This deal has expired.

$1,170 for a Five-Night Stay for Two with All Meals and Drinks at Fond Doux Holiday Plantation in St. Lucia ($1,950 Value)

4.7

Similar deals

Tara
9 years ago
Great Trip

With guest rooms revealing its 18th-century French colonial roots, this eco-friendly plantation still grows cocoa, nutmeg, cinnamon & more.

What You Get

  • $1,170 for a five-night stay for two in a one-bedroom cottage with daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and all alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks

Book by: 7/8/12
Travel between 5/15/12–12/15/12

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

250-Year-Old Cocoa Plantation with Tropical Gardens near Sulphur Springs

In 1713, King Louis XIV granted the Fond Doux estate on St. Lucia to chocolate and cocoa producers, who would eventually expand the plantation to produce sugar. Today, even after its buildings have been repurposed as a resort, the estate still produces cocoa plants, ginger, nutmeg, and more. In addition to its samples of fresh cocoa, the property offers visitors the privilege of roaming 135 acres of exotic gardens, cinnamon trees, and a historic battle site between the British and the French. Named one of the world’s five best plantation resorts by the Guardian, Fond Doux Holiday Plantation not only reveals Soufriere’s breathtaking landscape, but also the island town’s rich history.

Fond Doux is so dedicated to its French colonial roots that many of the centuries-old buildings had been rescued from demolition and reconstructed onsite to preserve the resort's 18th-century feel. Many of the one-bedroom cottages feature wood-shake shingles and natural-wood four-poster beds and wicker furniture. In the Cinnamon cottage, rocking chairs sit on a sunlit veranda. Alternatively, the Banana Tree cottage recalls the surrounding rainforest through lime-green drapes.

At the onsite restaurants, The Cocoa Pod and Jardin Cacao, sample fresh mahi mahi with plantain chips or banana-rum flambé, served on traditional creole earthenware dishes. To support the estate’s self-sufficient, eco-friendly efforts, many of the ingredients used have been grown onsite.

To get an up-close and personal feel for the plantation, guests can tour the cocoa farm and see the step-by-step production process. Guides lead groups through hands-on demonstrations of cocoa drying all the way to making cocoa sticks.

Soufriere, St Lucia: Former Colonial Town with Volcanic Geography and Rainforests

Located in between Martinique and St. Vincent in the eastern Caribbean, St. Lucia was coveted by the English and French, who quarreled over the island for more than an a century. The French seem to have left a more noticeable influence on its arts and cuisine, as upscale French eateries can be found all along the coast. Grab a table to sample pepperpot soup, made with beef and spinach-like callaloo, or the country’s national dish of salt fish paired with green fig.

Named St. Lucia’s first town in 1746, Soufriere sits on the island’s eastern coast. Further inland from the crystal-blue beaches, Soufriere’s landscape shows dramatic evidence of ancient geographic upheaval. On either side of Jalousie Beach, a favorite for snorkelers, stand the Pitons, two imposing 2,000-foot volcanic plugs that still experience geothermal activity. Dense rainforests sprawl throughout Soufriere, so the area is ideal for bird watching, especially sandpipers, egrets, and parrots.

Billed as the world’s only “drive-in volcano,” Soufriere’s Sulphur Springs on St. Lucia allows visitors to drive right up to the mountain and stand steps from bubbling tar pits and steaming fumaroles. Feel free to bathe in a bubbling mud spring, as the springs are said to have therapeutic properties.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

Other Details

Room Details

One-bedroom cottages available: African Tulip, Bamboo, Cinnamon, Hilltop Coconut, Hilltop Guava, and Banana Tree

  • One king-size bed or one queen bed
  • Standard occupancy: 2
  • Maximum occupancy: 2 adults and 1 child
  • Adding occupants above standard: One child 13 or younger may stay at no additional cost; however meals are extra. Additional adults may not be added.

Hotel Policies

  • Check in: 3 p.m.
  • Check out: noon
  • Parking: free
  • Rollaways: not available
  • Smoking policy: no smoking inside the property
  • Pet policy: pets are not allowed inside the property.
  • Accessibility: handicap-accessible rooms are not available.
  • Room upgrades: upgrades may be available at time of booking or check in if available for a fee.

What It's Worth

  • $1,170 for a five-night stay for two in a one-bedroom cottage (up to an $850 value)
  • Meal-and-drink package (a $220 value per day)

    Total value: up to $1,950

Amenities

  • Three pools (including one kids' pool)
  • Two restaurants
  • Poolside bar
  • Onsite spa
  • Complimentary beach shuttle service
  • Library
  • Complimentary WiFi

Traveler's Tips

  • A valid government-issued passport must be presented at check in.
  • Before international travel, always check the State Department's website for important info on the destination and its entry/exit requirements.

Getting There

  • By plane: about 19 miles from St. Lucia Hewanorra International Airport (UVF)
  • By shuttle: $60 one-way for two people. One child 14 or younger can be included at no additional cost. No more than four people per vehicle.

Need To Know Info

  • Promotional value expires Jul 8, 2012. Amount paid never expires.
  • Book by 7/8/12 or promo value expires
  • Valid for travel 5/15/12-12/15/12
  • Not valid 5/25-5/28
  • Limit 2 per person, may buy 2 more as gifts
  • Limit 2 per visit
  • Subject to availability
  • 14-day cancel notice or fee up to Groupon price applies
  • Must be 18 or older to check in; 18 or older to consume alcohol on property
  • Premium alcohol not included; available at addl fee
  • CC required at booking & check-in
  • Passport required at check-in
  • Valid for African Tulip, Bamboo, Hilltop Guava, Hilltop Coconut, Cinnamon, or Banana Tree cottage
  • Not valid with reward points
  • 8% tax, 10% service fee & incidentals not included.
  • Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
  • Learn about Strike-Through Pricing and Savings

About Fond Doux Holiday Plantation