St. Lucia
Bonjou, fanmi-a! I’m so excited to share a few highlights from my most recent girls trip to St. Lucia. From catamaran rides through the crystal clear Caribbean waters and the most unforgettable views of the Pitons, to harvesting our own cacao and enjoying the freshest foods the island has to offer… we absolutely loved this tropical escape.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to book your next West Indies vacation — this is it.
Quick Hit List:
📍Rabot Hotel
📍Restaurant Hotel Chocolat
📍Project Chocolat
📍Treetop Restaurant & Bar
📍Toraille Waterfall
📍Sulfur Springs
📍Anse Cochon Beach
View of the Pitons from the pool deck at the Rabot Hotel
The flight from NYC (JFK) was direct on JetBlue and a total breeze. We rented a car (vs. booking a chauffeur or helicopter transfer) and drove ourselves from the airport to the property. The roads were rough but manageable—if you’re not comfortable driving on narrow / winding roads, I’d recommend arranging transportation.
When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted with cool towels, welcome drinks, and warm hellos from amazing staff—shout out to Marguerite! After checking in, we were taken by golf cart to our room. We stayed in a Lodge level cabin centrally situated near the pool and restaurant. This location was perfect for a girls trip, but maybe not for a romantic couple looking for more privacy. The room was open air (no window screens or AC) and had an outdoor rain shower that we really enjoyed. We especially loved the open concept during the short and sporadic rain showers that would occur in the early afternoons.
Be aware: you will need to spray yourself with some sort of repellant every day, throughout the day, to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitos. The rooms were fully equipped with bug spray, mosquito nets, and electric fly swatters.
- Rainforest Bowl w/ pineapple & callaloo (local spinach) base, topped with granola, roasted coconut, almond, watermelon, and banana.
- Rabot Estate Eggs Benedict w/ homemade English muffin, poached estate eggs, smoked bacon and Cacao vinegar Hollandaise
- Warm Cacao Banana Bread w/ caramelized sauteed banana, chocolate and hazelnut spread
Breakfast was complimentary and one of my favorite parts of the trip. The menu is a la carte (vs. buffet style) with a focus on local fruits, freshly baked breads, and the energizing power of cacao. The fact that most of the ingredients are grown on site made it the most mouth watering start to every day.
Hotel Chocolate employs sustainable, climate-resilient farming methods, like biodiverse shade-growing. They’ve helped revitalize the cacao industry across the island by distributing tens of thousands of high-quality cacao seedlings and paying premium prices directly to farmers.
Our favorite day time activities included nature hiking, lounging by the pool, snorkeling off of the catamaran (via Sea Spray Cruises on Viator), and making our own chocolate bar with Project Chocolat.
Some of the areas we hiked through felt like a scene straight out of Jurassic Park—green, lush, and untouched by man. I’ll remember the views of the mighty Pitons for the rest of my life.
One of the most exciting parts of the trip, by far, was the drive to the famous Treetop Restaurant. If you plan on making your own pilgrimage, my strongest recommendation is to hire a driver to take you there and back. It was a dark, rainy, drive straight up and down hill on some of the roughest, unmarked dirt roads I’d ever experienced. We shed a few tears along the way, but were rewarded handsomely for our bravery. The food, views, and service were outstanding.