St. Lucia is nearing the completion of new hotels, roads, attractions and sports facilities, as well as new air service (Air Jamaica returned in February with thrice-weekly non-stop service from JFK), in anticipation of the influx of foreign visitors the Cricket World Cup 2007 (www.cricketworldcup.com) is expected to bring next May.
On the southwest coast of St. Lucia, Anse Chastanet Resort (www.ansechastanet.com) is scheduled to open 30 new Infinity Suites in September (24 will have their own private infinity pool). The Infinity Suites, known collectively as The Jade Mountain Club, feature private reception and concierge services, which are overseen by Resident Managers Chris Williams and Shari Lynn (both can be reached at ansechastanet@
candw.lc) with assistance from Kashmi Ali, director of operations. The Club has its own lounge, in which guests can enjoy a casual drink or light meal, two spa treatment suites and a small fitness room, all of which are for Club guests’ exclusive use.
Anse Chastanet’s new Jade Mountain Club suites overlook the island’s famous twin Pitons (above).
The new suites, like the rest of Anse Chastanet’s accommodations, are tech-free (no phones, radios or TVs), however Internet access will be available at reception. Luxury moment: Each suite has a pull-cord bell by which guests can summon room service and housekeeping, as well as a three-person staff to attend to their requests around the clock.
Club guests can enjoy all of Anse Chastanet’s facilities, including its three restaurants. Tip: Reserve tables at the new Apsara restaurant, which specializes in Indian cuisine (the Apsara Jhinga and Jugal Bandhi dishes come highly recommended), at the time room reservations are made; insiders say the best way to reserve is via the resort’s website.
Tip: If you’re not booking suites in The Jade Mountain Club, we recommend rooms in the premium category. Rooms 7e and 7f are consistently popular; each comprises just three walls and features fabulous views of the water.
To complement your VIPs’ St. Lucia experience, arrange a treatment for them at the six-room beachfront Spa Kai Belte (in-room treatments are available, too). Spa Director Mary Weber ([email protected]) particularly recommends the Ayurvedic Rituals, which are based on a 5,000-year-old East Indian health tradition. We also hear the Ultimate Get Away From It All treatment is tough to beat; request Stella or Maura. (Note: Reserve treatments in advance, and book via the resort’s website.)
Anse Chastanet staff can organize airport transfers, and helicopter transfers to its private helipad for any guest. Note: The Jade Mountain Club’s own website (www.jademountainclub.com) will be operational by mid-summer; until then, insiders suggest making reservations through Anse Chastanet Resort. Executive Director of Marketing and Operations Karolin Troubetzkoy ([email protected]) tends to VIPs in all accommodations.
On a mountaintop directly above the Pitons is the award-winning Ladera (www.ladera.com). Often described as deluxe treehouses, each of the nine villas and 16 suites has an open westward-facing side, affording incredible views without sacrificing privacy. Each unit also has a private pool. Recent celebrity guests include Matt Dillon, who stayed a week.
Views of St. Lucia’s twin Pitons from Ladera’s terraces are stunning.
Ladera’s Ti Kai Pose Spa has four treatment rooms (in-room massages are available) and offers a variety of massages, scrubs, wraps, and facials. Urge clients to book the Sulphur Mud Wrap, which includes a body scrub and wrap, followed by a trip with a therapist to the nearby Sulphur Springs for a treatment using mineral mud that originates from St. Lucia’s famous “drive-in” volcano. Book treatments when making room reservations; contact Spa Manager Barbara Donnie (758-459-7323).
The resort’s restaurant, Dasheene, has expanded to three levels and offers eclectic fusion cuisine using fresh fish, local fruits and vegetables. Guests (who are given priority) as well as islanders and visitors (Oprah Winfrey purportedly among them) enjoy the famous view while dining. (Note: Advance reservations are highly recommended.)
Ladera is a popular wedding and honeymoon destination, so if your VIPs plan to tie the knot here, contact Guest Services Manager Caroline Joseph (fom.ladera
@candw.lc; 758-459-7323), who can assist with wedding needs (she also serves as a concierge). Travel advisors can also contact General Manager Robert Stewart (robert
[email protected]) or Assistant Manager Pearl Rambally ([email protected]) directly when booking VIP clients. (Note: Children younger than 15 are discouraged here except during Christmas. Book up to eight months in advance.)
On the northern end of St. Lucia, The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT (www.thebodyholiday
.com) is adding 33 two-bedroom luxury villas (set to open in 2007; nearly half will have private pools) and is doubling the size of its Oasis Spa (look for a program dedicated entirely to expectant moms).
BodyHoliday at lesport boasts classic yet luxe accommodations
The BodyHoliday’s guest rooms and suites occupy a slope just above the beach, and will have marble flooring, a four-poster king or two twin beds, mini-fridge, and bathrooms with double-sink marble vanities. The Grand Luxury Oceanfront Suites are the most desirable for their size, large marble bathrooms with separate bath and shower, marble makeup area and double-sink vanities, and substantial balconies overlooking the ocean. These suites have individual bedrooms and living rooms, and allow connections for a two-bedroom suite.
Three of the resort’s eateries have been upgraded, and a new over-water seafood restaurant is being added. Tao, widely acclaimed for its creative gourmet Asian-fusion cuisine, is one of St. Lucia’s finest, most sophisticated restaurants and has a loyal local clientele.
The Oasis Spa is adding 20 treatment rooms—for a total of 53—and features a couple’s pavilion. Spa Director Eve Barnard ([email protected]) urges travel advisors to book spa treatments at least two weeks before their clients arrive. Make bookings via [email protected]. Suggest your clients try Udvartana, a 75-minute treatment with a therapeutic oil abhyanga (massage) performed in the traditional South Indian style. Plans are under way to add a gym and aerobics room, a golf school, archery range, and a tennis pavilion with two new tennis courts and a clubhouse (tennis attire required).
Weddings are a major draw at The BodyHoliday, and Anne Marie Gaspard ([email protected]; 758-457-7800) will handle your clients’ nuptial needs. For other VIP services, contact House Manager Chris Elliott (chris@thebodyholiday) or Head Concierge Adrianna Mitchel ([email protected]). Travel advisors may also contact General Manager Kevin Snaggs ([email protected]; 758-457-7800) direct when sending top clients. Tip: Book several months in advance for a stay during Christmas or Easter.
Located in the island’s hip Rodney Bay Village, Coco Palm (www.coco-resorts.com/palm.htm) is St. Lucia’s version of South Beach. Coco Palm houses 71 guest rooms and 12 suites in an unmistakable yellow building with a fiery red roof. Book the six ground-level Swim-Up Rooms, from which guests can literally step into the pool through a set of sliding-glass doors in the bedroom. The 12 suites are located on the top floor and have a separate bedroom and living room with a window seat, and two bathrooms (one with shower and one with double-sink vanity, bathtub and walk-in shower). Techies and music buffs will enjoy the iPod/MP3 interface technology and flat-screen TVs.
Coco Palm (above) has been likened to South Beach in Miami, Florida.
In lieu of the traditional check-in desk, each floor has an assigned host who serves as a personal guide, much like a concierge, to assist guests throughout their stay. Upon arrival guests are taken directly to their rooms; check-in is done at guests’ leisure.
The open-air Ti Bananne offers Caribbean Creole cuisine and nightly entertainment; it has its own entrance from the street and is popular with local residents. Kafe´ Kaiso, on the top floor, serves light fare all day. Coco Palm guests also have “Dine-around” signing privileges in the restaurants and shops in Rodney Bay Village.
The hotel is a five-minute walk from Reduit Beach, one of St. Lucia’s nicest beaches, with water sports, restaurants and bars. Tip: Ask the concierge to pack a picnic basket and beach bag for a lazy day of sand and surf. There is also an on-site Montessori Kid’s Camp for children ages 3 to14, available June through August. Daycare and babysitting services are available.
The hotel offers an array of spa treatments, which are given in-room or on the hotel’s roof deck. Spa director Shawn St. Clair (the
[email protected]; 758-456-2801) says Pure Bliss, a Swedish massage, is a popular signature treatment, but recommends booking all treatments in advance.
Coco Palm encourages agents to take advantage of its Customize Your Stay (CYS) program, which is intended to handle guests’ needs in advance of their arrival: airport transfers, flowers in the room, restaurant reservations, excursions, spa treatments and more. Contact concierge Claudine Gilbert (cgilb
[email protected]), who handles VIP Services. (Note: Coco Palm is already sold out during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.)
Almond Morgan Bay St. Lucia (www.almondresorts.com) is a new family-oriented, all-inclusive resort and a cut above most. Opened in November 2005, the resort is the newest member of Barbados-based Almond Beach Resorts. Set on a cove in 22 acres of tropical greenery, it has 250 rooms with ocean and garden views. All rooms have air-conditioning, private bath and shower, satellite TV, and king or two double beds. Superior Deluxe Beachfront rooms are popular for their location. Ideal for families, Superior Deluxe Beachfront or Deluxe Oceanview categories offer connecting rooms.
Almond Morgan Bay St. Lucia’s suites, with separate living and bedroom areas, are ideal for families.
Almond Morgan Bay has four restaurants plus a grill in the Kids Club area. Two casual open-air restaurants serve buffet breakfast, afternoon tea, and à la carte lunch and dinner. Two others serve dinner only: Morgan’s Pier, an over-water restaurant offering fresh seafood specialties, and Le Jardin, an adults-only, gourmet restaurant, featuring French Creole cuisine. Both require reservations.
When sending VIP clients, contact Carol Slee ([email protected]) or General Manager Frank King (758-450-2511) directly. For weddings, a daily event at the resort, contact Marylin Joseph (758-450-2511), wedding coordinator. For major holidays, book six months or more in advance.
Almond Morgan Bay has a particularly good children’s program. The Kids Club is a children’s activity and play center with a staff that supervises four age-specific programs: a nursery for infants up to 24 months; a Mini Kids Club for ages 2 to 4; Kids Club for ages 4 to 7 and 8 to12; and a Teen Center for teens 13 and older.