LES CHAUDIERES

I hate to give away a secret this good, but it just seems too selfish to keep this find to myself...

After our sailing adventure, we felt the need for some rest & relaxation for a few days. (Lounging on the deck of the boat & snorkeling was really hard work...) We had waited until the last minute to book anything and none of us were expecting much, but as we pulled into the long drive, we could tell this place was unique. (Special thanks to Christina for discovering it!) It felt a little like we'd snuck into some celebrity's vacation home. It all seemed just a little too good to be true- the house perched on a cliff facing the ocean, the rainbow over the valley, our own chef & groundskeeper, the open air living & dining room, an outdoor shower, a ping pong table, a library, a beautiful pool... we had discovered Les Chaudieres.

It's a 4 acre estate just outside of the small fishing village of Anse La Raye in St.Lucia. The views are breathtaking and even with the bugs & bats, I think we were all ready to move in for an extended period of time. You lounge by the pool all day reading books, play in the water, hike the 200 feet down to the beach at the base of the hill, play a little guitar, a little ping pong, and wait for the dinner bell to ring. That's what I call the good life. Our dinner the last night basically sealed the deal. We had mahi mahi grilled to perfection on the fire pit in the living room, topped with a fresh mango salsa, and served with fresh veggies, salad, and a key lime pie made from scratch. It just doesn't get much better than that. We were ready to take Christy, the chef, home with us.

I highly recommend a visit if you're ever on the island! I certainly hope to make it back there myself one of these days.