Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences has a new ace card to corner the luxury market to Saint Lucia. It’s an exclusive new residence in a stunning location between the island’s Pitons, called La Belle Helene, which can be exclusively booked for weddings, events and groups. This is the first time Windjammer Landing’s owners have expanded their portfolio off property – La Belle Helene is a 30-minute boat ride from the Labrelotte Bay hotel in the far north of the island.
“La Belle Helene by Windjammer Landing is more than a villa – it’s a destination in its own right,” says Nick Prattas, managing director of Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences. “This debut allows us to offer guests two distinct yet complementary Saint Lucian experiences, uniting Windjammer’s legacy of world-class hospitality with an unparalleled level of privacy and exclusivity.”
The 10-bedroom estate includes the largest villa on the island plus three poolside bungalows. There’s a private outdoor Jacuzzi in the primary suite and a 14-ft deep lagoon-style pool, fire pit and large terrace for lounging and entertaining. A private chef’s kitchen facilitates fully personalised dining experiences, while leisure facilities include indoor and outdoor table tennis, pool table, pickleball and basketball courts – all under the gaze of the island’s major landmark, the twin volcanic spires of the Pitons.
La Belle Helene also has a private jetty for boat and yacht access, plus a dedicated 24/7 service team including personal butler, chef and housekeeper.
Meanwhile, Windjammer Landing has just finished upgrading its Presidential Manor, sleeping 10 guests in four bedrooms. This also has a dedicated villa butler and private chef, and a full-size private pool. Guests in the Manor can choose to remain in their enclave or take advantage of Windjammer’s guest experiences and kids’ clubs.
Windjammer Landing has undergone a 'renaissance' of luxury
Benjamin Di’Costa, director of marketing and communications, Windjammer Landing says: “We need to educate the trade that we are now a full-service luxury product, with marble, slate and Forbes-level service. Lots of people hark back to our dark-wood, Nineties-style, but we’ve spent US$30 million in the last five years, undergoing a renaissance of luxury. We still have a barefoot luxury ethos – we haven’t lost that – but if guests want ultra-luxury, we now have an option for that.”
Windjammer Landing has just reopened after a month-long closure, in order to carry out a full refresh of its entry-level rooms. “This was a full gut of rooms that haven’t been touched since our 1990 opening,” says Di’Costa. “Guests love the aesthetic of our villas and residences and we wanted bring that into our more economical rooms and suites. We’re keeping the terracotta tile look that Windjammer is known for, but freshening up our spaces.”
The resort also utilised the temporary closure to reimagine its popular Caribbean night, now featuring fire eating, limbo dancing and steel pan music: “We’re re-envisioning our Caribbean night. It’s still interactive but we’ve talked to local artists, tastemakers, musicians and storytellers about how we can add another layer to it,” explains Di’Costa.
Coastline Suite at Windjammer Landing
October will also see the addition of a new helipad in the resort, meaning door to door transfers from Saint Lucia’s international airport, 13 minutes away.
“We estimate about 20-25% of guests will use this,” says Di’Costa. “There is currently only one vendor which we share with other resorts, so it does book out, and we advise booking well in advance, either through Windjammer or through your preferred DMC.”
In another development, the resort has recently been inducted into Leading Hotels of the World.
Di’Costa adds: “We’re the only one in Saint Lucia and there’s only 12/13 in the Caribbean region. It’s a tough process. But it has opened doors for us, to new clientele, given us more visibility and credibility. Having that ‘Leading’ stamp on our product really solidifies everything we are doing – people know we’ve been vetted.”
