FollowLola wants to chase the sunshine!
Not sure if you’ve noticed but I’ve been a bit obsessed with beaches lately. Let’s see, I wrote about Portugal’s Top 5 beaches and Florida’s Top 6 last week for starters. Even though there is still a month left of summer, I feel like the season is getting away from me. I truly think I’m the least tan I’ve ever been and the dread of the LOOOONG winter in Massachusetts is already creeping into my mind. UGH. So what is a beach girl to do? Think of ALL the ways she can have an Endless Summer is what!
I imagine you are thinking, how is that possible?! To extend the summer season a bit longer, I think the best bet would be to look for great travel deals in warm beachy destinations in the off-season. So, after a bit of digging and referencing Travelbag’s Caribbean holiday deals I think I may have a few options.
St. Lucia
This is one island that Lola has ALWAYS wanted to visit. Something about those Pitons, the two mountains St. Lucia is most famous for…I just need to see them for myself. St. Lucia looks soooo lush – full of natural beauty. It’s got some new top hotels and is said to host some of the best street parties in the Caribbean. Helloooo LOLA ♥s!!
Well, it appears one of the ‘deals’ to grab on St. Lucia is the 33 room resort, Ti Kaye, meaning ‘little house’ in Creole. Ti Kaye has 33 gingerbread style cottages – 11 of which have their own plunge pools. I’m liking the sound of that! Set on a hillside above a remote sandy beach with great diving, Ti Kaye has 2 restaurants on site, a cave wine cellar, offers non-motorized water sports AND there’s a Managers’ Cocktail soiree every Wednesday night. Offering as much as 40% off if you travel by September 30 – a four night stay is the minimum. Clearly, make sure Wednesday is one of the four nights!
Negril – Jamaica
I really cannot believe I still haven’t been to Jamaica. Negril has the reputation of being a little utopia. The area is full of options for the active traveler offering snorkeling, diving, jet skiing, hiking and horseback riding.
Well, the best compromise for activity AND a bit of zen is finding a place with both at its fingertips in the Caribbean. The Caves might be such a place. A secluded 10-acre property, The Caves is a tropical castle set above the vibrant town center. So you can be near the local hub and action but still, as The Caves says, have a stay that is “an experience in pure relaxation, comfort and rejuvenation”. Boasting a Top Five Jamaican Spas honor, they must know something about relaxation! Besides a few different dining options on property, The Caves also has The Blackwell Rum Bar – as you do in Jamaica 😉 With only 12 cliff side suites and cottages, I imagine the good deals go quickly. If you travel by October 31, a five night stay starts at $2333 for 2 people. This includes meals, beverages, a 5 course cave dining experience by the sea and a 60 minute full body massage or sugar body scrub. The same deal from November 1-December 14 starts at $2936. SIGN ME UP. I think holiday shopping will be so much more pleasant with a tan!
Harbour Island – Bahamas
Another OMG! It’s ridiculous to believe I have not walked the pink sands of Harbour Island in the Caribbean. I know, can you imagine??? I mean, seriously, my favorite color IS pink.
I think I’ve found my solution! Rock House – a boutique hotel five minutes from Pink Sands Beach. This property has only 10 British Colonial-styled suites set across the cliffs of Pristine Cove on 8 tropical acres. There’s a 60 foot horizon pool at Rock House but some guests choose to take the stairs carved into the rock down to the cove for their dip. On site, there’s a renowned spa and 2 award-winning restaurants but I’m most intrigued by their notorious Goombay Smash cocktail guests rave about. Awarded “Best Value Hotel in the Caribbean” by Travel & Leisure in March 2012, Rock House is always a good deal. Summer Rates start at $125 for a standard room, $165 for a studio, $325 for a villa & $385 for a premium villa a night. In high season, the Winter rates are $160 for a standard, $205 for a studio, $390 for a villa and $465 for a premium villa a night. Did I mention Rock House is listed in the “1000 Places to See Before You Die” best-selling book? NO?! Well, I better get booking.
Do you have any off-season or shoulder season deals to add in the Caribbean? Lola needs a Winter tan!!
