|
|
Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
| CTR Homepage | Island Index | Search |
Trip; September 14 - 21, 1998 We flew direct from Toronto (Pearson, Term.I) to St. Lucia International Airport with a flight time of approximately 4 hrs 45 min. We flew charter flight Skyservice through Alba/Sunquest Tours and thought the service on flight was wonderful and actually enjoyed the meal (of quiche and potato). The International airport is located 1 1/2 hours from most of the resorts on the island including Sandals Halycon. We were off the plane and in an air conditioned van within 20 min and the fun begins! It is quite true what I'd read about the windy cliffside roads and very brave drivers, never the less - we kept calm and enjoyed the scenic ride through many villages, banana plantations, and rainforest and ocean backdrops. This island is so beautifully green and lush, we instantly felt as though we were in our idea of heaven. Upon arrival at Sandals Halcyon, we were instantly greeted by a friendly staff member who whisked us off the reception area for chilled champagne and a refreshing cool face towel. He briefed us on check-in, handed us our keys and a courtesy package with suntan lotion, soap, etc. and it was as simple as that, Someone showed us to our room and within a couple of minutes our baggage was delivered to our door. Here is a tip we read from a recent guest: Book all your weeks restaurant reservations upon arrival (after check in). We took her advice and after check-in, proceeded to the reservation desk and quickly and easily made our reservations for the restaurants we wanted to try during our stay. We had no problem getting into all restaurants of our choice, (although we heard from some who waited till next day, that they could not get into some : like The Pier and La Toc.) Our Room: we had booked Deluxe, which is the Standard nice and simple room. We had our travel agent fax a request for a complimentary upgrade and to our delight, upon arrival we were escorted to the Premium rooms (next step up, didn't see a big difference in rooms at this resort, other than location). We were quite pleased with our room, which was nicely decorated in island style with a four poster bed, TV armoire with large Sat. TV, a sitting table with 2 armchairs, a large closet, a desk and chair and a bathroom with tub and shower. Our room was located about 15 steps from the quieter "Paradise Pool" which was a fair size windy pool with bridges-very nice, and a swim up bar and a hottub. We were in room number 809, and it did slightly back on to the road, but noise was minimal and during day, and the view to the road was obstructed by fence and shrubbery. We liked having a mainfloor room, as the 2 story buildings are quite long, and required you going up the stairs and along a narrow hall to your room, we preferred walking through the gardens and straight into our room. By the way, our air conditioner worked wonderfully, and we kept it on high most of our stay. It was so hot during our week there!!! Age group of the resort during our stay, was mostly 25-35 (which surprised me as I had read that the older crowd gathers at this more intimate of the 2 Sandals on the island). Almost all there, were on their honeymoons and romance filled the air! There were mostly American and Canadians, with some from England, Germany and Ireland, etc. Everyone we met was very friendly and impressed by Sandals Halycon and St. Lucia in general. September 14/98 -Our first day in paradise This place is amazing. The resort is small and intimate and runs all along the Caribbean Sea at Choc Beach. Very nice beach, very calm water and the beach is always kept clean. No sign of seaweed or jelly fish. We were anxious to take a dip in the Sea (our 1st time to Caribbean); the water was amazingly warm and clean. After this we checked out the main pool and some amazing swim up bar specialties. Swim up bars are a must from now on for vacation spots. Dinner was at the Bayside, the main buffet restaurant overlooking the beach and The Pier restaurant. Tonight was Caribbean night buffet and a steel band played in the background as we ate. The buffets really offer tons of variety and we really enjoyed our meal. Caribbean night offered fire-eaters, music, wild entertainment- but we were exhausted from the wedding and plane ride, so we retired early to the wonderful sound of crickets and frogs chirping away. Tuesday, Sept. 15/98 Woke up early and enjoyed our 1st breakfast at Bayside - was delicious and we were impressed with the variety again. They had everything, including made to order eggs and omelettes, fresh fruit, breads, cereals, danishes, French toast, pancakes and homemade waffles, bacon, ham, .......and so on. We hung out most of the day at the main "Sunset Pool" and enjoyed Pina Colodas, Purple Rains, and Cherry Coolers. We tried snorkeling for the 1st time, and fell in love with it. Sandals has a dive boat that goes out 3 times a day on snorkel and scuba dives. This time they took us to Wesley Bay. It was a lot of fun and the scenery on the ride to the site was beautiful. We also tried out the kayaks. Shaune played in a game of Beach Volleyball while I mingled and watched and tried the Cheese Nachos at the Beach Grill. The staff at the Grill were the best I've ever met; Pamela and Estelle are amazing people. Our favorite meal of the trip came at suppertime at The Pier. all our dinner reservations were late in the evening (8-9p.m.) and this worked out great for us. Dinner started with wonderful Red Wine- Cabarnet Savignon. Also the water here was wonderful and safe to drink (we never felt ill once). Our 5 course meals included: Calamari for Shaune and Jumbo Shrimp in Cream Sauce for myself for appetizer; we both had tossed salad, soup and Beef Tenderloin in Wellington Mushroom Sauce for our entree. We were so full, but managed to split a piece of Chocolate Sponge Cake. Wednesday, Sept. 16/98 Early up for a day trip. We booked with the Carnival I Catamaran boat cruise at the trip desk at Sandals. After a short shuttle to Castries harbour, we boarded "Aarons" boat. There was around 25 other couples and plenty of room on deck. We set off around 9a.m. and headed towards Soufriere. The day was beautiful with zero rain and very HOT. The boat ride was about 1 1/2 hrs to Soufriere and as we entered the village, The Piton mountains loomed overhead and made the trip worthwhile for this alone. The Drive in Volcano was our first stop and although I was glad to see it, the smell of sulfur was far worst than I imagined and I was glad to go when we did. Next we were taken to Diamond Falls and the Botanical Gardens, where our tour guide pointed out all the flora and took us to the Diamond Falls (which you are not allowed to go very close to) which provided a nice photo backdrop. Lunch was included and we were taken to a local hillside restaurant overlooking the village, where we sampled authentic St. Lucian cuisine; including Baked Saltfish nag Banana, Spicy Mac & Cheese, and curried goat. Once back on the boat, we set off for a quick look at Marigot Bay (just beautiful), worth a longer look. We stopped for swimming and snorkeling at Anse Cochon beach for about 30 minutes. This was very good snorkeling, the best on our trip. After our swim, the boat headed toward Castries, and the boat began to party a bit more, with complimentary 'Jungle Juice' and beer, and a beer chugging contest (which I won!) We arrived back at the resort at around 5p.m. Dinner was late at Marios (Italian) with smart elegant dress, and no shorts. The food was very good with a wonderful antipasto bar to start. Good wine variety. I had: cheese stuffed pasta shell for appetizer, fettucine Carbonnara, Sauteed butter Shrimp, and chocolate mousse with carmelized almonds. (our favorite dessert of our stay) Shaune, my husband, had fried mozzarella for appetizer, same pasta as mine, Veal Marinara, and same dessert. Cappacino with dessert was a nice treat and very good. We tried to stay up late, but again were exhausted. They had a really good lounge singer, she really got the crowd involved. I volunteered Shaune to go up on stage with other new husbands and they all had to give their best dance and then 'dirty dance' with the singer. Then she went around the audience and had some of the gals sing along on her microphone. We enjoyed this show very much, and did some dancing to club music, but by midnight we had went for our moonlit dip in the private "Paradise Pool. This is heaven or very close to it. Thursday, Sept. 17/98 Up by 8:30 a.m. and enjoying another delicious breakfast of bagels, banana bread, eggs benny, etc... Snorkeling was booked all day, so we made sure to book for the next couple of days. Shaune wanted to waterski, and the boat took him out immediately (no set times, which was nice, just 1st come, 1st serve). After 1 failed attempt, he was up and zooming. Just the staff go on the boat, so I watched from shore. He enjoyed it...but even at 24 years old - he payed for it the next day with achy muscles. We basically floated around the pool for the rest of the day. Lunch was set up around the pool area for "Creole Day" and featured many local dishes such as roast suckling pig, grilled fish steaks, coconut pie and banana pudding. Local Vendors set their booths around the main pool area and quietly sold their goods to those interested. We bought a beach sarong, 3 tshirts - we didn't see much shopping deals in St. Lucia, and buying here was no problem, no pressure. At 3p.m. another beer chugging contest, and I won again. You'd think I drank beer, but I hate the stuff. I guess I just have the chugging technique perfected. At 3:30p.m., I tried the water aerobics (to work of the beer and lunch), great workout and lots of fun. Their fitness guy/director was very good and high energy. About 10 other people got involved too. At 5:30p.m., we were invited to the "Honeymooners" gathering, which featured drinks and hors d'oueuves as all us romantics watched the sunset on another perfect day. Columbian Emerald store had a display of their gems for sale set up, and a Sandals playmaker held contests for us all to play. Throughout your stay, you will often see a resident photographer, who will ask to take your photo. Here is a tip: Always say yes, we got some absolutely gorgeous shots of the two of us. How it works is, they will take a couple photos, and the next day at 10a.m., you can go to the photo board and purchase any of your photos you like ($6/per photo). If none catch your eye, you simply don't buy. We purchased 4 nice photos for keepsakes, 2 of them taken this night in the gazebo while we watched the sun set. We canceled our reservations at The Pier, and opted for the main dining room "Bayside", where they were serving a la carte this night. It was another wonderful meal. I had proscutti ham with walnut cream cheese wraps for my appetizer. We both had salad and cream of portabello soup, My entree was ribeye steak and jerk chicken platter. Dessert was buffet. Shaune had crab pastry for appetizer, and lambchops in rosemary sauce for his main course. We met up with a nice couple from North Carolina (Craig and Nicole) and went for a quiet drink at the bar at The Pier. We were the only ones at this little bar, as it is not known to exist to most people - Craig had heard about it and introduced us to it. It was Cabaret "Magic" night (which we thought was kinda lame) that had fire eater on a unicyle, juggler, magician and a comedian. All local entertainers. We retired early for a swim and hot tub. Friday, Sept. 18/98 Slept in and just caught the end of breakfast. There was a lot of talk going around about Hurricane George. We received a notice under our door updating us on the hurricane, the path it appeared to be taking, and the notice requested us to attend a briefing meeting at the entertainment center - to update us and discuss safety precautions should the need arise. Besides this meeting, all was normal and calm (including many locals we spoke to) seemed worried or alarmed by the weather forecast. St. Lucia is south of the typical hurricane track and we were told that the island rarely got hit and that it had been 9 years since the last bad one hit St. Lucia. We went snorkeling at Le Sport's beach and we spent a lot of the day socializing in the pools. We signed up for the Hobie Cat lessons and the instructor took my husband out for a 10 minute lesson. Then we took off on the Hobie Cat sailboat and headed out to sea, the only caution was to not leave sight of the watersport center. (they keep a eye on you, in case of problems). This was a lot of fun, and we looked forward to trying it again (but never got the chance-thanks to "George" and the waves he brought to our calm beach). For supper, we had reservations at Kimonos Japanese restaurant at the other Sandals La Toc property. The closest shuttle left at 5p.m., which was OK since we had not yet been over to the larger Sandals to check it out. The shuttle between the resorts took about 15-20 min. and went passed Vigie airport, and through the town of Castries. Old town style, but with many moder shops. At Sandals La Toc, we entered a grand lobby mezzanine overlooking the "Pavilion" buffet restaurant down below and the main winding pool and sea. We tried some appetizers set out by the Pavilion restaurant and drinks at the side bar, and then strolled around the grounds. The property is quite large with the main hotel and public areas, surrounded by several villa style accommodations, most very far from the main area of the resort. The beach looked quite nice and a bit of waves, compared to Halcyon which seemed calm all the time. We did notice that the sunset is obstructed by a cliff (where the concierge room are) that juts out into the sea. You will not see the sunset into the sea from Sandals St. Lucia (at least from what we could see, unless you are in a concierge suite on the cliff)...which is no big deal to many-but something to know about. The resort was very massive and quite impressive and crisp looking. Wide open spaces framed by marble and fine woods surround you. Pink is quite dominant in their exterior - as all the hotel and rooms are pink (stucco I think). We took a shuttle from the main lobby to Kimonos (the walk is about 15 min up hill). The shuttle driver was very nice, and even taught me some St. Lucian 'patios', like: e bon (spelling probably wrong) for very good; and Irie for good. He dropped us off in front of Kimonos and you are welcomed at the door and taken out to a back verandah overtop of the water. Kimonos is built into the side of a cliff. From the back verandah, you are served a sangria-style champagne and are seated while you wait (short wait of about 5 min). We were taken upstairs to the dining rooms and were seated for dinner with 4 other couples (2 couples from Colorado, 1 couple from Boston, and 1 from New York). We were served red or white wine and given a moment before ordering our meal. We enjoyed eating a meal with other couples and had a lot of fun getting to know them during supper. They were all staying at this Sandals La Toc resort and all loved it and were having a blast. This bigger resort seemed to be the place to be to 'party' - drinking and partying seemed to be a big emphasis to many we met here. Our chef's name was Neil and we all called him Neil'son'. He was funny and entertaining and an amazing chef. He cooked right in front of us all and got us all involved...tossing chicken into some of our mouths. We enjoyed all kinds of food; chicken, pork, beef, fish and fried rice. To start our meal off, I chose crab and lobster spring roll and Shaune had some kind of duck dish. We both had broth soup and Chinese cabbage salad. For dessert, they take you down stairs to a 'tea room' and I had coconut squares, while Shaune had Chinese icecream. Although they offer Chinese tea, we decided on champagne and 'borrowed' a couple of bottles and got some 'looks' from the staff. We enjoyed our champagne anyway and had a wonderful night. Saturday, Sept. 19/98 Today, friends of ours from Toronto were leaving to go home, so we had a quick lunch with them. They had been here a week and prior to that had enjoyed some time in Barbados. They liked the beaches better in Barbados, but overall, seemed to like St. Lucia and its lush beauty better. Anita was allergic to many things, and upon request the chef would always prepare special meals for her. I guess things got screwed up a few times, but overall: they were happy and just loved all the food. They were a nice couple and we hated to see them leave. They asked us to email them and let them know about the storm "George" that was supposed to hit Caribbean tonight. This was the day, we were going to take the resort diving course for beginners that was offered free, but we slept in, and besides that: we knew with the hurricane going through the Caribbean, we probably would not get a chance to dive before we had to go home. (we were right). So, we lazed around the pool a lot, bought some souvenirs at the Sandals shop and got ready for supper. We had dinner this night (for our 1wk anniversary of married life) at LA TOC, the French restaurant at the larger Sandals that we had heard rave reviews about, from everyone who'd been already. This is the fancy restaurant, and we were recommended to dress up and enjoy. I wore a black cocktail dress with heels and Shaune wore dress pants and shirt and tie. It was hot, but the restaurant was air conditioned and we actually enjoyed getting all dressed up for a special night. We caught the shuttle over at 5p.m., grabbed some appetizers again from Pavillion, and went and sat down by the beach. We met a couple that was also trying LA TOC, and they were staying at Halcyon as well. They really liked the resort. We socialized with them for a while and then headed up to LA TOC. Up 2 flights of stairs. This is the only time I witnessed not'so'great service. We had been watching a bride and groom have their pictures done, and they were having their 'intimate reception' at La Toc. We got to the restaurant at 6:27p.m. and apparently it didn't open until 6:30 sharp. Well, after her husband had helped her up 2 flights of stairs in her big dress, a staff member came out and told us and this bride, to go back downstairs and wait the 3 minutes until they opened! We didn't mind doing this, but I thought they could have allowed this couple and their small wedding party of 6 in 3 minutes early. As I said, this was the only time I saw bad service! We did notice, on our 2 visits to this larger resort, that although the service was good-it certainly wasn't as personal and they just didn't go out of their way to help like they did at our resort. I imagine this is because it is such a large place and at our smaller resort - the staff get to know you quickly. Anyhow, we were seated for dinner at 6:30 sharp, given our menus along with a fine wine list. The wine we chose was a French dry white and was the best on our trip. First time we drank the whole bottle. As this is a 'French' restaurant, we had a long menu. Appetizer: We both chose escargot in pastry basket and mushroom sauce. Soup: We both chose French onion soup Salad: We both chose Ceasar Salad Entrees: We got 3 entrees on a tip from our friends who had went 2 times during their stay. We both ordered the filet mignon with herb mashed potatos and vegetables. Our third entree was linguine with jumbo garlic shrimp in a butter sauce. Dessert: I chose a Sinful white chocolate and dark chocolate wafer tower with chocolate mousse and papaya/raspberry sauce overtop. Shaune chose iced nuegant, and did not like his choice, so we shared mine. After dessert, we were so full, I asked our waiter about liquers to finish. He paused, and I don't think it is offered...but, the manager came over and offered us many choices. Shaune had drambue and I had Zambuca. Hit the spot and took away that full feeling. We really enjoyed this meal. It was first class all the way, and we were very glad we had packed one fancy outfit in with our shorts and sundresses. We got home, enjoyed a drink at the entertainment area, and retired for our usual swim. We floated around and stared at the stars - and couldn't believe that a hurricane was soon to be ripping toward the Caribbean. Sunday, Sept. 20/98 We were told that our plane -scheduled to leave Monday, would more than likely be going on time (shucks!!!) We woke up, and heading towards the breakfast buffet, walking along a path parallel to the beach, we noticed the waves. Our water at Halcyon was so calm and today the waves were tremendous in size. The beach had been red flagged, and no one was allowed to do watersports and swim in the ocean. Even the main pool's swim up bar was closed, although they opened up their entertainment center one- just a few steps from the pool. I had been saying to my husband, that it was nice the water was so calm, but it made it hard to find any good shells to take home. Well, I found some good ones today. The tide was bringing in everything from cartires, to big shells, and broken coral rocks. And...we found a beautiful wooden teepee pole type carving in the waves and grabbed it. It was extremely heavy and waterlogged. I would of liked to have taken it home-but it wouldn't be dry by then - so I gave it to a couple from Chicago we'd met...as they were staying for another couple of days. We spent most of the afternoon, dodging the big waves and coral as it came in to shore, as we picked around for good shells. It was actually a nice time. We had heard from one couple who had been staying at Sandals La Toc, that they were getting hit worse than us. Apparently, they changed over to Halcyon because many areas of the resort were flooding due to big waves and the main pool was full of sand and seawater, washed up from the beach. The Pier was closed (as it sits on stilts in the water) for supper this night, so many who'd had reservations had to eat at the Bayside. They featured an a la carte menu this night, perhaps because of the inconvenience to diners. We had reservations at Mario's for late in the evening. I made sure to get the fried mozzarella this time for appetizer - it was so good. For our main course, I ordered chicken eggplant parmesan with linguine primavera and finished with chocolate mousse like last time. Shaune ordered deepfried seafood (octopus, squid, fish, shrimp,and scallops). His was quite good, but I did not like my chicken. He had a caramelized pudding cake for dessert. Our last night, we stayed up for a bit and watched the shows, and then retired for our last swim. It was kind of a sad night for us. We floated around and took some pictures of us in the pool. Packed up the last of our things and retired to bed. We had been given our notice, that our flight was still on schedule and that we were to leave our bags outside our door at least 1/2 hour prior to our shuttle pick up. Our shuttle to the airport picked us up at around 9:45a.m. (kind of early we thought), and the ride back just wasn't the same! The ride seemed a lot longer...perhaps because we knew our trip was coming to an end. After waiting at the airport for 2 hours, we boarded our plane and were off. Once our plane left the ground at St. Lucia, I began to look forward to home and couldn't wait to share with everyone our pictures and stories from paradise. I surely hope we go back to St. Lucia again someday, although we do want to try other islands. We have developed the 'travel bug' and are already planning our next trip in January to Cayo Coco, Cuba with 13 friends. I will post this trip when we get back. Bye for now.
We have just returned from a wonderful tropical paradise in the Caribbean. A bit difficult to get to (many flight changes from the west coast) it has yet to be overdeveloped and does not have hoards of tourists. What it does have are incredible scenery, fantastic beaches, privacy, tourist friendly islanders, a variety of places to stay, and incredible values for the traveler that wants to experience island life instead of staying the entire time at their isolated hotel. We stayed at the Anse Chastanet resort and can certainly recommend the accommodations. Our room was elegant, yet rustic, and offered fantastic views of the ocean and mountains. The room did not have any real walls (wooden slats), so you were given the feeling of openness and could hear at night the wonderful sounds of tree frogs and crickets. Since the design was extremely open, it is for a romantic couple that is not modest as you could easily see into the bathroom while sitting out on the balcony!! Privacy is well assured against other guests looking in though!! For an excellent article on Anse Chastanet, the interested reader is referred to Lynn McKamey's article entitled "ST. LUCIA and the ANSE CHASTANET RESORT." It provides a great amount of information on the island as well as the resort (which is quite famous for its diving operations). Although we definitely enjoyed the Anse Chastanet, it is far from being reasonably priced. Of the places that we visited, it is definitely one of the nicest, but other options are available at considerable savings (50% to 75% less). If money is not a consideration, definitely stay at the Anse Chastanet. Rooms average $200.00 to $500.00 per night plus 18% tax with meals being extra. It is definitely over priced, but if you want the ultimate in romantic privacy, it may be worth it. Although it is the most expensive vacation we have ever had and we are certainly not rich people, we did not regret it for one minute. What is not worth it are the incredible prices that Anse Chastanet charges for their food. Breakfast was either $13.00 (a simple continental breakfast) or $18.00 (full breakfast) per person. Dinner was $45.00 per person plus wine and a 18% service charge. You could easily spend $150.00 for two with a bottle of wine. Although the food was adequate, the prices were so exorbitant that we decided to venture into Soufriere every night and were rewarded with a number of wonderful surprises. The walk from Anse Chastanet to Soufriere was somewhat of a challenge - it's a rutted, steep, curvy road, that is extremely dark at night. Being relatively physically fit, we could walk this in about half an hour. Everyone at the Anse Chastanet was amazed that we did this repeatedly and apparently we were the only guests that have undertaken this on a regular basis. The guests that we met were apparently satisfied to spend all of their time at the hotel and did not venture forth on their own. What a pity! For those not wanting to walk, taxis can readily be had at the hotel and cost approximately $18.00 US for the round trip. Considering the cost of food in Soufriere, the taxis are worth the cost but with a flashlight in hand, we enjoyed the sounds of the forest and undertook this walk willingly many times. Occasionally, we were offered rides from the vehicles that transported the staff, people we had met in town, or other drivers that were coming to or from the hotel. Although these rides were offered free, we usually tipped and these tips were accepted graciously. While speaking about tips, I want to say that we were dismayed by the lack of tipping by the other guests for services that were provided by the hotel. For example, a water taxi is provided to hotel guests free of charge and transports them to and from Soufriere during the day time. Utilizing this, as well as other hotel services, brought us to the sad conclusion that the affluent guests, being able to afford an expensive hotel such as the Anse Chastanet, did not feel compelled to express their gratitude by a small offering of appreciation. For the traveler who really wants to experience more than the confines of a resort, venturing into Soufriere is a must. The people are courteous and friendly, the atmosphere is not to be missed, and the food is quite good and extremely reasonable. LA MIRAGE, Guest house and restaurant. Located two blocks from the Soufriere waterfront at 14 Church St., offers four suites featuring a double and single bed, private balcony, in-room bathroom with shower, ceiling fan and mini refrigerator. Rooms are very reasonable at $26.00 US. The restaurant is family run and offers excellent cuisine featuring Creole and Continental dishes ranging from $4.00 to $15.00. The daily soup ($1.50) which we sampled was carrot and, even though I do not usually like carrot soup, was absolutely fantastic and I recommend it enthusiastically. After 38 years of experience at fine eating establishments in London, England, John and Mary Lamontagne fulfilled a lifelong dream of returning to their hometown of Soufriere to open La Mirage. Joining their parents in the operation of La Mirage are daughter Janice, son Gilroy, and daughter-in-law Claudia. A relatively new establishment with great service. Tell them Steve & Maria from San Diego recommended you and you will not be disappointed. HENRY'S located at 7 Bridge St., is another family run business that has great Creole style cooking. Owners Trudy and George Henry started Henry's about one year ago and also both work at the Anse Chastanet as a waitress and a chef. Trudy has the kind of personality that draws others to her with her friendliness and she and my wife got along fabulously. The restaurant is upstairs, offering both indoor and patio dining, good service, and a nice view of the street activities below. They are open from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and prices range from $7.00 to $13.00 US. HUMMINGBIRD RESTAURANT AND RESORT, located at the beginning of the road to Anse Chastanet but within only a five minute walk to town. We would give this serious consideration if we would ever return to St. Lucia. Although not quite as private as the rooms at Anse Chastanet, they are very nice and afford spaciousness, nice views, and a price that does not break the bank. As an alternative to the rooms at the Anse Chastanet, they cost between $40.00 to $80.00 US per night. In addition, for a very upscale, romantic dinner, outside by candlelight, the Hummingbird cannot be beat. The food is excellent, but expensive. We had an excellent Chateaubriand ($22.00 US), which was one of the best that I have ever eaten anywhere. Definitely recommended P.J.'S STREET CAFE, located close to Henry's on Bridge St. is a very casual, but not to be missed, bar and cafe operated by Peter Jones. During the day, Peter is an elementary school teacher and at night operates P.J.'s. It is located at street level where often reggae is playing from the stereo, locals mingle, and you can sit outside as you sip your drinks and watch the passers by. Be sure and spend some time with P.J., as you will find him to be a very interesting man who can give you lots of insight about the town of Soufriere and of the island of St. Lucia. If you give him a days notice, he will bring in his chef and will serve you a romantic, special meal outside on the patio. Complete with candlelight, beverages, and desert, this meal will cost between $13.00 to $20.00 for two people. So don't be intimidated to venture off on your own. The rewards are well worth it. Please don't forget to say hello from Steve and Maria of San Diego and e-mail us with any of your comments or new places you might have found. Happy travels
Trip 9/98 We recently returned from a vacation to St. Lucia. We stayed at a wonderful picturesque inn at Marigot bay. Our hosts were great. They did everything to make our stay memorable. Unfortunately they could not control the behavior of some local merchants who made our stay almost unbearable. Starting Wednesday a local merchant began playing loud music that continued into the early morning. Except for a few hours during the day the music lasted the entire week-end. It was apparent that the music was not intended to entertain, but to annoy everyone around Marigot Bay. As tourists. we also enjoy the "local color" of the countries we visit, but when selfish individuals set out to obviously make the vacation of tourists an unpleasant experience, I can not advise returning to St. Lucia. I would hope that locals realize that the success of tourism depends on hospitality of everyone on this island. The greed and selfishness of a few can have adverse effects on everyone.
I had a 5 night trip to SXM last week. A few highlights based primarily on French side, especially around Orient Beach, but with quick look of the "other" side. Never got into Philipsburg. The island was very quiet with, I suspect, hotels at less that 50% occupancy .. a normal situation for early October. There was little evidence of hurricane Georges. Most damage was noted in the SW part of island .. in area of Long & Plum Beaches where scrub vegetation was broken. From the road, I did not see any significant damage to structures, but know that some south coast seaside buildings were destroyed. Orient Beach, Marigot, Grand-Case looked quite normal, the vegetation green and plants in bloom. Stayed at Hotel la Plantation and Green Cay Village. La Plantation has done much redecorating over past month and now planning to do further upgrading. They now have one of the best fitness equipped hotels. Green Cay Village has also done consider sprucing up. Management reconfirmed that only 3 of 16 villas are designated as time share units. Elsewhere at Orient Beach, all hotels look great .. reinspected from Club Orient to Esmeralda and around the point at the Sunrise Hotel. Several notable changes are occurring. Hotel L'Hoste has nearly completed their small beach bar-restaurant .. very attractive, low-key and a nice addition. The St. Tropez has sold off one of their 3 hotels; the Hotel Palm Beach is now Palm Court and managed by the owner of Bikini Beach restaurant. Hotel Mount Vernon, not visited, has been to sold and is or will be known as Blue Bay. The area between St. Tropez and Esmeralda has been divided into 24 private villa lots. On this venture, had excellent meals at Pressoir, Piccolo's, Konga, Coco Beach, and Talk of the Town lolo. Pedro's was a favorite, but unfortunately rated zero on this trip. A new 'find' for a go native, sand-in-your shoes experience is Chlmos Cafe .. inexpensive and delightful .. at Grand-Case on the beach between Pressoir and the lolos.
(Ed Note: The following information supplied by Jeff Berger is copyrighted and used here with his permission. There is a lot more information about St. Martin on his JMB Communications website at www.jmbcommunications.com so check it out.)
Updated Oct. 7, 1998 This delightful half-Dutch, half-French island has literally hundreds of fine restaurants. The quality, ambiance, and service compare favorably with any great restaurants anywhere on the planet. (And the weather here isn't tough to take either!) This page has just been updated and more updates are coming. We've added Kangaroo Court, Tokyo, Pelican Reef, Bagel Bakery & Deli, Harbor Point, and more, and we're greatly expanding coverage of all our favorite restaurants. PLUS, some restauranteurs have OKd us adding virtual coupons: print out the information on selected restaurants and you'll get something special with your dinner. If you've never been to St. Maarten, prepare to get hungry. This Restaurant Revue is mainly focused on places for great dinners, but dinners aren't all you'll eat so let's look at some other stuff first: BREAKFASTS are everywhere. ZeeBest in Marigot, an easy walk from the large parking lot at the harbor, has a great reputation. ZeeBest muffins and croissants. Scratch and sniff your screen, close your eyes, and imagine... You can also grab breakfast at Ric's Place in Philipsburg where you can watch the water jitneys take cruise ship passengers from their ships to the dock (more on Ric's is below). Sambuca in Simpson Bay (more on them later too) added breakfasts early in 1998, and Surf Club South outside Grand Case has yummy breakfasts. There are even two Burger King restaurants if you have kids who whine a lot (or if you're addicted to kid's meal toys. Yes, there is a real McDonald's on Front Street in Phillipsburg, too.) Bagel Bakery and Deli in Simpson Bay near the Atrium Resort has really good bagels and even some lox. Many coffees, too. Kangaroo Court in Philipsburg is a really neat place, next to the Courthouse downtown. Super pastry anytime, lots of different kinds of coffees, and a place out back which is QUIET in midcity. Highly recommended, especially when you go shopping nearby! Harbor Point at Maho has breakfast with a great view of the junction of the Caribbean and the Atlantic (more on them later too). Turtle Pier near the airport is easily our favorite breakfast spot - - and their dinners are great too. Much more on Turtle is below. But enough about breakfasts. SXM is a restaurant Mecca, and we're here to tell you LOTS about them! But first…. DEALING WITH STUPID BACK-HOME CRAVINGS: Pizza. Trattoria Pizza Pasta (MUCH more below), next to Casino Royale in the Maho district, opens in the afternoon and is wonderful. Also try Pizzamania at Atlantis Casino, which by now should have finished redecorating, expanding its menu, and changing its name to Mamma Mia. There's Pizza Hut, too, and Carri's on the pondfill -- Carri's is more reasonably priced than Pizza Hut and the pizza tastes better. If you crave genuine mediocrity, Domino's is your kind of place. (But it's fascinating to watch how fast they work.) Best bets for pizza: Trattoria Pizza Pasta and Pizzamania/Mamma Mia. (Read on about the Trattoria.) Doughnuts. Do you really want doughnuts? Pastry. Kangaroo Court in Philipsburg, lots of places on the French side, and (our favorite), Casino Royale Café. Great stuff! Leave your diet at home… (More on Casino Royale Café way at the end of this article.) Kosher deli. Not here, not as of this writing anyway. I had a "real" point-cut, single-brisket corned beef craving on our last trip that was driving me nuts. . . . Sushi. Would you believe FOUR places? Old Captain, an elegant Chinese/ Japanese emporium on Front Street in Philipsburg. Elegant, or at least semi-elegant, very nice. Kon Tiki on Orient Beach. (Sushi appetizers. They were made by a young French chef who swore he was trained by Japanese. California Sushi (I think that's its name) on the waterfront in Marigot. (Not to be confused with the California French restaurant in Grand Case.) Our favorite is Tokyo, the new sushi bar next to Pizzamania (now Mamma Mia) at Atlantis Casino in Cupecoy. FRESH sushi, elegantly prepared, reasonably priced. Sushi addicts will find a real haven here. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, too. (Smoking allowed. We often get our sushi to go for that very reason.) Coffee. Lots of good places, but a great variety is at Kangaroo Court in Philipsburg. Also Bagel Bakery and Deli in Simpson Bay. Most coffee served here is the dark, rich Caribbean stuff. Breakfasts & Cravings section updated 10/7/98 Dinner! A LITTLE ADVICE... PRINT THIS ENTIRE PAGE and take it with you to the island for some dining you'll never forget! Turtle Pier, an over-water restaurant on Simpson Bay just north of the entrance to Princess Juliana Airport, is a genuine treat. We visit the place year after year. Park in front near their big new green and white sign, and you're likely to be greeted with wolf whistles or polite "Hellos" from an assortment of parrots and macaws bordering the restaurant's parking area and caged beside the restaurant's outer walkway. There are also rabbits, guinea pigs, large turtles, land tortoises, small monkeys, and an occasional wild, but sedate, iguana here. Kids love it. (The animals are NOT in or near the restaurant -- just in case you were wondering.) As you walk onto the pier itself, look in the water to your right and you'll see sea turtles, raised by the staff to maturity and then released to the ocean. The lively bar is frequented by local business people and tourists and -- as always -- by Konki, a rather neurotic Conure, who predates the current owner, Al Wathey, by several years. Konki sometimes struts around as if he owns the place and frequently sits just beyond the end of the bar, keeping a watchful eye on everybody. On our last visit I perched him on a finger and brought him back to his cage, some 20 yards away, at night; but he was sitting on the bar before I got back to my stool. Konki has a one-track mind. Never argue with a Conure. (Incidentally, if you like animal stories, go to our home page and click on the "Cheltenham" link on the top of the page.) Turtle Pier Dinners. Pick your Caribbean lobster from their in- Simpson-Bay selection -- they're from nearby Saba, ranging from a hard-to-find pound and a half to seven pounds or more. Turtle Pier offers a large selection of fresh seafood, steaks, duck, or chicken. On a couple of occasions we were stuffed just by the appetizers. Coconut shrimp is several large, beer-battered shrimp, rolled in shredded coconut, fried and served with glazed pineapple rings...(also available in a dinner portion). Unbelievable. You gotta try it… Or try the conch (pronounced "conk") fritters, served hot with a cold saffron dip. Really great Caesar Salads here, too… Our favorite dinner at Turtle Pier: Caribbean Blaff, snapper poached in a broth seasoned with bois d'Inde, Caribbean herbs and spices, and served over sliced Christophene (a squash), dasheen and plantains, and any of their Caribbean lobster dishes -- Vanca, Champagne, Creole, Thermidor, or any of several others. Wednesday night is Lobster Night; reservations are a MUST. But you can get 'em any night at reasonable prices. If you're not a seafood fan, you'll like Turtle's beef offerings, or check out the chicken & mushrooms - it's outstanding. Turtle Pier is also open for lunch and breakfast. When you're there, ask about other special nights -- one night a week during our visit was devoted to Red Snapper grilled whole and filleted for you. It was terrific; you can't get Snapper fresher than this. Reach Turtle Pier at 011-5995-52562. (Updated 10/7/98.) SPECIAL OFFER AT TURTLE PIER: Print out this page and show it to the hostess when you're being seated, and your party will be treated to a FREE bottle of wine with dinner. (Limit, one bottle per party.) -A. Wathey One of the liveliest spots on the island is busy Cheri's Cafe in the Maho district. Serving fresh, delicious overstuffed sandwiches at both lunch and dinner and a very large menu of traditional dinner selections, Cheri's has nightly entertainment and dancing into the wee hours and an exceptionally lively bar. If you just want to sit, slowly sip on a Pina Colada, and people-watch, nobody will hassle you here. Tucked deep in the alley between Casino Royale and Cheri's is one of the island's many Italian restaurants, Trattoria Pizza Pasta, which is a kick and our favorite homestyle Italian restaurant. This smallish, unpretentious restaurant, which fills up early, is operated by Ilda Figarolo and her daughter Selena. On one of our first visits years ago, Ilda immediately challenged us as we sat down: "Do you know what a Trattoria is?" Before we could inhale to answer, she charged on, "A Trattoria is like eating in someone's home! It is small, it is noisy, and you get a lot of food!" It wasn't actually all that noisy, except when Ilda got into an animated discussion with an employee in the kitchen, but the portions are huge, and be prepared for a disdainful look from Ilda if you don't finish. (We took home two doggie bags once and yes, we got the "look." Just like home when you don't finish....) We chose both Melanzane Parmigiani, Eggplant Parm (we opted for the vegetarian sauce), and Spaghetti Bolognese, spaghetti with meatballs, which was so delightful it reminded me of "Carrie" Fargnoli, a friend of my parents who, when I was a kid, made her own pasta (long before it was chic) and the most delicious meatballs.... The salads, soups, and of course the thin-crust pizza are all top-notch. Prices are very reasonable here, too. (Come early or wait - but the wait is worth it.) Make SURE you put Trattoria on your list! Phone: 011-5995-54034. Mention this website! If you've ever vacationed on Cape Cod, you may have visited Harbor Point restaurant in the relatively unurbanized Cummaquid area. It's a beautiful place. Bill Williams, for many years Harbor Point's owner, has opened a new Harbor Point at the Maho Beach Hotel. (Damaged by Hurricane Georges, the Maho is now expected to reopen in November, 1998.) Harbor Point's extensive menu includes lots of seafood plus steaks, chops, chicken -- something for everyone. Plus, if you're a Frankie Valle fan, Bill does a Frankie Revue every week... He looks more like Sonny Bono than Frankie, so we ran a picture of his sign here instead ... Not far away is Laguna, another Italian restaurant with a casual elegance and food quality few others match. All we'll say here is that you've got to try it on your next-to-last night on the island. Everything (and we have tried practically everything) is done perfectly. Overlooks Simpson Bay. A great local favorite. Reservations are a must, 011-5995-52025. Pelican Reef, at Pelican Resort, is a fairly well hidden jewel. Blessed with a location that faces the confluence of the Atlantic and the Caribbean at the southerly entrance to Simpson Bay, the Reef serves some of the best steak and lobster anywhere. The steak - - in the form of a signature entree called El Gaucho, Argentinean filet mignon -- was the best filet I have ever tasted anywhere. I rarely choose beef on any menu but this is so good you simply cannot pass it up. The lobster here is boiled, removed from its shell, baked, the placed back in the shell for you and, according to my lobster- loving wife, it was spectacular. With pricing, quality, and service on a par with the restaurants of Grand Case, the Reef is a very special place. Managers Jean and Marvin Rich -- formerly American Cancer researchers, now "retired" and living their dream in SXM -- do a magnificent job. New, lower-priced entrees mean the family can eat comfortably here as well. Print out this article and bring it with you to Pelican Reef and see what happens. Say hello to Marv and Jean for us! Reservations: 011-5995-42616. Another outstanding Italian restaurant is Tutta Pasta, operated by Walter Warren of Sint Maarten with old family recipes of Angela Faia. Tutta Pasta offers an incomparably rich collection of old (and occasionally new) family pasta recipes, many of them going back several generations. The number of menu selections was doubled in the winter of '97, making the selection process tougher than ever -- and it was always tough. For appetizers, try the Sweet Peperonata di Mondello, a sumptuous, gustful blend of peppers, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes in a tangy sauce. It's incredible. One of the oldest entrée choices is Spaghetti alla Mamma, with delicately thin slices of zucchini fried in extra virgin olive oil served over spaghetti, locatelli cheese, and garnished with mint leaves. We tried the Baked Farfalle with Salmon, which is bowtie pasta with pink salmon in a "gentle" cream sauce seasoned with dill. (I've tried several times to duplicate the recipe at home and failed miserably, time after time. Ah well, I'll just have to go back. Such a sacrifice :) We also tried the Spaghetti alla Sandra, which has fresh, tender mushrooms sautéed in imported olive oil with garlic and parsley in tomato sauce. All of the pasta - now more than 40 menu offerings -- is imported from Italy. This smallish, romantic restaurant offers great ambiance, a fine view of Simpson Bay, and superb, authentic Italian food with generous portions and excellent, friendly service. Reservations are a must here as well: call 011-5995-43511. Probably the island's biggest, noisiest Italian restaurant is Sambuca, with its traditional red and white checkered tablecloths. Sambuca is a favorite here, serving many local people from all over the island as well as many tourists. Sambuca offers a great variety of traditional Italian fare at back-home prices. Very generous portions! If you can stand the bumpy, out-of-the-way ride to get there, Captain Oliver's restaurant at Oyster Pond is worth the trip. Dine at water's edge just feet away from luxurious sailboats and yachts, and enjoy the romantic ambiance day or night. You'll find a wide selection of fine French cuisine here. Reservations are a must, especially for choice seating near the water. Phone: 011-59087-30- 00. Another of our favorite places is Chesterfield's, at Bobby's Marina in the northern part of Philipsburg. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Chesterfield's offers competitive prices along with a panoramic view of the entire Philipsburg waterfront, -- a pleasant, relaxing vista day or night. You can make reservations next door for a day-sail to nearby St. Barts on the SWALIGA. Come at night to enjoy the lively bar and great food, with an abundance of locally caught seafood. The grilled tuna is superb. For a change of pace, check out Ric's Place on the waterfront in downtown Philipsburg. An American sports bar/restaurant by run by Texans Kathy and Ric, Ric's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all inexpensive, delicious, and filling. Check out the walls and ceiling, where you'll find banners and other mementos from scores of college and professional sports teams, while you sit and watch sports on their big satellite TVs. Or sit by the water and check out the arriving cruise ships. (Come Super Bowl Sunday, this place rocks. Drink enough beer come Superbowl Sunday, and you may get a free t-shirt! ) For a geographic change of pace, check out Surf Club South New Jersey Steak House, just east of the Grand Case airport on the French side of the island. Formerly located under a mammoth tree on the beach in Grand Case, Surf Club South was forced to move when Luis literally blew it away. This is probably the only place on the island where you can buy real American coffee (usually Maxwell House), thick waffles with a choice of several thick syrups, stupendous onion rings, old-fashioned juicy hamburgers, and anything you want to drink from their bar, which at its former location was named one of the ten best in the world by Newsweek International. Hot? Jump in their pool, right next to the bar. This place is heralded by big flags for Heineken and Finlandia, and by oddly familiar metal signs for both the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway (complete with a mile marker). Andy, the affable gray-ponytailed owner/creator of this icon, takes the fate of his original establishment -- and most everything else -- in good humor, but he's dead serious about that back-home-in-the- summertime food. It is delicious. He started serving complete dinners - great steaks, seafood, and all that goes with it - in winter '97, quite a departure from the totally informal and slightly bizarre Surf Club South days. This is a fine restaurant, dedicated to real steak house quality similar to that of the five- star restaurant Andy owned and operated in New Jersey for many years. It's worth the trip. Print this article and bring it to Andy at Surf Club South and see what happens...... For Surf Club South New Jersey Steak & Seafood House dinner reservations, call 011-59029-50-40. Restaurants of Grand Case The gastronomic heart of St. Maarten./St. Martin for years has been the village of Grand Case, on the French side on the northwest coast. Grand Case is home to many world-renowned restaurants where the view of Grand Case Beach is picture-perfect, and is easily matched by what is arguably the best dining on the island. For lobster try Le Fish Pot, an island favorite for many years. It has the reputation of serving the island's best lobster. (Pricey.) 011-59087-50-88. Le Tastevin continues to be as popular and busy as ever. (Pricey.) 011-59087-55-45. In the lowlands outside Marigot is Mario's Bistrot. Only open a few years, this fine French restaurant sits on the canal to Marigot's protected inner harbor and is clearly one of the island's top restaurants. Our innovative appetizer included a generous portion of tuna sashimi, a very nice surprise. Mario's is not to be missed. 011-59087-06-36. Check out Tropicana in downtown Marigot, also overlooking the inner harbor. Arrive early or make reservations -- the restaurant is about the size of an average living room. Excellent food, festive atmosphere! 011-59087-79-09. There are many other fine restaurants on this island. You'd need a month or more to sample some of the best: Rainbow is superb. You should also try Don Camillo, La Diva, Messalina, L'Escargot, and Mark's Place, to name just a few. Everyone is entitled to a favorite restaurant on their favorite island, and ours continues to be L'Alabama in Grand Case. Co-owners Karin and Pascal have created a menu of true delights that alone are worth a return visit. The specials will draw you here again and again, but take note: when you see a special that appeals to you buy it. There are so many, and they change them so often, you may never see it again! Start with a Caesar Salad for one, the best in the world in this writer's opinion (and easily big enough for two, though you'll want it all for yourself). Whether you prefer seafood or meats, or if you prefer a vegetarian selection, Karin and Pascal will know how to please you: this is one restaurant where you just absolutely can NOT miss. Look at these, some recent L'Alabama specials: Trout filet with sesame on tomato and licorice compote with basil sauce, easily the best trout I have ever had anywhere. •Quail roasted with apple, vanilla and Jamaican peppercorn sauce. Shark with white cabbage and grenadine, herbs and ginger sauce. •Marlin grilled with Indian coriander, apple and pineapple chutney. •Salmon with sorrel, colombo and raisin sauce. Of course there are plentiful beef and chicken dishes prepared with equal helpings of elegance and panache. But -- we reiterate -- keep in mind two things: they change specials every two or three days, and NEVER repeat any specials for at least an entire year. If you see something you like, get it before it goes away. Yet another piece of advice: save room for dessert. How does creme brulee sound? Or caramelized banana flambé with dark rum and malaga ice cream? (Getting hungry yet?) For obvious reasons, reservations are essential in Grand Case restaurants, particularly on weekends. Call L'Alabama at 011-59087- 81-66. If you're up late and crave yet another great dessert, try one of the island's many fine bakeries. One that's open very late is the Casino Royale Bakery next to Cheri's Cafe. Even your cardiologist wouldn't begrudge you a taste of their coconut cake, which defies adequate description. Our advice: skip dinner altogether one night and head here. Words don't do justice to these magnificent creations, but here are some of the selections: Key Lime Pie, Apple Tart, Chocolate- Chocolate cake, and lots more to savor before you walk a few feet away to watch that warm tropical moon shimmer over the delicious Caribbean sea....
The Caribbean Travel Roundup is available worldwide via Compuserve and INTERNET and is distributed through the facilities of America Online. The official CTR World Wide Web site is http://caribtravelnews.com. Contact: Paul Graveline, 9 Stirling St., Andover, MA 01810-1408 USA :Home (Voice or Fax) 978-470-1971. E-mail via editor@caribtravelnews.com or CTREDITOR@aol.com : On Prodigy - MKWC51A
| CTR Home | << Back | ToC | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Search |