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St. Lucia
The Experience
Ladera breaks the mold on tropical island escape, a resort that proves beyond a shadow of doubt that sea and sand aren't the only things that guests get off on. They also dig funky decor, incredible cuisine, sublime service and views that really do take your breath away -- from the altitude, if nothing else. Perched in the rugged mountain above St. Lucia's leeward shore, Ladera blows your mind from the get-go, situated so high in the sky it's like you're looking down on the island from an airplane. The tradeoff -- and it's a big one -- is not having the beach right outside your door; the nearest strand is Jalousie Bay, about 15 minutes by road straight down the mountain. But there's plenty going on at the resort, along with tons of excursions. Or you might well spend a full day just pondering a view that has few equals -- in the Caribbean, or for that matter, the entire planet.
The RoomsLike a giant snake slithering across the Lucian landscape, the resort's villas and suites meander along the ridge in linear fashion, arranged for maximum privacy and extreme panoramas of Jalousie Bay and the Piton peaks. All of them boast a retractable west wall that can be fully closed (to keep out the chill that sometimes descends on the mountaintop) or left completely open for easy access to a private terrace with a plunge pool engulfed by lush tropical vegetation. No two rooms are exactly alike in dimensions or decor. Furnishings range from French colonial four-poster beds to contemporary wicker, with Caribbean art strewn here and there as foils to the indoor plants. The supersecluded deluxe hilltop suite sports a wooden "viewing gazebo," which could double as a tree house.
The ServiceHarrison Ford, David Bowie, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey count among former habitués; that alone speaks volumes for the standard of service. But this is the sort of place that treats every guest like the chairman of Microsoft: Staff are highly efficient, unobtrusive and not afraid to smile.
The HighlightsSome guests return to Ladera again and again not for the view, but for the incredible food; Dasheene Restaurant is often counted among the best eateries in the entire Caribbean, and with good reason. Local chef Nigel Mitchell and English-born Orlando Satchell have created a mouthwatering menu that blends the best of Continental and Creole cooking, with dishes like Lucian lamb curry, tangy island tamales, or seared duck breast in a passion fruit sauce, everything served al fresco in a dining area with views every bit as stunning as the rooms.
-- Joe Yogerst
