Posts Tagged ‘The Tides’

Caribbean Homes Magazine

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Situated on the exclusive south west-tip of St Lucia are the twin peaks of the Pitons, the islands best-known landmark. Rising dramatically out of the turquoise ocean to over 2,000 feet these mountains cradle the Val des Pitons at their base. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of outstanding natural beauty, and is also the location for a new five-star resort being constructed on the site of the original Jalousie Plantation.

Roger Myers, the former owner of the Cafe Rouge restaurant chain, bought the hotel in 2005 and is now spearheading a $100million transformation programme aimed at turning it into one of the Caribbean’s premier resorts. Managed by elite brand The Tides, part of the Viceroy Hotel Group, the resort will be rebranded at the end of 2011 as The Tides Sugar Beach.

Work on the project is well under way, and some of the major features have already been completed. These include a striking bar and club in the main building of the new hotel, where Roger Myers’ impressive personal modern art collection adds an uber-cool feel to the resort. Other amenities include two white sand beaches, beach club and lounge, gourmet restaurants, water sports centre, marine reserve for snorkelling, games room, children’s play centre and a swimming pool.

A focal point of the resort is the Rainforest Spa, which consists of tree house treatment cabanas connected by wooden walkways that snake up the side of the hill under the rainforest canopy.

The strong focus on detail and design extends to the hotel rooms, which are actually luxurious colonial villas incorporating individual plunge pools and vast terraces with incredible views. Architect Lane Pettigrew is responsible for the redesign of both the resort and the luxury Sugar Beach Villas that are nestled in small clusters among the 130 acres of rainforest around the resort. Butler stations for each cluster take care of the individual needs of each guest.

Each of the freehold hotel villas is available to purchase fully-furnished. Prices start at US$700,000 for a one-bedroom villa and go up to US$2.1million for a superior deluxe two-bedroom villa.

Owners are entitled to four weeks personal usage of their villa each year and will also receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled. The purchase price of the villa determines the points allocated to each owner in the pool. Owners will also benefit from a guaranteed minimum return of 5% until the end of 2012.

There are also 31 meticulously appointed Private Residences available to purchase. These secluded Residences feature open living and dining areas perfectly designed for entertaining, complete with infinity-edged pools. Each spacious detached island home affords spectacular Piton or oceanfront views and can be used as little or as often as you wish. If you would like to rent out your residence, The Tides will manage everything for you providing the best of both worlds; the seclusion of an exclusive island home and the five-star marketing and management to enhance rental when not in use. Prices range from US$3million to US$7million for a three, four or five bedroom residence.

A little further along the beach British Aristocrat Lord Glenconner, who originally discovered the site between the Pitons in 1982, has put his name to five contemporary freehold residences to be known as Glenconner Beach. These immaculate homes are positioned directly on the beach with uninterrupted views of the bay and the Pitons. Also designed by Lane Pettigrew with a modern twist on traditional Caribbean style with five or six bedrooms, the homes afford luxurious swimming pools and extensive terraces. Owners are also able to meet with Lane to discuss any minor alterations or changes to perfect their ideal Caribbean residence. Each has five or six bedrooms, with prices from US$7million to US$9million.

The Jalousie Plantation has enjoyed 20 years of successful operating history, with a proven demand for the resort and average annual occupancy rates recorded at around 70% for the last five years. The St Lucian Government is vetting new developments very carefully and has granted owners at The Tides Sugar Beach a 15 year holiday on income tax and a 50% waiver on annual property tax for five years.

Properties of this calibre, in terms of beachfront location and an elite hotel management brand are 30-40% more expensive in Barbados. The accessibility is also a key selling point with daily direct flights to St Lucia from the UK, USA and Canada. What’s more, the UNESCO World Heritage Status of the Val des Pitons ensures protection from neighbouring overdevelopment, giving Sugar Beach the exclusivity you would find in other wealthier Caribbean Islands such as Anguilla, St Barts or Mustique.

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Destinations of the World News

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

A sweet proposition

ST. LUCIA

by Megan Wynes | June 1, 2010

Discover a slice of paradise for sale on the Caribbean island of St Lucia

There are few places in the world where it’s possible to relax, switch off the BlackBerry and really wind down; The Jalousie Plantation, St Lucia is one of them.

Nestled within the Caribbean island’s UNESCO World Heritage listed Val des Pitons area, the plantation is flanked on either side by the majestic peaks of the Gros and Petit Pitons, while at its feet can be found a crystal-clear blue ocean, bursting with protected coral reefs.

Recently acquired by Roger Myers, founder of Café Rouge and Punch Taverns, this fabulous plantation is the site of a new resort development, dubbed Sugar Beach, which is to be managed by the Los Angeles-based Viceroy Hotel Group’s The Tides brand when it opens in late 2011.

Working with award-winning RIBA architect Lane Pettigrew – who also owns a home next to the plantation – Myers’ inspiration for the design of the hotel villas, private residences, spa, restaurants and bars, has been drawn from the island’s rich traditions, with local craftsmen and materials being used where possible.

The rainforest spa is a wonderful example of this: the treatment rooms, raised on stilts above the plantation’s natural springs, have been built to resemble the homes of St Lucia’s original inhabitants.

With thatched roofs and thick wooden walls, these treehouses can be found hidden in hills on the island, and many of the local Rastafarian islanders still call them home.

Several of the craftsmen involved in the spa’s construction, due for completion in September 2010, hail from these communities, and this is where you can see Myers’ passion for the people shine through.

He is a common sight around the plantation, chatting to the builders – in his signature straw hat and shorts – making sure that everything is coming along, as planned.

It’s easy to understand his passion; a substantial US$100m has gone into transforming Jalousie into what will be ‘one of the best resorts in the world’. A bold claim, perhaps, but one site visit is enough to convince even the most belligerent doubting Thomas.

It’s impossible not to be moved by the beauty of this place. Tropical palms scattered on the surrounding slopes conceal any signs of recent development, while the old plantation-style accommodation is lovingly transformed.

Each of the 85 freehold hotel villas, and 36 private residences currently being built is different from the next, and surrounded by developed tropical gardens they offer a level of privacy and seclusion found in few resorts in the Caribbean. From the beach, the villas are invisible, literally enveloped in lush greenery, and scattered up a steep incline, each boasting uninterrupted views of the ocean.

Expansive decks are positioned to soak up the amazing views, while immaculate colonial interiors and furnishings are thoughtfully laid out to allow guests to take in the exquisite surroundings, whether from a cushioned window seat or their own private plunge pool.

Although isolated from the central resort buildings, residents have access to 24-hour butler service – with each small cluster of villas afforded their own dedicated staff – while transport is always on hand to whisk them off to one of the resort’s restaurants or bars.

Several of these, now restored, provide a glimpse of the very high standards guests can expect once the resort officially reopens as The Tides Sugar Beach next year, and stand as testament to the hard work put in by Myers and the property’s new general manager, Andre Boersma (and his team from The Tides).

Our particular favourite was the Cane Bar in the old Plantation Room. Flanking the huge wooden door that serves as its grand entrance its a wonderful painting by a local Caribbean artist: a woman stitching a voluptuous sheath of red fabric that seems to float down the wall.

When lit by the stairway’s grand chandelier at night, you could almost touch the rich fabric.

Inside, stark white walls are hung with voluminous sheets of fabric that are reflected in the deep, mahogany wood floors, while huge velvet sofas and bar stools invite guests to relax with a glass of local Caribbean rum.

Yet more artwork dots the walls, handpicked by Myers from his private collection, while in the Late Night Bar, celebrity friends have posed for a series of portraits – all signed. Our favourite was a casual pencil sketch, by Lennon, hung next to the entrance to the roof terrace.

Just a stone’s throw from this den of delights is the newly refurbished Great Room, home to the resort’s fabulous fine-dining restaurant.

Offering a selection of flavours from the Caribbean to Central America and the Mediterranean, the chefs here are defining a new level of island cuisine. Using local produce where possible, head chef, Cupertino Ortiz, is taking advantage of the abundance of fresh fish and shellfish, adding a touch of Mexican zest, a healthy splash of Caribbean spice, and delivering a taste sensation.

The beach restaurant and bar was another haute highlight. Dotted with soft linen sofa seats, solid wood benches, and open to the elements, it has a wonderfully casual feel during breakfast and lunch service, while in the evening, it takes on a whole new atmosphere.

Listening to the sounds of the waves lapping on the beach, while enjoying a glass of chilled white wine and a simple plate of pasta or fresh ceviche, there’s nothing really quite like it.

GLENCONNER BEACH

It’s been more than 50 years since Colin Tennant (better known as Lord Glenconner) bought the Caribbean island of Mustique, and created a luxury island community welcoming both Royalty and celebrities alike.

With strong links to Jalousie Plantation, Lord G is now the face behind a new island community at Glenconner Beach (pictured above).

Only five luxury villas (four freehold, one leasehold) will be built on the site of Lord G’s former home, with access to their own private beach, a private jetty, and uninterrupted ocean views. Each five- to seven-bedroom villa (they range from 13,340 to 26,852 sq ft) is to be designed by Lane Pettigrew in true Caribbean style, with outdoor and indoor spaces merging seamlessly. There are also plans to develop a small shopping village, where local artisans, farmers and fishermen can sell their wares to guests. Villas start from US$7m and all will have access to the resort facilities at The Tides Sugar Beach.

WANT TO BUY?

The bonus

• No other building permissions will be granted on the 192 acres of rainforest and pristine beaches. • The government of St Lucia has granted investors a 15-year holiday on income tax and a 50 per cent waiver on annual property tax for five years.

The hotel villas

These one- or two-bedroom villas form part of a rental pool within which owners are entitled to four weeks free usage and a revenue split of the rental return, guaranteed at a minimum of five per cent net ROI from now until the end of the first year of operation of Sugar Beach. These villas start from US$610,000 and go up to US$2.1m.

The private residences

Owners are entitled to unlimited personal usage, or if the owner wishes, they can rent their property through The Tides. Residences are priced from US$2.3m for a two-bedroom property and up to US$9m for one with six bedrooms.

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Dubai Property Weekly

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Mubadala venture sets sights on St Lucia

Ginetta Vedrickas

Freelance Writer

One of Abu Dhabi’s leading investment companies has found a choice spot for itself under the Caribbean sun. This comes in the wake of Mubadala Development Company picking up a 50 per cent stake in Los Angeles-based Viceroy Hotel Group, and together they will be focusing on an aggressive rollout of newproperties bearing The Tides and Viceroy brands.

First up will be a hotel on the sunkissed island of St Lucia. A sizeable sum of $100 million is being invested to turn the world-renowned and much-loved Jalousie Plantation into a world-class five-star hotel and residential development.

The Viceroy Hotel Group was “specially selected from a beauty parade of hotel operators,” says Naomi Cambridge, sales director of Sugar Beach villas, who believes this would give potential buyers confidence in the product. “We believe that we have found the perfect combination of partners to provide the expertise necessary to create one of the best resort developments in the world.”

That the developer is not reliant on ban finance to complete the development may also add to investors’ sense of security at a time when many prestige projects are faltering across the world.

Wide reach

The Viceroy Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing deluxe hotel brands, currently opening hotels across the Middle East as well as flagships in London and New York, while continuing to manage existing properties in Miami, Los Angeles, Mexico and St Lucia.

With the World Bank placing St Lucia in the Top 30 countries to invest, 37 of the 85 privately-owned, buy-to-let villas have already been snapped up. Completion is expected by the end of 2011.

The Sugar Beach villas’ selling agents, Cardea Property Consultants, believe buyers won’t just be attracted by lifestyle opportunities but also by the investment potential. The villas form part of the hotel’s rental pool, affording owners four weeks free usage and a revenue split of the rental return, guaranteed at a minimum five per cent net until the end of the first year of operation. St Lucia may not yet have the profile of other Caribbean destinations such as Barbados, but Sugar Beach’s sales director Naomi Cambridge says: “Over the last few years property in St Lucia has experienced a 15 to 20 per cent annual appreciation, which is set to continue.

Buying would be 30 to 40 per cent more expensive in Barbados, in comparable terms of beachfront location and the five star hotel management company.”

Safe haven

Cost aside, few other developments in the world have a protected Unesco World Heritage status. Naomi predicts that returns on rental villas will be around seven per cent by the end of third year and adds the island is a safe haven for investors. There is no VAT, capital gains, inheritance or estate taxes in St Lucia, and a stamp duty of two per cent is payable only on the land if construction has not started on your particular villa.

The St Lucian government has also granted buyers at Sugar Beach a 15-year holiday on income tax and a 50 per cent waiver on annual property tax for five years.

The villas start from $610,000 up to $2,100,000 for buyers opting to use the rental pool model, but totally private villas are also being offered for $2.30 to $9 million. Private residence buyers can still rent their properties with full management from the Tides brand. Resort facilities include a luxury spa, three restaurants, four bars and beach club, while no other building permission will be granted on the 192 acres of rainforest and pristine beaches surrounding the development.

Naomi believes UAE-based investors will be tempted to followin Mubadala’s footsteps, “The Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund has a lot of cache with UAE investors, the fact that they have chosen to invest in the Viceroy Hotel Group highlights that it is a solid investment.”

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Financial Times

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

The long view

By Nicola Venning

The Caribbean tree frogs and geckos that provide a noisy night-time choir in St Lucia have not been the only ones with something to shout about of late. The tropical Windward island of dramatically varied and striking beauty has been shedding its wedding-and-sunburn image and is following in the footsteps of other Caribbean islands by pursuing a plan of upmarket mixed-use (to own and let) luxury second homes and hotels.

“We want another 5,000 rooms over the next 10 years and the majority will be near the international airport [Hewanorra in the south] like Sugar Beach,” says Allen Chastanet, St Lucia’s minister for tourism.

Sugar Beach is a five-star renovation of the former Jalouise Plantation Hotel which is in Val des Pitons – a hummingbird-filled subtropical valley that is part of the Unesco World Heritage Site around the dog-toothed volcanic plugs of the Gros and Petit Pitons. The hotel is the subject of a $100m project by owner Roger Myers (the entrepreneur behind the Café Rouge, Dome and Punch Tavern chains) to refurbish the hotel and turn 85 hotel cottages into elegant buy-to-let villas. Fifty per cent of these traditional colonial-style one- and two-bedroom villas have been sold. All will be in a shared rental pool giving owners a maximum of four weeks use per year. The resort will be managed by deluxe hotel group The Tides and there is a five per cent rental guarantee. Villas start from $610,000 and rise to $2.1m.

The freehold homes and the hotel are on land once owned by Lord Glenconner, otherwise known as Colin Tennant, the raffish, charming old Etonian and socialite who bought the private island of Mustique in 1958 and, with his aristocratic friends including Princess Margaret, created the first jet-set resort. Sugar Beach’s developers are clearly hoping his name will entice a similar upmarket buyer.

Even more chic and expensive are two other small developments that have use of the hotel’s amenities and are being built nearby at Glenconner’s once highly fashionable restaurant, Bang Between the Pitons. Ocean Residences comprises five freehold villas that will be on the edge of a new manmade beach – spectacularly placed at the foot of Gros Piton. Prices range from $2.8m to $6m, and owners have the option to be part of a rental pool.

Further along the beach, in a rare, waterfront or slightly elevated position, will be Glenconner Beach Villas: seven homes ranging from $7m-$12m. All the developments are due to be completed by the end of 2011.

Large colonial homes sell upwards of $15m (though property is on average still 45 per cent less expensive in St Lucia than in nearby Barbados). Estate Agency Savills is selling Gabriel House – a large colonial-style three-bedroom home set in 2.2 acres with views of the Pitons for $18m.

“It is possibly the only part of St Lucia that will get upmarket attention,” says Glenconner. “There is nowhere nicer in the Caribbean but the roads are tortuous, so if you need fun you will have to go elsewhere.”

That elsewhere, is the less hilly north of the island between Castries, the capital, and the wide sweeping, white sandy Rodney Bay. Though there are excellent restaurants and hotels in the south, the more developed – if less picturesque – north has a broader range of amenities, including the new deep-water Rodney Bay Marina, which includes slips for 30 super-yachts among its 260 berths.

Just along from the marina on a beachside strip of reclaimed land is another new development called The Landings. Here, spacious beachfront one- to three-bedroom freehold apartments are in a traditional Caribbean style and come with private moorings for 100 smaller yachts up to 50ft. Prices start from $550,000 and rise to $2.4m and a rental guarantee of 6 per cent per annum has recently been introduced for two years. There are swimming pools, restaurants and stunning views of Pigeon Island, a former pirates’ haunt.

Further inland is the Cap Estate, a hilly, cove-dotted peninsula that includes one of the island’s main golf courses: St Lucia Golf Resort and Country Club as well as many luxury homes. At Mount du Cap, 16 plots of land are for sale and owners can design their own villa with pool. The cost, including landscaping, is about $2.5m.

Smaller and less expensive is neighbouring Cap Maison, a Spanish-styled boutique hotel with mixed-use buy-to-let flats designed by local architect Lane Pettigrew. The units can “lock off” – be divided to create 50 hotel rooms – with freehold ownership, nine weeks use and a rental pool. Sea views, a secluded beach and private (often rooftop) swimming pools are standard. Three out of the 22 flats remain, priced $1.2m-$1.3m. “Cap Maison is small, so the break-even point is low,” says Ollie Gobat, the developer. “For those owners in the pool, the return is potentially very strong.”

Like many second home and holiday destinations, St Lucia has not been immune to the economic downturn; a few developments have stalled and restaurant and hotel owners report lower bookings. Private residential property prices (as opposed to prices in resort developments) fell about 30 per cent between November 2008 and April this year.

In the long term, however, St Lucia has reason to be as pleased as rum punch. The World Bank recently listed it among the top 30 countries in which to invest and tourism is improving. “Arrivals are only 7 to 8 per cent down for the year, which is pretty phenomenal,” says Chastanet. “Most countries’ [falls] are in high double digits.”

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Irish Examiner

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

Caribbean Sugar Beach villas a sweet reward

The World Bank has placed St Lucia among the top 30 countries in the world in which to invest, making it the only Caribbean country on the list.

Some of this may be down to the fact that it remains one of the most reasonably priced islands in the Caribbean for property acquisitions, with real estate costs 40% less than neighbouring Barbados.

The south-western corner of the island is generally considered its most exclusive area. Here you will find the Jalousie Plantation Resort which is currently undergoing a transformation aimed at making it the best 5-star resort in the Caribbean.

The resort is located on a crystal white sand bay between the island’s iconic Piton Mountains on a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is currently the venue for a massive $100million redevelopment programme due to complete in 2011.

On completion the resort will be managed by the Los Angeles-based Kor Hotel Group, operator of The Tides, an elite brand with resorts in some of the world’s most desirable locations.

The Tides Sugar Beach Resort is to contain 85 luxurious state-of-the-art villas, which are currently under construction in phases. The villas are being sold as freehold buy-to-let investment properties, giving owners four weeks usage per year and offering a percentage of the hotel room profits.

The resort’s owners will receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, taken without deductions, which will be pooled and divided pro-rata. The proportional split, based on the original property sales prices, will remain the same regardless of any future price increases.

There is a guaranteed minimum rental return of 5% per annum for the first year after handover of the completed villas. The government has also granted investors a 1q5-year holiday on income tax and a 50% waiver on property tax for 5 years.

Occupancy at the resort for the last two years it was open averaged around 80%. The developers expect this figure to rise once the resort is brought up to five-star international standards and The Tides takes over management of the resort.

The owners say they are not reliant on bank finance, so completion of the development will not be dependant on villas sales.

Prices range from $700,000 (€486,600) for a one-bedroom villa, with two-bedroom villas from $1,310,000 (about €910,600). Each villa is sold fully furnished and comes with its own private plunge pool and ocean and/or Piton views.

For further information contact +44 208 812 4773 or visit www.sugarbeachvillas.com

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Caribbean Property Magazine

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Life is sweet at The Tides Sugar Beach

There is a certain exclusivity about the South of the island of St Lucia that the North cannot quite capture. It may have something to do with its absence of large towns, and perhaps the fact is connected to why it’s smaller communities are so relaxed, welcoming and friendly.

Perhaps it’s the squiggly roads which wind around ancient volcanic hills that help retain the charm and perpetuate the inaccessibility and privacy of the South. Or perhaps it’s those grand dames of volcanoes themselves – Gros Piton and Petit Piton that grace the South Western coast – two towering cones of majestic rock that dominate the skyline.

These volcanoes and the lush valley that hangs like a lazy hammock between them are part of a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a perfect white sand cove and the best scuba diving and snorkelling on the island where the volcanoes descend into the sea.

It is also the ultra exclusive home to the world renowned and much loved Jalousie Plantation resort. Ask any St Lucian or wealthy visitor about Jalousie and their gaze will turn wistful and a knowing smile will course across their face. For this is St Lucia at its best, and soon it will be better still.

Jalousie Plantation is in the process of a US$100million renovation. The resort will be rebranded as The Tides Sugar Beach and on completion in 2011 will offer 5 star hotel and spa facilities, three new top quality restaurants and an extended white sand beach. The traditional St Lucian wood cabanas in which guests stay are to be modestly extended to reflect their Heritage Site status and transformed into 85 luxurious white and pastel villas and offered for sale to those who value this truly exclusive location.

The freehold villas range in size from 1,064ft² to 2,272ft² and each is fully furnished and comes with its own private plunge pool and sensational views of the ocean and the iconic Pitons. No other building permissions will be granted on the 192 acres of rainforest and pristine beaches which will ensure there is no risk of over-development.

The properties will include one bedroom villa (from $700,000) one bedroom deluxe villas (from $705,000) two bedroom deluxe villas (from $1,410,000) and two bedroom superior deluxe villas (from $1,685,000).

The Tides Sugar Beach will be the first Caribbean development to be managed by Los Angeles-based Kor Hotel Group, operator of The Tides, an elite brand with resorts in the world’s most desirable locations. The Tides brand is synonymous with luxury and owners will have full use of all the facilities of the resort and can enjoy the benefits of being a Tides hotel guest. These benefits will include a 24 hour butler service, 3 gourmet restaurants, a late night bar, swimming pools, a Rainforest spa, a scuba diving centre, a children’s club and a beach club and lounge located on the beautiful white sands.

Marco Bonini, Sales Director of Sugar Beach Villas says: “Buying a villa at Sugar Beach is a great investment. Owners may use the property for four weeks of the year with their villa forming part of the rental pool for the remainder of the year. The developer then guarantees the owner a minimum 5% pa return immediately on completion and for the whole of the first year of operation.

“Owners will receive a 37.5% share of the total hotel room revenue which will be pooled between the properties. The amount is taken directly from the room rate without any deductions and is split between the owners proportionately according to the purchase price of their villa, set at project launch.”

Another great incentive for UK buyers is that the dollar exchange rate can be fixed a $1.72 to the £ for a limited period of time which offers a fantastic saving compared with current exchange rates which are closer to $1.45. If you combine this with the fact that comparable properties in Barbados are 30-40% higher, then buying at Sugar Beach makes great sense.

Marco Bonini continues: “This is definitely an ‘investment without the worries’ option. The initial outlay at Sugar Beach may be slightly higher than for other developments in St Lucia, but because of the high standard of facilities, maintenance and management and its fantastic location, rental yields are likely to be 50-60% higher.”

Another incentive for property investors is that they do not have to pay Capital Gains, Inheritance tax or VAT in St Lucia. A tax efficient way to buy property is to form a local company. Whilst Directors require an Aliens Land Holding License, the Vendors tax (payable on the selling price of a property) which is 10% for foreigners, is reduced to a share of Transfer tax of only 0.5% if the property is the only asset belonging to the company.

There are direct scheduled flights from London Gatwick, Manchester, Toronto, Montreal, Miami, Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta making St Lucia more accessible for those wishing to invest in a second property or retirement home. It also means that tourist traffic for the discerning traveller is now at its highest ever, resulting in higher rental returns and property appreciation, for those who choose to invest here now.

Marco Bonini concludes: “The international airport is only 35 minutes from Sugar Beach this part of the island still feels like its just been discovered. When I arrive at the ridge of the Val des Pitons and look over the glorious bay, for me it is the most beautiful spot in the Caribbean. There is no doubt that the South of St Lucia has a very special exclusivity and charm, but if a buyer wants the best on the island then without doubt, Jalousie Plantation’s transformation and tie-in with The Tides will make Sugar Beach the cleverest investment in the Caribbean too.”

For further information please contact Lisa Basire at Sugar Beach Villas on +44 (0)20 8812 4773 or visit www.sugarbeachvillas.com

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Westjet In-flight Magazine

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Westjet in-flight magazine

The Tides Sugar Beach – Piton National Park
sugarbeachvillas.com

Although many St Lucian spas boast outdoor massage cabanas, none compare to those at the recently renamed The Tides Sugar Beach.

Concealed in the lush rainforest of Piton National Park – named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and declared by Oprah Winfrey as “one of the five things to see before you die” – the two-person outdoor massage cabanas boast unforgettable views competing for your attention.

Do you stare straight ahead out to the jungle-covered Gros Piton peak, below to the white sand and turquoise waters of the bay, or beyond to the vastness of the Caribbean Ocean?

The view is so striking; the spa has placed angled mirrors at the base of each treatment table, ensuring the usual spa routine of dozing off during your massage doesn’t even enter your mind.

Many of The Tides’ high-end villas have private gardens with comparable vistas, so if the spa’s cabanas happen to be booked when you want them – or if you just can’t be bothered to leave your room – you can always have your outdoor massage come to you. And if things weren’t perfect enough, it is undergoing a $100million renovation starting this summer.

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