At the start of December I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful Calabash Cove Resort and Spa that’s nestled between Rodney Bay and Castries.
The all inclusive hotel in St Lucia was tucked away from the main road in a secluded spot, my jaw literally dropped at the incredibly stunning views of Bonaire Bay from reception. I’m a sea baby and found the view mesmerising, I could have stared at it all day every day and still found it as stunning as when I first looked at it. The staff were very welcoming on our arrival, serving us cool towels and rum punch to settle us in.
I stayed in the Sunset Ocean View Junior suite that was beautifully furnished with mahogany wood, boasted a huge jacuzzi in the middle of the room, a balcony with a stunning view of the Caribbean sea and a daily real life soundtrack of the wildlife present in the St Lucian rainforest. Because of jet-lag, I woke up most mornings at 530am and used the time to slip out onto the balcony and listen to the birds and soak up the view of the sea lapping against the shore. It was perhaps the most tranquil way I have ever started my day.
I’m currently training for the London marathon, so spent several mornings (after watching the sunrise) in the hotel gym that is equipped with a treadmill and a range of weights that were exactly what I needed. After my workouts, I would order room service to my sea view balcony, with my favourite dishes being their fruit platters and French toast.
I spent most of my days at the resort on their small secluded beach, where you could use paddle boards and kayaks to go exploring the neighbouring bays. The staff were always on hand to provide you with drinks (usually an exotic cocktail!) to quench your thirst whilst you were sunbathing.
At lunchtime we would head to the pool bar just underneath the restaurant to try some of their daily specials which was of course, always accompanied by a glass of Prosecco – because if you can’t do that on holiday – when can you!
The evenings were perhaps my favourite time of day though. Being a sun worshipper, I stayed on the beach every evening to watch the sunset which never fails to make me feel emotional. After scrubbing up, my boyfriend and I would head to the panoramic Windsong restaurant, always nabbing a spot right by the sea (even if by this time of day all you can see the twinkling night sky and the rest of the island lit up, which is still a pretty awesome view). There was an eclectic mix of food on the menu every night, with everything from fresh lobster, to steak, to the catch of the day. I loved trying all the different seafood options, my favourite was the St Lucian Red Snapper Fillet on a bed of chorizo and vegetable risotto! All the dishes were accompanied with delicious, refreshing wines and given that I was on holiday, I always finished my meals with a tasty creme brulee.
Halfway through the trip, we went on a tour of the island with Sea Spray Cruises called the Tout Bagay Catamaran Tour. Despite a rocky start to the trip as they forgot to pick us up, the rest of the tour was brilliant. We travelled around the island aboard a huge catamaran with around 50-80 people, travelling down the West coast of the island with the famous Pitons in sight (I’ve yet to hike them!). We stopped at the Soufriere Waterfall and had a chance to stand underneath it for a refreshing dip.
We then carried on to the mud baths (I passed as I’ve visited them before) instead opting to have a tour of their bubbling volcano, and a working 18th Century plantation. My favourite part of the trip was stopping at Anse Cochon that’s known for having an abundance of sealife and I spent what felt like hours snorkelling in an underwater world not too dissimilar to Finding Nemo.
My personal highlights for this resort was that it was a couple’s only resort which made for a very quiet, relaxing stay. As there are only 26 rooms in the resort, you quickly get to know the other couples and staff who are all very friendly and made us feel very welcome. I love nature, and the resort is nestled in a beautiful landscaped tropical garden that was filled with colourful wildlife in the form of kittens, chickens and every rainforest bird imaginable.
The resort also housed a Ti Spa where couples could trial different beauty and massage treatments. Whilst I didn’t sample it, they offered a sunset couple’s massage that was held under a wooden canopy overlooking the sea – could you think of anything more romantic? Well actually, there was also a jetty linked to the secluded beach that at night time, could be booked out for a romantic meal for two, in the midst of the ocean.
If you’re looking for a romantic, private, quiet week away in a beautiful Caribbean island, then look no further than Calabash Cove Resort and Spa – it has the perfect mix of luxury, privacy, exquisite dining and friendly staff that all contribute to an incredibly relaxing experience that feels very, very far away from home. It is one of the best resorts in St Lucia!
To my ever lovely readers – have you ever visited St Lucia? Would you visit Calabash Cove?
Giulia
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