If October half term usually means grey skies and indoor soft play, The Landings Resort & Spa on St Lucia's Rodney Bay makes a strong case for booking a flight instead. Direct UK services get you to the island in time for a late burst of summer, with suites starting from £380 a night including breakfast and a stack of activities.
The resort is built around families and multi-generational groups rather than couples only. Accommodation comes in one- to three-bedroom suites, many with ocean or marina views, private plunge pools and full kitchens — essentially a holiday home with resort service attached. That extra room is the real selling point for anyone who has crammed two adults and two kids into a standard hotel room for a week.
Younger children are covered by a Kids Club for ages four to twelve, running supervised sessions in arts and crafts, fishing, sandcastle building, dance and St Lucian cultural activities. Teens get their own programming, plus tennis, sailing and a broad watersports menu. Parents are not forgotten: there's a full-service spa, yoga, Pilates, sound baths, four pools and waterfront restaurants.
A private marina anchors the resort and opens up the coastline. Non-motorised options — kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing and dinghy sailing — are included in the rate, while boat trips, diving, fishing and catamaran excursions can be arranged through the concierge or suite butlers. Snorkelling stops, on-board lunches and reef visits sit alongside a day trip to Pigeon Island, which pairs beaches with historic sites and walking trails. The idea, the resort says, is to make a week away feel like a St Lucian adventure rather than a stay behind the gates.
For Christmas, the pitch is simpler still: wake up barefoot by the Caribbean, sail or swim through the day, then eat in one of the resort's restaurants or in your own suite. It's a fair match for families who want the festive season without the cooking and the cold.
Who's it for? Families with mixed-age kids who value space and independence, and grandparents joining the group who'd rather have a plunge pool and a kitchen than squeeze in. The all-in rate of £380 per suite per night is competitive for the Caribbean if several adults share a three-bedroom — effectively a villa price with resort facilities. Bookings go through landingsstlucia.com.
