Not every resort can boast its own brand of rum, but Cap Maison can. In fact every element of this indulgent complex has been carefully crafted to ensure sheer luxury!
Cap Maison is located in the hills of the Cap Estate, near the northern tip of St Lucia. The boutique villa resort is built on a protrusion and boasts unrivalled, panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, Pigeon Island and, on a clear day, the neighbouring island, Martinique.
I headed down to the resort with my Mother to indulge in their spa, hotel and restaurant back in early December. From the moment we arrived, it was clear to see why Cap Maison had won so many awards: it’s calm and luxurious, and unlike anywhere else we had visited during our St Lucian break.
The Spa
Our day started in Spa Maison, where we experienced their most popular treatment, the Swedish massage. Our massage took place in the couple’s room, however residents are given the option to have treatments all over the resort, from their rooms to villa terraces and even The Rock – a private wooden deck, built on the water’s edge (I’ll come to that later)!
The full-body massage lasted an hour, and was quite possibly one of the best I’ve had. Julian, the head therapist, and his talented team of spa staff are incredibly accommodating and great at tailoring treatments to suit the individual – it’s safe to say, neither of us wanted our spa experience to end.
As well as massages, the spa offers an extensive list of treatments ranging from pedicures to facials.
The Hotel
Cap Maison is a fairly small resort. Their accommodation is spread out over 10 two-storey villas, meaning it doesn’t feel remotely overcrowded.
The white-washed villas are very homely and have a Spanish feel to them, with wooden shutters and terracotta tiling on the balconies.
Our villa consisted of a double bedroom, with a modern kitchen, a large dining/lounge area, two balconies and a spacious rooftop garden which had a small swimming pool, sun loungers and lounge area. All rooftop gardens at Cap Maison overlook the Caribbean Sea and the forested hills of Pigeon Island, making for the most gorgeous sunset views.
Due to Cap Maison’s hillside setting, some villas are more private than others with a few rooftops overlooking others. If this concerns you, raise it with reception when booking, as they will accommodate your wish if possible.
Cap Maison doesn’t have its own beach, however guests are only a short walk away from Smugglers Cove, a gorgeous stretch of public beach surrounded by towering cliffs.
Bar
Once we were showered after our afternoon swim on the rooftop, we headed to the bar for a cocktail at sundown. The open-air clifftop location is the most memorable dining/drinks spot I’ve been to in a long while. It was heaven on earth.
The restaurant feels tree house-like; it’s wooden, with open windows and is perched on top of a cliff so the views are magnificent! On the night we were there, there were two very talented jazz musicians playing easy-listening tunes, which complimented the relaxed atmosphere.
The bar has an extensive list of cocktails but their award-winning barman, Jonathon, went off menu, and made us two cocktails tailored to our favourite flavours and taste in alcohol. I’m assured he does this for all guests! My cocktail featured the house rum and passion fruit, among other tropical favours. My Mum loves mango, so Jonathon prepared a rum-based mango cocktail with citrus tones.
In addition to cocktails, the bar also boasts an award-winning wine list.
Restaurant
Two cocktails later, it was time for dinner. We were lucky enough to dine on Rock Maison, a wooden deck, which sits at the bottom of the cliff. Once on deck, you’re surrounded by gentle, rolling waves and a warm sea breeze. It’s open air so the view of the stars is unbeatable – I can’t think of a more romantic setting!
I should probably mention walking down to the rock isn’t so romantic! Health and Safety isn’t their forte and accessing the deck involves climbing down a dimly-lit staircase. Once you reach the bottom, you then walk over a wet rock area, before climbing up a rock staircase, which, again, has minimal lighting. Heels/long dresses are definitely to be avoided!
This aside, I couldn’t have more praise for this restaurant. There genuinely aren’t enough positive adjectives to describe just how good the food was! The kitchen is headed up by a Chef Jones, a Welsh Rastafarian whose passion for flavours and textures is undeniable.
We ate from the ‘Trio menu’, which I would highly recommend. As the name suggests, the dinner involves three small starters, three mains and three desserts, each course being paired with three different wines. The portions were the perfect size, and neither of us left feeling too full!
There are too many courses to name individually, so I will highlight some of our favourites. My Mother and I are huge seafood lovers, so the Lobster Risotto and Seared Tuna particularly stood out to us. The Caramelised Onion Tart and Cauliflower Velouté were equally as delicious! And, to top the meal off, the cheesecake was the best I’ve ever had!
In a nutshell:
If you’re visiting St Lucia, a trip to Cap Maison is a must! The island is bustling with colour and dance, but this resort offers a tranquil detox, even if you’re only stepping in for a cocktail!
I challenge anyone not to find their ‘happy place’ sitting at the bar, sipping on the finest rum in the Caribbean.
Contact
Address: Castries-Gros Islet Highway, Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia
Website: capmaison.com
Email: reservations@capmaison.com
Prices
Food & Wine Menu Pairing: EC$305pp
