July 10, 2007, Cap Estate, St. Lucia, West Indies – Situated at the northern tip of St. Lucia, Cap Maison is set atop an ocean bluff above a secluded sandy beach with long views to historic Pigeon Island and across to the neighboring island of Martinique. Its elevated setting, between the calm waters of the Caribbean Sea on one side and the invigorating Atlantic on the other, affords panoramic vistas across land and sea at every turn. By day it is breathtaking and after sunset, the unobstructed views of the night sky are unashamedly romantic.
Cap Maison will open in March 2008. It will be the first luxury residence-style boutique hotel on St. Lucia and is estimated to have some of the largest luxury suites in the Eastern Caribbean. Construction is currently underway on the grounds of the former Cap Estate, a sugar plantation with 1,500 acres of rolling hills. Cap Maison will be an elegant 50 room hotel arranged across 22 privately owned residences, as well as villa suites, studio suites and rooms, all complete with butler service. The villa suites can be easily combined with studio suites and rooms to make up two- and three-bedroom suites, perfect for families and groups. Initially offered as an investment opportunity, all of the 22 residences have been sold to individual owners.
The project is developed by the Gobat family, with over 30 years of resort development and management in the Caribbean. Theo and Helen Gobat have been involved in St. Lucian hospitality projects since 1972. Their son, Adam Gobat, St. Lucian born and previously a commercial lawyer in the U.K. with a leading London law firm, is the CEO and project director. Adding a high level of luxury residence-style living to the island, the Gobat family is thrilled to bring the first luxury, residence-style boutique hotel to St. Lucia. A General Manager will be announced in the coming months.
Guests will be pampered at every turn by resort butlers, while other services and amenities will include a cliff top restaurant, spa, gym, beach and water sports facilities. In addition to its own resort amenities, Cap Maison will offer guests privileged access to the sports and leisure facilities of nearby resorts, including golf at the nearby St. Lucia Golf and Country Club, with its challenging 18-hole course. A new Jack Nicklaus designed course is also being constructed minutes away from the resort and is scheduled to open in 2009.
Guests who wish to explore beyond the property can venture nearby to the lively seaside fishing village of Gros Islet or to the attractions of RodneyBay, which offers a diverse range of Caribbean and international dining, as well as a thriving nightlife and shopping district. RodneyBay is also one of the Caribbean’s leading yacht destinations. The Marina is the departure point for yacht charters and sightseeing day trips, including excursions to nearby PigeonIsland, a breathtaking natural park that reflects a thousand years of history. To add the perfect touch to the day, Cap Maison will also have its own luxury boat exclusive for guests, which will be available for day trips and sunset cruises.
Venezuelan-American architect Lane Pettigrew brings a blend of Caribbean and South American-inspired design to the project. Elegant yet warm, his renderings for Cap Maison are in part a nod to colonial Mexican villages, with multi-tiered balconies overflowing with bougainvillea and terracotta roof tiles, and will be built around a central entry courtyard and fountain. The hotel is being constructed by a team of local and international craftsman, using coral stonework, hand painted tiles, exotic woods and natural finishes. The remarkably spacious, airy interiors will be done in soothing floral-inspired hues with many handmade textiles and furnishings and enclosed by wood-crafted jalousie doors and windows to allow cool breezes to flow through the space. Large bathrooms will be featured in all suites and rooms and fully appointed cooks kitchens will be di rigueur across all villa suites. Noted Caribbean landscape designer Veronica Shingleton-Smith will oversee the design and planting of the three and half acre tropical gardens. An Englishwoman now living in St. Lucia, Ms. Shingleton-Smith has designed a wide range of landscaped gardens in St. Lucia from exclusive luxury resorts to traditional private gardens, transforming them into tropical oasis’ abundant with her signature ginger lilies, heliconias and orchids.
The property’s Ocean View Grand Villa Suites measure up to 3,000 square feet, estimated as the largest in the Eastern Caribbean. They will come with a large ensuite bedroom with private balcony, kitchen and separate living/dining with veranda and a private roof terrace with its own swimming pool or Jacuzzi and bar. Ocean Villa Suites are located on the ground floor but otherwise share the same facilities, while all Studio Suites include scenic views of the Caribbean waters. Select Deluxe Rooms will have views of the lush landscaped gardens. All rooms and suites will be equipped with the latest technology, including DVD players, stereos, plasma screen televisions and wireless internet access.
A cliff-top restaurant with panoramic views and French Caribbean cuisine is likely to become one of the most coveted tables on the island. Hotel guests of the villa suites will also have the option of having their evening meal prepared in their suite by a private chef and served on their roof terrace. A walk-in wine cellar will house impressive collections not found elsewhere on the island.
For more information, visit www.capmaison.com.
ABOUT ST. LUCIA:
Located between Martinique and St. Vincent, St. Lucia was first visited by Europeans around 1550, ultimately came under Britain’s control in 1814 and remains a member of the British Commonwealth today. St. Lucia is divided into 11 quarters and is renowned as one of the most beautiful of the Caribbean islands, offering a wide contrast of landscapes ranging from one of the few remaining tropical rainforests of the region to the beautiful white and volcanic sand beaches. For more information on the island, visit www.stlucia.org.
TRAVELING TO ST. LUCIA:
All visitors to St. Lucia need a valid passport. All visitors must have a return or ongoing ticket. Airport departure tax is $21 U.S. dollars. Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) in the south, services international flights. GFLCharlesAirport in the north is used for inter-island flights.
From the United States: There is service to St. Lucia from most U.S. gateways via Air Jamaica, American Airlines, BWIA and US Airways. Flying time is three and half hours from Miami and five hours from New York.
Beginning Nov. 15, 2007, American Airlines will add new non-stop service from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to St. Lucia’s HewanorraInternationalAirport, three times weekly. Service will be flown with Boeing 757 aircraft, configured with 22 seats in First Class and 166 seats in the Main Cabin.
From Canada: Air Jamaica, Air Canada, BWIA and American Airlines provide service
For more on St. Lucia at ITKT
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