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Day 1

Dancers greeting us at the airport

I met the Beachcomber Representatives and the rest of the group at 1800 at Heathrow and checked in with Air Mauritius for our 2100 departure to Mauritius.

Some 12 hours later we arrived at our destination, collected our bags and were given a very special welcome to the island by a band and dancers, all in traditional dress, who gave us all flower garlands.

We were then transferred to our 1st hotel, the Shandrani Resort and Spa, which is located on the South East of the island, and takes approximately 10 minutes to reach from the airport, where we were checked into our Superior rooms for a quick change before meeting for a superb hosted lunch in the Sirius restaurant. We were then able to enjoy some relaxation with a 30 minutemassage in the sumptuous Spa.

In the evening we enjoyed a special a la carté dinner at Le Boucanier Restaurant, followed by drinks in the bar.

Me with a giant tortoise at the Vanille Crocodile Park (I'm the one on the right)

Day 2

We enjoyed a magnificent buffet breakfast in Le Grand Port restaurant, which was followed by a guided tour of the Shandrani Resort and Spa, and all its facilities including the Gym, 6 hole Pitch and Put, Spa and Tennis courts.

Our 1st surprise of the trip was then revealed – we were to participate in a Hells Kitchen competition! We were divided into 3 teams and had to cook our own lunch, of Octopus salad, Chicken Curry and Banana Flambé. We were assisted by hotel chefs and our results were judged by the Shandrani Head Chef and Hotel Manager, with extreme pleasure I can announce that my team won!

After our home made lunch, we were transferred to Vanille Crocodile park, about 1 hour south of the Shandrani, this was a fantastic ½ day trip where we were able to see an assortment of animals including: Giant Tortoises, Monkeys and Alligators.

Back at the Shandrani we once again enjoyed the delights of Le Boucanier restaurant, feasting on the a la carté fish menu, which contained more courses than you can shake a stick at, once again the evening finished with a few drinks at the bar.

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Click here to book The Verandah Resort & Spa from £1089pp

Kevin and the gang

Having heard excellent things about The Verandah Resort & Spa, I had rather high expectations. I have to say it more than lived up to these expectations and in most cases, far exceeded them.

The resort has a sort of ‘village’ feel with each villa being individually named. Another nice touch were the little buggies that were always driving around to take you around the resort… very handy when you’ve got tired legs after a busy day.

The Verandah Resort & Spa

Although the hotel only has 3 restaurants, the choice of food was extensive and the quality of the food was very high. It had one of the best selections of all inclusive food that I have seen. The only thing I would say is that the restaurants had a tendency to be a bit warm, though a table by the window helped a little.

The staff were all really friendly and were always on hand to help. Nothing was too much trouble and they seemed to genuinely go out of their way to have a bit of a chat with each guest and ensure everyone was having a good time.

The Wedding Gazebo

The hotel has two pristine reef-sheltered beaches; I am not the world’s greatest swimmer, but because the water was so calm (due to the bay location of the resort) and the beach was very shallow-sloping, you couldn’t keep me out of the warm, turquoise water. The Verandah is also Green Globe Certified, with the resort’s daily operation being geared towards ecological preservation of the surrounding environment.

We spent quite a bit of time in the huge free-form pool at the hotel and I would certainly recommend the cocktails which they serve from the pool bar.

The main pool area

There are lots of different watersports and activities to enjoy on the main beach and not just one, but two 18 hole golf courses.

I would highly recommend taking the short stroll to the nearby Devil’s Bridge; be sure to take your camera because the views are stunning! The ferocity of the water beating down onto the limestone cliffs not only creates fantastic scenery, but also a series of extreme sounds, produced when the water is forced through holes in the limestone, which it has created over time. You can also go on various island tours, including one that takes you past Eric Clapton’s mansion… which has to be seen to be believed!

Devil's Bridge

This hotel has definitely earned its place high on my list of favourites and I would definitely recommend it for couples, families and groups. There was so much to do, I could have easily stayed for 14 nights and I would have still had plenty to do on a return visit!

Click here to visit our Verandah hotel page and learn more about the resort.

Plus for a limited time only you will also receive a FREE UK Airport Lounge Pass when you book The Verandah with us, as part of our Exclusive Offer of the Week.

Click here to learn more about this offer.

Wednesday 4th May 2011

Leighton (and the girls) in St Lucia

I find myself travelling down to London on Virgin Trains the night before my trip to St Lucia. I stopped at the Sofitel which is connected to the North terminal at Gatwick airport the night before to catch my early flight. The Sofitel hotel was very nice, my room was a decent size and my bed very comfortable; it’s very convenient as it is a few minutes walk to the British airways check in desk inside the north terminal. Click here for more information regarding booking airport hotels.

Thursday 5th May 2011

I woke up before my early morning wake up call as I was excited about my trip. Up at 6:00am… I have not been up this early for a long time!

We meet Chelcie Lewis from the St Lucia Tourist Board, who where hosting our trip, at the BA sales desk. The St Lucia Tourist board had invited its top 10 agents on the trip. Chelcie handed out our boarding passes and we were treated to Club World (business class). Our flight was at 10:10am so we had a few hours to spare as we went through fast track security. We had use of the BA lounge which was very comfortable and relaxing, away from the hustle and bustle of the airport. I would recommend a lounge before you travel as you can sit back and relax and enjoy the refreshments. Click here for more information regarding booking airport lounges.

Boat Trip

At 13.10pm we arrive at St Lucia ahead of schedule. The weather outside looks delightful. I was feeling very relaxed and raring to go after my first experience in Business Class.  We collect our luggage and meet up for our complimentary transfer to the Landings Hotel where we will be staying for two nights. The driver was very good, telling us all about St Lucia and its history.

The journey to the North of the Island takes 90 minutes through the hills. The views of the island are stunning and the most spectacular I have seen. If you are not the best traveller by road, there is the opportunity to travel by helicopter and I have been told that this is the way to travel as the views are amazing. You will also fly over the famous Pitons.

We arrived and checked in at The Landings. The resort is stunning and very luxurious. I shared a 3 bedroom suite with two others, it was like a mini apartment and it is a great location for families, friends and groups. I had the bedroom which had the Jacuzzi straight outside my room… result!

We then all meet for a few drinks in the lobby to get acquainted before we head of to ’Blues at the Beach’ for our evening meal. The evening was great, the food was very nice and the local drink, ‘Piton’, went down very nicely. After the meal we listened and danced to some Blues music, the entertainment was very very good. I tried to stay up late to get myself used to the time zone.

Friday 6th May 2011

I awoke early so I decided to get up and have a jog… only kidding; I took stroll along the beach instead. The sky was clear and the sun was rising. What a beautiful day we are going to have.

Breakfast & then Site Inspection at ‘The Landings’

The Landings

Situated on Rodney bay, in the northwest of the island overlooking Saint Lucia’s most breathtaking beach and with the islands only private harbour. The resort is ideally located for all the superb restaurants and shops in the Rodney bay area. The Landings offers a great self catered holiday with the convenience and facilities of a modern luxury resort. Great location for water-sports plus you can also enjoy the complimentary membership of the St Lucia Golf & Country Club.

The resort has two & three bedroom villa suites with a few one bedroom suites. Each suite is beautifully furnished and finished to a high quality. All bedrooms feature an en suite. Many suites offer a private plunge pool which I was lucky enough to get.

What you need to know…

• Quality Accommodation, prime location on St Lucia’s best beach.
• Accommodation: 122 rooms.
• Luxurious suites are great for families or even small groups.
• Complimentary shuttle to Rodney Bay where you will be able to sample some great local restaurants.

We meet the driver and then transfer to Rendezvous for a site inspection accompanied by cocktails and canapés.

Rendezvous Site Inspection – All Inclusive

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