How These Saint Lucia Resorts Are Redefining Caribbean Hospitality, From Sustainability to All-Inclusive
Joyce Destang wasn’t a trained hotelier. Or an accountant. But three decades ago, Joyce Destang and her husband gathered up “every penny they had,” and took a chance on a plot of land in the Rodney Bay area. It began with 45 rooms and a dream.
Now, 30 years later, the Bay Gardens resorts portfolio is one of the Caribbean’s biggest hospitality success stories, with a growing portfolio, a stellar reputation and enduring focus on the local community.
Today, the hotel is stewarded by Destang’s son, Sanovnik, a former Caribbean Hotelier of the Year winner and the current president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
The portfolio has grown to include five different properties, from the classic Bay Gardens to the Bay Gardens Beach Resort to the Water’s Edge Villas. Another property will be debuting later this year.
Bay Gardens has become more than just a hotel brand; it’s become a part of the fabric of Saint Lucia, a living tourism enterprise that’s at the core of what the sustainability movement is really all about.
That’s because, at its core, the St Lucian-owned property is all about the local community. In fact, to celebrate the big birthday, the hotel launched the new Bay Gardens Community Fund, a charitable initiative focused on empowering youth, sustainability and preserving the island’s cultural heritage. Lots of hotels use the “sustainability” buzz word. Here, it’s a real thing.
“We’re turning thirty—no longer teenagers or young adults, but a full-grown business,” Destang told Caribbean Journal. And we don’t plan on going into our ‘dirty thirties’ quietly! This year will bring several firsts for Bay Gardens, and perhaps the most anticipated is the opening of Sapphire Sands Villas, which promises to bring a new wave of luxury to the BG brand—at a level we’ve not seen before.”
Indeed, we recently called Sapphire Sands one of the most anticipated openings of 2025, with a residential resort concept that’s one of the hottest trends in travel right now.
We’ve stayed at the company’s resorts several times, and we’ve always been impressed not just by the level of hospitality but the commitment to authenticity. Indeed, one of Destang’s coolest innovations was the “dine-around” all-inclusive concept, which let guests staying on the AI plan actually go out and enjoy local restaurants as part of their package. It was a program that sent shockwaves thorough the industry when it first debuted, but now it’s spawned a number of similar packages across the Caribbean, in a welcome development for the impact of all-inclusive.
“The most rewarding part of this journey hasn’t just been our expansion or improved business performance, but rather the development of our people and the impact we continue to have on the community,” Destang said.
The resort will be holding a year-long calendar of events to “delight and engage guests” as part of the birthday celebrations. That will include flash sales, special deals and cultural showcases, with the sales starting on teh end of every month.
It’s an inspiring Saint Lucian story, as the island’s Tourism Minister, Ernest Hilaire, acknowledges.
And it’s an example of true sustainability — when tourism and hospitality embed themselves in a place, and plant deep roots.
“When looking for an example of successful local ownership, one should look no further than the Destang family.” Hilaire said.
For more, visit Bay Gardens.
Are you planning a trip to the Bay Gardens? You can find prices at the company’s Bay Gardens hotel for as low as $183 per night right now. The Bay Gardens Beach resort, set on Reduit Beach (our favorite hotel on the island), has rates at $271 per night.
