St. Lucia - Day 2: Miami to St. Lucia
The next morning, Chelsey and I caught the 7am EST shuttle from Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East back to Miami International Airport, for our 10:20am EST flight. We both have Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck), so getting through security was quick and effortless, leaving us with plenty of time before takeoff.
I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, which does come with a steep annual fee of $550 (as of 2024). However, it includes a $300 annual travel credit, effectively reducing the cost to $250 per year. It also reimburses up to $100 of the Global Entry application fee every four years. Another great perk of the card is the Priority Pass Select membership, granting access to airport lounges worldwide, with complimentary food, drinks, and a comfortable space to relax before flights.
Miami International Airport has a couple of Priority Pass lounges to choose from. We opted for the Turkish Airlines Lounge in the North Terminal, as it was conveniently located near our departure gate in Concourse D/E. I was able to bring Chelsey as my guest, which was a nice bonus. When we arrived around 8am EST, the lounge was a bit crowded, but we still managed to find seats together. With a great selection of food and drinks, it was the perfect spot to relax and fuel up before our flight.
After relaxing at the lounge, we headed to our gate and boarded the plane.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly once we were on board, and our flight was delayed. After leaving the gate, our flight taxied for a bit before coming to a stop. At 11am EST, the captain informed us there was a maintenance issue with the engine. We returned to the gate and, after waiting for some time, were told to deplane and switch to a different plane.
Our flight finally departed around 2pm EST, arriving at Hewanorra International Airport at 6pm AST. Thankfully, customs was quick and smooth. After getting through that, we waited in the Sandals lounge for a shuttle. By 6:45pm AST, we boarded a shuttle to Sandals Regency La Toc, arriving at the resort around 8pm AST.
Upon arrival, the friendly Sandals staff welcomed us and escorted us to our room. After freshening up, we headed to The Pavilion, one of the main restaurants at the resort, for dinner. Located right by the pool, The Pavilion offers a buffet for breakfast and lunch and an à la carte menu for dinner. That evening, a talented staff member serenaded the guests with covers of Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Whitney Houston, and more. She was incredible!
One thing to note about Sandals in St. Lucia is that it consists of three resorts: Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Halcyon, and Sandals Regency La Toc. While complimentary shuttles transport guests between resorts, they aren’t exactly close to each other. The ride from La Toc to Halcyon takes about 20 minutes, while getting to Grande St. Lucian from La Toc takes about an hour.
The wedding and wedding party were based at Sandals Grande St. Lucian, but Chelsey, I, and many of our friends stayed at Sandals Regency La Toc since it was the most affordable option. None of us fully realized how long the commute would be to get from La Toc to Grande. Sandals does mention it on their website, but the information is tucked near the bottom of the first page, so we didn’t really register the distances beforehand. If you’re planning a stay at one of the Sandals resorts in St. Lucia, keep this in mind so you can plan accordingly!
The evening we arrived, the Welcome Reception for the wedding was being held at Grande St. Lucian, where the ceremony would take place the next day. Unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out for us to attend. The shuttle from La Toc to Grande St. Lucian runs every other hour from 11am to 9pm. Since we didn’t arrive at La Toc until 8pm AST, the next available shuttle would have left at 9pm, getting us to Grande St. Lucian at 10pm, just in time to turn around and catch the last shuttle back.
While we were disappointed to miss the Welcome Reception, we still enjoyed our first night at The Pavilion. Later, some friends joined us at La Toc around 11pm. By then, The Pavilion had closed, leaving Cricketer’s Pub as the only open bar. After a couple of cocktails, I headed back to the room and called it a night.
