For the Most Exclusive Caribbean Hotels : St Lucia

For the best Caribbean hotels, St Lucia offers travelers an amazing selection unlike any other island nation in the region. Visitors can choose between budget lodgings in the capital and near the airport, to pensions in the small fishing towns of the east coast. And, of course, to many people, the name St Lucia is synonymous with the exclusive resorts that lie in the shadow of the Twin Piton mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Castries, the capital and commercial center of the island, offers the widest range of Caribbean hotels - lodgings that represent the warmth and friendliness of the local culture, while being perfectly adapted to the warm, humid climate of the Caribbean. Hotels in Castries are representative of colonial architecture dating back to the Napoleonic Wars, and are an interesting blend of French and British influences. There is a lot of choice in Castries, due to the frequent cruise ship businesses, as well as businesspeople traveling to the city.

Vieux Fort, on the southern tip of the island, also offers an interesting range of Caribbean-style hotels. Because of its status as the site of the St Lucia international airport, Vieux Fort features budget and business hotels, although Caribbean hotels are well-represented closer to the water and Saint Vincent Passage. The town is a useful base camp for exploring the island, and for that reason few of the hotels include luxuries or amenities.

The wild east coast of St Lucia offers unique and engaging Caribbean hotels. Towns like Micoud have based their livelihood on fishing, and, more recently, eco-tourism. These towns are a little off the beaten track, but their hotels provide an authentic Caribbean atmosphere. While there are a few secluded luxury resorts here, it's also possible to choose from pensions that offer the chance to live the way locals do. Micoud is a great place to plan an expedition to the rainforests and waterfalls hidden in the middle of the island, or even a deep-sea fishing expedition.

Sourfriere in the southwest corner of St Lucia, however, is the place many people associate with a romantic Caribbean luxury vacation. Sheltered beneath the iconic (and recently volcanic) Twin Piton Peaks, Soufriere is a sharp contrast between the rich, emerald green of the steeply forested mountainsides and the cobalt waters of the Caribbean below. It's said movie stars and celebrities choose this town to vacation in, and it's easy to see why. The luxury hotels and resorts here are often perched at the top of densely forested mountain ridges, away from all prying eyes. If you are looking for sheer opulence in a tropical environment of refined taste, Soufriere may be the place for you.

So, when choosing Caribbean hotels St Lucia offers plenty of variety. And no matter where you stay, you will be captivated by the beauty of the "Saint Helen of the West Indies."