Coconut Bay Resort, Vieux Fort, St. Lucia

This is a great resort. We did a site inspection of it about six months ago and quite frankly we were underwhelmed. It seemed like it was not kept in pristine condition. However, this past week, we took a couple of days and purchased a day pass to be with friends from Canada who were staying in the resort. We were pleasantly surprised with all this resort has to offer and how affordable the prices are.

Coconut Bay is an all inclusive resort. For our friends, from Toronto, a $1500 per person price gave them seven days including airfare. This family of six was able to have a great stay and enjoy all the resort had to offer.

Downside? Reservations. We too had reservations, or so we thought. We booked a few days and carefully noted the name of the person taking our reservation. When we showed up at the resort to meet our friends, we were told our reservation would not be honored as we had not confirmed. I found this confusing because they had not offered me a reservation number. While standing in the lobby trying to sort this out, I conversed with another travel agent who had the same thing happen to her. So it was not my imagination.

Also, if you are renting a car for day trips, call around. The prices offered in the lobby are elevated over the local Vieux Fort rates, making it advisable to get a vehicle from outside of the resort.

So, why am I recommending the resort? For the money, the experience is great if you have a reservation number. The entertainment is wholesome, the resort is well-maintained, and the water toys are superb.

Sofitel, Gosier, Guadeloupe

Our favorite hotel in Guadeloupe is the Sofitel. It might sound strange but I love the soap products there. Even when we first started staying at Sofitels in San Francisco 10 years ago, I fell in love with the Roget Galet soap products provided in each room. Friends from France send me their famed "oat milk" bars of soap that are more readily found in France than in the U.S.

You will love this hotel. It is situated right on the sea, overlooking the Caribbean and every room seems to have a great view. In the 'lux' rooms, you have a bathtub that is surrounded by glass windows overlooking the sea. Yes, there are blinds. The beds are excellent and use the 'heavenly bed' format, complet with duvet and extra sheets.

We love the breakfast that comes included with the price of the room. It includes the best crepes you will find and remind me of the creperies in Brittany (France). After breakfast as you stroll the grounds, you will see literally dozens of large iguanas also out for their morning strolls. They appear to be people-friendly, as they walk right up to you.

One of the best photo ops for your tour of the Caribbean must include the shot from the reception area overlooking the sea. The decor of the rooms is excellent as it uses bright oranges and blues.

Personal Room Water Feature Observation - I love the showers in the rooms at the Sofitel. It is like being in a rainforest. Although I could stand higher pressure, the concept of a shower that takes up half the room with half a glass wall, gives a great rinse (using their Roget Galet products, of course). This is unique to the standard rooms. In the lux rooms, the entry to the shower is such a tight squeeze that it could have been designed a bit better.

Cocoa Reef Resort, Crown Point, Tobago

For the traveler searching for an all-inclusive resort, the Coco Reef Resort in Tobago should be on your list. The resort is located at the end of a palm lined driveway in the midst of lucious, wonderfully manicured tropical gardens, overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. This is the end of the island, where the sand is white and rivals the water surrounding any island in the Caribbean.

The hotel offers one a feeling of luxury in a choice of 135 rooms, suites and villas but does not give a feeling of privacy that you would find in the Plantation Beach Villas in Tobago. The cuisine and service are reputed to be outstanding however, the best restaurants on the island are within walking distance, so opting for all-inclusive might limit your opportunities to experience some create Tobagan cuisine. Nearby within walking distance are some of the finest restaurants the island has to offer such as Lattitude 11 and the Kariwak Hotel. Its architecture is reflective of Trinidad and Tobagos eclectic style.

Personal observation: To me the hotel seems a bit pricey given the other opportunities that exist on the island. The man-made beach is calm, but if you limit yourself to only the resort, you miss out on experiencing some of the most beautiful natural beaches in the Caribbean.

Blue Haven Hotel, Scarborough, Tobago

If you do not need to stay in a villa during your visit to Tobago, we love the Blue Haven Hotel. This hotel overlooks the scenic bay where Robinson Crusoe was filmed. The lobby features photos of royals and film stars who have been visiting the hotel since the 1940's.

When we stayed at the hotel a few months ago, we were impressed with the extensive renovations that combine the tradition of the 40's with the latest in modern conveniences. All of its 55 rooms offer breathtaking ocean views because the hotel is surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean.

"Elegant rooms overlook the sea and are so awash in the sunlight that they positively glow.The view from every room is a study in blue." Conde Nast Traveller, July 2001, US-Edition. This is an observation with which we concur.

The downside of staying at the Blue Haven is its lack of food choices and nearby restarurants. This is easily remedied with a rental car. Gas on the island is cheap, and if you like driving on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to, it should not pose a problem.

Plantation Beach Villas, Tobago

An undiscovered treasure by Americans (and Canadians alike) is Tobago. Our favorite spot is the Plantation Beach Villas on Stonehaven Bay, also known locally as Grafton Beach. Each villa is perfectly designed by a Swedish architect named Arne Hasselqvist and is well-known for maximum use of space. You will want to copy the floor plan for your own second home anywhere in the world. The resort manager is Sean Clarke and is your best resource for where to go, what to see, and how to make the best use of your time.

We fly for $25 from Trinidad on Caribbean Air. The service at the Plantation Beach Villas is outstanding as each villa comes with its own full-time maid/cook/villa director. Stacey Roberts was the name of ours and she would shop for groceries and cook fabulous meals for us for less than the price of going to a restaurant.

If you do go to a restaurant, nearby Sea Horse Inn (639-0686) probably ranks as one of the top restaurants on the island. Reputedly the top restaurant is Latitude 11 (631-8774), located on Pigeon Point Road next to the Surf Side Hotel. We also loved the restaurant at the Kariwak Village (639-8442) because of their healthful dishes, which is a fifteen minute drive (next to airport). Great food, but the dining staff seems rather stiff and unfriendly. This past trip, we discovered an Italian restaurant called La Tartaruga (639-0940)which has the best Italian food we have ever eaten (and we spent a week in Italy). The owner has just purchased the CIAO restaurant and opened up a new restaurant next to it, the CIAO Pizza restaurant. I put the phone numbers next to the names of each restaurant, because you will need to make a reservation. Don't be alarmed if the restaurant seems empty around 7 p.m. which is the time we like to dine. The Caribbean tourists and locals love to eat later in the evening.

While in Tobago, don't forget to go to the Nylon Pool. If you book at the front desk at the Plantation Beach Villas, it will cost less ($15 - U.S. per person) for this 3 hour excursion. (A taxi ride is about 90 TT). We love the Nylon Pool because it makes us feel about 10 years younger after scrubbing the crushed coral over our faces, legs and arms. We went with Sun Tours and found them to be excellent.

Delta now flies into Tobago which will greatly impact the tourist trade. Presently only the Germans and British seems to know what a great vacation spot it is.

You will need to learn a few words to "fit in." Liming means to hang out with friends. Mas means carnival (a big Trinidad and Tobago party the first week of February each year.) Fete is a French word used for party.

Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

This is my favorite hotel in the entire world. The beauty of the design of the building blended with the splendor of the view of the Pitons makes this experience a most memorable one. Every detail has been attended to and guests have as much privacy as they desire once they retreat from the world into their rooms.

Don't forget to ask for a fan because the nights become more humid and sticky than you would think.

The snorkeling associated with the beach at Jade Mountain, Anse Chastenet is the finest we have found in St. Lucia.

Villa Beach Condos, Castries, St. Lucia

We stay regularly at the Villa Beach Condos in Castries. This is our favorite beach and most of the customers are repeat because they are treated like family. Although there are not convenient options for dining that are nearby, each unit is fully equipped with a kitchenette. You will not find a more beautiful, calm beach in Castries with so little use. It is an unkept secret of St. Lucia.

Nearby sites? The owner of the Villa Beach Condos, suggested we venture with family and friends to the volcano, just a mile or so before the Ladera Resort. This great tip is a outing not to be missed. Once you enter the volcano lookout, you pay about $5 per person and are given a brief tour. The mudpots are still active and the sulfur-like smell reminds you of a high school chemistry lab (on a day you wanted to play hookey). However, after the view of the volcano area, the more adventuresome types are directed toward a nearby creekbed in which the hot sulfur-rich mud is carried down the mountain. It is a delightful experience to jump into swimsuits and sit on the side of the creek and rub the warm mode all over your skin. Health spas charge $200 for such treatments. After the mud dries, you and your "smear-mates" head over to a concrete, square tub in which you rinse off the mud. At that point, your skin feels better than it has ever felt...soft and smooth...you actually feel years younger.



The renovation is now complete. The slide show pictured above shows how the new rooms are decorated. We love what they have done. The beds are much more comfortable.