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Expansive Villas and Family-Friendly Amenities at Secluded Beachside Property

Beginning in the mid-17th century, the French and British fought fervently for control over the gorgeous island of Saint Lucia, which ended up changing hands no fewer than 14 times. Near the northern tip of the island, the Cotton Bay Village resort overlooks a crescent-shaped shoreline along a secluded stretch of Epouge Bay.

At the center of the resort lies a courtyard pool encircled by ultramarine chaise lounges and tall palm trees. There's a pool set aside for kids, too. In fact, there's plenty to keep grownups and kids occupied in equal measure. At the onsite daycare center, caretakers can look after tots during up to two free hours of daily supervision. Young ones can also enjoy playtime at the Hummingbird Kids Club. Adults can enjoy some R&R at the spa, where they're entitled to two 50-minute massages with this Groupon. The spa also specializes in clay-based body masks, which are customizable via a computerized system.

The onsite Beach Club 1461 features specialty children's menus and conducts weekly barbecues on the adjacent shore. The champagne bar Piano Piano has a more sophisticated vibe. It serves a Caribbean Mediterranean menu and has colorful, Mondrian-esque interiors.

Spacious Tamarind and Calabash villas surround the pool area. The suites exhibit eclectic decorative influences, from colonial white shutters to Asian-influenced porcelain pieces. Other features include teak-furnished terraces, bay-window lounges, and private sun decks equipped with magnifying glasses for roasting marshmallows.

Saint Lucia: French-Inspired Cuisine and Spectacular Volcanoes

Located in between Martinique and Saint Vincent in the eastern Caribbean, Saint Lucia was coveted by the British and French, who quarreled over the island for more than a century. Although English is now Saint Lucia's official language, the French seem to have left a more noticeable influence on its arts and cuisine. Along the coast, a string of marinas exhibits a cultural blend through restaurants ranging from fried-fish shacks to upscale French eateries. Grab a table to sample meaty pepperpot stew, spinach-like callaloo soup, or the country’s national dish of green fig—a Caribbean term for small, unripe bananas—and salt fish.

With several beaches, Saint Lucia attracts those looking for snorkeling excursions, dolphin-watching tours, or deep-sea fishing trips in search of blue marlin, barracuda, and mako shark. Crowds descend on the popular Reduit Beach at Rodney Bay, not too far from the 18th-century British forts at Pigeon Island National Park. For a less hectic scene, head south down the coast to Anse Chastanet, a more secluded beach with giant palm trees and undulating green hills.

A vacation in Saint Lucia is not complete without a visit to one of its volcanoes. Considered the country’s unofficial symbol, the Pitons are two vegetation-covered volcanic plugs rising more than 2,000 feet above the western coast. Nearby Saint Lucia Volcano is considered "the world's only drive-in volcano," as you can drive your car close to the volcanic crater to see its steaming sulfur springs.

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