I spent a day on the most beautiful island in the Caribbean and never left my room. It was incredible. – Business Insider

sourceRobert Curley for Business Insider

As a professional travel writer, Ive visited the Caribbean hundreds of times and stayed at some of the most beautiful resorts on the planet.

Jade Mountain in St. Lucia is the only one where my wife and I spent an entire day without leaving the room. We werent sick, and the weather was absolutely perfect.

So what makes the rooms at Jade so alluring that youd forego the tropical beauty of St. Lucia an island of tall mountains covered in lush foliage, surrounded by the shimmering Caribbean Sea for the confines of four walls?

To start with, its only three walls. Each Sanctuary is open to the air on one side, with postcard-pretty views of St. Lucias famous twin Piton mountains rising up from the waters of the Caribbean. Uninterrupted by windows or doors, the vistas are simply stunning. Friends will think the colors are Photoshopped or filtered. But its all real and all yours for the length of your stay.

The elevated perch of Jade Mountain adds to the drama while also ensuring that the open-sided villas capture cooling breezes day and night. Mornings are announced by the rising sun and the songs of tropical birds; we had no issues with insects, but the beds in the Sanctuaries are protected by an interwoven canopy of mosquito netting, just in case.

You might figure that wed at least venture out occasionally to cool off with a dip in the water. No need. Lots of resorts in the Caribbean boast of rooms with private plunge pools. But at Jade, the Sanctuaries come with swimming pools our Moon Sanctuary pool was 900 square feet, big enough to swim perhaps a half-dozen strokes in from end to end.

Floating for hours in the pool, or reading a book on its edge, is certainly an option when you are escaping to the Caribbean and looking for refuge from everyday life. But even the most lavish hotel room can start feeling a bit confining after a while. Not so at Jade Mountain, where the bi-level Sanctuaries have between 1,400 and 2,000 square feet of living space devoted to sleeping, eating, and bathing. The absolute privacy means you can spend your days in a robe, bathing suit or wearing nothing at all.

At some point, of course, you will get hungry. Food and drink are just a call away using your private cell phone, monitored 24/7 by the resorts butler staff. We began each day with a breakfast on our poolside patio and took full advantage of the service by ordering in cocktails made with local Chairmans Reserve rum and snacks and meals throughout the day.

Spa treatments can be arranged in rooms, as well, although that was one indulgence we didnt partake in we preferred to have our day go uninterrupted even by the most pleasurable of intrusions.

Our decision to hole up in our Sanctuary wasnt all that unusual. One couple stayed in their room for five straight days, showing their faces only to answer the door when their Majordomo arrived with food or drinks.

When we did eventually emerge from our Sanctuary to explore the rest of the resort, we were thrilled to discover that as a Jade guest, you get two resorts for the price of one: the high-altitude luxury of Jade Mountain and the beach-resort vibe at Anse Chastanet, just downhill.

The Jade facilities, including dining at the Jade Mountain Club and cocktails on the resorts roof deck, are reserved exclusively for Sanctuary guests. But as Jade guests, we had the full run of Anse Chastanets six restaurants, bars, beach toys, and other amenities. Included among those were classes on making sweet treats at the resorts Chocolate Lab using cocoa beans grown on the property and jungle biking on 12 miles of trails through the Anse Mamin plantation.

We spent time lounging on both of Anse Chastanets beaches, including the broad stretch of sand in front of the resort and the secluded shore of Anse Mamin, located in a private cove a short walk or boat ride away.

We chose to explore St. Lucia on our own, but some Jade Mountain guests get so attached to their majordomos that they take them along on guided hikes to local attractions like the Enbas Saut Waterfall, the Tet Paul Nature Trail, or bird-watching at Anse Mamin. And with Jade Mountain always in high demand, the resort is planning to add another 24 Sanctuaries when a new sister property, Jade Sea, opens later this year.

Originally posted here:

I spent a day on the most beautiful island in the Caribbean and never left my room. It was incredible. - Business Insider