You’re likely still in the midst of the holiday rush, but don’t wait until the winter doldrums have hit to book your next island escape! At Cap Maison in Saint Lucia, we’ve got plenty of exciting events and happenings planned to bring you out of the cold and into the Caribbean sunshine this spring, including an exclusive  performance from Ed Roland of Collective Soul and special featured guest chef. There’s limited availability, so book now to get the best rates and accommodations!

Check back for updates here or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news (and maybe even a giveaway or two)!

Spring Caribbean Travel Packages

View all of our current offers to set your sights on a springtime trip to our boutique resort and spa.

Upcoming Events

Unplugged in Paradise

April 26-29, 2018:  Ed Roland, lead singer and songwriter of multi-platinum rock band Collective Soul, will give three acoustic performances at Cap Maison. Limited all-inclusive packages available. Watch the video below and click here to learn more about special Rock ‘N Stay packages.

March 23-24: Guest Chef James Rigato of Mabel Gray

Hailing from Detroit, James Beard “Best New Restaurant” semi-finalist James Rigato will take over the kitchens at The Naked Fisherman on Friday, March 23 and The Cliff at Cap on Saturday, March 24. His restaurant, Mabel Gray, was named one of Eater’s “21 Best New Restaurants in America.”

With so much to do in Saint Lucia, it can be challenging to decide how to spend your precious moments in paradise. But thanks to TripAdvisor, you can explore hundreds of places to see and things to do near Cap Maison to help you plan before you get here.

The great news? Plenty of these highly-rated activities and adventures are a short distance from our resort!

So before you head over to TripAdvisor to ensure you don’t spend your trip getting from one place to another (since it’s crucial to maximize your downtime – whether that’s on the beach, poolside, or enjoying cocktails at the Cliff At Cap), check out a few of our staff and guest favorites below to ensure you have all the fun discovering our beautiful island, but don’t spend too much of your time en route to the next adventure.

Top Things to Do Near Cap Maison

1. Pigeon Island National Park

   With stunning views of Pigeon Island from Cap Maison, it’s no wonder this natural beauty  is popular with many of our guests for its family-friendly beach, beachside restaurant and moderate hike to the top, which boasts views of nearby Martinique.

2. Gros Islet Street Party

   TripAdvisor reviewers say Gros Islet is the place to be on a Friday night in St. Lucia, and we have to agree. Every week, Cap Maison shuttles guests to this outdoor party with live music, dancing and delicious street food. It’s one of our guests’ favorite ways to experience the local culture in a family-friendly environment.

3. Sailing, Day Cruises or Boat Charters

   The island boasts a number of boat tours, charters, and sailing experiences – perfect for honeymooners (and newlyweds at heart) to see the island from the ocean – that are all highly rated. Our Concierge would be more than happy to coordinate a day at sea for you and your group with our trusted providers, or even a special experience on our private motor yacht, the Cap Maison I.

4. Beautiful Beaches: Reduit Beach and Pigeon Island Causeway Beach

   Aside from Smuggler’s Cove and our relaxing, casual beachside bar and grill The Naked Fisherman, there are countless more beaches to explore in St. Lucia. Whether your looking to snorkel, kite surf, or simply take in the beautiful vistas, our Concierge can help plan the perfect beach day to fit your itinerary.

5. Get Moving: Dune Buggy and Segway Tours

If you’d rather explore the island by land than by sea, we highly recommend  Segway tours for those looking for a fun family outing exploring nature trails with views of exciting St. Lucian landmarks like the Rodney Bay coastline, Pigeon Island, Mount Gimie, Reduit Beach and Martinique. Dune buggy experiences allow guests to discover the island’s rainforest, the Pitons and more.

Interested in any of these offsite activities? Contact Cap Maison Concierge to get your itinerary planned before your arrival.

 

Like that of many other Caribbean islands, Saint Lucia weather is hot, but the tropical climate tempered by cooling trade winds during most of the year. Temperatures range from 70-90 degrees (21-32 C). Dry season runs from December through May, and the island typically sees increased rainfall in the summer through November.

Luckily for guests of Cap Maison, which is located on the northern tip of Saint Lucia in Castries, the region’s beaches are hot, but tempered by cooling trade winds. This cooling breeze drifts into  Smuggler’s Cove, our cozy, quiet beach that offers resort guests complimentary snorkeling, kayaking, hobie cats and a delicious beachside bar and grill, The Naked Fisherman, which offers stunning views of the Caribbean Sea.

The best time of year visit, according to U.S. News and World Report, is during the months of May and June, based on an analysis of weather and price trends. With temperatures in the high 70s and 80s and often more affordable room rates than in the summer and late fall, the site recommends springtime especially for music lovers to attend the St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival. Additionally, the site says, December through April sees the biggest crowds – making room rates typically higher during this time.

Visitors who don’t want to get their parade rained on should keep in mind average precipitation spikes July through November, with an increased chance for hurricanes.

No matter the time of year you plan to visit, there’s plenty to do near Cap Maison and lots of activities that are fun no matter the weather, like our guest-favorite Deli at Cap Maison wine and food paring dinner and Cooking Classes guided by Executive Chef Craig Jones of The Cliff at Cap restaurant. But if you’re ready to get out and explore, check out some of our favorite family-friendly nearby activities that are a short drive from Cap Maison.

Have more questions about Saint Lucia weather and when to plan your trip? Our online Concierge is ready and waiting to help!

Scene of destruction on Tortola caused by hurricane Irma. (Photo Credit: Ve-Anna Thomas for Saint Lucia News Online)

The Cap Maison family is deeply saddened for all of the communities in the Caribbean and U.S. for the devastation caused by recent hurricanes. From Texas to Florida to our neighboring Caribbean islands, our thoughts and prayers are with our friends, neighbors and family members throughout the region as they continue to recover and rebuild.

We have been so inspired by organizations and individuals who have lent a helping hand and come to the aide of these cities and communities in this time of great need.

CARIBBEAN

There are many ways to help our friends in the northern Caribbean recover from Hurricane Irma. The Lonely Planet outlines several organizations offering general aid, like Global Giving and The Center for Disaster Philanthropy, as well as the best places to donate to help specific islands affected by the storm.

Major international organizations like The Red Cross and UNICEF are currently on the ground in these islands. Donating to these accredited charities means your support will have an immediate impact on people who need help now.

According to Saint Lucia News Online, a GoFundMe for Hurricane Irma relief started by executives at Invest Caribbean is aiming to help the tens of thousands of people throughout the Caribbean, many of whom have lost their homes and all they own, get back on their feet. Donations will be disbursed to Samaritan’s Purse, a North Carolina-based global non-profit organization. Click here to donate to the Invest Caribbean initiative.

HOUSTON

If you’d like to help those still recovering from Hurricane Harvey, please consider making a donation to these organizations who are making a difference in Houston for all residents, including children, families and even displaced pets. 

5 Ways You Can Help:

Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund –  Houston’s mayor activated this fund, which is managed by the Greater Houston Community Fund.

Houston Humane Society – We love our furry locals at Cap Maison (especially our beloved cat Davidson, a.k.a. Cat Maison). Help Houston’s displaced animals with a donation to this wonderful organization.

Houston Food Bank – Help make sure Houston residents get the food they need with a donation to the city’s food bank.

GoFundMe fan? Here are all the Harvey-related campaigns all in one place. 

Interested in donating to another charity? Use Charity Navigator to ensure you’re not getting scammed and your money goes to active organizations in the area.

From all of us in Saint Lucia, we are with you Houston.

 

 

Read Craig’s fascinating take on food and the evolution of his style.

Creativity

….without an audience, it’s meaningless

Creativity is what keeps my food evolving and the work involved in creating and inspiring a team of chefs, not only because it is central to the passion and commitment of everyday work in a kitchen but also because the creativity of the food is what makes people want to come back to the restaurant. The restaurant is like a workshop where new dishes, concepts and techniques are developed and shared with the guests. Without an audience, the creations would have no meaning. To be truly creative, a dish must be interesting and new. The aim is to create dishes and techniques that fully engage the guest’s sensory, emotional and intellectual faculties. To surprise and encourage them to experience food in new and unexpected ways.

Understanding Nouvelle Cuisine

 When I became a chef, I was strongly influenced by nouvelle cuisine, a new cooking style from France that had shorter cooking times and a lighter cooking style. This challenged the rules of classic cuisine. Local cuisines as a source of inspiration is important when creative. Although this creative method had its roots in nouvelli cuisine, it has also helped me forge my independent style. Fusion cuisine combines ingredients, classic dishes, and cooking techniques from several parts of the world in one dish. As a creative method, it is the most successful when used in my own individual style, resulting in articulate and innovative dishes.

Multi National Tastes

Absorbing influences from other countries is complex and can operate in many different ways. On travelling to the Mediterranean, I discovered that, unlike many ingredients, frit could fit into more than one basic taste group. It can be sweet, sour and bitter all at the same time. Japanese influenced me with a style of formal dining with many courses that are finely balanced in taste, texture, cooking technique and presentation, emphasising spirituality, ritual and sequence of eating, which values the total experience. Exploring, touching, tasting, and analysing all of this opens up different routes, which results in new dishes sooner or later.

“Creativity means changing your mind every day.”

Food for the Senses

Eating involves the use of all the senses. Each sense can be seen as a separate creative method, but in many cases, the interaction between different senses produces the most interesting results.

Sight- often, the first sense transmits information about the dish

Hearing- the least important sense for the act of eating, can still play an interesting role in biting into an apple or a thin sheet of caramel.

Touch- temperature is the guest’s first tactile sensation & then textures transmit many different sensations. A puree or liquid can become a mousse, foam, granite, sorbet or jelly, and altering ingredients’ natural texture can radically alter a diner’s perceptions.

Smell- is a vital component of flavour and the complex interaction between the sense of smell and taste.

Taste- taste is the heart of eating, taste buds identifies sweet, salt, bitter, sour.

  But the sensory judgement is made in the mind

A Question of Balance

“You have to find a balance between what you want to do, what is possible and what the guest would like.”

The natural textures, colours, and culture of Saint Lucia provide a rich source of inspiration for me. Forcing ideas gets you nowhere, and patience is essential. There are different levels of creativity in cooking. You can follow a recipe and add a few touches of your own, or you can create a new recipe of your own, which is the highest level of creativity. I keep creative notebooks filled with ideas, concepts, and sketches for new dishes, which I am always adding to. I even write down ideas from dreams, take one of them, start developing it, and see it evolve on a plate. Exploring, touching, tasting and analysing the food and ideas resulting in a new dish.

Extracting pulp from tamarind and using the peel to make a tamarind infusion for the foam to enhance a fish dish. Trying different methods of slicing a pumpkin is simple but the most fundamental way of experimenting with a vegetable, and it can lead to completely new ways of using it. After years spent working in restaurants, my mental plate, the flavours and textures of thousands of ingredients, and countless hours of cooking, tasting and experimenting with dishes all contribute to a chef’s mental recipe book. Using this provides shortcuts that help create a new dish that evolves quickly. It allows you to use this knowledge of the flavours and textures of ingredients to image how they might combine together, also good to make notes of these combinations to create with later.

Ingredients are the chef’s raw materials, and the qualities of a dish greatly depend on the raw materials chosen.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. We would argue that a virtual map with 360-degree videos, 3D tours of many available room types, and video clips of all some amenities, activities and nearby attractions are worth far more than that.

Experience what true Saint Lucia luxury looks and feels like with our new virtual multimedia tour. This new map allows you to get to know our boutique resort and spa even before you book your stay with us. Now, you can explore the wonders of Cap Maison all from the comfort of your laptop.

Virtual Tours

Take a virtual walk through all of our accommodations all in one place — from a junior suite to an ocean view villa with rooftop pool and even Saman House, our 4-bedroom owner’s villa with private pool.

Rather than having to rely on a short amenity listing or a few photos that showcase only a few angles, you can now see every inch of what your villa or suite has to offer with our virtual tours.

360-Degree Videos

From watching the sunset on a private balcony to experiencing a wine cellar dinner with our in-house sommelier, our 360-degree videos offer a full view of the Cap Maison experience.

Take a virtual dip in our natural rock pool or see what it’s like to dine on our private deck Rock Maison, or visit our two restaurants, The Naked Fisherman and The Cliff at Cap.

… And There’s Even More to the Story

Learn more about the history of Cap Maison, take a Castries Market tour with Chef Nico, go snorkeling at Smuggler’s Cove and more with video extras sure to excite your sense of adventure and give you some ideas of what you’d like to experience during your stay with us. And don’t forget to reach out to our Online Concierge to get your activities planned prior to your arrival.

Saint Lucia luxury means knowing exactly what you’ll experience before your arrival at Cap Maison. Go on a virtual adventure with us! 

 

 

Lisa Moorish

Lisa Moorish is an English singer-songwriter. She had a solo career beginning in 1989 and was the lead singer of the indie band Kill City in the early 2000s.

Lucky for us Lisa is a guest at Cap Maison this weekend and will perform at The Naked Fisherman in the afternoon this coming Saturday. Time 2:00pm – 5:00pm Saturday 24th February.

Origins

Moorish was born in Walworth but grew up in Brixton, South London. She is of mixed race: her father, Henry Watt, is a black Jamaican “mixed with Irish, Scottish, Asian”, whilst her mother, Iris, is English and from Middlesbrough. They met in a Hammersmith club. 

Music career

Moorish began her musical career in 1989 at 17, when she signed to Jive Records. She released two singles with Jive; later, in 1991, she released two singles with Polydor. She was signed to Go! Discs in the mid-1990s and produced an album (I’ve Gotta Have It All, 1996). She also collaborated with George Michael on a version of his Wham! Hit “I’m Your Man”.

In 1995, Moorish performed backing vocals on an acoustic version of the Oasis song “Fade Away” for the Warchild charity album.

In 1996, Moorish provided backing vocals on Northern Irish indie band Ash’s hit single, “Oh Yeah”, which reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

In the early 2000s, Moorish was a member of the indie band Kill City. They were a four-piece consisting of Moorish, fellow songwriter “Welsh” Pete Jones on bass and guitarists Tom Bowen and Stuart Le Page. In 2004, they released their debut EP, White Boys, Brown Girl, on Alan McGee’s Poptones label. Nash Gierak (Mower) joined the new bass line in 2004–2006, alongside Tom Lindley and Pete Denton (from the chart-toppers the Kooks) on guitar.

In December 2003, Moorish recorded a cover of “Fairytale of New York” with Johnny Borrell on BBC Radio 6 Music. She has frequently performed with Drew McConnell. In 2006, Moorish appeared on the “Strummerville” charity single, covering The Clash’s “Janie Jones”, which peaked at No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart.