The West Indies Isle of St. Lucia (pronounced Saint LOO-sha) has always had an exotic and adventurous side. Because of its incredible natural beauty, St. Lucia is known as a romantic honeymoon destination and a lush playground for rain-forest adventures like zip-lining, waterfall hikes, and nature tours to the island's iconic Pitons. As a result of its growing popularity, the island also has seen a fair amount of development in recent years--but it still enjoys a reputation as "the Caribbean as it used to be." No wonder St. Lucia was recognized as one of the "Top 20 Islands in the World" in the 2015 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards.

More recently, this island beauty has gotten in touch with its family-friendly side, as I discovered during my recent visit to the all-inclusive St. James's Club Morgan Bay^THC. This something-for-everyone resort is located in Gros Islet between bustling Rodney Bay and the capital city of Castries, and its beachfront setting is perfect for multi-generation family vacations.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scenic 90-minute drive up the east coast of the island from the airport at Hewanorra to the resort, through beautiful rain forest and past small fishing villages and banana plantations. I arrived at the hotel rather late, about 8 p.m., when most guests are already dining. Thankfully, I had VIP dinner reservations that evening at Bambou, one of the resort's a la carte specialty restaurants, so I was able to relax right away in a beautiful setting.

Bring the Kids!

With 320 rooms and suites spread out in several hillside buildings, St. James's Club Morgan Bay is an expansive resort and offers lots to do, from tennis and water sports to a kids' club with age-appropriate activities. It also requires a lot of walking to get around. Thankfully, the staff has several golf carts readily available to take you anywhere you like. I was whisked off to my one-bedroom ocean-view suite in a section closest to the ocean, so the views were exceptional. I could see out over the entire resort including the gardens, pools, restaurants, and beach. Unfortunately, I also could hear the live music playing at the main pool bar until 11 p.m. If I'd been in a garden room on the other side of the tennis courts, this might not have been an issue. Just something to think about if you like to retire early or are traveling with little ones. I did find my suite to be very spacious and well decorated, with a large balcony and nice bathroom.

It immediately became apparent that the main pool and bar area is where it's at, the central hangout spot for enjoying music and a drink at the swim-up bar, meeting new friends, playing some games, or just soaking up the sunshine. There's also a separate family-friendly pool area with a few slides, ample loungers, and the Plum Tree Bar & Grill for snacks and a light lunch (burgers, chicken tenders, paninis), all perfect for the kiddos. Just next to the pool area is a large kids'-zone playground with an open lawn area where they can burn off some energy.

St. Lucia is not known for having long stretches of sandy beach--most of the coastline is rocky--but the protected cove-like beach at St. James's was nice for this size resort. Drink service is available here, and there are plenty of options for non-motorized (complimentary) and motorized (for a small fee) water sports.

I found the staff, from the front-desk personnel and lobby attendants to the restaurant and bar team, to be very friendly. Service was a bit slow, but keep in mind that things operate on island time here. I don't know if the St. James's staff is trained to engage its guests in conversation or if it's just the natural openness of the St. Lucian people, but staff members always had a warm smile, asked how my day was going, and wondered if I'd talked to my kids that day. They remembered me and wanted me to have a good time in their little slice of paradise.

Getting Down to Dining

My dinner that first night at Bambou was quite good, from a menu offering Asian-fusion and contemporary Caribbean cuisine. Besides dinner, it also serves breakfast, light lunch options, and British-style afternoon tea. Bambou is the closest restaurant to the ocean, so it's quite lovely in the evening with the sea breezes and the sound of waves lapping nearby.

My favorite of the specialty restaurants was Le Jardin, serving French Creole cuisine in an elegant setting of dim lighting, white tablecloths, live classical piano music, and very attentive service. It's worth noting that this is the only restaurant with air-conditioning. I personally love this type of cooking--fresh seafood, hints of spice, lots of veggies--so I thought it was well worth the $35 surcharge. They also have a nice wine list available in a moderate price range. The night I was there, the pianist was playing all '80s classic rock tunes and people were humming along, which made it especially fun. That gentleman was super-talented!

If you're staying here with your family, you'll appreciate The Palms restaurant, where your kids will find plenty of options. They open for dinner at 6 p.m.; I'm used to eating earlier since I have young kids at home, so this was fine by me. Besides, I think the key to enjoying a buffet is to arrive just as the restaurant opens, so your food is fresh and hot. I liked that they switched things up each evening by changing to a different theme like French, Asian, Italian, etc.

I will note that there are cats all over the place, and not just at St. James's Club, but at all the resorts I visited. They tend to show up at night around dinnertime, and they do wander about freely. The resorts all actively try to collect them and take them to the local vet, where the effort is to get the cats fixed and adopted out. It didn't bother me particularly, but it's something to be aware of. If anything, I suppose it keeps the rodent population down.

All in all, I think St James's Club Morgan Bay is a solid 4-star resort, fun and casual with excellent dining and entertainment options. I would recommend it as an ideal spot for families, couples, and small groups that want a beachfront location. All-inclusive rates start at $340/night.

More Family Fun

Another of St. Lucia's family-friendly spots is The Landings, where luxuriously appointed one- to three-bedroom Villa Suites--each with a full kitchen, living and dining areas, and a private terrace--are clustered in low-rise buildings around the private marina or along the ocean. This is condo living at its best, but with resort amenities like a spa, fitness center, several restaurants, a kids' club, and multiple pools--meaning no matter where you're staying, you're always close to a pool and only a short walk to the beach. Rates start at $315/night.

The Seductive Side of St. Lucia

Super romantic and what I can only describe as "eco-luxe," the stunning resort of Ladera is located literally on the side of Soufriere Volcano, about a 45-minute drive from the airport. Once a cocoa plantation, this hideaway is ideal for those looking to unplug from the world for a few days, since there are no telephones or TVs in the rooms. It's a quiet, relaxing escape perfect for honeymooners and couples.

Each of the 32 rooms and suites has hand-carved furnishings, a four-poster canopy bed with mosquito netting, an outdoor rain shower, its own private plunge pool, and magnificent views of St. Lucia's famous Pitons. Rooms are large, and one whole wall is open to the outside to take advantage of those cool Caribbean breezes (i.e., no air-conditioning).

Ladera's award-winning Dasheene restaurant offers classic Caribbean cooking utilizing all locally grown ingredients. Guests tend to gather at The Bar at Dasheene for sunset cocktails, but then everyone pretty much retreats back to their own space once the sun goes down. Guests can use the beach club at nearby Sugar Beach, about a five-minute drive down the road. This is also the next best option for dining outside the hotel. Rates at Ladera start at $504/night.

Hands-down my favorite beachfront, not-all-inclusive resort was Sugar Beach by Viceroy. Formerly the Jalousie Plantation, it is just spectacular following a $100-million renovation, luxurious but not over the top, with British-Colonial-meets-Caribbean decor. Picture white marble, plantation shutters, rich mahogany, four-poster beds, breezy linens . . .sigh. Its Rainforest Spa is especially intriguing, with thatch-roofed treatment rooms built on stilts among the trees. Rates start at $555/night.

Note, a Six Senses resort is under development on the road between Ladera and Sugar Beach. Right now they're still clearing trees, although there are a few foundations finished. It's going to be another villa resort with shared access at Sugar Beach, and not expected to be finished until 2017.

I also checked out Jade Mountain, a chic luxury hotel located on the hillside behind beachfront Anse Chastenet, its laid-back sister property. If you're staying at Jade Mountain, it's only about a five- to seven-minute walk down to the beach, where you can use all the services available at Anse Chastenet, including its bars, restaurants, and spa. I found Anse Chastenet to be super-casual and fun, the perfect place for a romantic escape or a spa/wellness retreat with your friends. Its 49 individually designed rooms are comfortably furnished and feature the island's authentic madras-patterned linens. Rates start at $440/night.

By contrast, Jade Mountain is ultra-modern and architecturally stunning, with private bridges leading to each of the 29 elegantly furnished suites, called Sanctuaries. Each has either a Jacuzzi tub or large infinity pool that is open to the outside. The property is built in such a way that each suite is very private--you can't possibly see into any of the nearby suites, so sunbathing and swimming au naturel is not an issue.

The one on-site restaurant here is rooftop, which again offers fantastic views. Honestly, if you're going to pay the money to stay here, you will not want to leave. I found the roads getting here to be insane, and many times I thought my driver was lost, but the drive is completely worth it to be embraced by the pure luxury of Jade Mountain. Rates start at $1,050/night.

To get a sense of St. Lucia's soft adventures and emerging culinary scene, visit www.stlucianow.com.