Serenity awaits

Discovering Saint Lucia's newest all-inclusive, adults-only resort

ANN RUPPENSTEIN

As he shows me around my spacious suite, my butler Gregg is explaining the range of services his team is ready to do for guests – from unpacking suitcases and ironing to drawing aromatherapy bubble baths at a chosen time or even as a surprise.
“That’s just what’s on the list,” he says after popping open a bottle of champagne. “We do anything that’s legal and possible.”
Personal butler service is a feature of all 36 suites at Serenity at Coconut Bay – the newest all-inclusive, adults-only property in Saint Lucia.
Here, outdoor space is as much of a focal point as the interior of the rooms, with private fenced in patios covered in foliage, complete with plunge pools, hammocks for two suspended from coconut trees, outdoor rainfall showers, ample places to hang out in the great outdoors, and the occasional visits from hummingbirds.
“It’s really a different luxury experience,” Mark Adams, president and CEO of Serenity at Coconut Bay tells Travel Courier. “The idea of having an outdoor patio with fencing around and a plunge pool, it’s quite a unique space whether you’re a honeymooner or you’re someone looking to have the ultimate chill out, with service on top of it that makes it come to life.”
A short drive from Hewanorra International Airport, Serenity is located adjacent to Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa. Along with being able to use all the facilities of its sister property, including nine restaurants, Serenity has its own separate amenities and lounging areas like the Greathouse, a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating offering Caribbean and American dishes, and a poolside bar.
“With a limited number of villas, we just felt it was a perfect fit to offer an upscale boutique all-inclusive experience within the property of Coconut Bay,” he says. “The rooms [set us apart]. There are other plunge pool rooms, but I really don’t believe that they have the privacy that Serenity offers.”
Suites range in size from 1,250 to 1,900 sq. ft., centering around handcrafted mahogany king beds. In-room dining and cocktails can also be arranged for couples and any new friends made during their stay.
Aside from the rooms, the main attraction of Serenity is the pool, which already has several accolades to its name. There are cabanas and day beds, and by night, the pool is illuminated and colourfully lit fountains shoot into the pool.
“Because we knew that little compact space with the 36 rooms would be around the pool area, it had to be a feature at night too, so we incorporated fire pits and the multi-coloured light show in the water,” he says. “It’s very sexy and chic.”
With Saint Lucia’s popularity as a honeymoon destination, Adams says the resort has been popular for newlyweds and couples alike.
“It’s a perfect romantic getaway… What’s amazing is the amount of repeat travellers that we’re already experiencing within a year,” he says. “We have one couple from Michigan, they have been there four times within one year. They just keep coming back, and what’s neat is they bring another couple with them every time.”
www.SerenityatCoconutBay.com

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• 15% commission on all Serenity bookings of six nights or more when made direct. Bookings must be made with North America Reservations (1-877-252-0304)
• $100 reward (in the form of a MasterCard gift card) for direct bookings of six nights or more for every booking registered with: www.serenityresortrewards.com
• Earn one free night for every seven-night booking in all room categories for bookings registered with:
  www.serenityresortrewards.com

SEEKING SERENITY

Special delivery: for those who are feeling peckish while going au naturel, a private room service box allows the butler to deliver food without entering the suite, so guests don’t have to get dressed to fetch breakfast.
Instagrammable moment: a shot in the hammock – with room for two – will ensure plenty of likes.
Eat this: once a week at the on-property restaurant the Greathouse, a family-style chef’s dinner is prepared by Aunty Debbie, a local chef who is also known to serve up a side or two of song.
Unwind: rather than sauntering over to the spa, guests can get the masseuse to come to them for an in-suite massage.
Drink this: breakfast isn’t complete without trying one of Gina’s freshly made juices.
Booking tip: with only 36 rooms, Serenity often sells out, so Adams encourages clients to book early. “It’s kind of if you snooze, you lose,” he says. “The winter is already over 50% sold as we speak.”
A special touch: guests can expect nightly handwritten notes during turndown service.
Did you know? Serenity and Coconut Bay have a farm to table approach to dining, with a green house on-site where they grow tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli and even mint.
Don’t leave Saint Lucia without: getting muddy (and posing for photos) in the sulphur springs; seeing The Pitons – the two volcanic mountainous peaks near the town of Soufriere – from the water; and having a Piton (a local beer) by The Pitons.
Oh, cabana: for a special beach-side experience, guests can book oceanfront beach cabanas for a full or half day. Butlers transport guests via golf cart with a picnic lunch and a cooler stocked with beverages.
Seeing Saint Lucia: for clients who want to take in the sights and experiences around Saint Lucia, the resort offers many excursions exclusively for guests of the two properties.
Value added: due to the success of its Grand Romance Package, Serenity is leaving the promotion in place for 2018 and 2019. The package has many inclusions with a seven-night stay like a sunset champagne and jazz catamaran cruise.