Land ahoy

Nancy Alsop visits St Lucia, where uninterrupted views, breathtaking mountains and gin at any hour of the day is the norm. Searching for Johnny Depp however, is optional

Soufriere, on St Lucia’s west coast: The sun is gathering momentum in its unassailable march towards blazing midday glory. The market sellers, whom we’ve relieved of mangoes and hot sauce, are packing up their stalls in prudent retreat and the hustle bustle of the colourful fishing village, reminiscent in style of a microcosmic New Orleans, is scurrying away. Led by the captain (befriended minutes ago) of a galleon – and the very one used in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies to boot – we find the perfect pit stop. Vividly-coloured, rough and ready, with a smattering of haphazard furniture, it is just the place for a revitalising swig of Piton, the must-try local beer whose namesake is a pair of extraordinarily sheer peaks – St Lucia’s most famous landmark.

Then the shouting starts, loud and boisterous and punctuated by gales of laughter, the patois banter of lifelong friends clamouring to be heard. It halts only momentarily when one of the rabble starts to dance, a cross between break-dancing and human robot moves. The throng whoops in appreciation, while we slip out quietly. Fortified and delighted to have caught the camaraderie and something of a free show, we begin the climb back to our hotel up a vertiginous and dusty track, with gratifying panoramas over the port, the 1950s Catholic church (the vast majority of St Lucian religious sentiment comes via Rome) and the hills beyond. As the heat subsides a little, we watch from on high as the galleon’s crew and the day’s sightseers set sail, in search of buccaneers – or indeed Johnny Depp, who is reportedly on the island. After half an hour’s stroll, we’ve arrived.

It would be hard to tear oneself away from Soufriere and its vibrant friendliness, if, that is, one’s lodging were not quite so remarkable. The brainchild of architect Nick Troubetzkoy, Jade Mountain, the newer and more exclusive sister of Anse Chastanet, his other hotel just a few paces down the mountain, is exciting, surprising and luxurious in equal measure. It is hard to imagine, in light of its exquisite surroundings, a hotel that could inspire in its guests a contentedness to stay put and not go exploring but with his 24 infinity-pooled suites, Troubetzkoy has achieved just that (thus far one couple who didn’t budge from their room for four days hold the record, which will, no doubt, be broken before long).

A network of bridges transports guests to their sanctuary; once inside, the scene that unfolds is nothing short of breathtaking, like opening a vast, jalousie-hewn door to paradise. The room is apparently unstructured, with only three of the four walls – usually a prerequisite for defining spaces as ‘rooms’ – in attendance. In place of the final partition is the view. And what a view – to find a more spectacular vista would be nigh on impossible; the two awe-inspiring Pitons feel close enough to touch, like two great landmasses floating with perfect poise on a tranquil turquoise platform. You could be forgiven for imagining that they might just drift into your room. And what better place from which to gaze and gaze upon one of nature’s most dazzling accomplishments than your own infinity pool, built into the room.

As each room is individual, so too every pool is distinctive, not least in colour. The iridescent shimmer was designed exclusively for Jade Mountain in a spectrum of hues, from sea green to deep, extravagant reds, which in turn match the tiles in the open-plan bathrooms. From this vantage-point, it is easy to see why St Lucia has been dubbed the ‘Helen of the West Indies’ on account of her once frequent switching between French and British control; much as the mythical Helen’s exquisiteness incited men to warfare, so St Lucia’s boundless beauty has been coveted throughout history.

If you are moved to leave your bedroom for some sustenance, there is plenty of choice; at the very top is the Jade Mountain Club, where you can have breakfast (as well as take early morning yoga classes, if so inclined). Not to be outdone, its terrace also has its own infinity pool, with multi-coloured tiles, representing the different shades in all 24 suites. Half way down the mountain, there is the atmospheric Treehouse restaurant; the dark and stylishly smouldering ambience is not let down by the food, which is excellent and consists largely of ultra fresh seafood. If you stroll all the way to the very bottom of the mountain (which is eminently walkable, though if you chose, there is a shuttle service in operation all day), you’ll come across the Trou au Diable beach restaurant – the Indian chef’s cuisine is not to be missed; this is surely some of the best Indian food outside, well, India. However, should you not be able to tear yourself away, you can simply order whatever takes your fancy to your room.

The hidey-hole retreat concept at Jade Mountain is ideal for anyone wanting to escape every day stress (there aren’t even phones in the bedrooms, so as not to disturb guests), but if the idea of hibernating in heaven is more alarming than enticing, a leisurely sail down the coast to Marigot Bay is a great alternative. Widely recognised as the most beautiful bay in St Lucia, you can while away hours on its palm-strewn beach, doing any number of water sports or simply just lying there under the sun.

As well as a compact marina village, complete with a mini supermarket, it is also home to Discovery, a beautiful hotel which towers over the cove, enjoying spectacular views of its verdant surrounds. Though not a hideaway retreat like Jade Mountain, Discovery is nonetheless a sanctuary, and in contrast, complete with all mod-cons; each of its 57 suites is immaculately and luxuriously designed – and enormous. Bedrooms open out onto chic Italian kitchen units, while the design is minimal without being cold, dark without being dingy. Light pours in via doors onto beautiful balconies, which provide the ideal spot for a gin and tonic at sunset, overlooking the vast swimming pool and the bay beyond.

But if you prefer to socialise at G&T O’clock, you’ll find willing hosts at the ultra-chic Pink Snail Bar and later at The Hurricane Hole restaurant, which is a two-minute boat ride from the main hotel, just across the bay. Not only is the setting and ambience unparalleled (you feel as if you are dining in a very well-equipped rainforest), but the food is superb. And should you, despite all that fine-dining and sunbathing, still find that you’re not sufficiently unwound, there is the impossibly tranquil Lapli spa to discover which uses local, all-natural products. This is the best massage I have ever had. All this luxuriance and de-stressing on one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful islands is clearly good for one – and not just for your state of mind, but also cerebrally: St Lucia boasts two Nobel laureates (Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott). It must be something in those azure waters.

Jade Mountain ITC Classics (01244 355 527; www.itcclassics.co.uk) offers seven nights for the price of six at Jade Mountain in a Star Pool Suite on a bed and breakfast basis from £2,545 per person, including economy flights and transfers. Valid until 31 October 2007. Saving £569 per couple.