Fodor's Expert Review Ti Kaye Resort & Spa

Rustic elegance is not an oxymoron at this upscale, adults-only cottage community that spills down a hillside above fabulous Anse Cochon Beach. Negotiating a mile of pockmarked, winding, dirt-road “driveway” is required to access Ti Kaye from the main road; but when you arrive, all that is forgotten. Honeymooners, divers, and couples looking for a quiet escape all love it here.

room

Gingerbread-style cottages (“ti kaye” is Creole for "little cottage"), surrounded by lush greenery and furnished with handcrafted furniture, are scattered around the cliffside; each guestroom has an unparalleled ocean view from a private veranda equipped with a double hammock and rocking chairs. Some rooms are in duplex cottages that share a veranda; other cottages are stand-alone units. All units are similar, with a huge walk-in closet, doors and windows with wooden louvers to catch every breeze (there’s a/c, too), a four-poster bed, and a mini-fridge. Some cottages have private plunge pools next to the veranda that also offer a spectacular ocean view.

YOU SHOULD KNOW No room TVs—but you can have one for an extra cost.

bathroom

Each room has an outdoor garden shower that’s filled with tropical plants and surrounded by a wooden privacy fence—but it's open to the stars. The toilet and vanity with a vessel sink are in a separate room.

lobby

The lobby has a small front office; a hallway leads to the restaurant and its incomparable view of the ocean.

Reception can book organized land or sea tours or arrange a boat or guide to take you anywhere you wish.

pool

A small swimming pool is on the terrace adjacent to the main restaurant and, like everything else at the resort, offers a beautiful ocean view.

spa

Kai Koko spa offers divine treatments—massages, facials, and body wraps—all using locally formulated products. Specialty offerings include an “Arrival Experience” and a “Departure Experience,” each designed to calm you after/before traveling.

Yoga classes are held several mornings each week on the beach (extra cost); the resort also hosts specific yoga retreats throughout the year.

gym

The air-conditioned fitness center is a modern, fully equipped facility with Cybex and Matrix machines…exercise bike, rowing machine, stairmaster, treadmill, weights, and other equipment.

dining

Kai Manje (Creole for "house of eating"), perched on a breezy terrace, serves breakfast (included), lunch, and dinner. The focus here is on locally sourced, sustainable ingredients, and the meals are delicious—which is a good thing, since the location is so remote. (Full- or half-board meal plans are available.) On Wednesday nights, the manager’s cocktail party is followed by a Creole buffet and live entertainment. Lunch and snacks at the Ti Manje Beach Grill include light fare like tapas, salads, pizza, full entrées, and desserts.

On Monday nights, the beach restaurant features a seafood dinner—every course (except dessert) is some sort of seafood.

drinking

You can wet your whistle at the terrace bar near Kai Manje or the beach bar, either of which serves drinks all day long. Wine tastings can be arranged for 2-8 people at Ti Kave, the resort’s underground wine cellar, which boasts a collection of more than 500 bottles from around the globe (and has room for 2,500 more bottles).

beach

Anse Cochon Beach is at the bottom of the cliff on which the TiKaye property sits. To reach the beach, you must negotiate 166 steps down the cliff (and back up at the end of your day). Anse Cochon Cove is part of the National Marine Reserve and one of the best snorkeling sites in St. Lucia. Guests have complimentary use of snorkels, kayaks, water hammocks, and paddleboards. Island Divers, a full-service dive shop, is on-site. And Ti Manje is a beach bar, where you can have lunch or a snack and quench your thirst.