The BodyHoliday at LeSport is an upbeat resort hotel tucked into its own attractive cove at the northern tip of St Lucia. It has a lively buzz about it, with a range of sports and activities on offer by day and then a lively diet of entertainment in the evenings. The BodyHoliday distinguishes itself among St Lucia hotels by its overall approach. In addition to the sports of the name, it offers personalised programmes of relaxation from the extremely broad range of massage, therapies and ayurvedic and other holistic treatments in its Oasis spa. Le Sport is one of the finest Caribbean all inclusive hotels.
KEY FEATURES
Resort style St Lucia hotel set in its own cove; ever lively, with an endless list of activities, sports and inclusive spa treatments by day and entertainment by night. 154 rooms of which 29 are dedicated single rooms. Also singles programmes
STYLE
Active, resort-style atmosphere in a modern Caribbean setting. The Oasis spa, set above the resort, has Moroccan and now Indian design
CLIENT PROFILE
A good spread of ages and nationalities looking for an all-in-one resort, popular with single travellers and small groups of friends
As its name suggests, The BodyHoliday at LeSport is more than a regular Caribbean resort. Their slogan runs 'Give us your body for a week and we'll give you back your mind'. Where many Caribbean hotels offer a simple restorative week at the poolside, Le Sport is active and upbeat and full of activities, steered by BodyGuides and BodyGuards. There is a huge range of sports (scuba, golf and watersports, all included), but most importantly there are personally tailored programmes of fitness, health and even nutrition. These are centred on the facilities of their spa, Oasis, at which each guest receives a daily treatment as part of their package.
The hotel itself sits on the pretty Cariblue Beach in the Cap Estate, at the very northern tip of St Lucia. There is always a lively buzz around the bars and the dining rooms. Ranged along the northern part of the shorefront are five blocks, with 154 bedrooms in all. At the other end of the bay and beach are the dining rooms, bars and watersports, set among the palm trees. Overlooking it all from on high is the spa, Oasis, a Moorish-style palace. Behind the resort is the Coubaril Valley, where among the lakes and forested slopes you will find hotel facilities including the golf academy, archery, tennis courts and relaxation temples.
The drive to Le Sport from Hewanorra Airport in the south passes through spectacular St Lucian countryside. It takes approximately 90 minutes (though a similarly spectacular helicopter transfer is available if you wish to cut down the time). You are greeted in a small gazebo at the entrance, with a rum punch or glass of Champagne. From there it is a short walk through profuse tropical gardens to the Reception, which is dressed in traditional Caribbean style, with wicker armchairs, pickled wooden 'tray ceiling' and coral rendered lintels and doorframes. It is decorated with modern botanical paintings.
The rooms themselves are a slick take on traditional Caribbean - although in their newest renovations, the oceanview and oceanfront rooms, they have opted for a more modern style. They are designed to be air-conditioned, which may make them feel a little enclosed, but they all have some outside space in a balcony or small patio. The bathrooms are well equipped and most have tubs as well as showers (in the new oceanfront rooms, there is a walk-in shower only).
Interestingly, one of the blocks at LeSport consists of 29 single rooms. While the rest of the Caribbean does not generally make much of an effort to welcome solo travellers – the area has maintained a solidly couples image – at LeSport they are catered for specifically. At lunch and dinner there are communal tables for instance, where you can sit with other people travelling solo. BodyGuards (sports/fitness trainers) will also dine with you if you would like to dine in company.
The rooms are set on the hillside and as you come down you pass the main pool before arriving at the main dining room, Cariblue. This is large and open-sided and looks out onto the sea over a dancefloor (and alternative dining space in good weather), where there is often a band to accompany dinner. Beside it is the piano bar, which opens in the early evening. This is at its liveliest late on, after dinner, and it stays open until the last person leaves.
Heading the other way from the dining room you come to the main bar at the Clubhouse. Some chairs look out through the palms and greenery over the sea, but the main activity looks inwards. There is a large oblong bar and a stage on which there is nightly entertainment, including shows staged by the staff themselves. Next to the bar is the second pool, where scuba training and water aerobics take place and in less pleasant weather there are games of pool volleyball.
As you walk further along the beach you come to the watersports shop. There are daily lessons in waterskiing and scuba as well as all the small sailing boats and windsurfers you are likely to want. Eventually, at the end of the bay, the last building contains two other restaurants. Downstairs is the deli, which is open by day. Set just above the beach on a deck with a rope balustrade slung between palm trunks, it offers light meals, salads, snacks and smoothies. Upstairs is the hotel's elegant dining room, Tao, which offers Oriental fusion cuisine in a very comfortable, more refined setting (reservations required 48 hours in advance).
The Oasis, the spa, stands on the hillside above the resort. You enter via a rounded arch into a Moorish-style palace, where two interior courtyards are decorated with neatly trimmed trees, waterfalls and small pools set into a marble floor. Around the outside are runs of rounded arches on slender columns topped with the white honeycomb stucco of the Alhambra. Behind them are the treatment rooms. On arrival guests are offered a consultation at the spa and then a daily treatment. See below for details of treatments. Through their BodyAware Programme, the staff will prepare a personally tailored schedule for you to follow during your stay, designed to fit around your chosen goals. It can even be extended beyond departure, to help you to continue to keep fit when you get home. Pavitra, the new Ayurvedic centre has recently opened and offers authentic Ayurvedic treatments inside the Indian temple.
Finally there are other facilities set behind the main hotel, in the depth of 'Coubaril Valley' beyond the car park. Here you will find the Tennis Pavillion, with its new courts (two of which are lit for night play) and the Golf School. There is a training area and three short par 3 practice holes. An archery range, set high up, has excellent views of the sea and there is a lake and island where there is an Indian temple, which is used for meditation, yoga and Tai Chi.
The BodyHoliday at LeSport is at its best when it is full and there is plenty of activity. It is fun to visit as part of a crowd, but it is also fine to visit as a single. You can learn to scuba dive and work on your golf, water-ski and learn new sports all within the price. The BodyGuides will guide you through the schedule of treatments and activities, even hard-core workouts. But there's no compulsion about it. You can just dip into the programme if you like, while really spending most of your time relaxing by the pool after all.
Beach & Swimming Le Sport is ranged along a couple of hundred yards of mid-coloured sand which shelves gradually into the sea. The swimming is good, but so close to the northern tip of the island, there are currents from time to time. A red flag is displayed when the water is not safe. If you would like to go snorkelling there is a nice reef offshore at the northern end of the bay. A mask and snorkel can be borrowed at the watersports shop on the beach.
There are three swimming pools at Le Sport. The main pool is close to the rooms, just above the waterfront. It is surrounded by loungers and greenery on a deck. A second pool is next to the Clubhouse. This is more active and sees pool volleyball and aqua aerobics. There is also a pool in the Oasis Spa.
Sports & Recreation If general activities are overseen by BodyGuard co-ordinators, on the sporting side Le Sport can offer you a programme of relaxation called BodyAware, which is overseen by BodyGuides. This is in addition to the treatments in the Oasis spa (below). They offer suggestions for a programme of activities, which may include Total Body Stretch and High Energy Aqua Fitness through to personalized yoga and even advice about your diet. If you would like, then they will set some structured goals for you during your holiday. General activities are listed in a weekly booklet and daily on a blackboard in the main bar.
Included in this is an extremely broad range of sports and activities, far more than you would expect to come across in a regular Caribbean hotel. They include archery, fencing, beach and water volleyball, tennis, golf (see below), kick boxing, gym work, power walking on the Cap Estate, even Caribbean dance classes. There are also mountain biking trips to Gros Islet and Pigeon Island and the chance to go hiking and even canyoning.
A full range of watersports is also laid on at Le Sport, including kayaking, windsurfing, tubing, sailing and waterskiing. Lessons are held for all guests between 11am and 4.30pm. The watersports shop is open until 5pm. A full scuba diving programme is also available through the watersports shop, at all levels of experience.
Golf Tuition and practise on three short par 3 holes are available in Coubaril Valley right behind the hotel, but it is worth knowing that there is a championship golf course just a couple of minutes away, within the Cap Estate. The St Lucia Golf and Country Club is a 6829 yard, par 71 course. Guests of LeSPORT are offered a deal at the course. Pay for nine holes and transport to and from the course and the second nine holes are thrown in for free. The mandatory golf cart is also included in the price.
Staff LeSport has a small army of young and energetic staff to keep the guests busy and active. BodyGuides oversee the health and spa-based programmes. BodyGuards oversee general activities and entertainment.
There is also a large qualified staff up at the Oasis spa, including specialists in sports therapy, nutrition and iridology, suikodo Chinese bodywork as well as general massage therapy and of course trained ayurvedic therapists.
The executive chef at Le Sport is from France, some senior chefs are from India and Sri Lanka, but many come from St Lucia.
The Oasis Spa The Oasis Spa, set in a dedicated building on the hillside above the resort, offers general massage and beauty treatments. A treatment is offered free of charge to guests each day (excluding the day of your arrival and departure). There is now also a strong offering of holistic Ayurvedic treatments through LeSport’s Pavitra Temple, which opened in late 2008. Treatments at the Pavitra Temple are not included.
The Oasis has a broad range of general massages and beauty treatments, which can be personally tailored. They include Swedish body massage, thalasso wraps, facials and hydrotherapy. There is even a honeymoon massage, a couples' session in which you learn a few tips for when you return home. The Oasis Academy is now recognised by CIBTAC (Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology), so courses followed there can be counted towards a qualification.
The menu of holistic treatments includes acupuncture and acupressure, personalized yoga and marma massage. In addition there are options for reflexology, kinesiology, Suikodo Chinese bodywork and iridology. Lastly the range of Ayurvedic treatments at the Pavitra Temple includes four hand massages, facials and breath, spinal and eye treatments. There are also a number of rituals and combination treatments that work around specific nutritional advice, diets and exercise routines.
The Rooms Set in two and three storey blocks mostly overlooking the sea, the rooms at Le Sport are modern and quite plush. They are a good size, tiled and they each have a table and comfortable chair. They are air-conditioned and all have some outside space, usually a veranda. There are seven categories of rooms ranging between garden view singles and Grand luxury ocean-front suites.
Twenty-nine of the rooms are single rooms, set in their own block. These are slightly smaller but a good size nonetheless. They have large beds, a table and chairs and a Juliet balcony. These rooms carry no single supplement.
Dining There are a number of dining rooms around Le Sport, but all meals are also available in the main dining room at the heart of the resort. Continental breakfast is available on room service. Breakfast and lunch are generally served as a buffet, though at dinner Cariblue, the main dining room, becomes an a la carte restaurant. The food here is fairly international with a Caribbean twist. LeSport has a system of tables for its single guests, in which up to eight can eat together on the same table. BodyGuards will also dine with you one-to-one on occasion if you would prefer to eat with just one person.
By day the Deli at the end of the bay offers light meals and snacks as well as smoothies and fresh juices.
Tao, set upstairs in its own building at the far end of the resort, is the most elegant dining room at Le Sport. In a dining room dressed in black and white, it offers excellent Oriental fusion cuisine. Dinner at Tao is available by reservation. It is included in the all-inclusive rate, though certain dishes do carry a supplement.
Room service is available for continental breakfast only.
Useful Hints The BodyHoliday at LeSport is quite an active and lively resort, so if you are looking for total seclusion and tranquillity then it may be a little busy for you. Despite the strong sports and health ethos however, it is still possible to spend your time lounging by the pool without feeling obliged to join in the activities.
Dress Code: Casual by day, beachwear accepted in certain areas; elegantly casual in the evenings
Facilities: The Deli and 3 restaurants – Cariblue, Clubhouse, TAO; 2 bars – Clubhouse and Piano; Oasis spa; Foreign exchange, Safe deposit at Concierge, Concierge service, Master Classes, Nurse On Call
Complimentary:
Watersports (instruction included) – snorkelling, waterskiing, windsurfing, Sunfish sailing/Hobie cats, kayaking. Scuba diving – one shore dive per day up to 60 foot for PADI qualified guests. Activity pool – aqua aerobics, volleyball, try-a-dive. Landsports – tennis and tennis lessons (tennis shoes required), golf and golf academy, fencing (including instruction), archery (including instruction), cycling, volleyball, gym and half hour personal instruction, aerobics, stretch classes, table tennis, calypso dance classes, yoga, pilates, t’ai chi, meditation, stress management, mixology classes, tropical flower arrangement, selection of board games
Body Treatments - one of the following spa treatments each day (except day of arrival and departure): Exotic Devils mint body scrub, Cellutox Aroma ocean wrap, Musclease Aroma spa ocean wrap, Massage, Aromapure facials for women, Aromamale facials, Deluxe coconut and spice combo, Hydrotherapy, Nurturing massage for mother-to-be
Live entertainment every evening.
Other Services:
Oasis spa – Reflexology, Ayurvedic treatments, Therapeutic massage, Shiatsu, Myofascia release, Trigger point release, Iridology, Kinesiology, Nutrition, La Therapy beauty treatments, body treatments for 2 – aromatherapy massage for couples, exotic coconut and milk ritual wrap, Japanese silk booster facial, exotic frangipani body nourish wrap (extra charges).
Try a Dive for non PADI qualified guests (included).
Guided island expeditions and seasonal overnight turtle watching trips (extra charge).
Accommodation: 154 rooms and suites
Room Types: All Rooms are air conditioned, with direct dial telephone, voice mail facility and data ports, clock radios, in-room safe, 110/220 volt outlets, private bath or shower, iron/ironing board and hair dryer.
Single Garden View Room - to cater to the rapidly growing single market, LeSport has created a new block of dedicated single room (no supplements charged), which are of generous size, furnished with Pulaski Collection furniture, a queen size, four-poster bed, bathroom en suite, garden view. The bathroom is a little smaller than the double rooms. These rooms have a garden view only and do not have balconies. Also ideal for teenagers with parents in house.
Luxury Rooms are located on an elevated three/four story building with a garden view. They have a four-poster, draped king size bed (twin beds on request). Rooms have mini fridge, marble floors, are furnished with rattan chairs and writing desk, soft goods are in pastel colours, walls are decorated with rare hummingbird prints, bathrooms have marble vanity with two sinks and French doors open out onto a balcony or terrace which is furnished with two chairs and a table.
Luxury Ocean View Rooms are located in an elevated three/four story building with pool and partial ocean view and Premier Oceanview Rooms are located at the highest level of the hotel and have coastal views. These rooms have either a four-poster mahogany, king-size bed or two twin beds and matching writing desk and lounge chairs. Similar décor, balcony/terrace and facilities as for Luxury Room. En suite bathroom has a single marble vanity and Kohler Body-all-over jet showers.
Deluxe Ocean Front Rooms are located adjacent to the sea and there are some adjoining rooms available in this category. They have either a king-size four poster bed or two twin beds, marble floors and Honduras Cedar woodwork. Similar décor, facilities and furnishings to Luxury Rooms. The en suite bathroom has travertine tile vanity with glass basins and Kohler Body all-over jet shower.
Grand Luxury Ocean Front Rooms are located in a four-story building adjacent to the sea. All rooms have marble floors and are richly furnished with mahogany and a king size, four-poster bed. There is a mini fridge, large marbled bathroom with bath and shower, separate loo, marble makeup vanity, separate marble sink vanity and a generous terrace overlooking the ocean with patio furniture.
Grand Luxury Ocean Front Junior Suites are furnished as the Grand Luxury Ocean Front Rooms but with the added luxury of a sitting room area and iPod stations.
Grand Luxury Ocean Front Suites are located on the top floor of a two-story building adjacent to the sea with the bedroom and living room divided by double doors and adjoining another guest room, providing the option of a two-bedroom suite. Each suite has a wet bar and CD player in the sitting room, iPod station in the bedroom and marble floors throughout. The double balcony is furnished with loungers and table.
Children: Children over 16 years year round except 24 Jun–02 Sep when the minimum age is 12 years. Children under 16 years cannot receive spa treatments.
Weddings: dedicated wedding specialist for customised wedding packages.
Credit Cards: American Express, Visa and MasterCard
All rates are in US$ per person, per night, based on double occupancy. A Single supplement of US$100 per night will be applied to single occupancy of double rooms except in the case of the Single Garden Rooms.The minimum age from 19th June to 6th September 2009 is twelve. At all other times it is sixteen.
All rates subject to change without notice and apply to bookings originating from the UK and Europe.The BodyHoliday LeSPORT is a Sunswept Resort and there are various special offers and rates available. These change on a regular basis, therefore please email the office directly using the Direct Email Enquiry Facility above for further information.
Hotel Facilities Included:Accommodation: All rooms are fully air-conditioned with a four-poster king size bed or two twin beds, (queen size beds in single rooms and king size in Grand Luxury Ocean Front Rooms only); direct dial telephone; clock radio; 110/220 volt outlets; mini fridge*; private bath and shower; hair dryer and razor points and a balcony or terrace*. *except single rooms. Bars: The Clubhouse and The Piano Bar (The Piano Bar is open until the last guest leaves). Dining: Cariblue Restaurant - buffet style breakfast & lunch. A la Carte Dinner 5 nights per week & Themed Buffet 1 night per week. TAO - A la Carte dinner served nightly. The Deli - offers lighter options during the day. The Club House - Barbecue 5 nights per week.Entertainment: Each night in the Clubhouse. Body Treatments: The centerpiece of LeSPORT is the OASIS, a comprehensive centre of health and well being. Guests receive a daily programme of complimentary body treatments. Watersports: Snorkelling, Scuba Diving, Water-skiing, Windsurfing, Sailing, Swimming Pool, Oasis Pool, Activity Pool and Kayaking. Land Sports: Tennis (resident instructor), GolfSchool, Golf (unlimited green fees and transfers to and from Cap Estate 18 hole golf course), Cycling, Fencing, Archery, Volleyball, Gym, Jogging/Walks, Aerobics, Board Games, Table Tennis and Stretch Classes.Please note that facilities are subject to change without notice.
How to Book If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with The BodyHoliday at LeSport St Lucia, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number.
Locality Set at the very far northern tip of St Lucia, Le Sport is located in the Cap Estate. This is a wealthy district of private homes and villas, set on the steep hillsides that overlook a golf course and the sea.
Just a few minutes south by car, as you leave the Cap Estate, you will come to the heartland of tourism in St Lucia, Rodney Bay. First you pass the turn to Pigeon Point, with its old fortifications and a nice beach bar, Jambe de Bois. Back on the main road you pass Gros Islet, famous for its Friday night Jump up and then the marinas and yacht services. Next is the turning to Rodney Bay, the liveliest area of St Lucia, with a strip of bars and restaurants and then the finest beach on the island (in the classic Caribbean sense of palm backed white sand). If you are looking for night-time action then this is the place to come. Beyond here, about twenty minutes drive from the hotel is the island capital Castries, a small and quite lively West Indian town set on a magnificent harbour.
Restaurants worth visiting in the area include the Great House in Cap Estate, Buzz and the Charthouse in Rodney Bay and the Coal Pot in Vigie Marina in Castries.
Meet & Greet If you are travelling independently, taxis are usually available at the airport, but one can be arranged for you by the hotel at your expense. It is worth putting in the request at the time of booking. If you are flying into Hewanorra in the south then the ride from the airport is around eighty or ninety minutes, depending on the traffic around Castries. If you have an option, it is better to fly into George FL Charles Airport at Vigie near Castries, about twenty minutes ride away. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, helicopter or limousine transfers, a Concierge Service is offered by St Lucia Representatives.
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking.
Getting Around Hiring a car to explore the island is easily arranged. If you are not travelling in peak season and you don't think you will want a car for more than a day or two, hotel reception will be able to assist you. Otherwise, we recommend you book in advance via your travel organiser or direct with Drive-A-Matic or Cool Breeze Car/Jeep Rental, who will deliver to the property and issue your St Lucian driving licence, price EC$54. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day.
Be aware that around the Jazz Festival in May and around Christmas there can be a shortage of cars in St Lucia, so you are advised to book well in advance. Also book early if you want one for a week or more because the pre-booked rates can be better. Taxis are readily available through the reception at the hotel, through drivers who remain on property. No public bus service runs near to Le Sport, so that is not really a convenient option.
The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT Video Please see below for a video of The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT, an active and upbeat resort on the northern tip of St Lucia in the Cap Estate. Ideal for activities, sports and spa treatments.
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