Permanent Honeymoon

El Morro Graveyard

Puerto Rico is an easy destination to get to from the eastern U.S. (where I live). The flights are cheap, and the island is an American protectorate, so there’s no need for a passport or to exchange your U.S. dollars.

I spent six days at the Hotel El San Juan in, of course, San Juan. The Hotel El San Juan is only a few minutes from the airport and a taxi ride is relatively inexpensive. The Hotel itself has a small casino and night club off the main lobby. I spent one night watching people at the craps table and couldn’t help feeling that it was a game in which four guys in dark jackets (one with a stick) just took people’s money. I completely do not understand the game!

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The pools are wonderful, with swim up bars and ample room to take in the sun. It’s a nice location to visit when the temperature back home is hovering around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The best golf courses and beaches seem to be on the south side of the island.

I took a walking tour of old San Juan, and visited to the two Spanish forts. I walked back and forth throughout old San Juan, enjoying the scenery and the history. I also visited the cathedral of Old San Juan where De Soto is buried. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

When gauging relative expense, I like to compare the destination to New York (which is, I admit, expensive versus the rest of the U.S.). I noticed that gas prices were about the same as in New York (but sold in liters) and food prices were also about the same. A note on the food – it was fabulous! I would suggest that you eat some of the island cuisine. I actually went on a brief red-bean-and-rice survey, in which I ate them every night at different restaurants. Every restaurant had excellent red-beans-and-rice, but my favorite was at Pikayo restaurant which is located within the Puerto Rico Arts Museum.

When speaking with a friend while traveling in Puerto Rico last week (a review to come shortly), I realized that Juliana and I have been to several different Caribbean or Central American destinations. I was doing a brief, informal “comparison” of these destinations with my friend, so I thought I’d try to do one more formally. What I have decided to do is a brief summary, some economic comparisons and local population “happy” meter, based on MY impressions and interactions with the local population.

Here we go…

Bahamas

Summary:
I have only spent a day on Paradise Island, touring The Atlantis resort property. I have to say, The Atlantis itself is quite impressive and probably worth looking into staying there. It looks appropriate both for romance between partners and fun for the kids.

Deals:

Local Currency: Bahamian Dollar (BSD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Even (1 USD =1 BSD)
Happy Meter:  45%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $29,900
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 6.9%

Barbados

Summary:
Lush and beautiful, the mountainous island of Barbados has stellar beaches and beautiful weather. We spent our actual honeymoon on Barbados after Hurricane Hugo destroyed St. John (where we were planning on going, but have yet to go to). With Barbados it’s best to stay on the beach and in your resort or go on a guided tour. The road maps of the island are poorly documented and the drivers dangerous.

Local Currency: Barbadian Dollar BBD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Weak (1 USD = 2 BBD)
Happy Meter:  21%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $20,200
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 10.7%

Belize

Summary:
Belize is wonderful once you get out of the capital of Belize City. There is a rain forest with Mayan ruins in the interior and the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere on the coast. Although quite poor, the people are extremely friendly. The official language is English.

Deals:

Local Currency: Belize Dollar BZD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Weak (1 USD = 1.95 BZD)
Happy Meter:  65%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $8,500
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 8.5%

Bermuda

Summary:
Bermuda is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom (UK), so it has a very British feel to it. The downside of this is that the food is British as well, not spicy Caribbean food that I like so much. The island itself is colorful and beautiful. There are only 66,000 residents of the island, but the island is very small. It is not really “Caribbean,” since it is north of the Caribbean. It is relatively expensive versus other islands, but it is a short flight from New York.

Deals:

Local Currency: Bermudian Dollar (BMD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Even (1 USD = 1 BMD)
Happy Meter:  75%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $69,900
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 2.1%

Cayman Islands

Summary:
Like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands are an overseas territory of the UK. Unlike Bermuda, however, the Cayman Islands are nested in the heart of the Caribbean, just south of Cuba. The weather is fantastic and the famous “seven-mile beach” on Grand Cayman is break-taking and beautiful. Since it is a coral island, the ocean is crystal clear and great for diving activities.

Deals:

Local Currency: Cayman Island Dollar (KYD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Strong (1 USD = 0.84 KYD)
Happy Meter:  80%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $43,800
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 4.4%

Jamaica

Summary:
Jamaica is a lush island, especially in the interior. There are several hotels that cater to romantic (even decadent) vacations. Two areas of the island that are worth visiting are Ochos Rios and Negril. The poverty on the island is pretty severe and, the last time we went, we are essentially in compound, shielded from the local population.

Deals:

Local Currency: Jamaican Dollar (JMD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Strong (1 USD = 0.88 JMD)
Happy Meter:  15%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $7,700
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 10.1%

Mexico

Summary:
Mexico is a big country and much of your experience will depend on where you go. I have never been to Cancun, but I hear it is nice, albeit very touristy. The Baja peninsula is nice as well, especially Cabo St. Lucas. We went to Puerto Vallarta and had a great time. I have heard that crime is a problem in Mexico, but we didn’t experience anything like that.

Deals:

Local Currency: Mexico Peso (MXN)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Very Weak (1 USD = 14.97 MXN)
Happy Meter:  40%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $14,400
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 4.1% (with perhaps 25% underemployment)

Puerto Rico

Summary:
Puerto Rico is an overseas territory of the United States, so if you are coming from the U.S., you don’t even need a passport to visit the island. Also, they use U. S. dollars and no exchange is necessary. I enjoyed the island. There are some poverty-stricken areas of the island, especially around San Juan, but there are also some nice hotels, clubs and restaurants. I found the food in Puerto Rico to be some of the best I have found anywhere in the Caribbean (even Jamaica).

Deals:

Local Currency: US Dollar
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Even
Happy Meter:  65%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): Unknown
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): Unknown

St. Lucia

Summary:
St. Lucia is a beautiful, mountainous island near Venezuela. Because it is so close to the equator, wear sunscreen! The sun is extremely powerful. There are a number of romantic resorts on St. Lucia, including Sandals, Jalousie, Ladera and (a new one) Jade Mountain. I found that there was a “split” in attitudes of the local population – friendly and happy in the North, unfriendly and unhappy in the South. Also, don’t try and drive between Castries and Soufriere like we did – it’s right-hand drive on some of the windiest roads I have even driven on.

Deals:

Local Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Slightly Weak (1 USD = 2.67 XCD)
Happy Meter:  50%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): $11,300
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): 20%

St. Marten

Summary:
St. Marten is divided into a Dutch-controlled area and a French controlled area. Frankly, I found the French side to have better food and beaches. We found a sheltered bay on the French side that our kids could swim in, protected from the rough waves. Unfortunately, Saint Marten is rather expensive because they use euros. Of course, there airport is named Princess Juliana International Airport, which delighted my wife, Juliana.

Local Currency: St. Marten Euro (EUR)
Strength vs. US Dollar (as of 2/26/2009): Strong (1 USD = 0.78 EUR)
Happy Meter:  55%
GDP per Capita (recent estimate): Unknown
Unemployment Rate (most recent estimate): Unknown

Hotel Del Coronado

In February, I stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado near San Diego California. Like the Jekyll Island Club, the Hotel Del (as it is called by the locals) is a historic landmark and worthy of the robber baron lifestyle. The hotel has been visited by ten U.S. presidents and numerous luminaries over the years including Marilyn Monroe, Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth and Charlie Chaplin. The Hotel Del also sports a colorful history including the ghost of Kate Morgan, who, according to Hotel Del legend, checked into the hotel on November 25, 1892 and never checked out. Interestingly, November 25th is our anniversary.

I stayed in an older room in the main building. It was nicely appointed with a high ceiling and a comfy bed. The bathroom was missing something important though – a bathtub – it only had a shower stall. The hallways of the Hotel Del have settled with age and are crooked, which is expected in a building over 100 years old. The Hotel Del has added Ocean Towers and California Cabanas down on the beach and adjacent to the main Victorian style building. The best thing about my stay was the weather, seventy degrees and sunny, while it was about five degrees and snowing back at home in New York.

The Hotel Del also has a full-service spa, although I didn’t take any treatments. The restaurants are wonderful, but pricey. In fact, the Hotel Del is quite pricey in general. I had to pay a “resort fee” (I think it was $29 per day, but I can’t remember exactly).

I was able to arrange a boat tour of the San Diego bay and it was quite interesting and informative.

The Hotel Del is situated on Coronado Island southwest of San Diego proper. The island itself is a very upscale community with the median house price above $1 million. It’s nice to walk around the island and see this beautiful community.

New York City

If you need to recharge your “relationship batteries”, one sure-fire way is a romantic weekend in the big city: New York City. With world-class restaurants, unsurpassed theater and entertainment, and the excitement of “Sex and the City” everywhere you turn, New York seems like a lover itself. Although some do not associate New York with romance, if you do the city right, you can get an understanding of why residents truly love New York.

New York offers many options for a weekend stay including, one of our favorites - boutique hotels. Unlike large business hotels or chains, the boutique hotels provide a more intimate lodging experience with fewer rooms, more intricate designs and strong personalities. In New York there are at least fifteen boutique hotels in Manhattan in various neighborhoods and with various personalities.

Hudson

Hudson is a boutique hotel located in Manhattan’s midtown West 58th Street. It is convenient to the theater district and to Central Park. One of the most impressive features of Hudson is the sweeping forty-foot, ivy-covered and romantically lit lobby. With brick-faced walls, and earth-toned accents and furniture, Hudson’s atmosphere is decidedly rich and utterly hip. Hudson offers a private garden, a small intimate game room/bar and a hot nightspot, the Hudson Bar, which is generally packed with young hipsters on weekend nights.

Hudson boasts over one thousand ocean-liner-inspired guest suites, some with views of Central Park. The rooms are fairly small, but well appointed, with lush, crisp linens and sumptuous beds. Don’t expect a whirlpool bath - or much of a bathroom at all - since space is a premium here and the bathroom facilities are minimal and crowded. Hudson also offers two ultra-luxurious, apartment-like penthouses with a tented terrace and over 2,000 square feet of space.

The location for theatergoers is perfect, a short cab ride or a long walk to the theater district. For a weekend jaunt of theater going and play, Hudson is a wonderful choice.

Morgans

Morgans is located on the East Side of Manhattan on Madison Avenue at 37th Street. Appointed in an “impressionistic” style with soothing tones of grey, ivory, black and tan, the hotel has only 119 rooms and each is fairly large (for Manhattan). The problem with Morgans is that the design is cool and unemotional. Additionally, it seems as though the designers merely covered the old with the new, hoping to create a hip, cool style. Unfortunately, this technique seems forced and the effect fails.

Morgans is on the south side of midtown Manhattan, close to the Empire State Building. It is fairly convenient to the theater district and to several restaurants. Being on the East Side, it is closer to LaGuardia than hotels on the West Side.

The best thing about Morgans is the restaurant, Asia de Cuba. It is a lively and rather over-crowded spot, but the food is wonderful. Large dishes meant to be shared and the fusion of Asian and Cuban tastes works perfectly.

Avoid Morgans as a hotel and go to the restaurant, but make reservations early - it’s truly a hot spot.

60 Thompson

In a word: delicious. In more words: hip, stylish, luxurious, fantastic - I could go on and on about 60 Thompson. Located in the artsy SoHo neighborhood at (duh) 60 Thompson Street, this boutique hotel is the best of the best. Tapped as “one of the world’s hottest hotels” by Conde Nast’s traveler, 60 Thompson deserves all the praise that it gets. With only 100 rooms, 60 Thompson provides guests a sophisticated and sleek style. It is clearly one of the hippest of the hip. And the beds are, well, heavenly.

Since it is downtown, 60 Thompson is more convenient to the off-Broadway downtown scene than Broadway proper. The hotel boasts a restaurant, bar and, most notably, A60, a members-only bar that offers 360-degree views of Manhattan - fantastic.

60 Thompson is perfect for a weekend rendezvous in the hip SoHo neighborhood. If you want a love-laced getaway in the big city, 60 Thompson is the place. That being said, make reservations early, the hotel is very popular.

Paramount

Paramount is the quintessential expression of “Cheap Chic”. Located on 46th Street near 8th Avenue, Paramount is very close to the center of the theater district, Time Squares and other midtown attractions.

The two-story lobby has a hip feel and provides a cool respite from the crowded street. On the lobby’s second floor balcony, there is a simple bar with drinks and appetizers.

Paramount’s 610 rooms are small (supposedly intimate) and have hardly enough room for much more than the bed. Each has a mini-bar/television console tucked into a corner and a minimal bathroom. The beds are basically on the floor, but are quite comfortable with rich linens and plush pillows.

Paramount is no 60 Thompson, but, as it is convenient to midtown sites and activities, it is recommended for theatergoers.

Just the word emanates luxury: villa. Often, travelers don’t consider the option of renting a villa: it is usually considered too expensive or the travel agent does not provide the villa option. For an extended stay or for a vacation with a large group of people, a villa is the best choice. Villas provide luxury accommodations and a long-term home base from which to enjoy your vacation. Most villas have more than one bedroom, so if you are traveling with a large family, or with a group of friends or other couples, villas can be cost-effective versus a traditional hotel or resort.

While the idea of renting a villa can conjure up the beautiful scenes of “Under the Tuscan Sun”, if you choose a villa over an all-inclusive resort, there are some additional considerations.

The first is transportation. You need to consider how you are going to get from the airport to the villa and, additionally, how you are going to get around for the entire stay. Hotels usually offer shuttle or bus service, the villa will not. Renting a car is a common choice, but it comes with some additional considerations - such as what side of the road you must drive on, how safe are the roads, etc.

The next concern is food. An all-inclusive resort will provide you with everything you need to eat and drink, but, in a villa, you are usually on your own. Most villa managers and owners provide a cook who will shop for you and prepare meals. The cook will usually prepare two meals of your choice a day (that is, breakfast/lunch or lunch/dinner). The best part is that the cook can provide you with a taste of the local flavor. Make sure you prepare a shopping list that will include what you will eat - sometimes the “local flavor” is not appetizing to travelers, particularly kids. And remember: there is no room service in a villa. Stock your refrigerator and pantry such that you can have a snack at midnight if you want it.

You should also budget for tips. In addition to the cook, a villa will usually have at least a manager and a maid. The manager can help you with local attractions and answer any additional questions or concerns that arise. Generally, the maid will clean on the weekdays. Each of these people will expect gratuities. Get a guide from the owner of the villa on the rate for tips. Typically, it is a number of U.S. dollars (or Euros, or local currency) per guest per day.

Villa Serendipity - St. Lucia, West Indies

The Pool at Villa Serendipity

When we saw pictures of this villa on the Internet, we thought - a small, quaint bungalow. When we arrived at Villa Serendipity, we saw how wrong we were. Villa Serendipity is more like a sugar baron’s palace than a bungalow. Perched in the hills above Castries, the St. Lucian capital, the villa is extraordinarily appointed and boasts three bedrooms and a private pool. The pool seems to disappear into the western horizon and provides a fantastic place to repose as the sun goes down over the Caribbean Sea. In fact, the view of the ocean and the city of Castries is most stunning and worth the trip.

The pool itself is surrounded by lush flora including fruit trees in which fruit bats live which, at night, swoop down and drink out of the pool.

The villa provides a wonderful launching pad to visit the rest of St. Lucia where you can enjoy the nightlife of Castries, enjoy water sports and tour several interesting and historical sites on the island. Villa Serendipity is not right on the beach, but a short drive will get you there.

Since Villa Serendipity is on the North side of the island, near Castries, visits to the South, where the Pitons and the volcano are, will require you to either brave the hairpin turns through the mountains if you drive or to take a helicopter or boat ride. We drove, but we recommend the helicopter, particularly if you get carsick.

Villa Serendipity has a high season from December 15 to April 14 and a low season from April 15 to December 14. The price of the villa is about forty percent more in the high season.

Villa Karaway - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Beach View at Villa Karaway

Villa Karaway actually provides you with the best of both worlds: a private villa atmosphere and some hotel-like services. While Villa Karaway is a private villa, it is also connected to the Los Palmares condominium complex, which provides guests of Villa Karaway with access to the large pool, kids pool, Jacuzzi, restaurant and game room. Los Palmares also provides twenty-four hour security for Villa Karaway.

Villa Karaway is literally right on the ocean and boasts a private plunge pool to help you cool down. After all, Mexico is hot. There are 4 bedrooms called del Mar (the Sea), El Nubes (the Clouds), El Sol (The Sun) and Cielo (Heaven). Villa Karaway is quite comfortable for groups up to twelve. It is ideal for large groups or families. Cielo, the master bedroom is a dream with a plush king-sized bed, a private bathroom and a patio that overlooks Mexico’s largest bay.

Villa Karaway provides a manager, a cook and a maid. You might want to brush up on your Spanish as Adela (the cook) and Gloria (the maid) do not speak much English. They are all friendly and provide superior service.

There are three seasons at Villa Karaway: off season (May - October), Prime Season (November - April) and Holiday Season (Christmas and New Years).

Villa Karaway is located just south of Puerto Vallarta proper, a short drive from the airport and with easy access to the town. When we went, the first five days were absolutely stunning, with the sunny weather and amazing sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, we then lived through the first Western hurricane in sixty-five years. Fortunately, Villa Karaway stood up to the 140 mph winds famously, and our kids just considered the whole thing part of the adventure.

Inn at Blackberry Farm

When our travel agent told us that we just HAD to go to the Inn at Blackberry Farm, we were skeptical. A Relais & Chateaux resort near Knoxville Tennessee? It just did not seem possible.

But it is. The Inn at Blackberry Farm is one of the most deluxe and comfortable destinations for true permanent honeymooners. When we visited, it was one of the only Relais & Chateaux (the European Hotel Association that rates super luxury hotels worldwide) resorts in the United States. And it is well deserving of this nod.

The Inn is located on a large (2,500 acre, according to their website) rural property in Walland, Tennessee. With rolling hills and mountain views, the Inn is a wonderful place to escapes from the everyday grind. Guests are encouraged to stroll around the property, which boasts beautiful lake, a wedding chapel, rocking chairs with views and bike and horseback riding with arrangements. The property is now home to a Spa and an excellent restaurant. Activities include relaxing (of course), a cooking school, hiking and other outdoor activities. The Inn was once in a dry county, but it seems that that law has been rescinded, since they now boast a large wine cellar.

We stayed in one of the Estate Rooms, which was nestled into the eaves of the one of the two main houses on the property. They also have cottage rooms and, if you want to take the family, a full three-bedroom house for rent. All of the accommodations have an ample supply snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Our room shared a large common room with the others in the cottage — which initially we thought of as a bother, but it turned out fine. At night, we sat by the huge fireplace, played board games and read. All in all, an incredibly tranquil getaway.

Chateau Elan - Outside of Atlanta, GA USA

A French country chateau in north Georgia? “Sure, why the hell not,” thought an Irish pharmaceutical mogul. He combined his love of wine and his wife’s love of pampering and has come up with quite a place: Chateau Elan. Once you get over the pretentiousness and the out-of-place look of the buildings, you are in for a real treat.

The resort has an inn (well hardly an “inn” in common terms) - it’s got at least 200 rooms, and it is pretty standard hotel fare.

If you really want to be coddled, the place to stay is the spa. They have 14 themed rooms: country French, vintage, Bacchus, modern, hunter’s loft and several others. So far we have stayed in the country French and the vintage (note: Bacchus is the hardest to get hold of). The rooms are all decorated to give the feel of the name: frills in country French, neon and a vibrating Hammacher-Schlemmer chair in modern, lots of grape leaves in Bacchus. Each room has a unique bathroom: some have Jacuzzis, some giant soak tubs and some waterfall tubs. The bathrooms alone are worth the price! All rooms are very unique and romantic. Just take your pick of what setting you want.

The spa has a large indoor Jacuzzi, a small gym and a juice bar. The spa services are some of the most superior I have experienced - the attendants know their stuff. So if it’s a facial, a massage, or a salt rub, you’re in good hands (literally). And because Chateau Elan is a big conference/wedding center, staying in the spa really gives you an “away from it all” feel. The spa has a small restaurant, with healthy, low fat food - not very tasty or impressive.

There are also several restaurants in the main inn and one in the winery. All of these offer acceptable food, but you definitely will not be dazzled. Recreation includes several golf courses, an indoor and outdoor pool and a bar with several pool tables. You can take tours of the winery, and get samples. However, the chateau started out by making muscatine wine (the moonshine of wines). It is very sweet and, although they make a variety of other wines now, all of them seem to be on the sweet and fruity side. This is not a wine connoisseur’s paradise.

The inn will prepare picnic basket lunches complete with wine that you can take and sit at the edge of several lakes - very nice setting, although you will have people “playing through” sometimes! The staff is helpful and accommodating. Pampering is the watchword at the spa.

The Jekyll Island Club

The names include J.P. Morgan, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Pulitzer… these families got together in 1886 and founded a hunting club on the Georgia’s faraway Jekyll Island. This club is the Jekyll Island Club, on of the most prominent resorts on the barrier islands around Georgia and South Carolina. In the late 1800’s the club was an exclusive retreat for the nation’s most moneyed families. It was home to one of the nation’s first transcontinental phone calls, the richest of bankers and industrialists and can taut guests including presidents and senators.

In 1986, the club was renovated and became a hotel and resort. The resort now has 157 rooms in three buildings, a grand dining room, a lending library and numerous indoor and outdoor activities year-round.

When we went to the Jekyll Island club, we stayed in the Annex building rather than the main building (the Club itself). The club boasts beautiful Victorian architecture including a huge flag-crested turret. In the Annex we had arguably the world’s largest whirlpool bath – it was at least six feet across and was ours exclusively. We also had a fireplace; however, as Juliana and I liked to joke long afterwards, “due to the historic nature of the property”, the attendant had to maintain the fire. The stay of course included many calls to the attendant to stoke the fire.

The property itself is exquisite. Close to area beaches, the resort offers many packages including winter and summer packages, family getaways, a culinary school and golfing vacations. For a weekend away from the grind, the Jekyll Island club provides millionaire surrounding to the rest of us.

Villia La Massa

On the banks of the Arno River, Villa la Massa offers luxury that seems a world away from the city. Seems a world away, but the resort is actually on a few miles from the center of Florence. As one of the Leading Hotels of the World, this resort offers a country experience in the midst of one of Europe’s most romantic cities. Situated in the rolling Tuscan hills, the hotel offers beautiful views of the Arno and the surrounding villages. The villa dates back to the age of the Medici (16th century) and was turned into a hotel in 1948. The hotel has 37 guest rooms all recently redone in a elegant Tuscan style.

The dining experience is wonderful, with local dishes and regional specialties. They also have an extensive wine list.

The villa is surrounded by a peach and olive orchard and offers nice, relaxing walks through the property. The property also has a heated swimming pool.

When we went to Villa la Massa, we were supposed to stay in Venice for another two days, but decided to move on to Florence earlier because of the bad weather and service in Venice. Villa la Massa was an excellent choice. We spent an extra two days there, with sun reflecting off the winding river and peace and quiet. Even though it is close to the city center (and therefore close to the museums and sites of Florence), it seems like it is out in the Tuscan countryside. The pool was not open when we were there, because it is only open in the summer months. Although we didn’t have the kids with us, the Villa offers many opportunities for kids including nearby horseback riding, the pool and baby-sitting services.

The Villa is rather pricey, it is well worth the expense. For a relaxing time close to Florence, Villa la Massa is a great choice.

The Pitons in St. Lucia

I have found paradise! Its name is Jalousie! In my travels so far I have found no getaway to compare. Jalousie is a fairly new resort created by Hilton hotels on the island of St. Lucia, in the West Indies. Now before I describe this heaven on earth I must let you know it does not come cheap. No, it’s pricey, but worth it.

The resort sits on what must be described as the best parcel of real estate on this already stunning island. Nestled between the twin “pitons”, mountains that rise directly from the ocean to a height of 4000 feet or so, on a quiet cove, Hilton has procured 400 acres of lush tropical land. The great house, modeled after an old sugar plantation houses the restaurants, a ballroom, and a conference room. Down the expansive lawn from the great house is the huge pool just steps from a white sandy beach, with restaurant/bar pavilion. The beach features thatched umbrellas to shade you from the strong St. Lucian sun. You can choose to swim in the soft Caribbean bay or the pool with the effort of a few steps. Or if you don’t feel like getting up at all you can have you lunch and drinks delivered to you at your seat. For those really active, there is a small water sports pavilion where you may indulge in sunfish sail boats, water-skiing, snorkeling and day and half day boat trips to other areas of the island. Also just a short ride from the resort is the islands volcano where you can view an impressive smoking crater. There are also trips to the regenerative sulfur springs and a gorgeous botanical garden filled with indigenous plants and cooling waterfalls.

Whether you choose to fill your day doing nothing or scouting the area an even bigger treat awaits you back at your “room”. Each accommodation is in a cottage complete with comfy beds with mosquito netting (not that you need it), terraces and your own plunge pool. The cottages come with an ocean view or a view of the amazing pitons. The rooms are set away from the great house up in the plush tropical hills and you are ferried around by small vans on demand, to the beach, great house, etc. The resort boasts several restaurants, one very upscale with good local and continental fare and one beach side, where the food is somewhat less than exemplary. Room service is 24 hours, a lovely perk for those late night munchies. I found the room service food far superior to the beach side restaurant.

This is not a place to dance ’til dawn, unless of course it is just you and your significant other. Most of the resort closes down by around nine and nighttime entertainment consists mainly of a game of pool or chess on the resorts huge outside chessboard. However as I said the booze and food can continue to come all night long with room service.

The resort also boasts a full service spa, offering massage, facials, scrubs, etc. and the service in the spa is impeccable, something I don’t often say of spas. The treatments I got at the Jalousie spa rival the ones I have gotten anywhere.

The staff is friendly and attentive, something often lacking unfortunately. Jalousie is the place to go if you want peace and quiet, unobtrusive service and the ultimate in pampering and despite the sticker shock, worth every penny.