Showing posts with label St. Lucia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Lucia. Show all posts

Friday, May 18, 2012

A History of Romance - Rendezvous in St. Lucia


Rendezvous Hotel in St. Lucia is known as The Boutique Hotel for Couples. Yes, this is true. The hotel is small, intimate & charming, having only around 100 rooms. It is luxurious and all-inclusive too. But what I really like, is the romantic history of the hotel's origin... in a time when life was less complicated and vacations were never taken for granted. 



Imagine arriving in St. Lucia in the 1960s when the island was home to only a few hotels. You deplane but opt to make your first stop the lovely white sand beach to the north of the air strip. You walk down this amazing little gem of a beach, taking in the views and gazing in amazement at the tropical gardens lining the sugary sand. Soon a building with a large verandah comes into view. The Verandah is welcoming, with a bar at one end. There's even a butler serving drinks. He serves you a cool and refreshing cocktail of choice. Conversation flows with the rum but soon it is time to go. When you ask for the bill, you are told there is no bill, for this is a private home and the kind gentleman who kept you company at the bar is the homeowner. 


That's the story the hotel's owner Andrew Barnard proudly shared with our office last week about his grandfather's property. He had our full attention as he divulged an abbreviated version of how the Rendezvous in St. Lucia came about. How after realizing his property was desirable to those walking by, his grandfather built 12 private beach cottages and offered them for rent. The 12 cottages have grown into a 100 room resort, but the same friendly service remains.



Rendezvous is the boutique hotel for couples. Smaller than most all-inclusive resorts, yet large in its offerings. The hotel is offering a few not-to-be missed summer promos right now. Contact our Caribbean Travel Specialists for a complete quote!

Cheers,

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Hot NEW Caribbean Hotel Inclusions!

Here is a roundup of hot new Caribbean hotel amenities being offered in 2012:


Hotel Chocolat in St. Lucia offers guests house-made chocolate truffles from cocoa grown right on property - yum:



The Four Seasons Nevis offers guests with small children complimentary items to childproof their room.


The Body Holiday Le Sport in St. Lucia has an Icicle Tricycle that cruises the beach providing guests with cool and refreshing snow cones daily in unique flavors such as cucumber mint.


{this is for my girls...} Tucker's Point Resort in Bermuda has the prettiest sunbrellas I've ever seen - hot pink with ruffles, found at their spa pool. Book a massage and curl up under one of these with a spa cocktail and a good book:






The St. Regis Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico provides a daily Iced Tea Ritual - where teas from around the world are served iced and accompanied by a tropical fruit skewer.


Excellence Playa Mujeres & Excellence Riviera Cancun offer top-shelf tequila tastings:






Secret Bay, the new eco-luxury resort in Dominica offers guests free exclusive use of a Kindle loaded with daily international newspapers.


At GeeJam in Port Antonio, Jamaica, you have the option of renting out their state-of-the art recording studio, following the drum beats of many famous artists.


Grotto Bay Beach Resort in Bermuda offers spa services in their underground serenity cave. Serene? Yes!

To book these hotels, or any other Caribbean or Mexican luxury resort complete with unique amenities, please contact our Caribbean Travel Specialists - info @ caribbeanjourney.com OR 866-236-1924.


Cheers,

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Caribbean's Best Destination Health Spa... The Body Holiday, St. Lucia


I started my hospitality career in Phoenix as a spa coordinator at the Arizona Biltmore. Working in a spa was bliss and being linked in to the spa community afforded me many opportunities to test out other area spas. Arizona is known for its Destination Spas such as Canyon Ranch and Miraval. Most other Destination Spas strive to be as comprehensive as these two.


While many resorts in the Caribbean have full service spas, few can rightly call themselves a Destination Spa. To me, this term means the Spa is a location/destination one would travel to simply for the benefit of its services - all other resort amenities are considered secondary.


The Body Holiday LeSport in St. Lucia IS a Destination Spa. All of my colleagues agree we would most certainly make the trip to this resort simply to visit the spa. The Body Holiday is a fully inclusive resort where the spa treatments are already included in the nightly room rate - one 50 minute service per guest, per day. You may add to this... and once you've spent an hour in the Oasis Spa, allowing all 5 senses to relax, you will likely want to. 

The spa offers an la carte menu of additional services, or you can work with your travel consultant prior to arrival and pre-book one of their Personalized Wellness packages starting at $699 and featuring a focus in the areas of weight loss, stress management, detoxification, fitness and tone, and anti-aging.


With every meal, at every restaurant on property, The Body Holiday serves healthy and enticing spa cuisine to compliment the wellness goals of the guests. If you want to splurge and enjoy bacon, eggs, and a croissant, fear not for those items are plentiful as well. 


I'd love to help you plan the best possible wellness vacation to The Body Holiday in St. Lucia. Feel free to contact me anytime! laura @ caribbeanjourney.com 


Namaste,


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Everyone Deserves a Little Romance...



























{This AMAZING photo of Coconut Bay is one of my favorite Caribbean photo of all time. From this amazing artist.}

Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa on glorious St. Lucia offers some great values on ROMANCE!!!


There are 3 packages worth noting... 

The Rendezvous Package for 7 nights includes:
Champagne Check-in
Romance Turn-down including champagne & chocolates
Couples Only Beachfront Dinner
Intro to Kite Surfing
$250 Resort Credit
and more! 
Deluxe Ocean View Room is $1129
Premium Ocean View Room is $1199

The One on One Package for 7 nights includes:
All of the Rendezvous perks plus...
Private Chauffeured Island Tour
Private Couples Beach Picnic
1/2 Hour Photo Shoot with Keepsake Photo 
Deluxe Ocean View Room is $1279
Premium Ocean View Room is $1349

The Fantasy Package for 7 nights includes:
One on One perks plus...
Private Catamaran Piton snorkeling cruise with lunch onboard
Deluxe Ocean View Room is $1579
Premium Ocean View Room is $1649


Contact us to book before May 31, 2012 for travel prior to June 15, 2012. We love Coconut Bay because of its dramatic landscape and easy access to the main international airport. Most flights to St. Lucia arrive at the Hewanorra Airport just 5 minutes away. Imagine... you'll be on the beach within a few short hours of your flight arriving!

Enjoy,

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

This Week, Last Year...


This week, last year, Bindley and I were on our BABYMOON in St. Lucia having an absolute ball and a much needed vacation before all chaos broke out. Chaos came to us in the form of two little twin girls, Nina & Sophie.


When we look back now, life wouldn't be the same without them and we can't wait to take them on their very first Caribbean adventure when we head to Jamaica at the end of the month.


Cheers,

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Book a Last Minute Getaway to St. Lucia at Coconut Bay!

Coconut Bay in St. Lucia is offering a wonderful winter discount with rates starting at only $148/per person in a deluxe garden view room with the resort's all-inclusive plan!


Coconut Bay in St. Lucia has one huge draw... proximity to the airport. If you've visited St. Lucia before, you know the drive between the airport and your resort often has you rethinking your vacation choice and certainly any alcohol or junk you ate on the plane. The road is curvy - to put it nicely. What is only a distance of 18 to 20 miles, can take over 2 hours. On my last visit in March, for our beloved Babymoon, we opted to rent a car, knowing I would not be able to handle a shuttle ride in my state. 

Renting a car is not for everyone. My husband has visited over 70 countries and has been behind the wheel of dozens of different types of vehicles. He drives on both sides of the road with ease. If you're not married to a globetrotting expert driver and the thought of renting a car in a foreign country has zero appeal, consider booking a resort closer to the airport. 


Coconut Bay is only 2 minutes away from St. Lucia's southern airport, Hewanorra. While it is tough to find cheap flights to St. Lucia, the good news is, the airport is serviced by all major airlines, including Delta, American, United, Virgin, etc. 

Hurry and book your Coconut Bay Vacation before January 15. {As with all promos, other restrictions apply.}

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Book the Big Game Weekend in St. Lucia!




Smugglers Cove Resort & Spa, an all inclusive resort in St. Lucia is pleased
to announce the 2nd annual Big Game Event Weekend.  Come to St. Lucia and watch the “Big Game” on the beach with former NFL Football Players for Superbowl Weekend 2012 ~ February 2 to 6, 2012.

  The Big Game Weekend includes:


                                        
• All meals, snacks plus unlimited beverages    
• Land activities including a football game on beach                         
coached by former NFL Players                                                    
• Special work out sessions with Erik Dorsey                                         
• Team competitions in water sports and archery
• Golf Tournament at nearby Golf Club                                                   
• Talk strategy with the Pro’s cocktail party                                              
• Autograph sessions with Football Players
• Snorkeling cruise with Football Players                                                 
• Big Game Party including large screen TV’s plus Big                         
             Game food and drinks  

                                                   
Are you ready to start planning your St. Lucia Vacation? St. Lucia has dozens of wonderful hotels & resorts. There are two airports on the island. The northern airport is best served by American Airlines and the southern airport is served by all other major carries, including Delta Airlines. Drop us a line with the details - we'd be happy to help you plan! 


Cheers,

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Spice of India, St. Lucia - Restaurant Review

It's no secret that I love Indian food. It is my ultimate go-to comfort food. This has something to do with the fact that Indian cuisine is a party for the senses... the deep smells of at least a dozen fragrant spices blending together, the rich taste of creamy curries... from the first bite of crunchy salty papadam to the sweet smoothness of my finale of preference; cardamon rice pudding, the smells, tastes, and textures of Indian food keep every meal exciting. 

I tend to seek out Indian Restaurants no matter where I am in the world. My Babymoon Vacation to St. Lucia in March was no exception. {I learned early on in my pregnancy that my twins had no aversion to spicy Indian food - for that I was thankful.}



While in St. Lucia, we were lucky enough to spend a few wonderful meals with the very engaging Chef Orlando from the famed Dasheene Restaurant at Ladera Resort. It was at his suggestion, that we met up for dinner at Spice of India in Rodney Bay. The meal was divine! The master chef takes full advantage of all of the fresh local ingredients St. Lucia has to offer. Being known as an island of spice, the fresh spices made a noticeable difference to familiar recipes.



I highly recommend Spice of India next time you visit St. Lucia. Find them on Facebook for their latest news.

Are you ready to start planning your St. Lucia Vacation? St. Lucia has dozens of wonderful hotels & resorts. There are two airports on the island. The northern airport is best served by American Airlines and the southern airport is served by all other major carries, including Delta Airlines. Drop us a line with the details - we'd be happy to help you plan! 

Enjoy,

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Finding Luxury at Villa C'est La Vie - St. Lucia

On my March trip to St. Lucia, I was lucky enough to secure a private tour of Villa C'est La Vie... one of the island's premiere villa rentals.

I love the gingerbread style and many private spaces for relaxing.

The bedrooms are decorated in muted tones that mimic the natural palette of the Caribbean...

The bathrooms are full of luxurious touches...

The outdoor spaces are impressive... a zero entry pool complete with waterfall, an outdoor bar and BBQ, charming patio perfect for dancing...

Villa C'est La Vie includes membership at the Windjammer Landing Resort next door with full beach access!

Go here to see all of the photos from my trip to Villa C'est La Vie in St. Lucia.

This property often offers promotions - please inquire!

St. Lucia isn't always the easiest island to reach in the Caribbean but it is possible to find cheap tickets during most of the low season months. Traveling from most major US gateways, you can expect to find airline ticketspriced in the $500-$550 range if you are flexible! Also, remember that St. Lucia has TWO airports and it is a good idea to price air into both for comparison. The northern airport, and the one closest to this property, is Vigie - airport code of SLU. The southern airport is Hewanorra, airport code of UVF.


Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

2 Nights Free at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia!


Jade Mountain, St. Lucia's finest hotel, is offering TWO nights free this summer! Stay for 7 nights, and only pay for 5 in any of their Sky Jacuzzi Suites, or Star and Moon Infinity Pool Sanctuaries.

If you pre-book a meal plan, either Breakfast & Dinner or All-inclusive, the free nights will have the same meal plan status as well.

Book by July 15, 2011 for travel until October 31, 2011. For help booking this promotion, please contact us


If you haven't read about my love affair with this hotel, you must! Go here to see my full travel tale and here to see my full photo album of Jade Mtn.



Friday, May 13, 2011

New St. Lucia Airport Development Tax



The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) wishes to inform all travelers that effective May 1st, 2011, the sum of US$35.00 will be included on all airline tickets purchased worldwide for voyages to and from St. Lucia.

I have verified with the St. Lucia Tourist Board that this is not a departure tax, as is common on other islands, but in fact a tax to help the island further development their existing airports to serve a growing number of visitors to the island. Other islands have been adding a "departure tax" to airline ticket costs for years so if you've visited the Caribbean, you've likely already been paying similar taxes. With the launch of this new tax in St. Lucia, we are excited to see the upcoming changes at the airports. 

Let us know if you have any questions! 

Happy Travels,

Friday, April 29, 2011

My Visit to Calabash Cove - St. Lucia


Calabash Cove is a new boutique hotel in St. Lucia. I had the opportunity to visit this little gem on my recent babymoon vacation on the island.

This is the view from the lobby, looking over the restaurant... every table has a view of the turquoise sea:


This shot is looking up at the main lobby & restaurant from the pool deck. The bottom floor rooms, cloaked in greenery, are the hotel's "swim-out" category:


Beneath the main pool deck, but still within easy walking distance of the pool bar, is another level for relaxation and sun bathing:


As we strolled the property, the bright florals of the gardens had our full attention....

 

Stunning! 


This is a shot of the small hotel & beach from the pier:


Isn't this painting lovely? More on this next week - stay tuned! 


We finished our tour with a delicious meal at the hotel's signature restaurant. The menu changes frequently to keep the options fresh:


The watermelon & feta salad drizzled with turmeric oil & balsamic vinegar was to die for:


Lastly, we ended up back at the pool bar where my husband enjoyed a libation and I a lime spritzer to cool us off before we jumped back in the hot car...


Ready to start planning your trip to St. Lucia? We can arrange the full vacation package for you, or you may search for cheap flights on your own and ask us to simply assist with booking your hotel only. If you do search for your own airfare, keep in mind that American Air has some of the best rates to the island.

To see more photos of my visit to Calabash Cove, jump over here!

Cheerio,