Glamping Caribbean Archives - Page 2 of 5

February 12, 2016February 9, 2016

The Nature is The Luxury: Glamping in Dominica

Nestled between Guadeloupe and Martinique, Dominica, called the Nature Island, is a place where you might just feel like you’re the first to explore this gem. Dominica is much less traveled than its neighboring islands in the Caribbean, and the eastern side of the island even more so.

If you’re looking for accommodation with easy to access to nearby adventures, yet feels far away from it all, Citrus Creek Plantation in the small town of La Plaine is a great option. Each of their eight cottages are named after the earth, but the one that drew me to explore this spot one afternoon in the first place was the Glamping Safari Canvas Cottage called AMBAZAMAN, amba meaning below, and zaman meaning the almond tree. As you step inside under the canvas tent, you’ll notice you’re walking on wooden floors that peek straight through to the bare earth below.

“Our concept of luxury is different. The nature is the luxury for me,” says owner Herve as we walked outback of the canvas tent to check out the outdoor shower wrapped in Bamboo. “Cottages are simple. Beds are good.” He should know. Herve and his wife actually lived in it for a whole year, and I can absolutely see where he is coming from. There’s nothing to distract from taking your eyes off the luxury of the nature surrounding you as you step outside to lounge in the hammock with your morning coffee or listen to the sounds of the nearby flowing river literally at your feet as the hot water flows through your fingers in the outdoor shower built into the side of a tree. The Ambazaman sleeps up to four people and the perfect place to spend an afternoon grilling as there is a little BBQ bit in the yard.

I also visited two other cottages perched up high above the others. The second floor of Avocado has lush skyline views and Banyan boasts the postcard worthy scenes out to the sea with bright green everywhere you gaze. Each cottage is equipped with a kitchen if you desire to cook in with a simple French style breakfast of toast, jam and chocolate provided. If you’d like others they’ll gladly accommodate you.

For those wanting to laze around, they have a restaurant on property and what some expats describe as the best on Dominica. Riverside Café has a small French creole menu using as many local ingredients, some from their own garden.

For those interested in creating a souvenir to take home, visit Patricia, a talented French expat who makes Mosaic art and take a class with her. She lives in the loveliest little rustic chic home just on the right as you enter the property. Ring the little bell and Patricia, a lovely petite French woman will come out to greet you.

When you’re ready to explore the surrounding areas, venture just down the road from to Bout Sable Bay for a photography session, lazy beach afternoon, or a swim depending on the days tide.

You can also get a guide to take you on nearby hikes. One of my favorite on this side of Dominica is the Wavine Cirque. ‘Not for the faint of heart’, you might want to channel your inner Indiana Jones as you use ropes and roots to climb your way to the bottom. The view is all worth it. Other guided day trips are great like Glasse Point and Victoria Falls.

Many of the guests who stay at Citrus Creek Plantation come from France and Germany. Herve tells me, ‘They have found what they’re looking for,’ as has many of them return year after year. After spending the day at Citrus Creek Plantation, I would say I’d agree that the simplicity is bliss here.

Kristen Kellogg

Exploring rugged to refined, digital storyteller and film producer Kristen Kellogg has a unique eye and flair for capturing the essence of a brand or destination that is immediately recognizable in the work she crafts through her Wanderlust Website + Creative Agency: Border Free Travels. Kristen’s work has been featured in Yahoo Travel, AFAR, and Microsoft among others. A Nantucket resident, when Kristen isn’t on the road, she is literally running around exploring her own backyard. Kristen is from Southern Illinois. Follow her daily adventures on Instagram here.

January 8, 2016January 7, 2016

Sky Beach Club: The Un-Hotel

Just a 45-minute flight from Fort Lauderdale, there’s a sliver of land that divides the teal Caribbean and the deep blue Atlantic; it’s lined with 135 beaches, coral cliffs, 8,000 locals and a handful of tourists…the majestic Eleuthera, Bahamas. We landed at the Governor’s Harbour airport and within minutes arrived at the island’s prestigious Sky Beach Club. It could be called a hotel but it is more is a like a cluster of luxury vacation homes with tons of privacy and staff just when you need them. There is a main pool but most villas have their own. There is a fabulous restaurant but the villas’ fully equipped kitchens and ocean-view terraces often inspire a night in. It’s a special place where life slows down and relaxation comes easy.

The 22-acre property has four villas perched on the hillside and two bungalows down by the rare and fabulous pink sand beach. The Atlantic is always in view, and from the top of the Sky Beach Club, you can get 360-degree dual ocean panorama.

The villas are modern while embracing the natural setting, with floor-to-ceiling windows and ample outdoor space. A spacious sunken living room, state-of-the-art kitchen, and room to sleep eight…it’s perfect for families or a few couples. Stock up on groceries in nearby Gregory Town or have the staff fill your fridge prior to arrival. Don’t feel like cooking? Sky Beach Club can arrange a private chef.

Just outside the thatch-roof bungalows is the infinity pool and swim-up cocktail bar. We spent our time sunbathing on the chaise lounges by day or sitting by the conch-shell fire pit by night.

Sammy’s Swim Up bar is renowned on Eleuthera. This local character has been bartending on the island for 19 years and is famous for his gift of gab and Goombay Smash. We chitchatted while he created masterful cocktails. Lounging on their chic patio under the swaying palms, sipping Smashes, and watching the teal sea break was nothing shy of heaven.

The Sky Beach Club lured one of Eleuthera’s top chefs and restauranteurs to their property, Pascal Burrows. He previously owned three restaurants but is now focusing his efforts on Pascal’s Oceanfront Seafood Restaurant. In addition to seating by the pool, the dining room offers sumptuous views that complement every meal.

For lunch, we started with fresh cracked conch and a pair of Kaliks (the national beer of the Bahamas), followed by a blackened grouper sandwich and bountiful salad of romaine, apple, walnut, cranberries and blue cheese. Delish!

Pascal has also secured a beach bar along the coral sand. Grab yourself a Rum Punch as you pass through and lounge under the thatch umbrellas on this secluded stretch of beach. The hotel manager CC leads nature walks along the shore, pointing out the flora and fauna like hog plums and kamalame trees. Follow the scenic and original Banks Road and it will lead you to Governor’s Harbour, a charming British colonial village and home of the famous Friday Night Fish Fry.

Sky Beach Club is the kind of place you’ll want to stay a week or a month. If you’ve ever wanted a second home on tropical island (without the commitment), check into the Sky Beach Club.

Anne & Mike Howard

Mike and Anne Howard left on their honeymoon in 2012 and have been traveling the world ever since. HoneyTrek.com chronicles their adventures across 7 continents, 44 countries, and counting! Their writing, photography, and the story of the “World’s Longest Honeymoon” can also be found on Condé Nast Traveler, BBC Travel, The Knot, Los Angeles Times, CBS, and dozens of other international publications. Connect with @HoneyTrek on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

December 22, 2015February 1, 2016

Coral Sands and Turquoise Seas

Naturally beautiful at a tall and slender 3x.5 miles, Harbour Island has long since attracted the rich and famous from the Dutchess of Windsor to The Rockefellers to Diane Von Furstenberg. Though unlike a Palm Beach or Sant Tropez, its sophisticated without the flash. Just a handful of boutique hotels nestle between its colonial cottages and dot its pink sand beaches…one of the first and finest being Coral Sands Hotel.

In under an hour flight from Miami and ten-minute water taxi, you arrive to Harbour Island’s one and only town: Dunmore. Named after the loyalist governor of Virginia who fled the States when the Revolutionary War didn’t go his way, Dunmore Town is like a colonial dream in technicolor. From the houses to the sand to the sea to the people, everything is vibrant and full of contrasts. If it gives you a sense for style, India Hicks’ designer boutique is directly across the street from Eva’s Straw-work shack; top-notch restaurants serve fish caught from hand-thrown nets; and posh beach bars rival the parties at the corner store.

Follow the narrow streets from the Bayside, past 17th century churches and cottages, and arrive to the Coral Sands. The hotel name stems from the three miles of truly pink sand beach—one of the few and finest in the world. The 38 rooms honor its classic Caribbean colonial style but with fresh renovation, it’s now the hottest hotel place on the island.

There is a steady and melodic breeze that wafts through the hotel, rustling the palms and amplifying the sounds of the ocean. We would start each day on our terrace, look across the pool to the beach and contemplate where we would relax first. (If only life’s decisions could all be this hard.)

Coral Sands sits on a very special beach, and if you don’t believe us ask the Travel Channel who voted it number one in the Caribbean. Pink sand, turquoise water, and palm-thatched tiki huts…it sweeps the ballot. We did our share of lounging in the chaise lounges but with kayaks, boogie boards, and paddleboards, we had plenty of adventures at sea.

While there are plenty of incredible restaurants and fun food stalls on the island, (You have to go to Queen Conch for their spicy ceviche-style salad), Coral Sands’ Terrace Restaurant is hard to beat. Executive Chef Ludovic Jarland is revered as one of the best chefs in the Caribbean for his French and Bahamian fusion. We tried to branch out and order something new each night, like the incredible mahi mahi with chili lime glaze, but the diver scallops with potato pancakes and caviar sauce, was so good we ordered it twice.

To explore the neighboring islands and reefs, we did a snorkel trip with Valentine’s Dive Center. We snorkeled Gretchen Reef and found nurse sharks, porcupine fish, yellow rays, and spotted eels. Though our favorite part may have been this cave on Man Island with its wavy lines like sculpted clay.

There happened to be a very jet-set wedding taking place during our stay at Coral Sands. The Beach Bar transformed into a tropical wedding wonderland and even though we weren’t exactly invited to the wedding, we thoroughly enjoyed their Junkanoo band. This Bahamian music and festival is usually reserved for the December holiday but we hung out with this group, decked out in spangles and feathered costumes, then had our own dance party from our balcony.

If visions of cruise ships and package vacationers had you ruling out the Bahamas, think again. Rich with history, free from chain hotels, and full of natural beauty, Harbour Island is like no other island in the archipelago. Just come to Coral Sands and stay for a while.

Anne & Mike Howard

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