If you ever wondered what ‘death by chocolate’ is like, there is a place in Saint Lucia that will get you pretty close to that feeling.
April in Toronto is notoriously grim – blinding sunshine lures us out of hibernation, surprising us with wind, sporadic rain and the occasional, and unwelcome, blast of snow.
T.S. Elliot was right…it really is the cruelest month.
For that reason, I like to vacate this drab city every spring. Last year, my heart yearned for late season skiing in Nagano. But this year the Caribbean was calling loud, and my partner was adamant about staying in our time zone. Part of me wanted to return to one of our favorite places; Sivananda in the Bahamas, GoldenEye in Jamaica or the Crane in Barbados. But it was time for something new, something wildly different. We picked Saint Lucia.
I had visited the island once and vowed to return under one condition only – that my stay take me to the dramatic west side of the island. With its roaring waterfalls, dense jungle and vibrant culture, the area surrounding Soufriere stands out as the most impressive nook on Saint Lucia, and potentially of all the East Caribbean.
And within that microcosm of natural bliss stands one property of much intrigue – Hotel Rabot From Hotel Chocolat , a 25-room sustainable boutique hotel owned by the luxury UK chocolate brand, Hotel Chocolat.
Arriving at the Estate
The wheels touched down and airplane doors opened to a blast of hot, humid island air – we had arrived. After a quick passport stamp, our driver greeted us with cool towels, cold Pitons (the local beer) and whisked us off on a winding journey to the estate.
This cacao farm-turned-boutique hotel gained immediate notoriety when it opened its doors in 2011. Prior to its arrival, Saint Lucia’s glistening west coast had been a hodgepodge of upscale hotels with air-conditioned rooms and all the comforts of home. The island was ready for a bold new experience.
Don’t get me wrong – I love an American breakfast buffet as much as the next girl, but my recent travels have left me craving deeper, more immersive experiences. Ones that have the potential to leave an impression long after I’ve returned home. Could delving into the world of cocoa do this? It seemed like a strong possibility.
Cocoa Abound
We arrived just as the sun was beginning to sink behind Petit Piton, one of the two dormant volcanoes and the defining visual feature of the island.
While checking in, we sipped our first craft cocktail of the trip, the ‘Masters Rum Punch’, a delightfully refreshing take on the east Caribbean signature drink. We then made our way to our Luxe Lodge where the magic really began. This beautiful hut perched on the side of hill was stocked to the gills with all the luxuries one might expect from a boutique hotel of this caliber. When I saw the open-sky rainforest shower and private verandah with views of Petit Piton, I knew we were in for a restful sleep. Best of all, though, were the goodies stocked in the pantry – roasted plantation coconut treats, 65% dark chocolate truffles made from the estate, and an in-room Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser for making drinking chocolate. Our culinary journey in the deep, rich world of chocolate had begun.
We slipped into our robes and headed to the pool.
Unwinding
To me, a key measure of a good boutique hotel is its pool. And, well, this one measured up at first sight. With staggering views of Petit Piton and crisp, cool water, I knew right away I’d want to spend many hours poolside reading books and playing chess. We watched the sun set, sampled more of the bar’s chocolate infusion cocktail creations and embraced the sumptuously slower pace of island life.
The Restaurant
After a few too many cocktails, the White Chocolate Margareta being my favorite, dinner was a bit of a hazy affair. Despite my lack of mental clarity, I was still blown away by the daring and true-to-the-locale menu. Every dish contained hints of chocolate, from the cacao cannelloni to the cacao braised local pork to our succulent cacao nib-marinated sea scallops. All these, served with a side of white chocolate mash, warm cacao spiced eggplant and coconut spiced callaloo and green banana made me wonder how I could ever return to a land where chocolate wasn’t everywhere all the time.
Even now, just reading the menu makes my mouth water.
But let’s be clear, if you happen to be travelling with someone who does not like chocolate as much as you (my condolences), there is plenty on the menu in which cocoa is subtle at most. Plus, the selection of wines from all over the world would be sufficient to impress anyone.
Tree to Bean to Bar
With a symphony of bird song and sounds of the jungle, we stirred from our slumber earlier than usual. Feeling a little worse for wear after the past evening’s indulgences, we ate a delicious breakfast of local fruit and saltfish hash, then proceeded to Project Chocolate, Hotel Chocolat’s working cacao farm. Upon arrival, our guide Taj gave us a crash course on the cacao plant. We learned that three types of the plant exist, all of which thrive in Saint Lucia’s rich volcanic soil. After eight years producing nothing, the plant begins to produce pods which contain forty to sixty seeds. The pods are picked, the seeds are extracted, and then shell separated from the nibs inside. They are then fermented, sun dried, roasted, and ground into cocoa powder, the base ingredient of chocolate. (Note: Cacao is the term used to describe the plant. Cocoa is the term used once the product has been roasted). After touring the working farm, which contained everything from coconuts to limes to herbs, we made our way upstairs to make our own personal bar of dark chocolate.
First, we used the mortar and pestle to grind the nibs into a paste in a hot stone bowl. Then, we added the cocoa butter. While carefully mixing the melting cocoa butter in with the paste, Taj told us that the best and purest chocolate in the world should contain just three ingredients – pure cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. That’s it. After a long time of mixing and grinding to create a smooth texture, we poured the hot liquid chocolate into a mold and the work was done. Once it solidified, we would have our own 65% organic chocolate bar to take home with us, if it would make it that far.
Beaches, Waterfalls and Volcanic Mud Baths
After a delicious lunch of roti, fried plantain and cocoa nachos (yes, chocolate is everywhere), we made our way in a taxi to the famed Sugar Beach. As part of the Viceroy property, external guests are allowed to access the beach for a swim in the crystal-clear waters off the west coast. Wedged between the two pitons, this swimming spot is one of the closest beaches to the hotel, and the perfect place to relax for an afternoon. Once we’d had our fill of sun and sand, we had our driver drop us to Piton Falls, a small hot spring waterfall. It was pleasant, though next time I would opt for the bigger, cold-water Toraille Falls east of Soufriere for a more refreshing experience. And the next morning, we enjoyed sunrise in the warm volcanic mud bath just a short walk from the hotel.
Hotel Chocolat and the Future of Sustainable Tourism
It was while I was sipping my single-origin iced coffee (made of beans grown on the estate) that a thought struck me. I’ve worked in sustainability for many years, and most organizations grapple with the conundrum of how to make sustainability a financially viable part of their business. Hotel Chocolat has taken a brilliant approach. Sustainable farming is higher cost and lower yield than industrial agriculture, but adding tourism into the mix changes the business model completely. In essence, guests looking for a unique, immersive, and educational experience visit Hotel Rabot by Hotel Chocolat – the spend helps fund the working farm, which in turn makes it more financially viable for Hotel Chocolat as a brand to embed sustainability into their supply chain. Voila – a win-win-win arrangement.
It’s been two weeks since I returned from that beautiful place, and I haven’t been able to look at chocolate the same way again. To me, that is the hallmark of immersive, meaningful travel – something so special it changes the way you see something forever.
Chocolate became even more precious in my eyes.
