Soufriere Saint Lucia
Price
$$$
Rated for
Local Design WellnessOutside the door
The house
Hotel ChocolatCacao estate eco-lodge
The working cacao farm shapes daily life, with tree-to-bar workshops and open-air dinners spiced with roasted nibs.
“Fourteen sleek cottages on a 140-acre cacao farm that’s been harvesting cacao since the 1700s.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Hands-on tree-to-bar chocolate making and estate-grown cacao cuisine across a working plantation.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
the so-called ‘cacao pods’ are more like cottages, contemporary structures with private open-air showers, many of them with impressive views of the Pitons or the distant Caribbean.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Rainforest trails wind through the Soufrière hills, with the volcanic spire of Petit Piton rising directly across the valley.
The rooms
Open-air timber lodges catch mountain trade winds through louvered shutters, and private stone showers open directly to the sky.
The infinity pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Black quartz lines the 50-foot pool, creating a dark surface that mirrors Petit Piton across the valley.
The spa
Open-air pavilions catch the mountain breeze, where body scrubs and facials use estate-grown cacao and fresh banana leaves.
The courtyard pool
Parasols and loungers line the timber deck around the courtyard pool, bordered by tropical palms.
The Cacao Bar
The dark slate bar serves cacao nib martinis and chocolate-rum drinks with views of Petit Piton.
I checked in to my whitewashed cottage, I found champagne in the fridge, along with house-made truffles and chocolate chip cookies.
Rabot Restaurant
The open-air restaurant overlooks Petit Piton, incorporating sweet cacao pulp and dark chocolate into savory local dishes.
How it began
The estate dates to 1745 as Saint Lucia's oldest cacao plantation, bought in 2006 to revive the island's cocoa farming.
Saint Lucia
More like this
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Stonefield Villa Resort
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.