March 2008: Situated on 19 spectacular beachfront acres on Rodney Bay, near the northern tip of St Lucia in the West Indies, The Landings offers the ideal spot for an unforgettable, luxury island getaway.
1. St Lucia � the Caribbean�s premier getaway
Approximately eight hours flight from the UK, St Lucia is the perfect Caribbean island to escape to. Serviced by Virgin Atlantic, Excel Airways and British Airways, flights depart from Manchester and London airports, some stopping on other Caribbean islands en route or on return. With lush rainforests and beautiful white sandy beaches, waterfalls and stunning mountains, the tropical St Lucia has a landscape to rival anywhere in the world.
2. Spacious accommodations � ideal for individual travellers or families
For those who enjoy the luxury of style, location and above all, space - The Landings is the only choice. With the largest rooms on the island, each residence is elegantly appointed in classic or contemporary style and features a fully equipped kitchen, living room, dining room, powder room, bathroom for each bedroom, air conditioning and ceiling fans, balcony or landscaped terrace, and spectacular views of the ocean, inlet or harbour. Most accommodations have four-poster beds in the master bedrooms whilst ground and top-floor units have jetted plunge pools. From one bedroom suites to three-bedroom grand suites, 62 residences opened in December 2007 with further openings staggered through 2008, 2009 and 2010 with approximately 60 additional units a year.
3. Celebrity hideaway
Used as a hideaway by a selection of A-listers � including Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage, Morgan Freeman and Oprah Winfrey � the island of St Lucia was best known in 2007 as the hideaway destination for Amy Winehouse and husband Blake Fielder-Civil. Rodney Bay � home to The Landings � was the location for much of the filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, with star Johnny Depp buying a property on the island. The ship used in the film is moored in Rodney Bay and is available for private hire.
4. Weddings and honeymoons
The Landings St Lucia is the ultimate location for a wedding � its luxurious oversized suites are perfect for family and friends, and the elegant and relaxed atmosphere will provide the wedding party with all they need to enjoy the nuptials in style. Receptions can be held throughout the grounds, in the Grand Pavilion and in the Beach Club Restaurant. Named the world�s leading honeymoon destination at the World Travel Awards four times since 2002, St Lucia is a fabulous destination for newlyweds. Couples can escape for a private lunch or quiet afternoon with a private beach excursion. With pristine white-sand beaches and unmatched waterfront views, The Landings St Lucia inspires romance.
5. Spa
The RockResorts Spa at The Landings St Lucia honours the island�s natural treasures by integrating indigenous products and rituals into its inspiring architectural design, stylish d�cor, innovative spa treatments and personalised services. Examples include: St Lucia coal pots with local herbs, spices and fragrant botanicals placed throughout the spa; treatments using signature island spices such as vanilla, cacao, nutmeg, cinnamon, bay leaf and ginger; and integrated massage techniques drawn from the traditions of the Arawak and the Caribs (St Lucia�s first known inhabitants) and the people of the six Windward and Leeward islands.
6. Golf
St Lucia Golf Resort and Country Club is located ten minutes from The Landings. A semi-private, 18-hole, par 71 championship golf course, expertly designed with a beautiful tropical landscape, it has something for players of all skill levels. Golf clubs, shoes and carts are available for hire and The Landings concierge can assist guests with priority booking tee times and arranging transportation. The St Lucia Golf Resort and Country Club, with its brand new facilities and Club House, has hosted several big names including Bill Clinton and Tony Greig.
7. Water sports
A water-lover�s dream, St Lucia is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The Landings� 800-foot beachfront offers a variety of water sports. Guests may hire equipment, take excursions or receive lessons in a range of activities including: windsurfing; small boat sailing; sea kayaking; deep sea fishing; scuba diving and snorkelling. Excursions around Rodney Bay and sunset sailing providing stunning views of the bay and the Pitons depart from The Landings� four-acre private marina.
8. Culture and Heritage
Located at Rodney Bay, one of the most popular harbours, The Landings is ideally located for those looking to experience Caribbean culture. Ways to explore the island include plantation tours, botanical gardens, the Castries heritage tours and boat tours. The island of St Lucia � known as the Helen of the West Indies due to similarities to Helen of Troy who was fought over � changed hands 14 times in 150 years of British and French conflict. The British took control of the island in 1814, with the French presence still felt in the use of Creole language. In 1979, St Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth.
The small island has the highest ratio in the world for number of Nobel laureates compared to the total population. Economist Sir Arthur Lewis was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979 � the year of St Lucia�s independence � and playwright and poet Derek Walcott won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992. Other famous St Lucians include Isaac Julien, filmmaker who won the Semaine de la Critique prize at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2001; cricketer Darren Sammy � the first St Lucian to make the West Indies team for an international match; and Joseph Marcell � an actor who appeared as the loved butler Geoffrey in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and serves on the board of the Globe Theatre.
9. Bananas
Bananas are big business in St Lucia � since 1925 they have been a vital part of the St Lucian economy and can be found in everything from honey and wine, to banana ketchup! Despite European Union phasing out their preference for Windward Island bananas in 2006, sales of the fruit are going from strength to strength, with supermarket giant Sainsbury�s buying 75% of the island�s annual banana crop for their Fairtrade programme (approximately 95% of the supermarket�s entire banana stock). Bananas are the largest crop on the island, followed by plantain, coconuts and mangos. Over 50 types of mango can be found on the island and some people even consider St Lucia to resemble a mango or an avocado!
10. Chocolate Heaven
In 2005, the well known chocolate house, Hotel Chocolat (www.hotelchocolat.co.uk) acquired an historic cocoa plantation in St Lucia. With St Lucia�s agricultural sector in severe decline and with 30% unemployment across the island, Hotel Chocolat is putting its expertise from Ghana to good use by revitalising the plantation with much needed investment and replanting.
With the construction of a chocolate making facility on the cocoa estate, within two years Hotel Chocolat will be employing local labour and using local sugar to make the chocolate from their plantation, as well as buying cocoa from neighbouring farmers at a rate that enables them to make a profit and re-invest in their cocoa farm.
Rates
Leap Year Package
Stay at The Landings St Lucia during the 2008 Leap Year and receive one night of lodging for free! Rates start at $298 (�150.23*) per night for a seven-night stay and are available through 18th December 2008. Rate is available for a minimum of seven nights depending on season. Rate is available for a two and three bedroom residences. Room upgrades may be available. Blackouts and restrictions apply. Featured rate is available 1st April � 26th November 2008 based on quadruple occupancy. Other rates, dates and unit types available.
Stay and Play (Family Fun!)
Receive a $50 (�25.21*) Resort Activity credit and enjoy breakfast at the Yacht Haven Restaurant each day! Rates from $279 (�140.67*) per night. Offering the perfect combination of luxury, adventure and all the comforts of home, The Landings St. Lucia is the ideal family vacation destination. Book the Family Fun Getaway package and enjoy the convenience of breakfast in our beach front restaurant plus $50 (�25.21*) in activity credits per bedroom, per night.
Package Includes:
� Nightly accommodations
� $50 in activity credits per bedroom per day
� Breakfast at the Yacht Haven each morning
Rates are subject to availability, blackouts, and restrictions. Not available 2nd � 11th May 2008 or 25th December 2008 � 5th January 2009. Rates are per unit, per night, based on standard occupancy. Rates do not include taxes, service fees or gratuities. Featured rate valid for a one bedroom residence 12th May � 27th November 2008. Other rates, dates and unit types available.
* Rates at times of going to press �1 GBP = 1.98362 USD.
For more information about The Landings St Lucia, visit www.thelandingsstlucia.com.
For reservations, please call the The Landings St. Lucia at 0800 652 9575 / 970 496 1430 or email [email protected].
About RockResorts
RockResorts' luxury resort hotels offer casually elegant accommodations, lavish RockResorts Spas�, renowned golf courses, award-winning dining and a variety of exciting outdoor adventures. The RockResorts collection includes Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado; The Pines Lodge in Beaver Creek, Colorado; Keystone Lodge & Spa in Keystone, Colorado; The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in the Vail Valley, Colorado; The Lodge at Vail in Vail, Colorado; La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Snake River Lodge & Spa in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Future RockResorts include The Arrabelle at Vail Square in Vail, Colorado (scheduled to open in December 2007); The Chateau at Heavenly Village in Lake Tahoe, California (scheduled to open in 2009); Eleven Biscayne Hotel & Spa in Miami, Florida (scheduled to open in 2009); and Rum Cay Resort Marina in Rum Cay, The Bahamas (scheduled to open in 2010).
For more information contact:
Magellan PR on Tel: 020 8875 2850
Email: [email protected]