St. Lucia, photo by “Cowboy” Ben Alman/Flickr

Who isn’t dreaming about the Caribbean at this time of year? If St. Lucia is on your mind,  then I hope this guest post will be useful.

Goodbye laptop, so long work. Hello, sanctuary. When you first set eyes on the island of St Lucia, this is the type of thought that will be going through your head. From the Pitons and the tropical rainforest to the crescents of sand that line this 27-mile paradise, St Lucia is often referred to as the honeymoon capital of the world. The town of Soufriere, on the western side of the island, is home to countless boutique hotels and luxurious chalets. Imagine walking onto your own private balcony and feeling the warm Caribbean sun on your face, while St Lucia’s legendary hummingbirds sing and twitter from bougainvillea to colourful hibiscus. Looking out across the sea, the Pitons seem so close you want to reach out and touch them. Is there any better way to start the day? If you’re travelling from Gatwick then why not take advantage of the airport car parking in Gatwick?

Jade Mountain: Best View in the Caribbean

When it comes to creating the perfect boutique hotel, luxury, modernity and setting all need to be taken into account. In other words, an island hotel needs to accentuate the landscape and geography of the island, and that’s exactly what Nick Troubetzkoy, the architect and proprietor of Jade Mountain, has set out to do. You’d be hard pressed to find a better view in the Caribbean.

With a name like Jade Mountain, you’d expect the hotel to have a Zen-like quality to it, and that’s precisely the type of vibe the hotel has. Let’s call it honeymoon Zen, for a lack of a better phrase. The elegant formalism of a Japanese garden is mirrored in the hotel’s architectural design. So what kind of wow factors can you expect to find when you book a holiday at Jade Mountain?

When you step into your room, don’t be alarmed that there are only 3 walls. The fourth wall has been left out in order to give you a panoramic view of the Pitons. This theatrical view is further enhanced by the strategic placement of an infinity pool. The hotel’s architectural design not only blends in with the St Lucian landscape, but it also enhances the landscape in order to give you a full-sensory experience. It’s artistic, romantic, tranquil and soothing. It’s Caribbean Zen at its finest. While snorkelling, scuba diving and horseback riding are all part of the St Lucian experience, you’re going to have a difficult time breaking away from the mesmerizing view.

If a 3-walled hotel room wasn’t enough to create a tropical open-air experience, Jade Mountain ups the ante by replacing the traditional hotel corridor with a suspended sky bridge. In other words, wherever you go in Jade Mountain, the Pitons are there too.