La Paloma

In Depth

Located within the residential area of Vigie, La Paloma is an interesting blend of Mexican and Caribbean styles, which has successfully created the feel of a homely Mexican hacienda with a lovely Caribbean ambiance. Set on the edge of a sea cliff (fenced in for safety) with the sound of the waves lapping the rocks below, La Paloma’s landscaped gardens are a superabundance of tropical greenery splashed with exotic flowering blooms. From most rooms and parts of the property there are splendid views across the Caribbean Sea to Rodney Bay and Pigeon Point in the north of St Lucia and to the neighbouring French island of Martinique in the distance beyond.

La Paloma is a two storey property set at the end of a driveway where pergolas festooned with tropical foliage and flowers as well as a delightful tiled courtyard garden with a fountain, wind chimes and seating make for an exotic welcome. A heavy pair of antique Mexican doors at the entrance open to the main living areas of La Paloma, which are on the upper floor. There is a spacious and homely family sitting and dining room with terracotta floor tiles and a pitched pine ceiling, and featuring chunky, Mexican wooden furnishings. The dining area has a handmade mesquite dining table and chairs, and the comfortable sitting area has wooden cushioned sofas grouped around the antique dresser which contains the cable TV and music system. A fully equipped kitchen is located off the dining area, and has an adjoining laundry and utility room. Out on the veranda, which leads off the living room, guests have another area to sit, in a grouping of wicker chairs and sofas. There is another dining option with a Mexican tiled table for four, with views over the palm fronds to Pigeon Island and on to Martinique.

Two of the six bedrooms at La Paloma are located on the upper level, to the right of the living room. A hallway leading to the bedrooms has bookshelves with a selection of board games and books. Off the hallway is the unusual master bedroom. It located on the corner and has a king-size bed with a huge wooden headboard, the back of which acts as a room divider and creates a dressing area behind the actual bed. The views from the master bed through wall to wall windows, which give way across the garden and the swaying palms to the sea, are noteworthy. They give another meaning to ‘a room with a view’. The second bedroom has a lovely, chunky wood carved four poster, queen-size bed and again, good sea views. Both bedrooms are air-conditioned and have en suite bathrooms with showers.

The second level of the villa is accessed either by the internal stairway which leads straight into a second living area or via a stairway from the main veranda down to the garden and a second covered terrace. The living area on this level is more of a family games room and has a large cable TV and casual sitting area. To one corner is a kitchen area with large fridge/freezers and a wet bar with counter and bar stools. This serves the outside living areas. French doors lead out to a covered terrace, where there is a sitting area furnished with patio furniture, which in turn leads out to the tiled pool terrace. A horseshoe shaped swimming pool is set within a tiled sun terrace, its curved edge overlooking the gardens below, and there is a good size adjoining Jacuzzi. The tiled terrace extends to a larger raised area for additional sunbathing, and this has a double built-in barbecue with buffet area, making for a popular setting for alfresco meals. The surrounding gardens which are bursting with tropical palms and flowering shrubs, have a child’s play area that includes a slide. Although situated on the edge of a sea cliff the villa’s gardens have been made child safe and are fully enclosed by fencing and a dense hedge of bougainvillea.

There are three more bedrooms at the lower level, located either side of the family games room, all are air conditioned, and comprise a south corner bedroom with queen-size, carved four-poster and en suite bathroom, and on the north corner a king size bedroom with white wicker furnishings. This gives onto the pool terrace, from where you can reach another twin room (which can convert to a king). These last two share a bathroom. All bathrooms have showers only. The sixth bedroom is located in a separate guest cottage just behind the kitchen and it has its own entrance. It is air-conditioned with a queen-size, four-poster bed, sitting area and en suite bathroom with shower.

Beach & Swimming

Being located on the edge of a steep sea cliff there is no swimming from La Paloma, but the closest beach, Vigie Beach, is less than five minutes drive. Years ago this used to be the main swimming beach in St Lucia, however Reduit Beach at Rodney Bay, about fifteen minutes to the north by car, is now the most popular and has a good range of activities. The beach at Vigie is located just across the road from the inter-island airport (former Vigie Airport) George F L Charles Airport, and stretches for a fair distance. It has golden sand with good calm swimming conditions and has plenty of almond trees for shade. It is popular with St Lucians on weekends. La Paloma has a horseshoe shaped swimming pool measuring 20ft by 20ft with an adjoining smaller pool with jets.

Sports & Recreation

The 18-hole, 6829 yard, par 71 course at the St Lucia Golf & Country Club at Cap Estate is within 20 minutes drive and has a pro shop, driving range and restaurant. The nearest tennis courts open to the public (courts must be booked in advance) are at the Rex St Lucian in Rodney Bay, about fifteen minutes by car, and the St Lucia Racquet Club at Club St Lucia in Cap Estate (about 20 minutes), which has seven floodlit Laykold cushioned tennis courts, a squash court and gym. There are also two squash courts at the St Lucia Yacht Club at Reduit in Rodney Bay. The Sportivo fitness centre at Rodney Heights is St Lucia's largest gym and offers yoga, Tai Chi and Karate classes. A variety of watersports is available from Reduit Beach including waterskiing, parasailing, jetski, sunfish and hobie cat sailing.

Luxury Wedding St Lucia

With such spectacular scenery and Tropical Villas' well trained staff in the background, a St Lucia villa can make for excellent wedding venue. Jonson is a St Lucia private rental with a wonderful setting and Tropical Villas offer an excellent service for villa weddings. The company does a good basic St Lucia wedding package, but of course you can build on this. Please see their review for further details of Tropical Villas' services for St Lucia weddings. Alternatively if you would prefer the specialist services of a local wedding co-ordinator Tropical Villas are happy to work with a company like Awesome Caribbean Weddings, which can provide imaginative suggestions and the logisitical support to make a perfect day.

Locality

Located within the residential area of Vigie, La Paloma is within five minutes drive of Vigie Beach and George F L Charles Airport. The capital Castries, with its natural deep water harbour is just ten minutes by car. On the outskirts of the town is the duty free shopping complex at Pointe Seraphine, and in the town itself the bustling fruit and vegetable market also sells some interesting handicrafts, including the local coalpots in varying sizes. There is a fairly well stocked supermarket in the town centre selling both local and imported produce. There are two good restaurants on Vigie Cove off the road into Castries, the Coal Pot and Froggie Jack's which rate among the best restaurants in St Lucia.

Rodney Bay is about fifteen minutes drive to the north and is the liveliest tourist area on the island. There are many hotels and apartments, good restaurants and bars, a shopping mall, banks, mini marts, Super J supermarket (on the main road) and a very lively nightlife. The village of Gros Islet hosts the now famous Friday Night Jump Up which is an all night street party. On the far shore of Rodney Bay is the Pigeon Island National Park, a forty four acre National Trust reserve which was joined to the mainland by a man-made causeway in 1972. The island features ruins of many 18th century British and French military buildings including Fort Rodney, and has an Interpretation Centre, a restaurant featuring local cuisine, a historical themed pub and restaurant, and a lookout point at the top of the fort. The island is also the main venue of the annual St Lucia Jazz Festival, held each May, which attracts a host of international stars. A ferry runs between the island and Rodney Bay on an hourly schedule.

Useful Hints

Ask your travel organiser or the management company (if booking direct) for initial food and drink supplies to be laid in for your arrival (a starter food pack costs approximately US $40 per person), so that the cook/housekeeper can then prepare a simple welcome meal should this be required. Thereafter, your housekeeper will be happy to assist you with your shopping should you wish to delegate this chore, however do expect to provide transportation and appropriate gratuity for this service. Rental rates for villas in St Lucia do not include 'tips', about which you will find advice in the guest information book at the villa.

Personal laundry is not included in the rental rates and charges are approximately as follows: machine wash small load EC$10, hand wash small load EC$25 and ironing small load EC$25.

Airport Meet & Greet

If you are booking direct ask the villa management company Tropical Villas to send a taxi to meet you at the airport. These are arranged with their taxi driver Desir (pronounced Daisy), who normally waits in the area just outside the customs hall at Hewanorra airport. He will hold a Tropical Villas sign and if you miss him go to the Tourist Board desk and they will page him for you. Your airport transfers are paid for locally and take approximately 1hr 30 minutes from Hewanorra and 20 minutes from George Charles. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include helicopter transfers, should consider booking a local concierge service, we recommend St Lucia Representative Services.
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking.

Getting Around

A hired car is strongly recommended for all St Lucia villas, unless you would prefer staff to call taxis for you as required. Do note that due to the rough access road, a 4 wheel drive jeep is recommended for Villa Jonson. A vehicle will be useful if you want to dine out at night or do lots of sightseeing and particularly when it comes to shopping for groceries. Book car hire via your travel organiser or direct with Drive-A-Matic (Tropical Villas will book this for you) or Cool Breeze Car & Jeep Rentals for your St Lucia car rental and ask for your vehicle to be delivered to the property approximately 3 hours after your scheduled time of arrival on St Lucia or the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day.