Hotel review: Serenity at Coconut Bay, St Lucia

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

It takes almost nine hours on a direct flight from London to St Lucia. In economy class, that's just about bearable providing the people sitting around you aren't annoying and there are some decent films to watch.
Regardless, when I land after a long flight, I don't really want to travel that much further to reach my accommodation, and I certainly don't want to work hard to figure out how to get there.
Thank heavens then that there's a Coconut Bay kiosk at St Lucia's Hewanorra International Airport, so all you need to do is give your name and let the helpful staff organise transport to the hotel for you – which is only a short drive away.
Upon arrival at Serenity – Coconut Bay's adult-only resort – I was greeted with warm smiles, refreshing coconut water (in a coconut, nonetheless), and a cold flannel to wipe the sweaty, stuffy plane air off.
Serenity opened in 2017, and for seven out of the eight years since, it's been rated the number one resort in St Lucia on Tripadvisor. Its slogan is: 'your serenity is our mission,' and it didn't take long for me to feel the mission had been accomplished. Let me tell you why...
Rooms and facilities
Whether you're getting engaged, celebrating an anniversary or special birthday, honeymooning, babymooning or simply planning a romantic holiday, Serenity is built for couples.
There are only 36 suites in the resort, which is surrounded by coconut trees, so the atmosphere is instantly intimate, private and quiet. No suite is the same, though they all have plunge pools in their private courtyards, and there are three room categories with varying price points.
Before you've even got on the plane, a pre-arrival form will be sent to your email, in which you tell your butler (yes, butler) if you have any special requirements, want to partake in excursions or experiences, as well as what bottles of liquor you would like waiting for you in your room.
Your butler will then meet you upon arrival to take care of the luggage and walk you around your suite. They explain everything from how to use the air conditioning, shower and ice maker (to enjoy that liquor, of course), to where to find the iron, how to make use of the 24-hour room service and use the butler phone (yes, you get a mobile phone to contact your butler directly).
My suite was super spacious, oozing with romance thanks to the bed covered in flower petals, bathtub filled with bubbles and chilled bottle of prosecco on the side. The bathroom had Molton Brown toiletries and plenty of extras to make the stay more uncomfortable.
The huge, handcrafted mahogany four poster bed overlooked a lounging space, where the French doors opened onto the large private deck and plunge pool outside. The courtyard contained a shower and hammock, as well as a fridge and glassware under the outdoor island to enjoy alfresco dining.
Turndown service is far from basic: each day there will be hand-folded towels in animal shapes left on your bed, sometimes with an extra treat like a pillow chocolate too. Refills of the drinks and snacks in your suite are complimentary, and you can let your butler know if you like or don't like a particular one so they adjust the refills accordingly. The laundry service is also complimentary, as well as bottles of bug repellant and anti bacterial spray.
Although the staff are more than happy to be at your beck and call, they also stress that if you want to be left alone, they can make that happen very easily. There's a mailbox style hole in the wall just outside each suite where you can leave things for the butlers to pick up if you don't want to be disturbed.
The pool area is the main point of the hotel, where there are occasional day events and games hosted. The pool, which has 24/7 access, is the perfect size for the resort. It's small enough to get to know other couples should you wish, but big enough to swim lengths and keep to yourself too. The heated whirlpool on the end of it is delightful for a dip on overcast, rainy days.
There are plenty of loungers both in and out of the pool, as well as six poolside cabanas with daybeds that can be booked at an additional cost. Dial up the romance even more by requesting one for the evening, as they can be transformed into candle-lit private dinners.
Food and drink
There's a fair bit of choice for food and drink, considering there are nine restaurants in the whole Coconut Bay resort. All Serenity guests can enjoy the amenities at Coconut Bay, but not vice versa, to ensure exclusivity.
All restaurants have gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options, and use local produce where possible. As expected for a tropical island, there's always fresh fish on the menu, which I strongly recommend.
The Great House is the main dining option at Serenity, and it has a number of tempting, out of the ordinary menu items for breakfast. I loved the shrimp cake benedict so much I had it almost every day, only to be missed once to try the French toast. If, again, you want a more private affair, you can request a floating breakfast to be served in your very own plunge pool.
I have never seen a cocktail menu as extensive as the one at the pool bar. If I had a higher alcohol and calorie tolerance, I would have tried even more than I did. Margaritas, martinis, daiquiris and coladas in every flavour you could want, many of which had been given cheeky, suggestive names.
What to do
Relax, obviously. Serenity couldn't make it easier to do so. I suggest booking an in-suite couples massage – my partner initially didn't understand the appeal of massages but it was so soothing, he started looking at options back home as soon as it was over.
Change up the pool scene by heading over to the beach, over on the Coconut Bay side. It's a short walk away, or you can request a buggy to drop you off.
Beach cabanas with swinging day beds, their own loungers, towels and a deck can be booked at an additional cost, once again putting your privacy and comfort first. In it, you'll find a cooler box stocked with drinks. The butlers are so attentive, they have usually taken note of what you tend to order so they can ensure it's present, but you can also place food and drink orders with them while you're there. For example, we asked for food from Coconut Bay's jerk shack to be delivered to us for lunch.
The beach is renowned for being a great kitesurfing spot, but watch out for the sargassum seaweed that tends to wash up on shore. A mighty effort is made to clean it up regularly, but unfortunately it is noticeable.
The resort runs sunset boat tours to – you guessed it – watch the sunset while drinks and snacks are provided. There's also a land and sea tour, which is the best way to see some of the most interesting parts of the island.
During the tour you'll visit two snorkelling spots, the first of which is by the famous Sugar Beach. We were then taken for a buffet lunch at an authentic St Lucian restaurant, with amazing views of the island's iconic pitons, before heading over to the mud baths.
The rum fete held at Serenity is a must-go. I don't even like rum that much, but I had such an enjoyable evening of rum tasting, music and dancing. It has a real carnival vibe to it, with a variety of food stations, incredible fire dancers and even one of those revolving video platforms to capture the memory to take home for free.
On other nights, there's often live jazz music or singers performing while guests enjoy dinner. Coconut Bay also puts on shows with entertainment, so you can always head over there too.
If you have time, it's worth travelling up to the north of the island where there are street parties and a livelier atmosphere.
Hotel highlights
There is no ask too great at Serenity. Everyone is seemingly willing to bend over backwards to cater to your every need. The staff are always on-hand to help and make your stay more enjoyable, from delivering chilled towels or something to read, to constantly serving cocktails and food.
I returned to the suite to find the bath drawn on multiple occasions, decorated with flower petals and a chilled bottle of prosecco waiting too. The intimacy of the resort means the staff are better able to cater to specific requests, and a real effort is made by all of them to get to know the guests.
People mostly visit for proposals, honeymoons, special birthdays and anniversaries. The team can do specific decor and food, and are genuinely happy to do what they can to make things happen the way you wish.
Serenity is definitely one of the better value for money luxury resorts I've had the pleasure of visiting.
Stays at Serenity start from £3,276 per person for 7 nights , from 30th August and within 4th October-25th December 2025. Visit the website here to find out more. Holiday packages are also bookable through British Airways and TUI.
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