The Minister of Tourism Allen Chastanet reveals that the quality of life is changing in St Lucia and services are developing to support a higher-end lifestyle for property owners and discerning travellers. The news has been welcomed by luxury developments such as Sugar Beach, an exclusive development of luxurious hotel villas and private residences in the Val des Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chastanet says: “The property market has weathered the recession well. Our real estate prices did not boom uncontrollably, so consequently, did not crash like other destinations. People have bought property to use for lifestyle reasons rather than for speculation.”
Chastanet continues “We are redefining St Lucia’s image as ‘barefoot luxury’. St Lucia previously was not known as a high-end destination, but we now have several new upscale resorts such as Sugar Beach, and Jade Mountain amongst others. We are now developing better facilities to support this clientele.”
Lisa Basire, Marketing Director of Sugar Beach says, “We have had a fantastic six months, with five sales made in December alone totalling nearly US$7million and two Residences sold over Easter weekend worth around US$4million. The property market is still very much alive and demand for high end products in St Lucia is good.”
St Lucia has always been a popular sailing destination with many boats starting there and heading to the Grenadines. Now with the opening of new super yacht facilities at Rodney Bay Marina, the island is seeing more and more celebrities dropping in on their mega yachts. Recent spots have included Bono, Tiger Woods, Roman Abramavich and Oprah. The new facilities can now take yachts on 32 dedicated berths up to 250 ft. in length. Already, the marina has received rave reviews from participants in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) who made the facility their temporary home after their race across the Atlantic.
Arriving at St. Lucia will also become more of a pleasure as the Government has announced plans recently to construct a new terminal with all modern amenities at the Hewanorra International Airport in Vieux-Fort. Prime Minister King says the development of a new terminal at Hewanorra, is designed to accommodate increased airlift, (which is scheduled to triple in the summer of 2010), and to bring the airport up to speed with international trends and standards.” The improved terminal will also allow for all inter-island Caribbean flights to pass through Hewanorra, making it a preferred destination for private jets. Work started on the new terminal in January 2010 and it will take two years to complete.
The Baywalk Shopping Mall in Rodney Bay is another development in the north of the island that is close to completion. There will be two floors of retail shops including some of the world’s best brands and St. Lucia’s first casino, which is opening in July 2010.
In Soufriere, US$100 million has been invested on the former Jalousie Plantation resort which will redefine the concept of luxury once complete and re-launched as the Tides Sugar Beach Resort in 2011. Resort facilities include 24-hour butler service, three gourmet restaurants, four bars, the Rainforest Spa (fully opening in September 2010), a scuba dive centre, kids club, games room and two white sand beaches with beach club & lounge.
There are 64 luxurious one and two bedroom hotel villas available for ownership, each with a private plunge pool and breathtaking ocean or Piton views. With prices ranging from US$700,000 to US$2.1million, owners are entitled to four weeks usage per year and a minimum 5% rental guarantee from villa handover until the end of the first year after the hotel re-opens.
The hotel villas at Sugar Beach are all fully furnished and are being sold as freehold, which is extremely unusual in St Lucia due to the Queens Chain Law. And, as the villas are in a designated World Heritage Site, you are ensured that there is no risk of over development.
Also available to purchase are 41 stunning Private Residences. Each of these meticulously appointed spacious homes has two to six bedrooms and affords spectacular, ocean and piton views with prices from US$2,400,000 to US$6,000,000. All properties have been designed by the award-winning architect Lane Pettigrew in the same Caribbean white fretwork style.
Owners of the Private Residences can use their home as little or as often as they like. If they wish to rent out their residence, The Tides will manage everything, providing the best of all worlds; the privacy of an island paradise, international marketing and management to enhance rental when not in use and exceptional facilities just steps away.
Lisa Basire says, “The South West coast is fast becoming an exclusive destination. With luxurious amenities and all the seclusion you would expect from an idyllic island home, St Lucia is aligning itself with more elite locations such a St Barths and Anguilla.”