Considered to be one of the most romantic of all destinations in the world, St Lucia is a strikingly beautiful tropical island situated at the heart of the Windward chain in the Eastern Caribbean between St Vincent and Martinique. The island is mountainous and fertile, its spectacular peaks and deep valleys draped in the lush greenery of the rainforest and blooming with tropical splendour. The stunning coastline offers variety from classic stretches of white-sand beaches to the dramatic cliffs and hidden coves, and has some of the finest natural harbours in the Caribbean. The iconic towering Pitons are just two of the island’s natural wonders; the spectacular twin volcanic peaks rise majestically from the sea, midway down the Caribbean coast.

As well as being the perfect place to relax and do nothing, St Lucia offers visitors a colourful kaleidoscope of attractions to entertain them. Experience the adventure of exploring its sultry rainforest and swimming in its tropical waterfalls or take advantage of the excellent opportunities for snorkelling and diving in the clear turquoise waters surrounding the island which are home to a magnificent array of colourful marine life.

Located just 15 minutes from the George Charles Airport near Castries, the developer intends that the resort will be the finest resort in the Caribbean, bringing together some of the best brands and names from around the world to deliver a truly exceptional resort.

The Signature Golf Course will be designed to be both picturesque and challenging with fabulous views across the stunning landscape and Atlantic Ocean. This, combined with a marina that offers excellent facilities for cruising yachts, will ensure this exclusive resort is destined to become one of the Caribbean’s finest luxury destinations.

The resort is situated amongst some of the Caribbean’s most attractive landscape on the stunning northeast coast of St Lucia and occupies a breathtaking 500 acre site in a wide lush, tropical valley that sweeps majestically down to one of the most beautiful beaches in St Lucia, where pristine white sands meet clear, turquoise waters that are perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Originally the site of an 18th century sugar mill and more recently a banana plantation, the estate is resplendent with native fruit trees including mango, papaya, coconut, avocado, breadfruit, star fruit, plum and coffee. Tall flame flowers, orchids, jasmine, bougainvillea, oleander and hibiscus explode with colour and the bright red flamboyant tree attracts tiny iridescent humming birds.

An estate of this individuality requires considerable care to leave this piece of land better than it is. The developer plans to do this by ensuring the indigenous population’s involvement and the protection of the wildlife and existing ecosystems to create a new legacy.

Properties

Inspired by a vision of luxurious and elegant Caribbean living and intelligently designed by highly acclaimed architects, The Marquis Estate will comprise a distinctive collection of estate villas, townhouses and apartments that combines the grandeur of colonial-style plantation houses and contemporary luxury whilst embracing the essence of Caribbean architecture. Here you will find exotic sophistication within a setting of natural beauty.

Surrounded by lush tropical greenery, the properties will be meticulously designed and built using the very finest natural materials sourced from around the world. With coral stone accents and private plunge pools or Jacuzzis, the properties will not only look stunning but will be beautifully furnished and equipped with luxuriously appointed bathrooms and a state-of-the-art interactive entertainment system. The gardens will be carefully landscaped to create a resort that embraces its exotic natural environment and is in harmony with nature, complementing the island's natural beauty and creating a gem within a gem.

The resort will also include The Island Sanctuary, an exotic, tropical paradise surrounded by fresh water channels and reached only by private bridge. Each of the villas on The Island is secluded from the outside world by a living boundary of lush greenery. Each of the luxurious villas has its own private grounds and is surrounded by channels of fresh water and tropical planting. Designed and built to the highest specification the villa offers elegant and spacious accommodation.

Why Invest?

St Lucia is an established and increasingly popular holiday destination that is also one of the most accessible - three major airlines from the UK provide a direct service to St. Lucia (9 hours), and a direct service is available from the following US airports - New York (5 hours), Miami (3 hours), Charlotte (4 hours), Philadelphia (5 hours) and Atlanta (4.5 hours).

St Lucia has a stable economic and political environment with a high probability of price appreciation over the next ten years. St Lucia has many of the same advantages as Barbados but property prices are currently circa 60% lower.

The World Bank has recently placed St Lucia in the top 30 countries in the world to invest, making St Lucia the only Caricom country to make the top 30, ahead of Barbados and Antigua.

The general crime rate in St Lucia is one of the lowest in the Caribbean, making it a safe haven for tourists and for living. What’s more the island benefits from a stable government and economy, and there are very favourable tax concessions for property buyers from overseas: No Rental Income Tax, No Capital Gains Tax, No Inheritance Tax, No Repatriation Tax (please seek advice from an independant tax professional).

The island is still unspoilt and undeveloped, although several new developments have recently been started. The government sees expansion of tourism as a key objective and the growing popularity of the island for holidays mean that there is excellent rental potential for properties.
As a volcanic island there is limited land suitable to build on. The long term effect of
this is that property prices will hold their value.

Key Facts

Population 170,650.

Capital Castries.

Area 616 sq km/238 sq m); 43 km/27 miles long 23 km/14 miles wide.

Geography St Lucia is a volcanic island with 158 km of coastline and is dominated by high peaks and rain forests and is known for the twin peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton on the southwestern coast. The highest peak is Mount Gimie – 958m. The island is divided into 11 quarters – Anse la Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Forest, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux Fort. The island has 5 administrative parishes – Charlotte, St Andrew, St David, St George, St Patrick.

Time difference GMT -4.

Language Official language is English; the local dialect is French Patois.

Monetary unit Eastern Caribbean dollar EC$ (fixed to the US Dollar); US dollars are widely accepted.

Airport Hewanorra International Airport on the southern tip of the island handles international flights. The George F.L. Charles Airport in Castries handles inter-Caribbean traffic.

Flight times 8 hours 45 minutes from London – BA and Virgin fly from Gatwick; Virgin fly from Manchester; 4 hours from New York – with American Airlines.

Climate Tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation averaging 27°c; average daily sunshine is 8 – 9 hours; seasonal rainfall between June and December.

Location St Lucia is the second largest of the Windward Islands and part of the Lesser Antilles, with the Caribbean Sea on the west coast and the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast.

Government St Lucia is an ex-British colony and has been an independent state in the Commonwealth since February 1979; Governor General - Pearlette Louisy; Prime Minister - Stephenson King.

Economy In 2005 GDP grew by 5.1% Tourism and banana production are the main sources of income for St Lucia and the tourist industry is its biggest employer. Improvements in roads, communications and services infrastructure have attracted foreign investment. The World Bank has recently placed St Lucia in the top 30 countries in the world to invest, making St Lucia the only Caricom country to make the top 30.

Tourism St Lucia is considered to be the most romantic destination in the Caribbean and attracts a large number of visitors each year. In 2005 tourist visitors totalled over 700,000 mainly from the US and UK and tourism accounted for more than 48% of St Lucia’s GDP. High season – mid Dec to mid April.