Regional carrier SVG Air launched daily, roundtrip service between St. Lucia’s Hewanorra Airport and Canouan Island in the Grenadines.
The 20-minute flight departs St. Lucia at 4:15 p.m., allowing travelers from the mainland U.S. to connect from earlier flights arriving on American, Delta, JetBlue and US Airways.
From Canouan, the flight leaves at noon, in time for onward return flights to the U.S.
Canouan is home to Carenage Bay (the former Raffles resort) and Tamarind Beach Hotel & Yacht Club.
Monday, 26 July 2010
Caribbean Homes Magazine
Situated on the exclusive south west-tip of St Lucia are the twin peaks of the Pitons, the islands best-known landmark. Rising dramatically out of the turquoise ocean to over 2,000 feet these mountains cradle the Val des Pitons at their base. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of outstanding natural beauty, and is also the location for a new five-star resort being constructed on the site of the original Jalousie Plantation.
Roger Myers, the former owner of the Cafe Rouge restaurant chain, bought the hotel in 2005 and is now spearheading a $100million transformation programme aimed at turning it into one of the Caribbean’s premier resorts. Managed by elite brand The Tides, part of the Viceroy Hotel Group, the resort will be rebranded at the end of 2011 as The Tides Sugar Beach.
Work on the project is well under way, and some of the major features have already been completed. These include a striking bar and club in the main building of the new hotel, where Roger Myers’ impressive personal modern art collection adds an uber-cool feel to the resort. Other amenities include two white sand beaches, beach club and lounge, gourmet restaurants, water sports centre, marine reserve for snorkelling, games room,
children’s play centre and a swimming pool.
A focal point of the resort is the Rainforest Spa, which consists of tree house treatment cabanas connected by wooden walkways that snake up the side of the hill under the rainforest canopy.
The strong focus on detail and design extends to the hotel rooms, which are actually luxurious colonial villas incorporating individual plunge pools and vast terraces with incredible views. Architect Lane Pettigrew is responsible for the redesign of both the resort and the luxury Sugar Beach Villas that are nestled in small clusters among the 130 acres of rainforest around the resort. Butler stations for each cluster take care of the individual needs of each guest.
Each of the freehold hotel villas is available to purchase fully-furnished. Prices start at US$700,000 for a one-bedroom villa and go up to US$2.1million for a superior deluxe two-bedroom villa.
Owners are entitled to four weeks personal usage of their villa each year and will also receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled. The purchase price of the villa determines the points allocated to each owner in the pool. Owners will also benefit from a guaranteed minimum return of 5% until the end of 2012.
There are also 31 meticulously appointed Private Residences available to purchase. These secluded Residences feature open living and dining areas perfectly designed for entertaining, complete with infinity-edged pools. Each spacious detached island home affords spectacular Piton or oceanfront views and can be used as little or as often as you wish. If you would like to rent out your residence, The Tides will manage everything for you providing the best of both worlds; the seclusion of an exclusive island home and the five-star marketing and management to enhance rental when not in use. Prices range from US$3million to US$7million for a three, four or five bedroom residence.
A little further along the beach British Aristocrat Lord Glenconner, who originally discovered the site between the Pitons in 1982, has put his name to five contemporary freehold residences to be known as Glenconner Beach. These immaculate homes are positioned directly on the beach with uninterrupted views of the bay and the Pitons.
Also designed by Lane Pettigrew with a modern twist on traditional Caribbean style with five or six bedrooms, the homes afford luxurious swimming pools and extensive terraces.
Owners are also able to meet with Lane to discuss any minor alterations or changes to perfect their ideal Caribbean residence. Each has five or six bedrooms, with prices from US$7million to US$9million.
The Jalousie Plantation has enjoyed 20 years of successful operating history, with a proven demand for the resort and average annual occupancy rates recorded at around 70% for the last five years. The St Lucian Government is vetting new developments very carefully and has granted owners at The Tides Sugar Beach a 15 year holiday on income tax and a 50% waiver on annual property tax for five years.
Properties of this calibre, in terms of beachfront location and an elite hotel management brand are 30-40% more expensive in Barbados. The accessibility is also a key selling point with daily direct flights to St Lucia from the UK, USA and Canada. What’s more, the UNESCO World Heritage Status of the Val des Pitons ensures protection from neighbouring overdevelopment, giving Sugar Beach the exclusivity you would find in other wealthier Caribbean Islands such as Anguilla, St Barts or Mustique.
Roger Myers, the former owner of the Cafe Rouge restaurant chain, bought the hotel in 2005 and is now spearheading a $100million transformation programme aimed at turning it into one of the Caribbean’s premier resorts. Managed by elite brand The Tides, part of the Viceroy Hotel Group, the resort will be rebranded at the end of 2011 as The Tides Sugar Beach.
Work on the project is well under way, and some of the major features have already been completed. These include a striking bar and club in the main building of the new hotel, where Roger Myers’ impressive personal modern art collection adds an uber-cool feel to the resort. Other amenities include two white sand beaches, beach club and lounge, gourmet restaurants, water sports centre, marine reserve for snorkelling, games room,
children’s play centre and a swimming pool.
A focal point of the resort is the Rainforest Spa, which consists of tree house treatment cabanas connected by wooden walkways that snake up the side of the hill under the rainforest canopy.
The strong focus on detail and design extends to the hotel rooms, which are actually luxurious colonial villas incorporating individual plunge pools and vast terraces with incredible views. Architect Lane Pettigrew is responsible for the redesign of both the resort and the luxury Sugar Beach Villas that are nestled in small clusters among the 130 acres of rainforest around the resort. Butler stations for each cluster take care of the individual needs of each guest.
Each of the freehold hotel villas is available to purchase fully-furnished. Prices start at US$700,000 for a one-bedroom villa and go up to US$2.1million for a superior deluxe two-bedroom villa.
Owners are entitled to four weeks personal usage of their villa each year and will also receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled. The purchase price of the villa determines the points allocated to each owner in the pool. Owners will also benefit from a guaranteed minimum return of 5% until the end of 2012.
There are also 31 meticulously appointed Private Residences available to purchase. These secluded Residences feature open living and dining areas perfectly designed for entertaining, complete with infinity-edged pools. Each spacious detached island home affords spectacular Piton or oceanfront views and can be used as little or as often as you wish. If you would like to rent out your residence, The Tides will manage everything for you providing the best of both worlds; the seclusion of an exclusive island home and the five-star marketing and management to enhance rental when not in use. Prices range from US$3million to US$7million for a three, four or five bedroom residence.
A little further along the beach British Aristocrat Lord Glenconner, who originally discovered the site between the Pitons in 1982, has put his name to five contemporary freehold residences to be known as Glenconner Beach. These immaculate homes are positioned directly on the beach with uninterrupted views of the bay and the Pitons.
Also designed by Lane Pettigrew with a modern twist on traditional Caribbean style with five or six bedrooms, the homes afford luxurious swimming pools and extensive terraces.
Owners are also able to meet with Lane to discuss any minor alterations or changes to perfect their ideal Caribbean residence. Each has five or six bedrooms, with prices from US$7million to US$9million.
The Jalousie Plantation has enjoyed 20 years of successful operating history, with a proven demand for the resort and average annual occupancy rates recorded at around 70% for the last five years. The St Lucian Government is vetting new developments very carefully and has granted owners at The Tides Sugar Beach a 15 year holiday on income tax and a 50% waiver on annual property tax for five years.
Properties of this calibre, in terms of beachfront location and an elite hotel management brand are 30-40% more expensive in Barbados. The accessibility is also a key selling point with daily direct flights to St Lucia from the UK, USA and Canada. What’s more, the UNESCO World Heritage Status of the Val des Pitons ensures protection from neighbouring overdevelopment, giving Sugar Beach the exclusivity you would find in other wealthier Caribbean Islands such as Anguilla, St Barts or Mustique.
Monday, 5 July 2010
Foreign Property Buyer
Female property investors are becoming increasingly confident about the overseas property market; Cardea Property Consultants, sales and marketing agents for Sugar Beach villas in St Lucia, have sold luxury villas totalling $14.5 million in their first six months of operation. Since the all-female agency set up in December 2009, four private residences and three freehold rental pool villas have been sold.
Their success is down to several factors:
- They are selling properties on a Freehold basis which is very unusual as beachfront land is leasehold in St Lucia
- Owners receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled and then split between owners proportionately according to the purchase price of their villa
- The developer is not reliant on bank finance to complete the renovation and the project.
There is a number of reasons to buy investment property in St Lucia:
A sound investment: St. Lucia offers the same advantages as other Caribbean properties, with prices currently 60-65 per cent less for the equivalent floor space. The island’s tax regulations ensure minimal taxes on re-sales; no estate taxes and no tax on rental income for the first 10 years of ownership (15 years for Sugar Beach).
Culture: St. Lucia provides the best of both worlds: a laid-back friendly island atmosphere with modern amenities and North American building standards. Influenced by a blend of African, French and English traditions, St. Lucians are known as the friendliest people in the Caribbean, if not the world. The island hosts a wide array of cultural festivals, giving visitors a true taste of the tropics.
Security: St. Lucia is a stable, independent nation, providing visitors with an established and trusted banking system, excellent medical services and a safe tourism environment.
Accessible location: St. Lucia is an ideal location for those looking to escape the cold winter months. It is easily accessible from London Heathrow and London Gatwick from where there are 5 flights per week with British Airways and 3 flights per week with Virgin. St Lucia is also accessible by sea as a popular cruise and sailing destination.
A tropical paradise: St. Lucia offers rainforest hiking and walking, some of the world’s best sailing, the Piton mountains and golden sand beaches.
Cardea Property Consultants, sales and marketing agents for Sugar Beach villas in St Lucia, have sold luxury villas totalling $14.5 million in their first six months of operation. Since the all-female agency set up in December 2009, four private residences and three freehold rental pool villas have been sold.
Lisa Basire, marketing director, puts Cardea’s success down to several factors. She says: “Sugar Beach is being sold on a freehold basis, which is extremely unusual in St Lucia as beachfront land is leasehold.
“We have been able to sell new-build rental pool villas, which form the accommodation for the resort because the existing hotel – the Jalousie Plantation – has 20 years of trading history. That’s why Sugar Beach is able to offer owners an exact 37.5% of the pooled room revenue rather than paying a split of the profit because they know what the running costs are and they know the occupancy levels. For added confidence, purchasers of these fully furnished rental pool villas enjoy a minimum 5% rental guarantee from handover and for the first 12 months after the hotel (Jalousie Plantation) re-opens as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2011.”
Owners are entitled to use their villa for four weeks each year. For a one bedroom villa this is the equivalent to a saving of around US$23,100 each year.
Lisa continues: “We are finding, however, that the three bed – roomed private residences are the most popular purchases. I think the reason for this might be that the type of purchaser coming in at this level is more focused on retaining privacy and anonymity.”
“Another positive of Sugar Beach in this difficult world market, is that the developer is not reliant on bank finance to complete the $100 million development, giving investors’ peace of mind that the resort will be re-developed as planned.”
Most investors at the Sugar Beach resort are primarily from Britain making up 56% of the total purchases, followed by Europeans and Americans which together make up for 30% of the sales. Buyers of the Private Residences get all the benefits of the ongoing US$100 million redevelopment of the former Jalousie Plantation resort which will redefine the concept of luxury when complete and re-launched as the Tides Sugar Beach Resort in 2011.
Their success is down to several factors:
- They are selling properties on a Freehold basis which is very unusual as beachfront land is leasehold in St Lucia
- Owners receive a 37.5% share of the total room revenue, which will be pooled and then split between owners proportionately according to the purchase price of their villa
- The developer is not reliant on bank finance to complete the renovation and the project.
There is a number of reasons to buy investment property in St Lucia:
A sound investment: St. Lucia offers the same advantages as other Caribbean properties, with prices currently 60-65 per cent less for the equivalent floor space. The island’s tax regulations ensure minimal taxes on re-sales; no estate taxes and no tax on rental income for the first 10 years of ownership (15 years for Sugar Beach).
Culture: St. Lucia provides the best of both worlds: a laid-back friendly island atmosphere with modern amenities and North American building standards. Influenced by a blend of African, French and English traditions, St. Lucians are known as the friendliest people in the Caribbean, if not the world. The island hosts a wide array of cultural festivals, giving visitors a true taste of the tropics.
Security: St. Lucia is a stable, independent nation, providing visitors with an established and trusted banking system, excellent medical services and a safe tourism environment.
Accessible location: St. Lucia is an ideal location for those looking to escape the cold winter months. It is easily accessible from London Heathrow and London Gatwick from where there are 5 flights per week with British Airways and 3 flights per week with Virgin. St Lucia is also accessible by sea as a popular cruise and sailing destination.
A tropical paradise: St. Lucia offers rainforest hiking and walking, some of the world’s best sailing, the Piton mountains and golden sand beaches.
Cardea Property Consultants, sales and marketing agents for Sugar Beach villas in St Lucia, have sold luxury villas totalling $14.5 million in their first six months of operation. Since the all-female agency set up in December 2009, four private residences and three freehold rental pool villas have been sold.
Lisa Basire, marketing director, puts Cardea’s success down to several factors. She says: “Sugar Beach is being sold on a freehold basis, which is extremely unusual in St Lucia as beachfront land is leasehold.
“We have been able to sell new-build rental pool villas, which form the accommodation for the resort because the existing hotel – the Jalousie Plantation – has 20 years of trading history. That’s why Sugar Beach is able to offer owners an exact 37.5% of the pooled room revenue rather than paying a split of the profit because they know what the running costs are and they know the occupancy levels. For added confidence, purchasers of these fully furnished rental pool villas enjoy a minimum 5% rental guarantee from handover and for the first 12 months after the hotel (Jalousie Plantation) re-opens as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2011.”
Owners are entitled to use their villa for four weeks each year. For a one bedroom villa this is the equivalent to a saving of around US$23,100 each year.
Lisa continues: “We are finding, however, that the three bed – roomed private residences are the most popular purchases. I think the reason for this might be that the type of purchaser coming in at this level is more focused on retaining privacy and anonymity.”
“Another positive of Sugar Beach in this difficult world market, is that the developer is not reliant on bank finance to complete the $100 million development, giving investors’ peace of mind that the resort will be re-developed as planned.”
Most investors at the Sugar Beach resort are primarily from Britain making up 56% of the total purchases, followed by Europeans and Americans which together make up for 30% of the sales. Buyers of the Private Residences get all the benefits of the ongoing US$100 million redevelopment of the former Jalousie Plantation resort which will redefine the concept of luxury when complete and re-launched as the Tides Sugar Beach Resort in 2011.
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