saint lucia
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My Itinerary
DAY 1: Collected by pre-booked local taxi driver and taken from this small
island airport to the northwest of the island for a three-night stay at St James’s Club Morgan Bay. DAY 2/3: Enjoy wonderful food, the Rainforest Adventure Skyride and
great fun on the Segway by Lucian Style. DAY 4: The punctual Monrose arrives to take us to our next stop,
Windjammer Landing, for three nights. DAY 5/6: Enjoy villa on an all-inclusive basis. Walk on the seabed with SeaTrek
Tours.
DAY 7: Monrose drives us along the long, winding and scenic road down
the island’s west coast to the hillside property, Ladera. The views of the majestic Pitons are stunning. DAY 8: A short hop, skip and a jump to the Hotel Chocolat Hotel Boucan for a
whole new way of looking at chocolate. DAY 9/10: Take the tree to bar chocolate tour and then down to our
last hotel, the renovated Sugar Beach by Viceroy for two nights.
that greeted us was astounding: the magnifi cent Pitons that Saint Lucia is famous for. The completely open wall is awe-inspiring, and the good-sized private pool just invited us to plunge right in. With the setting and breathtaking views, Ladera offers something unique and very special. There are just 39 units here, and that is the
way it will stay: it is built on a UNESCO site and cannot be extended any further. This haven for couples does not accept under 18s, and is simply perfect for honeymooners. Boucan by Hotel Chocolat was our next unique
experience. Set 1,000 ft above sea level in Saint Lucia’s oldest cocoa plantation, the Rabat Estate is cooled naturally by the sea breezes. There’s no need for the annoying buzz of air
conditioning here! After a sumptuous breakfast I joined the ‘Tree
to Bar’ tour at the hotel – and I’ll certainly never take chocolate for granted again! I learnt how the whole process happens, and had my own tree planted in an orchard for me to visit the next time I’m back on the island (a great marketing idea!). We then made our own chocolate, and while our amateur attempt had a somewhat grainy texture, there was plenty of the professional variety on offer to enjoy!
Opposite page: the infi nity pool at Ladera seems to spill straight into The Pitons; bright and breezy accommodation at Windjammer Landing. This page: Barbara dons her Sea Trek Diving helmet; learning all about the world of chocolate at Boucan by Hotel Chocolat; there’s no sortage of seafood at Saint Lucia’s top resorts
Where to book it While at Windjammer Landing, I experienced
Sea Trek Helmet Diving by Cox & Company. This is fun! You can take to the seas without a scuba tank on your back. The very heavy helmet keeps your feet on the seabed; in fact it felt just like walking on the moon. The activity is well worth it, and is suitable for those from eight years old and up! Leaving the northwest section of Saint
Lucia behind, we headed down the west coast, through banana plantations and along winding hillside roads, to Ladera. It doesn’t take you long to know that you have arrived at a special place. As we entered our three-sided suite, the view
sellingtravel.co.uk
Caribtours - 020 7751 0660 Ten nights start from £3,479pp, based on two adults sharing, including British Airways return scheduled fl ights and private transfers. The deal includes: three nights all-inclusive at St James’s Morgan Bay, sharing a one-bedroom suite with an ocean view; three nights all-inclusive at Windjammer Landing, sharing a two-bedroom villa with pool; one night at Ladera, sharing a hilltop dream suite (includes breakfast); and one night at Boucan by Hotel Chocolat sharing a lodge on a full-board basis; and two nights all-inclusive at Sugar Beach, sharing a one-bedroom luxury villa. These prices are based on a June 2015 departure.
caribtours.co.uk
Sugar on the top It was with genuine excitement that we headed about 10 minutes from our hillside retreat down to Sugar Beach Resort by Viceroy (formerly The Jalousie Plantation). I last visited fi ve years ago, but following a $100 million refurbishment the resort has had a thorough rebirth. I admit I had a few concerns as to how the changes would alter the look and feel of the resort, but I needn’t have worried – it was fabulous! From the minute we arrived at the reception,
we were greeted by name as if we were old friends. And all the staff were truly exceptional in their attention to detail and service levels. We were taken to our room on a tuk tuk, where
we were greeted by our personal butler and shown around our fantastic villa, complete with plunge
pool.The dining is heavenly, and we were thoroughly spoilt for every second of our stay at Sugar Beach.
It was with a heavy heart that we headed back
towards the airport with our trusty taxi driver, Melrose. This was a fabulous trip, and so much more than a beach holiday. We experienced four- and fi ve-star hotels, from the large all-inclusive resort to boutique villa living – and all offered decadence, luxury and not a little romance. I’d like to thank all the hotels and excursion operators - clients, friends and readers of Selling Travel - for treating us so well. My third visit confi rmed once again that Saint
Lucia is a magical island that really does have something for everyone! •
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