Dreaming about a tropical paradise, being in nature and experiencing style and luxury? There is one such island in the Caribbean that offers a respite from the modern world and is a blend of natural beauty and luxury. Matt Damon did and chose to renew his vows with Luciana here and rent out the entire Sugar Beach Resort for this momentous occasion. The Caribbean island of Saint Lucia sponsored “Elevate Yourself” Third Annual Health & Wellness Retreat to kick off Health and Wellness Month in November. Because of it’s unique landscape and history paired with natural resources, it is the ideal place to visit and experience a rejuvenation for the body/mind/spirit. This year the retreat was designed to “Lift The Senses,” with a lineup of renowned experts in the wellness field.
Highlights: Cat Cora, known for being the first and only female iron chef on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” and best-selling author, led healthy cooking demonstrations and hosted the seminar entitled “Elevating your Living.”She is a a petite dynamo with a huge message. Another petite dynamo, Gabrielle Bernstein, New York Times bestselling author of “May Cause Miracles,” was an inspiring motivational speaker. Bernstein is multifaceted as a life coach and founder of HerFuture.com, a social networking and mentoring website for women,who led seminars on ‘Living a Miraculous Life’ as well as morning meditation.” She studied with spiritual leader Marianne Williamson and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa (her personal mentors), Gabrielle is well on her way to becoming a top level leader for all generations of women. These two outstanding wellness experts shared their wisdom which extends beyond their years. They are the up and coming role models of a new generation of health conscious travelers. They were accompanied by nutrition, health and beauty experts to share their wellness secrets. Iyengar yoga specialists, John Schumacher was chosen to lead classes for the most ambitious attendees who were early risers. For the hard core fitness addict, the Sunset beach bootcamp ‘Blood, Sweat & Tears’ was led by Dani Devaux. Marie Piazza did a lecture for weight loss enthusiasts, “Take It Off & Keep It Off.”
The best part of the event was simply being on the island of St. Lucia, which is truly a world class travel destination. The high end resort properties meet the standards of some of the best in the world.
Would you like to escape to a romantic hideaway with your significant other, without the trappings of electronic devices to distract you from the natural beauty? Jade Mountain is the place.
If you are an avid reader of the luxury travel publications you probably have seen an advertisement of a jaw dropping open air suite with an infinity pool perched high above the shore, with a world class view of two pointed peaks in the near distance. If you are seeking the most romantic place for your honeymoon or rekindling the fire and passion in your life with your special someone, this is definitely the place.
“Rising majestically above the 600 acre beach front resort of Anse Chastanet, and especially Jade Mountain Resort, is a cornucopia of organic architecture celebrating St Lucia’s stunning scenic beauty.”
The owner-architect, Nick Troubetzkoy, had a vision while standing across from the world class view of both the Piti and the Gros Piton mountains floating upon the Caribbean Sea. He created this Five Diamond resort on a private estate with 600 acres of verdant tropical rainforest and a plantation with home grown organic produce. The historical property descends to two beaches where one of the world’s most sought after coral reefs are just a few laps away.
Highlights: This was the readers choice top rated Caribbean resort by Conde Nast Traveler. Each uniquely designed suite (which they call a sanctuary) has it’s own open air wall with an infinity pool overlooking the ocean with a spectacular view of peaks. “Jaw-droppingly beautiful rooms" all have 15-foot ceilings, and the private infinity pools are adorned with colored tiles (ruby, amber, plum). The Kai Mer spa cottage has a variety of treatments from traditional to holistic and ayurvedic. Fitness included complimentary yoga, bike trails and hikes across this grand estate property. The piece de la resistance was the artfully designed food with fresh, organic produce grown on the property.
There are other resorts that meet the criteria of being world-class hideaways with state of the art spas. The Body Holiday LeSport is a favorite as the top all inclusive spa program and honeymoon destination. The Landings Beach Hotel, a condo resort property, has the most spacious suites that are fully equipped with kitchen, dining and huge balconies. Another must see and stay is the outstanding architecture and design at Calabash Cove. Rising high above the ocean, this cliffside hotel has unique accommodations and architectural details that maximize the view, especially by dining al fresco (with a rooftop cover) even in the rain.
If you are searching for the best romantic resort destination, then St. Lucia should be on the top of your list. Most people tend to return year after year because has the most comprehensive luxury offerings in the Caribbean.
http://stlucianow.com
https://www.facebook.com/SaintLuciaTouristBoard
Piton Reflections
