Considered to be one of the most romantic of all destinations in the world, St Lucia is a strikingly beautiful tropical island situated at the heart of the Windward chain in the Eastern Caribbean between St Vincent and Martinique. The island is mountainous and fertile, its spectacular peaks and deep valleys draped in the lush greenery of the rainforest and blooming with tropical splendour. The stunning coastline offers variety from classic stretches of white-sand beaches to the dramatic cliffs and hidden coves, and has some of the finest natural harbours in the Caribbean. The iconic towering Pitons are just two of the island's natural wonders; the spectacular twin
volcanic peaks rise majestically from the sea, midway down the Caribbean coast.
There are ground, first and second floor two bedroom apartments available - also available are two bedroom apartments with large wrap around balconies.
Population 170,650.
Capital Castries.
Area 616 sq km/238 sq m); 43 km/27 miles long 23 km/14 miles wide.
Geography St Lucia is a volcanic island with 158 km of coastline and is dominated by high peaks and rain forests and is known for the twin peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton on the southwestern coast. The highest peak is Mount Gimie – 958m. The island is divided into 11 quarters – Anse la Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Forest, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux Fort. The island has 5 administrative parishes – Charlotte, St Andrew, St David, St George, St Patrick. Time difference GMT -4. Language Official language is English; the local dialect is French Patois. Monetary unit Eastern Caribbean dollar EC$ (fixed to the US Dollar); US dollars are widely accepted. Airport Hewanorra International Airport on the southern tip of the island handles international flights. The George F.L. Charles Airport in Castries handles inter-Caribbean traffic. Flight times 8 hours 45 minutes from London – BA and Virgin fly from Gatwick; Virgin fly from Manchester; 4 hours from New York – with American Airlines.
Climate Tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation averaging 27°c; average daily sunshine is 8 – 9 hours; seasonal rainfall between June and December.
St Lucia is an increasingly popular holiday destination that is also one of the most accessible. In 2007 hotel occupancy was 69.7% meaning that there is excellent rental potential for properties. The total number of visitors increased by 19.4% between 2002 and 2007. In the period January to June 2008 stopover arrivals were up by 9.1%, with visitors predominantly from the USA (40%) and Europe (32.3%) and Canada (10.2%). Visitors from Canada were up by 46.9% year on year. In 2007 the total expenditure by visitors was $808.3 million The St. Lucian Government sees expansion of tourism as a key objective and has allocated an extra 148% funding to the tourism industry between 2004 and 2008, with an average increase of 27.7% per year. The allocation for the tourism sector in 2008/9 was $53.6 million. St Lucia has been granted 'Approved Travel Destination Status' (ADS) by the Chinese Government and is currently developing strategic alliances with airlines and travel agents to bring. Chinese tourists to the island.
Several new signature golf courses are being constructed which will make St Lucia a major golf destination and boost tourism. From 2009 Virgin Atlantic will increase its non-stop flights from the UK to a daily service. The real estate sector in St Lucia is booming, in 2007 it grew by 7.6%. Property prices are still more reasonable than on other islands in the Caribbean and are
40-50% lower than on Barbados. They have increased by around 40% per annum for the last 2 years, and are projected to continue to rise for the next 5 years. Land prices on the northern tip have doubled over the last three years and areexpected to double again in the next two years. As a volcanic island there is limited land suitable to build on so it will never beoverdeveloped and will not have an oversupply of stock. The long term effect of this is that property prices will hold their value. The World Bank has recently placed St Lucia in the top 30 countries in the world to invest, making St Lucia the only Caribbean country to make the top 30, ahead of Barbados and Antigua. The property market is expanding with investors coming from Germany, America and Canada.
The developer intends that The Marquis Estate will be the finest resort in the Caribbean, bringing together some of the best brands and names from around the world to deliver a truly exceptional resort. The Signature Golf Course will be designed to be both picturesque and challenging with fabulous views across the stunning landscape and Atlantic Ocean. This,
combined with a marina that offers excellent facilities for cruising yachts, will ensure this exclusive resort is destined to become one of the Caribbean's finest luxury destinations.
The Marquis Estate is situated amongst some of the Caribbean's most attractive landscape on the stunning northeast coast of St Lucia and occupies a breathtaking 500 acre site in a wide lush, tropical valley that sweeps majestically down to one of
the most beautiful beaches in St Lucia, the Marquis Bay, where with pristine white sands meet clear, turquoise waters that are perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. Originally the site of an 18th century sugar mill and more recently a banana plantation, the estate is resplendent with native fruit trees including mango, papaya, coconut, avocado, breadfruit, star fruit, plum and coffee. Tall flame flowers, orchids, jasmine, bougainvillea, oleander and hibiscus explode with colour and the bright
red flamboyant tree attracts tiny iridescent humming birds. An estate of this individuality requires considerable care to leave this piece of land better than it is. The developer plans to do this by ensuring the indigenous population's involvement and the protection of the wildlife and existing ecosystems to create a new legacy.
Elegant bars and restaurants are planned for a number of key locations within the hotels, golf course, marina and The Island Sanctuary to provide a range of culinary experiences from fine dining to casual lunches. The championship 18 hole signature golf course will be designed by a golfing legend to be both challenging and picturesque with fabulous views across the
stunning landscape and Atlantic Ocean. The casino will be developed by one of the best known Vegas operators, drawing
inspiration from Las Vegas to deliver a world class gaming experience. The stunning marina will offer excellent facilities for cruising yachts. Surrounded by a cosmopolitan array of waterfront cafes and high class boutiques and jewellery stores, it will also include The Marquis Estate Yacht Club which will enjoy spectacular ocean views from its members lounge and sun deck, and an
infinity pool perfect for unwinding after a day’s sailing. One of the world’s best known and most highly regarded architects is involved in the development of The Marquis Estate resort. Responsible for some of the most influential projects architecturally of the last 25 years and renowned for combining quality with environmental sustainability they promise to bring a differentiating pedigree to the architectural design of this resort. The resort will also offer full conferencing and banqueting facilities for a maximum
capacity of 500 people providing a stunning venue with exceptional five star services for events ranging from weddings to corporate business meetings. Business suites will also be available with a complete range of modern IT solutions to allow for presentations, conference calls or just an office away from home. The complete facility will leave you in no doubt that every detail has been considered. The equestrian centre will be managed by highly qualified staff offering exemplary teaching facilities for all levels from beginner to advanced riders and will provide treks through the surrounding national park area. A world class Polo field will
provide the perfect practice ground for international Polo players along with extensive stabling facilities.
