Cap Maison Villa Resort & Spa Planning & Tips

Getting There
A multiplicity of flights leaves for St. Lucia from New York, Miami and San Juan. From the east coast, the best value can often be found from JetBlue, which offers five flights weekly in season from JFK to Hewanorra International Airport (approximately a 4.5-hour flight). Other U.S. carriers that make flights to the Hewanorra include American, Delta and USAir. From Canada, St. Lucia is served by AirCanada and WestJet; from England, by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic; from Germany, limited flights are available weekly from Condor.

Note well that nearly all of these flights arrive at Hewanorra, at the extreme southern tip of the island, which is an 1.25-hour drive from the resort on winding mountain roads, adding an unpleasant delay after your flight (and an additional hazard for toddlers prone to motion sickness). The resort can arrange a transfer from the airport.

The other airport on the island, G.F. Charles, is located in the city of Castries, only a 15-minute drive from the resort; however, this island is served by a limited number of airlines, mostly flying from other islands, most notably American Eagle flights from San Juan. In other words, you'll have to weigh carefully the pros and cons of a long drive after arrival versus the hassle of airport transfer and layover on the way.

The Art of Smart Timing
The best time to visit Cap Maison is, of course, that sweet spot between December through March, after the threat of hurricanes have passed and the thermometer turns chilly in northern climes. Of course, like most Caribbean resorts, you can also achieve substantial savings by booking outside those times, with Cap Maison offering rates of up to 30 percent off between April and mid-December. Before you book, look for special offers that can drive down rates even further and add in extras such as food and dining credits and included tours. Look especially for a special family package that includes free meals for kids during the length of the stay and four hours of babysitting daily.

All about the Extras
One of the best attributes of St. Lucia -- which strikes guests immediately upon arrival -- is the friendliness and even forwardness of the native inhabitants of the island. Unlike some Caribbean islands that maintain staff at an arm's length or strictly separate tourists from natives, St. Lucia prides itself on creating a warm, welcoming environment, with something approaching egalitarianism between tourists and residents. Because of that, traveling with kids is particularly rewarding here, as restaurant and hotel staff go out of their way to interact with children and make them talk, laugh and smile.

Cap Maison is no exception from this phenomenon; the resort will also help to arrange babysitters from the housekeeping staff who are extremely skilled in entertaining and caring for children, so you can rest easy while you sneak out for that romantic dinner at Cliff at Cap or one of the other restaurants on the island.

For Mom and Dad
Of course, being a luxury resort known for romance, there is a plethora of activities to keep mom and dad happy when the kids are with the sitter. They start with Spa Maison, which offers an assortment of facials, massages and other body treatments.

For evening diversions, there are three bars at the resort, including the Bar at Cliff at Cap, which offers an excellent selection of single-barrel rums from around the Caribbean at surprisingly low prices. (Try the Admiral Rodney for St. Lucia's finest!) The restaurant also has a special table that couples can reserve on advance notice, located on a deck down the cliff from the restaurant in reach of the spray from the ocean. It combines the benefits of romance and seclusion with the special feeling that comes from being in plain view of all of the other (jealous) diners upstairs in the restaurant. Making the experience extra cool is a "Champagne zip line" that carries bottles of bubbly and other libations from the bar down to the table by means of a cable mimicking the zip lines found on forest canopy tours. It should go without saying that many engagement rings have also found their way down the line; moms and dads long past "I do" can nevertheless relive the moment with a special opportunity for romance away from the little ones. It does have to be reserved in advance -- and, in season, well in advance -- to secure the spot.