Saint Lucia is a lesser known destination known only to the highest connoisseurs of luxury. As a destination, Saint Lucia has two pitons (stunning mountain ranges) to offer. The gros piton – the higher piton and the petit piton, a smaller piton as the name suggests. Ladera Resort is located exactly in the middle of both the pitons, offering stunning views of the Caribbean and two mountains perched protecting each end. At Ladera, I realised wellness and luxury are closely intertwined. The more luxury there is, the more wellness I am able to feel.
Here are five relaxing elements I found at Ladera Resort which helped me feel better and reconnect with myself.
The open room concept at Ladera
At the offset, my mind felt relaxed when I saw the open concept room at Ladera. Without any windows or glass separating the room from the real world, Ladera opened up to the pitons and caribbean, birds came into the room itself and hummed music. Ladera has no fourth wall in the room, it’s open – overlooking the skies, caribbean and pitons. It is luxury notched up to another level. I also had a private swimming pool in my room which gave me access to the best views. As I sat in the room, I realised there was much to do in terms of reading and writing. I was able to push my jarring thoughts and feel deeply inspired.
Vegetarian food delights
Since I am a vegetarian, the food at the Dashene restaurant at Ladera was made using local caribbean ingredients like soursap, dashene, breadfruit and other ingredients. It was truly a farm to table concept since I picked a lot of the raw ingredients from the farm and learned to cook with Chef Nigel Mitchel. The food I ate felt fresh, gave me energy and nutrition and made me feel renewed. I could tell the plants were happier growing in special conditions and less pollution, unlike big cities where I live. Wellness goes beyond one element, it is a holistic concept and combines food, living, mental health and connection – most of all.
A hike within the resort
At Ladera, there is a beautiful hike with the farm gardener that leads to the treehouse. On the hike, I felt connected with nature around me. I felt like I was taking in the view of the pitons and imbibing their strength in my life. Saint Lucia happens to be a country which is situated amidst a volcanic caldera. The volcanic views across offer stunning landscapes. There is a volcanic sulphur spring not too far from the hotel, where I engaged in mud baths and hot water oozing straight from volcanic geysers.
Spa and therapy
I also engaged in spa therapy at their spa which relaxed me. The spa was overlooking green trees on a mountain in the distance, so there was a feeling of abundance. I also enjoyed a steam and sauna at their local sauna. Most of all, I believe it was immersing in luxury that helped me relax and rejuvenate. Life has so much to offer but we must not forget to treat and pamper ourselves every once in a while. And of course, did I mention there are some stunning beaches with crystal white sands and blue waters you can dip in – at a stone’s throwaway from Ladera? I had my experience and I can’t wait to go back when I want to improve my wellness again.
Treehouse moments
Ladera houses a treehouse in the middle of nowhere leading to a perched top with several games to play – chess, mancala and more. It is also a good place to sit and stare at nature. As I sat here, I realised it was a great place to journal and I journalled my thoughts and goals. It all felt very fleeting yet quite prominent. There is beauty in sitting, thinking and doing nothing at all. It is like self care in itself.
Privacy
Ladera Resort feels like the epitome of privacy. Private butlers, stand alone rooms overlooking the Caribbean and plenty of time to oneself to do absolutely nothing. There is so much beauty in being yourself and doing pretty much nothing else. And while the world is forcing us to be someone we are not – it is important to just be you.
