According To Gem

Some time ago I mentioned rather excitedly that we’d finally booked our Honeymoon. If you missed that post you can find it here. Anyway the first thing I did after paying the deposit was start following The BodyHoliday on Twitter, which is how I met the lovely Tara Clark (@TaraClark86) who was just about to jet off on holiday there. She kindly offered to write up her experiences at The BodyHoliday for me to share with you on my blog.

Over to you Tara…

Paradise is not a word that I use lightly. It is one that encompasses the idea of exotic beauty, guilty pleasures and the desire to stay forever.

My recent travels have taken me to Europe and throughout the Pacific Northwestern United States, but never to a place so beautiful and untouched by hundreds of chain hotels and restaurants.

Upon my Arrival at LeSport (AKA The Body Holiday) I had no idea what to expect. I decided to let myself be surprised about the island of St. Lucia and the resort itself by simply showing up (this is said lightly after 15 hours of air travel) and emerging myself directly into the island. Hopping out of the plane, the masses of tourists, who are mostly from the United Kingdom, were directed to the airport customs office. As we walked towards our destination, the warm air and bright sun felt incredibly refreshing on our skin.

Passing through the tiny and quaint customs area, you find yourself searching for a sign or bus branded with your resort name. Politely decline the pursuit for locals to take you for a ride as a pre-arranged one will be a better bet. Lucky for me, my bus ride was pre-arranged through the hotel. The lovely women who was signing us in for the ride offered me a refreshing bottle of water and a granola bar, exactly what was needed after a long day of travel.

We jumped into a van and were taken on a very (did I say very?) windy road to our resort. As we drove through Castris, roughly an hour and a half later, our first sunset was upon us. The cruise ships looked heavenly as they were parked in the docks, something I don’t normally find to be the most attractive of views. A few minutes later, and many more windy roads later, we arrived at the resort. The hostess offered us a classic cocktail of sparkling water and juice along with a refreshing wet cloth to blot on our dewy skin.

I was visiting the resort to see my sister, Andrea. She was asked to teach Yoga and meditation at LeSport for three months and I could not pass up the opportunity to visit her. Andrea is a yoga enthusiast who travels the world teaching Shivinanda yoga to students of all ages. She is warm, very knowledgeable, and her classes are incredibly well received.

A day in the life of a guest at the resort is never the same for each person. With the incredible amount of activities offered, it would be almost impossible to not want to veer away from your partner or friend in common so you can go and try something new on your own.

Daily activities star at 7am sharp, making one re-think the possibility of having a third pina colada or glass of bubbly on the beach the evening prior. This resort really knows how to kick you into shape as a challenging spinning class is first up on the roster on most days. The activities that follow include yoga, pilates, step class, dancing with the staff, aqua fit, tai chi, sailing, paddle boarding and so much more! The week I attended, Daly Thompson, twice Olympic gold medalist was running a 5-day Olympic training camp. It is special guests like this that set the resort apart from the rest.

Activities aside, there would be no judgement made on any guests who decide to park themselves on the white sand beach for the day. Even the beach chairs were comfortable, perfectly padded with the palm trees perfectly spread around you to shade yourself from the hot Caribbean sun. Guests can order a celebratory bottle of Dom Perignon (extra fee) or go for the wonderful selection of all inclusive wines and cocktails.

After you’ve worked your body to the max, you can head over to a complimentary spa treatments offered in the Moroccan inspired spa area. I must warn you, save some energy for the steep flight of stairs to the spa. But when you get there, the views of the resort and Caribbean are well worth the trek. LeSport offers one free spa service for each day of your stay, these include: massages, body wraps, facials and hydrotherapy. I indulged in a Hydrating Facial treatment at the Specialist Skin Care Clinic, ending with a mud mask treatment which left my skin feeling renewed. The women who gave me the treatment was so kind and knowledgeable. I would have liked to spend the afternoon with her to learn more about the product line and treatments she enjoys giving.

If you are an adventurous spa goer, visit the Ayurvedic Treatments area where spirituality, psychology and healing come into play.  I selected the Abhyanga experience where warm oil is poured onto the chakra (forehead) and a relaxing neck and shoulder massage takes place. Although my hair was left oily for a few days, the uniqueness of the experience was worth it!

My two favourite parts of any trip, food and wine, are what I am most excited to rave about today. After a long day of lounging by the salt water pool, or on the opposite spectrum, invigorating fitness classes (I put myself up to three classes in one day and was sore for a few days after!) you must enjoy a rewarding cocktail and delicious meal. Included in your stay are basic cocktails, beers and wines, but if you’d like to try something different, visit the sommelier in the wine room. There you will sample a variety of reds and white wines from all over the world (although he seemed to prefer California and French wines). Simply select your favourite varietal and the wonderful staff will bring your chilled bottle to one of the three restaurants (or your room) on the resort.

Now I know why the Brits love tea time. At LeSport, bottles of bubbly are opened sharply at 4pm and guests are served on the patio. An old fashioned ice cream cart with bike in tow offers home-made desserts to guests. Tea sandwiches, scones and fruit plates are served as the perfect quick bite before the restaurant opens promptly at 7:30pm. The mixture of chilled bubbles, light snacks and the sunset hitting your view around 5:30pm are the perfect way to complete the day at the resort.

Feeling delightfully refreshed from the sunset view and lovely cocktails, you can then find yourself at one of three fantastic restaurants. The Juice Bar offers the perfect blend of smoothies (no pun intended) and fresh juices, perfect for a mid-afternoon detox. The Clubhouse is where burgers with flair and handmade wood fired pizzas come to live. Serve yourself and enjoy a casual evening on the patio of the resort. Cariblue offers a decadent buffet at lunch filled with more healthy choice food options then a Whole Foods buffet. At dinner, the menu becomes a three course blend of options which appeal to both vegetarians and carnivores alike. TAO is a special treat as guests have one night to try it out. The fusion of Eastern and Western food make it a glamorous and romantic evening “out” at the resort.

The St Lucians are sincere, outgoing and incredibly welcoming. The international staff at the hotel are approachable and experts at their roles at the resort. I would highly recommend LeSport for anyone that enjoys 5-Star service, all-inclusive food, beverage and activities (I mean, who wouldn’t want that!?) all for a very manageable price.