and how thoughtful, welcoming and friendly every member of staff is. It's set in a tropical garden, with amazing plants, trees and wildlife everywhere - there was a mango tree outside our cottage, and we saw hummingbirds flying around our terrace every day. The rooms are lovely - beautifully decorated with plenty of space, a big comfy bed and a fully-stocked fridge with soft drinks, beers and wines. The resort overall is gorgeous, with great pool and beach spaces - both of them have plenty of sunloungers so you never need to worry about finding a good spot at any time of day. A real highlight was the food and drinks - breakfast and lunch are buffets which were always really varied and delicious (I think I had a chocolate mousse almost every lunchtime, they were so good!). Dinners are a bit more formal, with a 4-course menu every night - the dishes were always really high quality, and we left every meal full and very happy! Drinks were great as well, cocktails were always really tasty and a great range of wines for dinner - the rum tasting session was really fun as well. The best thing by far about the resort was the people - we've never felt so welcomed to a hotel before! Every single member of staff was so lovely, really welcoming and friendly, and our experience would not have been as amazing as it was without them. While it was our first time at East Winds, we met plenty of other guests who had returned multiple times - we look forward to hopefully being among their number and coming back soon.

Matthew Field

Just returned from a trip to St Lucia where we stayed at East Winds. A very special place, which is essentially a tropical paradise with incredible service, staff and facilities. We have never felt so welcomed to a hotel and frankly this has been the best hotel by far that my wife, 2 x children and I have stayed at. The setting is a lush tropical garden in which the accommodations are nestled, before seamlessly merging into a tropical beach with beautiful turquoise and emerald waters. The property is relaxing, easy to navigate and all on one level! Having seen Jade Mountain and Sugar Beach resorts, other than a butler service which you simply do not need at east winds because of the ease of the layout, this tops them both. My only concern before going was if it was going to be too exclusive to adults for my 2 children to enjoy. This completely evaporated from the moment we arrived, the staff, the interesting setting and the excursions were very child friendly and you could tell they genuinely loved having our children and a few others stay. The food was delicious and the restaurant was gorgeous. The decor of the place is interesting and individual and reflects the vibrancy and peacefulness of the setting. At the heart of it all were the incredible staff - from the restaurant and bar, the spa, the beach water sports, the ‘good vibes’ excursion organiser, reception, security and the managing director! We were very impressed with the excursions and the organisation of everything - the hotel is clearly well connected with the island! We saw lots of dolphins on one of the trips, which was just awesome. Thanks East Winds, simply the best

Karen Trewin

Wow East Winds is beyond lovely! Every detail is so well thought out: rooms, gardens, food, drinks, beach, pool - everything. It's quiet and relaxing, music at lunch and dinner is never over-loud. The decor throughout is beautiful, airy and bright with lovely fabrics & colours. We stayed in Superior Cottage number 5, in the lush gardens and near the pool, bar, restaurant and beach. It was elegantly furnished, spacious and well-equipped - with gorgeous robes, insect repellent (we never needed), a superb hairdryer (priceless!), tea & coffee, full fridge etc. Each cottage also has a bird feeder, so we had frequent hummingbird visits to enjoy. A lovely touch. Food and drink were excellent - everything high quality. Breakfasts are important and here they were stellar every day, crispiest bacon, perfect eggs, melting pancakes or porridge to order, fresh pastries, fruit, yoghurt, delicious juice and smoothies. Lunches were varied, but always with tasty fresh & light hot & cold options. Dinner menus change daily and everything we ate was delicious from amuse bouche to dessert. Drinks whenever, wherever - including fruit punch, a good choice of wines and limitless rum & cocktail options. The rum tasting session was much enjoyed. Plenty of cushioned loungers on both sides of the beach and by the pool, all under structures or resilient parasols. A relaxing atmosphere everywhere. The gardens are full of variety, colour and birds and are very well maintainted. We enjoyed an informative 2.5 hr(!) tour of the garden one morning. All this is provided by simply superb staff - reception, housekeeping, management, bar, garden, restaurant - everyone was brilliant and always so friendly. This was our first visit, and we felt as welcome as all the many repeat guests. Our whole stay was faultless, and so kind that they are flexible with departure time - with a night flight, we continued to enjoy everything until 5 p.m., it's a hard place to leave!