The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
Claude Monet found inspiration in the lily ponds of France, while John Constable found his muse in the English countryside. Some destinations are so beautiful that artists have captured their essence through art since ancient times. St. Lucia, in the Caribbean’s Windward Islands, is such a place. From the majestic Piton volcanoes rising from the sea to the lush rainforest blanketing most of the island, Saint Lucia is truly inspirational. It rivals the Matterhorn of Switzerland and the Grand Canyon of the US in its ability to inspire a whole legion of artists. The island is an ideal setting for an art retreat and one hotel StolenTime by Rendezvous is helping guests to steal back time by offering inspiring art classes.
The hotel offers guests the chance to “steal back time” with art sessions, wellness experiences, and fitness classes led by Olympians, along with traditional Caribbean theme nights. It’s a place where time slows down to the relaxing “island pace,” allowing guests to enjoy some much-needed “me time” away from life’s stresses and distractions. Art provides guests with a way to express themselves, alleviate anxiety, and grow as individuals, and the inspiring landscape helps unlock their creativity.
StolenTime by Rendezvous resort is a former coconut estate where Dennis Barnard built his family home on Malabar Beach in the 1950s and turned it into a 20-bedroom hotel appealing to the couples market. Now the hotel is on a mission to attract single travellers and groups of friends.
The resort is spread between the beach and rainforest and at its centre is a 150-year-old giant Samaan tree. There’s a clubhouse, Champagne bar, spa, gym, and a water sports centre as well as three restaurants and two pools.
Guests can stay in original plantation-style buildings, beach cottages, poolside suites and residences concealed in the jungle.
In their air-conditioned rooms, guests will find a bottle of Champagne on ice and a fruit platter. The king-sized bed dressed are dressed in the finest linens and piled high with pillows. The spacious poolside suites contain a huge wardrobe, hardwood furniture, a comfy armchair, tea and coffee-making facilities, an iPod docking station, and a mini refrigerator. The highlight is an oval bathtub complete with REN toiletries and to run a bath is a perfect way to unwind after the journey.
Within the vine-covered three-storey traditional West Indian-style building are premium garden-view rooms. These are airy and spacious, with large French mullion glass doors opening onto a patio overlooking lush tropical gardens. These are nestled in a three-storey West Indian-style building. Meanwhile, premium veranda suites have a loveseat overlooking the tropical garden and the ocean. The top-floor rooms have expansive cathedral ceilings and signature beachfront rooms with private terraces and hammocks.
Signature Beachfront Cottages feature gingerbread fretwork and lush gardens. The larger beachfront suites have split-level bedroom/sitting areas and luxurious bathrooms with standalone claw foot bathtubs. The balconies and terraces offer a perfect spot to unwind with views of the Caribbean Sea.
One of the trip highlights was the artist’s retreat run by Venetia Berry. Daily classes were held in the cool Champagne bar, with jazz playing in the background and mindfulness exercises to inspire creativity.
During classes, guests paint imaginative landscapes as they embrace an abstract style, but it was hard not to draw inspiration from The Pitons and St Lucia’s tropical landscape. Berry encourages painting without a specific purpose to bring joy.
Learning to paint is a journey for everyone who enters the class. Venetia helped us to experiment using our imagination and access different materials from paper to muslin and even channelling Matise. We also sat beneath the flowering huge Saaman tree surrounded by nature.
Guests will also find themselves rubbing shoulders with Olympic athletes at this resort, Days begin with invigorating body fit sessions and high-intensity training taught by an Olympian while other famous athletes take part in the classes. These extras are what guests can expect when visiting Stolentime by Rendezvous.
Sunset T’ai Chi on the Rotunda is a calming experience where guests can relax and immerse themselves in the activity. Afterwards, they can enjoy a peaceful evening on their balcony with a cool beer listening to nature’s lullaby. Guests can enjoy serene moments by the lazy river or in a hammock. The beach provides a relaxing place to sunbathe as the waves crash against the shore. At Stolentime by Rendezvous, guests are encouraged to unplug from technology and immerse themselves in the resort environment, with yoga classes and relaxing activities to help guests unwind.
Lunch at the Malabar Beach Club overlooks the Caribbean Sea, offering a unique dining experience with open-sail seating and driftwood tables. Flame torches light the way to the entrance and guests dine with their feet in the sand. The menu features Creole pork and traditional West Indian Curry dishes which pair well with a bottle of Moet on Ice.
The Terrace Restaurant is a buffet-style restaurant overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Guests can enjoy a Saint Lucian breakfast. The Saint Lucian breakfast features delicious salt fish, avocado and traditional St Lucian bread and there is a wide variety of dishes available from breakfast through to supper.
The on-site French restaurant offers European classics and French wine for an elegant dining experience, while the Champagne Bar serves a different brand each night and features live music around the piano.
Friday night is a local night at the resort. A talented musician plays the steel drums as people eat Caribbean food and drink rum. Guests see beyond resort life at a local street party in Gros Islet. Street vendors line the pavements selling rum, beer, and trinkets, while the local bars are full to the rafters with revellers. A big boom box blasts soulful reggae tunes as locals teach cruise ship passengers how to dance.
More adventurous guests can partake in water skiing, windsurfing, and sailing in Hobie Cats. Scuba diving is also a chance for thrill-seekers to experience the vibrant coral reefs and the colourful sea life surrounding them. Others might prefer to stay on dry land. There’s plenty to do from tennis lessons from the resident pro, Caribbean dance classes, cycling tours around the island, beach volleyball or cricket. Those craving a more relaxed pace can play board games to choose from and enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea.
Guests can visit the Bernard Rum Distillery, owned by the hotel proprietors. In the 1700s, when sugar was king, Saint Lucia had many small plantation distilleries. By the 1950s, only two distilleries remained operational, including the Barnard Family Estate in Dennery, known for producing strong white rums. In 1972, the Barnards relocated their operations to the Roseau Valley. Guests can peer inside the bubbling vats of fermenting liquid stored in beautiful copper stills. These are aged in oak barrels that previously held bourbon and port, imparting unique flavours and colours to the rum.
At the end of the tour, visitors can sample 30 varieties of rum and liqueurs before shopping for their favourite tipple. There are banana plantations all along the road so stop to enjoy some of the sweetest fruits. At the top of Margiot Bay artisans weave banana leaf baskets, which you can purchase before dipping into the bay to catch a speedboat back to the capital. The Hurricane Hole is a great place for a cooling beer. From here, one could access great diving opportunities or explore further afield the mud baths of La Soufriere, the drive-through volcano, and the Pitons beyond. St Lucia’s dramatic west coast is an area of natural beauty, protected by UNESCO. These volcanic spires are a symbol of the island and are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Climbing them is something everyone must add to their bucket list.
Guests can enjoy a scenic ride back to Castries, past forts, lush green landscapes and cruise ships. The crowded harbour is in the centre of the Saturday market where merchants trade wares. Visitors can haggle for mementoes and find juiciest local mangoes, prayer beads and colourful scarves as they immerse themselves in daily life.
Guests can relax in the beautiful private garden river pools before a massage at the spa. There’s a lazy river and a pool shaded by trees as well as sunny spots for those who want to work on their tan. Treatments are both inside the spa and outside and attentive waiting staff make sure you are never too long without a drink.
The spa is housed within a traditional Saint Lucian building. The staff trained at the hotel’s sister resort, The Body Holiday which has won numerous awards for the best spa in the Caribbean. Guests can choose from a variety of massages, including Swedish, Deep Remedial Tissue Therapy, Aroma Stone, and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, to name but a few, Afterwards, guests can clamour into a hammock to unwind.
For a change of scenery, guests can head to the stunning Rodney Bay and have lunch at Bay Gardens Beach Resort HiTide restaurant. Guests can sample conch fritters overlooking the beach. While StolenTime is for adults only for those who want to visit the island with their family, Bay Gardens is an ideal place to stay. Guests can experience the thrill of the Splash Island Water Park with complimentary access for the whole family, or unwind by the lagoon-style pool. There’s also respite for parents when the kids go to Coral Kidz Club, which keeps children entertained with crab hunts and nature walks. Alongside its beachfront setting, Bay Gardens provides easy access to Rodney Bay Village’s diverse dining options and lively atmosphere.
Afternoons back at the resort can be filled with games and a delightful afternoon tea accompanied by the soulful melodies of a jazz musician. There is a swinging chair under the Saaman Tree, which is the perfect way for guests to reflect on the extraordinary experiences available at this resort.
The island’s natural beauty and rich culture and the genuine friendliness and hospitality of the people leave a lasting impression and stealing time back to do what makes you happy is the ultimate goal, whether that be art, fitness or simply relaxation.
