Les Chaudieres - Caribbean Vacation Rentals: Guest Comments

The Voice of Rath

Deborah Rath Howell, resident travel-writer with Trade to Travel (www.tradetotravel.com), visited Les Chaudieres in January, 2008, and wrote:

"Just back from one of the best trips ever, . . . Luckily for all of us, one of our Trade To Travel host families—The Durhams—knew about St. Lucia in the '60's and got there in time to claim one of its most beautiful spots on which to build their dream vacation home. Now we can all benefit from their foresight." Click here to see the full Rath review:

Trade to Travel - The Voice of Rath

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! We just returned from St. Lucia early Sunday morning and I just had to drop a line to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay at Les Chaudieres. As I sit here in new England, it is below freezing and snowing, and my Caribbean Pumpkin Soup is cooking in my kitchen! I just cannot begin to tell you how much we all loved our stay.......but let me begin! The staff was awesome! Christy, Martina and Paul all made us feel comfortable and were so helpful! Martina's Banana French Toast lived up to it's reputation on your website! Christy's Curried Chicken was soooo good, we had it twice....and if that wasn't enough, last night I made it at home! Paul took us on a boat trip to the Pitons and out to lunch. It was a great way to see the west coast from the water. Christy lined up a masseuse for us.....and all six of us had two hour massages (two times each!). Cecilia was absolutely awesome and you may want to let others know about this service that will come to the villa and give you the most therapeutic massage ever under the almond tree or by the waterfall!!! We thought we'd eat out.....but the only meal out was the boat trip with Paul! The food was so good at home......and the roads were a bit to windy for us to feel comfortable venturing too far in the evening! We were all content to read and truly just "be" in Paradise! The guys went scuba diving and deep sea fishing. The ladies just enjoyed being at the villa. It was the trip of a lifetime.....but we intend to do it again.......also checked out your other villa and would like to consider going there at some point!

Thank you for your welcome home email!! We cannot tell you how great our week was!! The house is an architectural marvel. All of the "Mid-century Modern" attributes like built-in furniture, slant front drawers, etc.; the positioning of the house to get the trade winds. We never wanted to leave the house. Christie, Martina and Paul were delightful and the food was heavenly!! The sunsets and sea views were amazing; we climbed up and down the bluff to the beach below and we loved the little fishing village of Anse Le Raye. The DSL line was just being hooked up, . . . but, frankly, I was glad it wasn't in place!!

This note is LONG overdue, but I do want to finally tell you that our Feb. visit to Les Chaudieres was as wonderful as we remembered—perhaps even better. The older I become the more I seem to appreciate the serenity and beauty of your haven by the sea. Your staff was as pleasant and as efficient as ever. Martina seemed a bit less formidable, and the addition of Christy is such a plus. The four of us fell in love with her. We didn’t see much of Paul this time, but it was comforting to know that he was on the premises each night. Is there a lesser rate for return visitors, and/or for a two week period?

What a wonderful time we had! The week exceeded all of our expectations in more ways than we could count.....what a spectacular world you have provided for the lucky few who are fortunate enough to discover this unique property. We enjoyed exploring other places, including Castries and north, Margiot Bay and Soufrieres, but NOTHING compares to Les Chaudieres! Many, many thanks. Please come to visit us one day. I would love to return some of your gracious hospitality!

i wanted to write and tell you what a wonderful time we had at your place in st. lucia. thank you for sharing your wonderful home with us. i also wanted to tell you what a wonderful staff you have. we had sooo much fun with paul. his smile and laugh are contagious to say the least. our boys really enjoyed him. he went with us several times, the boat trip, to soufrieres, to castries, the fish fry, anse la raye. he seemed to know everyone which helped us a lot. we had so many laughs with him. he stuck the tail end of a boa in the window of the car and scared our son to death (we all laughed) and ask him sometime about the lizard that made him jump. he never had a bad word to say about anyone. he fired the cannon for us and showed us things we would have never seen otherwise. martina was great with her "good morning and how are you this morning?" we enjoyed her and her cooking. christy was a dream also. we had plenty of good conversations with her and she was willing to do anything to make our stay more enjoyable. i can't say enough about any of them. thank you again for allowing us to get to know these people and use your fine home.

We all agree this is the most relaxing and beautiful place to experience. Thank you.

Just a short note to let you know that we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Les Chaudieres from May 6th to May 13th! The views were simply breathtaking! The staff was very accommodating and the food was delicious. Christy is a great manager for you, but Paul truly made our vacation “special”. We tried to book the same week next year, but it is already reserved. We’ll have to try to re arrange our schedules. Thank you for a great vacation.

Our family has spent many weeks in Caribbean villas, but this one is by far the most amazing – beautiful setting, great people, tons of things to do . . . We’ll be back to do it again – soon!

I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we had in St. Lucia. The villa is spectacular and Christy, Martina and Paul are wonderful. I do not have one complaint. It was probably the most relaxing vacation I have ever been on. You have real gems with the staff there. We really enjoyed all three of them. They were very kind and willing to answer all of our questions about their culture, etc. Christy is so talented. I believe she could take any ingredients and turn them into a gourmet meal. Her presentation of the meals is really nice as well. We loved the outdoor shower. My husband and I seem to always choose a project for home from the places we visit. The outdoor shower is definitely our next one. I'm sure it won't be the same without the view though. We are already scheming about when we can visit your villa in Costa Rica. Thank you for all of your assistance in planning our vacation, it was truly a great one!

What a wonderful way to start the new year with good friends, new acquaintances and the most beautiful view this side of heaven. This must be paradise!! Paul, Martina and Christy were most helpful and accommodating and delightful to work with.

This was our fifth year at Les Chaudieres and I’m sure not our last… We all live in such a fast paced world – its nice to know places like this exist… To those of you who come after, I know you will find that a week is not enough time!

As I sit here looking out to the ocean, on my last morning in St. Lucia, I am still amazed by all the beauty of this island. This house is perfectly situated providing amazing views in every direction. I must have taken two rolls of film just of the views of the house...

The photos in the brochure could not even touch the majesty of this place. In a world filled with cell phones, telephones, faxes, and computers - where people are rarely silent and listen to nature (if they could hear it over the traffic) - staying at Les Chaudieres affords the opportunity to wake every morning to the birds and go to sleep to the cadence of the tree frogs. What's more, what could be more relaxing than having a staff provide for your every need. We return to Delaware with wonderful memories and restored spirits.

Collectively our little group has languished in many places worldwide, including Hawaii, Barbados, Mexico, Spain, France, Bahamas, Costa Rica and America's sunbelt...none compares favourably with Les Chaudieres...This is as close to paradise we have yet discovered.

From the moment we arrived we were struck by the awesome beauty of Les Chaudieres, the breathtaking views and the majesty of our surroundings. Each day we awoke feeling more blessed than the day before. We have enjoyed many gifts here! Learning about this magnificent island, exploring its treasures, and being welcomed by the people… We have all been touched forever by our week in paradise.

We loved this house. What an incredible site with so many places to explore. Our four children - 9, 8, 6 and 5 - had the best time - we never wanted to leave the property! Christy, Martina and Paul were all wonderful and helpful. We hope to return again to this paradise on earth,

Paul, Martina and Christy are not just a trio - they are an orchestra, making beautiful background music for our visit.
Thank you all!

What a magical place. This is our fourth visit to Les Chaudieres and it is amazing how much we miss it in between our every-other -year visits… We keep thinking that we'll skip a year and visit another part of the world but we find ourselves drawn to St. Lucia and Les Chaudieres. It is truly one of the magical places in the world!

We came… we looked… we drank… we ate… we swam… sailed… dove… sang… listened… heard… tasted Christy's love of cooking… smiled… learned of island ting's from Paul… bathed in the waterfall… so beautiful… In all, soaked up the peace and beauty of this one of a kind location… and leave for home feeling a new revived sense of life to be lived.

This trip has gone way, way, way too fast. It was instant love when we saw this place!! Its absolutely amazing and Martina, Christy and Paul kept me in constant awe! From drinking coconut water straight from the coconut, to snorkeling in beautiful, crystal blue water,playing backgammon on a built-in table, laying in a hammock in front of our own pool, overlooking pure beauty, the list is endless...Martina was so wonderful and always ready with fabulous breakfasts. Christy - all I can say is "Can I take you home with me?" And Paul - he never failed to constantly find some new and incredible thing I had never seen or done. The three of them made this trip.

Well, another wondrous visit to Les Chaudieres has come and gone, and it was even better this time than the last. I will dream of this paradise every day, as I have in the past, until next I walk the terra cotta path to the Big Room and the heavenly pool. Les Chaudieres has stolen a place in my heart, and I leave an emotional piece of myself here in its care until I return to reclaim it, only to leave it here again. Thanks to the wonderful staff of Martina, Christy and Paul, and to the Doctor and his world-class vision.

Had the best family times in the most exquisite of locations! All of the preparation and vivid description from our friends who spent the best of all honeymooned here three years ago did not adequately prepare us for the reality - such beauty! Such views! Charm, night sounds, lights on palms, lit torches, candles, great reading, music, games, wine and drinks - and best of all, food for kings! Thanks to Christy, Paul, Martina, you are exceptional! "

Wow, wow, wow!! What an absolutely wonderful week - the staff was tremendous! Christy we all just adored your company, not to mention your desserts. Martina was just wonderful to all of us, and her banana french toast - yum! Snorkeling on private beach is very good!! Charter boat around island excellent!! Boat trip with Paul we recommend very much! Pool was awesome after hike up the stairs. The outdoor shower is fun, too! The views from every part of the house were spectacular.

Dreams do exist - their names are Inez, Paul and Martina, and of course, Les Chaudieres. This is truly a magnificent spot in a world that is far too busy to appreciate magic tricks. We hate to leave a place that has made us feel so very welcome… We will come again and hope that nothing will have changed!

This was our first, but I doubt our last, visit to Les Chaudieres. The whole setting of this house is more than anyone could dream of, the food, the weather, and the spectacular snorkeling… Don't refuse Paul's trips on the boat to the Pitons and up to the depths of the rainforests to see the waterfalls. Special thanks to Inez for making us feel most welcome. Her meals were unforgettable and it is not advised to go out for evening meals when the service and food is better here.

The four of us sit quietly, we watch the sun set, just as we have every night that we have been here. But this one is different. It is our last. The next sunset we see will be back in New Jersey, yet now during our last night in paradise it seems that we are caught in the "neither world." That world that is somewhere between dreams and reality. Our bodies and souls are still here, here in this house, here in its dreamlike world of swaying coconut palms and ocean breezes. Here with Martina, Inez and Paul. It is amazing how much we have come to rely on them. To awake to Martina's "sunny smile" and banana pancakes. Lunch and dinner with Inez and those fabulous desserts give you a few extra traveling pounds. And when you feel it is time to work them off, Paul will arrange your days to keep you as active or inactive as you wish. Here among some of the most wonderful people we have ever met, from the village of Anse la Raye to the "city people" of Castries. Our many thanks to all who have made this a special and most memorable of vacations.

This is our first visit to Les Chaudieres - truly a monument of imagination and courage in its construction - and one of themost spectacular locations in the world. The staff are wonderful. You've created a wonderful haven. Thanks for sharing it with us. The early morning "symphony" is just glorious. And the sunsets - each singular - are something to behold!

Our third trip to Les Chaudieres - and it gets better each time (hard to believe!) Martina and Inez have treated us to wonderful meals, and our good friend Paul will be sorely missed. He made it a point to arouse us from our stupors to lead us on adventures - a walk through the river to Anse Galet, waterfall treks, tours of Anse La Raye … great trips and an opportunity to see St. Lucia's unspiled beauty. We'llmiss it all - but we'll be back!

Wow! Our first trip to Les Chaudieres, St. Lucia and the Caribbean - even better than we had anticipated! Inez and Martina spoiled us with great meals - wish we could take them home with us. Paul - always ready with a story or tour or both. The boat trip was truly memorable. We tried to capture every moment on film, but unfortunately too many kodak moments. It was great to not have to make any decisions - only, what book to read, when to go for a swim, snorkel, etc. Too bad it's time to get back to reality. At least we're leaving with ideas on how to make more money - work harder - to get back to St. Lucia as soon as we can!

We have enjoyed a wonderful week here, getting the rest we needed, enjoying the sun and water and having time for the two of us to relax and be together. I'm taking wonderful memories back home. We have been well-cared for by the staff. This is such a special place.

Although we leave tomorrow, we all agreed on the following pact: not to be sad, but to look at this exposure to St. Lucia as responsible for shaping us into the grateful living. I am savoring each remaining moment, hoping to burn the essence of this trip in my mind. This essence, if bottled, could be the saving grace to an American mindset. Slow, warm days, punctuated by belly laughs is the recipe. Yes, this is not our last visit to St. Lucia, the land of simplicity and the truly free. It has stolen our hearts and souls. Martina greeted us every morning with "How is your stay?" Paul willingly ran errands for us and walked with us through the valley in search of the long lost boa. He is the fastest "I'm ready" person in the house. Inez treated us to savory dishes which we quickly devoured. We love the three of them equally. You are lucky to have them. This island is enchanting and Les Chaudieres is spiritual. Our nature alarm clocks, the birds, sang of the day's mysteries to behold. After breakfast, we snorkeled the coves stirring up a sea turtle, fish of every color, eels and a southern ray. A local dive operation, Frogg's, taxied into the cove taking us on underwater adventures. The nearest thing to a complaint we can think of is the 273 steps back up to paradise. My compliments to the architect and builders. The natural design of the place is so beautiful. The open living area offers breathtaking views from any seat. When one looks around, you can't help but think, "yes, there is a god."

Gayle Hendy, Bruce Hendy, Colleen & Bob Walker, Aaron Hendy, Grand Lodge, MI, April 1998

Outrageous and unbelievable!!! We love St. Lucia and the people!!! Martini, Inez and Paul all went out of their way to make sure that we had a wonderful time! The food was fantastic thanks to the special talents and smiles of Inez and Martina. Thanks to everyone…we made lots of memories!

Linda & Michael Cashman, and MaryLou & Bruce McCurdy, Ellicott City, MD, March 1998

We approach our last evening with appreciation for the use of your lovely paradise home. This has been a family time for us to fortify bonds and nurture our stressed lives back to a recognizable state of equilibrium. Special thanks to the great staff you have acquired. We enjoyed taking in different parts of the island, great snorkeling and a couple of dives that were incredibly clear and beautiful, but we mostly loved being perched on this little kingdom unto itself watching the sea traffic, night stars and lights, treks down to the beach to swim, , but mostly to enjoy the great pool. The food preparation and serving was wonderful, and not to be missed is the lobster and for breakfast - banana french toast! Both Martini and Inez indulged our adventure for food and helped us experience many new and exciting tastes. The staff did everything possible to make our stay as enjoyable as they possibly could.

Let no one tell you paradise does not exist on "mere mortal earth" - it does, and it is here!